A dark and festering novel that seeps under your skin, with a haunting end.

I loved this book, whilst others have commented on its pace. I found the pace added to its gloomy setting and dark overture.

The first book that comes to my mind when comparing this story is Stephen King’s ‘IT’. Which is somewhat funny because King gets a lot of mentions in this novel. But the setting, similar to Derry, and the notion of a grownup returning to their past and unlocking the horrors he left and facing the monster in the shadows.

I believe North is the new Jame Herbert, mixing paranormal and reality effortlessly. Both of his books I found to be chilling and totally captivating. His style of story telling is just brilliant and feels very true - which adds to the sinister charm of his books.

Praise for North!! I can’t wait to read your next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for my advanced copy.

When you've loved a debut novel as much as i loved The Whisper Man you always have a tiny fear that the second book won't be as good. There was no need to worry here because it was incredible. North ramped up the creepy factor and if i wasn't already wary of going into woods i would be after this. He mixes suspense, urban legend and childhood fears perfectly to create an incredible book. I wish i could give it a thousand stars.

I loved the author's previous book, The Whisper Man and so I was excited to read this new book.  If I'm being completely honest I probably slightly preferred that to this new book, though I still really enjoyed the Shadow Friend, particularly the eerie atmosphere and the dream angle.  There are an awful lot of characters and the story jumps around a little at times but it is still an intriguing, engrossing and very enjoyable read.

The Shadow Friend by Alex North is so far my favourite book of 2020! I loved his first book, The Whisper Man, so could not wait to start this one and it surpassed the high expectations I had!

I was totally engrossed in the topic of lucid dreams and how they can be controlled, and it created a tense, creepy feel throughout the book.

His writing seems effortless – the landscape descriptions are atmospheric, and the characterization is well plotted: our relationships with these characters grow as they do.

I liked that both his novels featured Featherbank and Amanda Beck. Although the novels are independent of each other, having a common setting and character means I become more emotionally invested in the stories. I am loathe to compare authors, but he really reminds me of Stephen King using Maine for many of his settings and having characters dip in and out of stories. Furthermore, the exploration of relationships between childhood friends is always a winner for me.

Mr. North is definitely an author on my “to be automatically read” list and I look forward to many more years of being entertained by this novelist.

#theshadowfriend #alexnorth #netgalley #penguinuk

Oh my, this is so very dark, so very edgy and so very Alex North. Brilliant!
The opening is one that will stay with me for such a long, long time. It is one of those that you feel you know what is coming but you are compelled to carry on reading. It isn't everything that I thought it would be, it is much, much worse. I can't forget it!
Twenty-five years later, it seems that history is repeating itself with the brutal death of a schoolboy and subsequent investigation by Detective Amanda Beck. The similarities are just so alike that a step back into the past has to be looked at. This opens up so much more than memories as it whips up unfinished business.
Paul Adams, now forty years old, has returned to the home town that he swore he wouldn't ever come back to but his mum is dying. Once back things certainly go bump in the night making him face what happened in the past and put an end to it once and for all. The story goes from present-day back to his school days and the oddball group of the four friends and their dangerous games. In the present time, Amanda Beck is trying to work out if there is some sort of connection to events in the past and the disappearance of a young boy from twenty-five years before.
What makes the story so edgy is that you know that someone is going to die and someone is going to go missing but there is so much more. I was totally thrown with this book in so many ways. It really isn't for the faint-hearted as at times it is hard to read. Shocking isn't the word, scared the hell out of me is nearer the mark and totally overwhelmed me. That said it is a cracking read, highly recommended if you feel up are up to it.
I wish to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin UK Joseph Michael for this advanced reader's copy in return for my honest review. I'm a big fan of Alex North's first book The Whisper Man so I was so excited to have the opportunity to read this one. Creepy and atmospheric, I was hooked from the first page. The story slowly unfolded into a darkly twisted reveal.

I found this book to be quite confusing and even though I love books that are different, I think it was too different for me.I struggled to keep up with it and can't say I enjoyed it try as I might.I guess this book divides the crowds you either get it, or in my case you don't.Sorry I didn't like it more.

I read the Whisper Man and loved it, and had high hopes for The Shadow Friend.
Again, North's prose is easy to read and gripping. The story of how lucid dreams can be the gateway to doing whatever you want is a great one. And the characters I enjoyed getting to know.
There were times when the timeline were a bit tricky, and the reveals were a bit confusing. But this didn't really detract from a great story overall.
Thanks to Netgalley and Alex North for another great read.

A disturbing dark horror tale with many shock twists and turns. An horrific murder from 25 years ago by young teenagers and the identity of the victim is only revealed as a surprise twist late in the story. The atmosphere of the woods central to the tale is beautifully described as the death count rises in the present day the investigation by Amanda Beck links the past and present together and the memories of one of the teens at the time of the original crime are the main theme. Dark,,disturbing brilliant story!

thoroughly enjoyed the author's previous novel, The Whisperman, but I just couldn't get into this one in the same way.

The plot was good and the writing was fine. There were plenty of twists and turns and the odd shock to keep the reader interested. I think the main issue was I couldn't identify with the characters - a grim lot.

Not as good as the Whisper Man but a reasonable read all the same.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy.

I adore this author.
I am never disappointed and always a little on edge reading this one. This is no different. I absolutely love it.

I read and loved the Whisper Man which is Alex Norths first book. This book does not disappoint so a massive thank you to Netgalley for the preview of this book. It is creep gripping & really engaging . Much like the first book your heart will be pounding in places & you won't want it to end. I really look forward to more from this really talented writer.

The Shadow Friend is the second book by author Alex North. His first, The Whisper Man, was a really really excellent read, so I was so thrilled to get an early copy of North's next offering. I wasn't disappointed, and this one was another 5 star read!

The Shadow Friend follows Paul, a 40 year old ex resident of Gritten Wood, a small forgotten town on the outskirts of everywhere else, and his return to his hometown to visit his dying mother. Gritten Wood is close to Featherbank, where North's first novel is set, and the crossover between the two is the detective Amanda Beck.

Amanda is investigating the murder of a local boy, which has similarities with a murder 25 years ago involving Paul and some of his friends.

There isn't much more I can say about the plot that wouldn't give it away and this is such a thrilling book, that you really don't want spoilers.

I read this over a week and it only took me that long because I had to read it in the day, as I couldn't read it when I went to bed as it was just so creepy! I don't get creeped out by books often, and I can't even tell you exactly what was so scary about this book. But I just couldn't read it right before I went to sleep!

The story explores lucid dreams and 'incubation'. I'd never heard of these before, and I don't think I'll look into them further either. The descriptions in this book of the dream state and the things that can happen, was interesting and chilling.

Alex North writes really well, his narrative is flowing and descriptive. You feel as though you are there with the characters in those creepy woods behind Paul's house - The Shadows. You can feel his apprehension and disappointment at Charlie's increasing hold over James and what that means for their friendship.

I enjoyed reading this one so much, and I'm really glad I read it quite soon after The Whisper Man. I liked that the stories had the Featherbank link and that Amanda Beck was a character in this one too. When reading The Whisper Man, you don't necessarily feel that she will be a focus going forward, but I'm glad she was.

I would recommend this to thriller and horror fans. The plot was quite complex, but once you got your head around it, it was really clever. Definitely give this one a go when it comes out.

The Shadow friend by Alex North is the second book from the author I have read and looking forward to it. I read The Whisper man which I really enjoyed.
Paul Adams returns to his childhood home as his mother is dying. He left when he went to University and has not returned since because of painful memories that he wants left buried.
But when he returns home the memories resurface of when he was fifteen years old. His friends Charlie Campbell and Billy Roberts killed another school friend, which somehow, he was involved in. The group gets involved with lucid dreaming and claim that things in it come true. Paul is guilty not only what happened that day but also not being there for his mother. He goes all out to find out what happened that day.
Detective Amanda Beck travels to Gritten after reading the case and a teenage boy has been murdered. Is this a copycat killer or has Charlie come back to kill again? The police also follow a website that new information on what went on.
This is a creepy, supernatural, atmospheric thriller with an original storyline. With a hint of a horror story vibe. The ghost that haunted the woods reminded me a bit of The Bogey man. It was gripping , with twists and turns and great characters. Four stars from me.

The Whisper Man by Alex North was one of the best thriller books of last year. A stellar, debut about fathers and sons, with a touch of the creepy. So imagine my excitement that I get to read The Shadow Friend, which is a superb follow-up and Alex North establishes himself as an author to keep an eye on, becoming one of my new favourite thriller writers, an auto-buy.
The Shadow Friend starts with a prologue and we see 15 year-old Paul Adams being arrested for the murder of a friend. Many years later we learn that Paul was innocent and released from questioning when his friend, Billy, confessed to the killing while his fourth friend, Charlie Crabtree who planned the murder, vanished completely. Paul has arrived back at his childhood town of Gritten where his mother still lives and is currently in a hospice, with Alzheimers and has had an accident, close to death. Paul still struggles with guilt over what happened twenty-five years ago and this is his first time returning after having left for university. Soon he has flashbacks of his past, and we see how he met Charlie, Billy and James and they became a foursome hanging out break-times and talking about keeping dream diaries, lucid dreams and Red Hands, an urban legend figure of sorts, who comes to you and will do your biding. But the longer adult Paul stays in Gritten he gets caught with his mother's strange ramblings and peculiar things that keep happening. Is it just a manifestation of his guilt or there something bigger happening?...
Then we have DS Amanda of Featherbanks. She is called to a scene in the park where a teenager has been brutally murdered. Later on they arrest two teenagers who confess to the killing as part of ritual to summon Red Hands. Amanda starts investigating and finds there is an urban legend of sorts surrounding this elusive Red Hands after a murder that happened twenty-five years ago in Gritten and one of the killers Charlie Crabtree actually vanished and many belief he actually disappeared into a dream land with Red Hands, which has resulted in copycat killings to replicate the 'success'. She drives to Gritten to investigate the original murder and stumbles on some strange happenings...
This is a intricately woven story with different strands of the plot merging seamlessly. One of North's strengths is that as well as plotting well he also creates empathetic characters you care for. I loved the flashbacks scene which has shades of The Body by Stephen King and the way the teenagers get caught up with mythical figure of Red Hands. Also I was sucked in by the vivid setting of the village of Gritten and the creepy forests aptly named The Shadows. With a dual narrative the story is pacy, and thrums along. I couldn't put this down. This will be a read of the summer for sure. An assured story about friendships and the grip of the past that shapes our present. A compelling suspense novel, with shades of Stephen King. A must-read!

As with the Whisper Man, Alex North has again produced a thrilling read. Going back to your childhood town is a difficult task for many and this is certainly the case for Paul, the lead character.

Lucid dreams can be difficult to follow but I got there in the end !

If you liked Whisper Man, you will like this

I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin UK - Michael Joseph for an advance copy of The Shadow Friend, a stand-alone set in the fictional English town of Gritten.

Paul Adams returns to Gritten for the first time in 25 years because his mother is dying. He left Gritten and never went back after the murder of his friend. One classmate was caught and convicted but the other, Charlie Crabtree, disappeared and was never seen again. Now Detective Amanda Beck is interested in speaking to Paul because she is investigating a copycat murder and Charlie appears to be involved.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Shadow Friend which is a tense, atmospheric read with some good twists and a hint of the supernatural. It requires a certain amount of concentration as it has both a dual narrative and timeline. Most of it is Paul’s first person story as he switches between the present day and the events of twenty five years ago while Amanda’s third person narrative adds a touch of objectivity to current events. Both stories are compulsive as Paul slowly unfolds the events leading up to the old murder and deals with some strange present day events. Somehow they get intertwined without losing their own thread. Amanda provides the objectivity, continuity and a framework for the reader to follow.

Fortunately there is not too much supernatural in the novel as it’s not my thing and there is always a rational explanation for events if the reader wants to grasp it. I guess it’s all a bit ambiguous, especially the lucid dreaming that plays such a central role in the original murder. It’s an interesting concept, especially in a group setting. I loved the explanation but struggled with the idea of a 15 year old boy having the sophistication to pull it off.

Above all the novel is atmospheric with a sense of suspense and dread permeating the read. I never knew what was coming next - and there are a couple of epic twists - but I just knew it was going to be bad. I even found myself putting the book down a couple of times to regroup before ploughing on, so yes, it’s that tense.

Perhaps on a more literary level this is a novel about a man coming to terms with his past. The rather mushy conclusion certainly suggests that but it flies in the face of all that has gone before.

The Shadow Friend is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

I was beyond excited to get approved for this, after loving The Whisper Man.
This was not what I expected. Confusing perspectives, time frame and plot made it so I was 16% in before I really had any idea what was happening.
Lucid dreams is a really interesting concept to me and I have often wondered about this in reality.
I think the arrangement of the book (time frame and perspective) could have been made much clearer.

This is not a book for anyone who is afraid of the dark or finds dark woods creepy. If you're already at that point, this book may push you over the edge!

There are two timelines in the story. As an adult, Paul returns to the village where he lived as a child, because his mother is dying. His return is uncomfortable, bringing back difficult memories and almost the first words his mum says to him are 'you should not be here' Gradually the memories of Paul's childhood are revealed including the disturbing recollections of dabbling in lucid dreams. The experiments in controlling lucid dreams resulted in a murder and now in the adult timeline, it appears that there has been a copycat murder.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It's well written and fast paced. It has complexities but is not difficult to follow. But there are surprises along the way. The childhood murder is revealed early on in the book, but who is murdered is not clear. It wasn't who I thought at all. Great twist.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twenty five years ago Paul’s friend Charlie brutally killed their classmate and then vanished without a trace. Paul has never forgiven himself for the part in which he played, so left home and hasn’t been back since. But now his mum has had a fall and now it’s time to stop running. It’s not long though till things start to go wrong again. He needs to find out once and for all - what happened to Charlie on the day of the murder?

Another creepy story by Alex North. It is full of suspense and written well although I found it to be a little slow going at times.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Penguin UK for ARC in exchange for my honest review.