his is one creepy book and I mean creepy. Leave lights on, burn the grid, light your house up like Blackpool creepy.

After the death of his wife, Tom and his seven year old son, Jake, decide to make a fresh start elsewhere and move to a house in Featherbank. All is well until Jake starts to hear whispering noises outside of his bedroom window. Twenty years previously Frank Carter was convicted of luring boys outside of their windows by whispering and then killing them. Is 'The Whisper Man' back and how could that be?

This is an engrossing and fast paced read that will have you hooked from the first page. A book about loss, grief and the impact it has which was heartfelt at times. Nicely done. I highly recommend The Whisper Man and will say that in this instance it does live up to the hype. More please!

The best book I’ve read all year! An absolutely outstanding piece of work from the author and one you CANNOT miss, it was so creepy and eerily written, especially when Jack starts talking to the Whisper Man, the dad Tom was a great character and the relationship between him and his son Jake was interesting and the love between them was plain to see. The book was riveting and honestly drags you in and doesn’t let up, I was terrified for most of the time 😂

A really riveting read which had me sleeping with the big light on, it will stay with you for a long time after you’ve finished the book that’s for sure.

I hope Alex brings out another book so and pray it’s just as gobsmackingly good as this one!!!

A deliciously, disturbing 'debut' novel. The Whisper Man is the sort of book that keeps you up all night, makes you paranoid and, if you're me, checking that all the doors & windows are closed/locked. I can't wait to see what Alex North comes up with next, and I sincerely hope it's darker and more unsettling than The Whisper Man!

Outstanding! This is a psychological thriller like no other I have ever read before. Exceptionally well structured and truely addictive. Raced through it, gasping at each cleverly revealed twist and turn. Needs to be turned into a mini series.

The Whisper Man is atmospheric creepy crime fiction in a small town setting, mixing supernatural with a serial killer on the loose.

This was a one-sitting read for me, gripping from the start and clever plotted with well-drawn characters. I enjoyed reading the story from the points of view of different characters, especially young Jake. The writing is great - emotive and highly visual. I could see everything as it happened, and felt it too. It takes a lot to freak me out, but the book was certainly unsettling in places.

The Whisper Man is more than just another police procedural with a missing child at its heart. This is a book about father-son relationships, grief and loss, providing an emotional core that's not always found in crime novels.

Recommended.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt as gripped and enthralled by a novel, especially during the first half. Oh My Word…this book was the creepiest, eeriest and most spine-chilling that I’ve read all year. I’m talking voices through the floor boards, imaginary friends that may not be that imaginary, finding your very young son sitting on the floor next to your front door at midnight while fingers creep through the letterbox. Yes people, this is a seriously scary read and one that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And what could be better than that?

I know that on first glance this book may appear to be another run-of-the-mill police procedural, but oh no, that it is not. This is a story that comes with a history, one that is both scary and upsetting - the abductions and murders of children. Basically, over 20 years ago, a killer was responsible for abducting and murdering 5 young boys in the town of Featherbank. This killer was a man by the name of Frank Carter, nicknamed The Whisper Man. He’s been in prison for a long time when Tom Kennedy and his young son Jake move to the sleepy village of Featherbank. And so begins the nightmare for this little family of two. But this story is actually more than just abductions, murders and scariness. It goes much deeper than that. In this book the reader is exposed to grief, loss, the struggle to carry on in situations that are difficult, and how we relate to each other and the people we love during difficult times. It is a complex tale that weaves many topics together.

I have nothing bad to say about this novel. I read somewhere that this was the author’s crime debut and all I can say is wow, he’s done a brilliant job and he obviously has a knack for the genre. This is a sad and sensitive story, but it’s also a riveting crime novel, a thriller and I even picked up on a very slight Stephen King vibe at times. It’s difficult to pigeon hole this one, but for now, let me just say this – buy it, borrower it, steal it (just kidding), but do whatever you must do to read this one. It’s so engrossing that you’ll fly through it in no time.

Is someone born a monster or are they shaped to be one by their experiences?

Tom and Jake Kennedy come home after school one day and as Tom is parking the car, Jake enters the house to find his mother dead at the bottom of the stairs. Jake is a quiet child who has an active imagination and Tom has always found it difficult to talk to him. After his wife’s death it becomes worse, Jake often seems like a problem he cannot solve and he hates himself for being so useless and ineffective; his frustration often curdles into anger and to improve the situation Tom buys a house in Featherbank and they move to make a new start and put the past behind them. Featherbank became infamous 20 years ago when DI Pete Willis put Frank Carter behind bars. Carter murdered 5 young boys; the media referred to his as “the whisper man” based on the idea that Carter befriended his victims – neglected and vulnerable children – before taking them away. He would talk quietly to them at night outside their windows.

Their new house was on a quiet residential street with a large field on one side but when they arrive at the new house Tom has an ominous feeling. Jake, on the other hand, is very excited about the new house and quickly makes himself at home. Tom shrugs his unease away and tells himself – “we are going to be safe here, we are going to be happy” – and for the first week, they are……

An enjoyable read that has an unexpected ending and shows the complexities of family relationships and the effect they have on various members of the family. Parenting does not come naturally to everyone and sometimes being an absent parent is better than being around.

Saphira

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

When a father and son move to a small, sleepy town, they could never suspect that it would bring them straight into the path of a serial killer. If you love C J Tudor and Thomas Harris, you’ll find this incredibly creepy psychological thriller as gripping as they come.

The Whisper Man is an extremely creepy and chilling psychological thriller. A newly widowed father and his sensitive young son move to a village for a fresh start. An ageing detective haunted by a murder case he worked twenty years previously is faced with a copycat killer. This novel has elements of gothic mystery and the supernatural whilst also dealing with issues of grief and bereavement. A fantastic read.

Outstanding, creep dar noir. Thrilling, unputdownable and a must-read. A fabulous police procedural novel. Recommended.

Twenty years ago, five boys went missing. The killer, known as 'The Whisper Man' was caught but the fifth boy's body was never found. Now,  two decades later another boy has gone missing and his time is running out. In the meantime, Tom and his son Jake have moved to a new village for a fresh start but quickly get caught up with the old murders, and the new. And someone has their eye on Jake, and has been whispering to him in the night...

I loved the creepiness of this book from the get go. There's something a bit unnerving about this book - from the rhyme about The Whisper Man, Jake's 'imaginary' friends and what they tell him to just the thought of someone out there stalking little boys and ending their lives in a horrible, cruel way.

There's a few different perspectives in this book which I really enjoyed, and I found it gave a really well-rounded story and as a reader, we were able to see into everything - from the current police investigation, the past, through the killer's eyes, and through a potential victims. This thriller definitely suffered from some cliches such as the old-time detective with ties to the past case and a troubled background and there a few too many connections at some points for me.

There was an emphasis on the relationship between father and son in this novel as well from both estranged, trouble and tight knit - yet none of them perfect. I liked the relationship between Tom and Jake. It felt real and there was a vulnerable rawness there between the two characters that was really lovely to read sometimes. I'm not always a massive fan of how children are written in books but Jake was great for me. I found him just a real cutie and I wanted to bundle him up and protect him from the world.

I wasn't very surprised by the reveals in this book. It didn't take me too long to figure out who the killer could be and then as everything fell together, who that person was in the novel and where'd we seen them before. That didn't take away any enjoyment of the story for me though.

This was the most emotionally gripping piece of fiction I have read this year. Tom and his son Jake move to a new neighbourhood called Featherbank after the loss of Jake's's mother. Fiftenn years previously five boys were murdered and the killer was now behind bars and was known as the Whisper Man. Boys were lured into the night by the whispers and sadly killed.
The twists and turns in this book make for a great read. It is utterly both compelling and creepy - once started it was a book I could not put down. The tragedy of a mother dying, coping with the loss and grief, new friendships, fear and detachment, this book delivers everything.
I look forward to more of Alex's work but will not be reading them at night.

The Whisper Man was unnervingly creepy. It made me aware of every creak and groan of the house around me. It was a thriller but with hints of the supernatural. Incredibly well written, swept me up and took me along for the ride, just how I want a thriller to be.
Highly recommended.
Thanks so much for the opportunity to read and give a review.

This is amazing. Loved it. Great characters and unpredictable yet plausible plot.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I’m sure I’m going to be in the minority here but as I requested what I thought was going to be a crime thriller I wasn’t happy at the supernatural and horror elements.
This book will appeal if you like spooky voices in the night type stories but it seemed a tad over the top for me.

Recently widowed Tom decides that a fresh start for him and his son Jake is best so they move to the village of Featherbank. Jake is a troubled boy who has imaginary friends rather than real ones but he is keen to move so Tom buys a small house in the village. Although the setting for a series of child murders many years ago, Featherbank appears to be a nice place to bring up child. That is until another child goes missing and suddenly for the police it is a race against time.
I found this book quite difficult to review as it creates several different and contrary feeling in me. There is no doubt that North can plot a story and write in a way that leaves the reader wanting more. However I also felt that this book tried just a little too hard. There are so many sub-genres here - slightly supernatural, serial killer reborn, estranged family, cliched cop with a drink problem - that I just started getting annoyed. Maybe if North simplified his ideas the book might have been more successful for me. Having said that I appear to be in the minority as the book has sold lots and garnered excellent reviews.

Like most books involving children, this was a very emotional story. The way childhood can affect the future development of the child. This was a good police procedural story and highlights the way such actions can have a lasting effect on the police themselves. Great read.

I read this in practically one sitting and thoroughly enjoyed it throughout. I confess I do like an old fashioned police procedure/missing person book and this one didn’t disappoint and even managed to add in a bit of extra tension with unexpected family connections. The basic premise throughout is the relationships between fathers and sons which is intriguing. A well deserve five stars from me!

Fab read. Could not put down. Highly recommended to all. Believable characters. Great author. Will be watching out for more titles.

I really enjoyed this book. Tom and his young son Jake move house after the death of his wife. But strange things start to happen and Tom discovers something hidden under the floor of his garage. His find links back 20 years to the horrific murders of young boys by Frank Carter, also known as the Whisper Man, who is currently serving a prison sentence for his crimes. Now another boy has gone missing. The police officer Pete Willis, who was responsible for catching Carter is called in to the case. Is there a connection to the Whisper Man murders? Then it seems as though Jake has been targeted as the next victim. This is a great read which will keep you on the edge of your seat. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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