I read Chapman's novel about the Satanic Panic of the 80s and a present day unsettling situation in one day--and most of it in one big chunk at night because I just couldn't step away from Sean and Richard's horrifying stories.

Chapman wove everything together masterfully and provided plenty of shocking elements. In fact, I could physically feel my eyes opening wider and wider while reading the book's final pages.

This book will appeal to those who love psychological horror, those who like to watch things spiral out of control, and those who cheered on Dee Snider when he stuck it to PMRC.

Well, this was an interesting book. Apparently it was inspired by the McMartin preschool trials and the Satanic Panic of the ‘80s. I had no real idea what either of these things were so I went into this with no pre-conceived ideas about the story.

And for the majority of this book, I was hooked quite easily. I found the present-day narrative really easy to follow and was completely caught up in Richard's story.

The past timeline of Sean was almost as good but the dialogue was from the POV of a 5-year-old and was, well, child-like. And it kind of kept me from engaging completely.
Also, Sean's psychiatrist was a complete you-know-what! A character with very little redeeming features. I hope she was meant to come across like that...

Ultimately, a very good occult-ish horror novel that incorporates a backstory rooted in real life.
What's not to love??


Paul
ARH

This book feels like something of a level-up for Chapman. Not that he was in need of one--he's always been a consummate storyteller--but of all his books (and monologues) I've encountered, none has ever been quite so sprawling, so intense, so heart-burstingly sad. The chapter-by-chapter, sentence-by-sentence craft on display is also a new high watermark for him; this books moves as easy as a greased Slip 'n Slide straight into the mouth of Hell. A must-read for fans of Dan Chaon's ILL WILL or Stephen King's SECRET WINDOW SECRET GARDEN.

Synopsis & Quick Thoughts
Whisper Down the Lane is the latest horror novel by author Clay McLeod Chapman, told in two points of view. Sean is a five-year-old boy who has just moved to a Greenfield, Virginia. When his mother receives a letter from his school saying Sean’s favorite teacher is under investigation, a small white lie he tells takes the town and nation by storm in a Satanic Panic inspired story. Richard is an art teacher in Danvers, Virginia, focused on his new marriage to Tamara and the chance to be a father to her son, Elijah. But when a gored rabbit shows up on the school grounds with a birthday card for Richard, elements of his past start to resurface…

I had a good time with this book. I enjoy horror inspired by historical events/plausible horror so the premise of this novel was intriguing to me. Although I thought the twist was pretty predictable, the atmosphere and realistic nature of the events that take place are deeply unsettling. This book wasn’t a standout or super memorable for me, and I didn’t love the ending, but overall I had a good time.

Positives
I liked this book because the way in which it was scary is different than a lot of other novels I’ve read recently. Whisper Down the Lane is inspired by the McMartin preschool trials and the Satanic Panic of the 80s, so the horror feels especially real and plausible. As I mentioned above, psychological and atmospheric horror is my favorite subgenre and this one fit into those descriptions nicely.

One of the horror tropes I love the most is the protagonist/narrator who begins to question their sanity and reliability; that was an aspect of this book that I greatly enjoyed. I thought it was set up and played out well, although there are so many potential outcomes with the nature of this trope that I wish the author had gone in a different direction with the ending.

Negatives
The ending of this book also kind of sucked. One of my least favorite horror/thriller tropes is ‘someone from the protagonist’s past coming back to get revenge’. It seriously happens so often and I absolutely can’t stand it; I think it’s boring and done to death and the reveal is never as exciting or twisty as it could have been. That’s exactly what happens here and it feels pretty contrived. It was also pretty predictable, and normally it wouldn’t ruin the experience for me, but this book is somewhat of a mystery, and being able to discern the ending early on was disappointing.

The other negative that I won’t get too into because it doesn’t need much explanation is that this book is pretty standard and forgettable. This book was a fun time while I was reading it, but I don’t think I’ll have many thoughts about it six months from now. Hell, I don’t have many thoughts as I’m writing this now.

Rating & Final Thoughts
Whisper Down the Lane gets 3.5 out of 5 stars from me. This is a pretty standard horror that’s based in some interesting history. While its atmospheric and slow burn horror make for a fun read, it’s altogether forgettable and the ending left much to be desired. If you’re really into horror like me, though, I’d take a look at this one. If you like the synopsis, you’ll probably like the book.

Truly one of the scariest books of the year. I could not put this book down as I was busy using it as a shield against the shadows outside my window.

It's crazy to think that this book was based off of something that actually happened. I could really feel the MC/s desperation.
Thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for a review.

I'm not really sure what it was with me & this book. ~DNF @60%

Normally I wouldn't get this far into a book & set it down, but I just really struggled with this one (over a month). I was immediately drawn in by the plot & was looking forward to a deeper dive into the Satanic Panic, but the pacing was all off for me - it started off strong, fizzled out, picked up again, fizzled out, slightly picked up again, & then I was just stuck in a perpetual flat spot. This is marketed as a horror, but I wouldn't necessarily consider it that, I think this falls more into psychological thriller territory with slight horror elements (& despite the strong opening, it's absolutely more of a slow burn). I'd also put in a content warning for anyone sensitive to animal deaths - I wasn't expecting one this graphic but it's there.

On a more positive note, you can tell Chapman put in a ton of research - that truly shines through. I just don't think I really connected with the writing style or the way this story was playing out - I've seen some positive reviews though & am glad it's resonating with some readers!

Thank you so much to Clay McLeod Chapman, NetGalley & Quirk Books for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review!

I read Clay McLeod Chapman’s other book, The Remaking, and loved it. When I saw that there was a new book coming out, I was ecstatic. This book was everything I had hoped for, and then some. It was creepy, it was dark, it was gory at parts, it had a big twist ending that I definitely did not see coming. I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely be recommending this to customers at work!

Wow! This true crime esque horror novel had me from the beginning and never let me go. I'll definitely be going back to learn more about this Satanic panic of the '80s and the true stories that inspired this. Very eerie!

Richard is a 35 year old man who lives in Danvers, Virginia with his new wife Tamara and her 5-year old son Elijah. Richard teaches art at the local elementary school where Elijah attends Kindergarten and Tamara also teaches. One morning on his way to work, Richard discovers the body of a rabbit, murdered and displayed in a ritualistic fashion. He knows it is meant for him based on the card sticking out of the rabbit's body with the name "Sean" written on it. Thirty years ago, when Sean was in Kindergarten, his teacher was under investigation. When his mother asked Sean about things happening at school, he told a lie that grew out of control and resulted in unintended consequences that could not be undone. Now, someone is there to remind Richard of the lies that Sean told and wants him to pay the price.

This novel was inspired by the McMartin preschool trials and the Satanic Panic of the 1980's. It is told in alternating time periods, with Richard as the narrator in 2013, and with Sean as the narrator in 1983. It paints a vivid picture of how a child can be coerced into telling untruths and how the past can haunt you forever. I highly recommend this psychological thriller/horror story. It will suck you in from the beginning and you won't want to put it down until you're done.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an ARC of #WhisperDowntheLane by #ClayMcLeodChapman

When he was five years old, Sean told a little lie. And now, it must come full circle.
Let me just start by saying that this book has an amazing beginning. Total misdirection, you could argue, but creepy and interesting enough to get you hooked until the very last page.
Broken into two different point of views, “Damned if you don’t” (Richard) and “Damned if you do” (Sean), the past and present of the story unravels at a slow pace, piece by piece, until it reaches the last part and just explodes in a burst of (really well written) paranoia.
Related to the Satanic Panic in the 80s and how it affected both children and their parents, Whisper down the lane makes a terrific job, not only depicting how the most mundane fears can make a whole system crumble, but also making you, the reader, part of it. Do you believe it now, while you read it? Ok, but… what if it had happened around you, to someone you knew? Would you believe then?

The characters were solid and evolved in the expected way. Some of them just show in the background, grey and sometimes unused, but they don’t need to be centre for the reader to feel their looming presence.
I think the interviews, scattered thorough the book, make a great addition as well, for they allow the reader to get really close to what the characters are remembering (or not), doing (or not) and feeling.

And yes, as you can obviously infer by the vague descriptions and somehow obscure sentences, I am trying my best not to say a lot because I think this is the kind of novel that one needs to approach with little to no information.
Are you looking for a creepy, psychological story that will possibly make you heart run faster with each turn of the page? You’re in the right place. Just start reading. You won’t regret it.


***Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending and ARC in exchange for an honest review***

Thankfully, I wasn’t around for the absolute mess that was the Satanic Panic that raged across the USA and other parts of the world, so I feel like I learned a lot from Whisper Down the Lane. Inspired by the rather disturbing McMartin preschool trial where several staff members were falsely accused of child abuse, Chapman created a version that was equally unpleasant. Alternating between dual narratives, one being a child’s perspective in 1983, the other an art teacher’s in the more modern day of 2013, the plot thoroughly explored the psychological effects relating to hysteria, paranoia, as well as the consequences of one’s actions. To put it simply, it was about humans doing human things, interference from the devil himself not required for events to get out of hand. I was interested despite not finding anything particularly creepy, conspiracy theories being thought-provoking, and in this case, infuriating. Five-year-old Sean believed that by lying about his teacher and appeasing the people around him, he was doing the right thing – his story’s a prime example of how adults use children to progress their agendas. This happens every day in the real world.

Saying that, my biggest issue was with Richard himself, his inability to complete sentences and actually say what he needed to left me frustrated, add to that his unreliability due to his rapidly declining mental health. It was a case where the whole ordeal could’ve been over had he just fessed up sooner rather than later, and while I appreciate complex, troubled characters that can prove challenging to understand, sometimes I’m just unable to mesh with them. Sean’s perspective was a lot more engrossing, his innocence taken advantage of, and I especially felt a lot when the suggestive questioning came into play.

In general, the plot had both highs and lows, the reveals that I felt were supposed to be significant twists being mostly predictable, however credit where it’s due, one got me pretty good and left me surprised. Also, there were elements throughout that could’ve been interpreted as supernatural, but they were vague, therefore I believed the only thing haunting Richard was his own personal demons. I wouldn’t recommend to a reader wanting a full on occult horror experience, this just isn’t that sort of book.

In conclusion: Whisper Down the Lane caused me to go down a rabbit hole, because while being aware of the hysteria of the Satanic Panic, I never made the effort to go in depth. Chapman depicted a young character swept up into a very adult world, manipulated and led to construct a story that would destroy lives. I couldn’t quite quell my irritation in some parts, mostly related to one specific half of the narrative, but overall it left me eager to know what would happen next. To be clear, I’d consider it more as a thriller with some mystery elements that were a tad obvious, but in the right hands, this novel will tick all the boxes.

What a creepy and scary story! The connections to the McMartin Preschool trial were immediately apparent as we the reader got to sit in the mind of one of the children lead into false testimony against their teachers. If you have never watched some of those interviews then this entire thing will seem completely unbelievable. But those so-called counselors were really this bad. And if you have ever wondered what would become of those children (only a few have spoken about it) this is one take on that, too.

The tension is built as the story springs back and forth between Sean in 1983 and Richard in 2013 as we see their two tales mirror each other. The author doesn’t really hide anything from the reader, it more seems that Richard is hiding from himself. We can see what is happening and are only half as in the dark as is the man who never got the help her needed as a boy.

It may be a controversial opinion, or at least not completely agreed upon, but I loved the ending. The confusion in Richard and the confusion in Sean are part of the appeal as the story screams to a crescendo. I do wish a few characters had been a little more fleshed out, but this was a quick read story and not an epic tale. It could have been written as either. Thanks to NetGalley, Clay McLeod Chapman, and Quirk Books for the ARC. I’ll be looking into more from this author in the future.

This is my second sampling of Clay’s writing and I must say that I really enjoy how strong his novels begin. This novel is steeped in reality as it’s based off of the 80’s Satanic Panic that made people suspect of anyone in getting caught up with witchcraft. In the 80’s a California preschool was in the news for the teachers were accused of being Satanists. Obviously, it all ended up being one big lie, and this book explores what happens when a little boy delivers a lie that changes not only his life but that of many people. Sean is five years old when he accuses his kindergarten teacher of worshiping the devil. Years later, we see how that lie comes back to haunt him.

Some parts of the book were creepy (I really enjoyed the Gray Boy) and some of them were kinda slow. I liked how it explored the Satanic Panic craze as I was too little to recall any of it when it was happening, not to mention that since my parents weren’t the crazy types, they never thought that Cabbage Patch Kids or The Smurfs were “Satanic.”

I did enjoy the dual narratives between Sean in 1983 and Richard in 2013 as it amped up the mystery of what happened and trying to figure out what exactly what went on. The imagery was dark and creepy and I was compelled to keep on reading as more and more of the mystery began to unravel. I liked how the book ended but it felt like the novel began to drag towards the end, so I would’ve preferred a more tightened end, but I did like how we were left with a question rather than all answers.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted more action and suspense and I ended up with heartwarming friendships and a little zip right at the end. This is a solid book and I think it’ll be a big success. I’d say just go into it knowing it's not going to blow your socks off but it will thoroughly entertain you!

4.75 stars

Richard is flying high in life – He’s married to Tamara, loving being a parent to her son Elijah, delivering an art curriculum at a local elementary school. But when it rains, it pours – his misfortunes start with the discovery of a birthday card addressed to Richard… hidden under the ritualistically murdered mascot rabbit. As if that wasn’t weird enough, it’s not Richard’s birthday. It’s Sean’s.

Who’s Sean, you ask? Well, let me take you back to the ’80s. Sean is a 5-year-old preschooler who lives with his single mother, who works hard to make ends meet and be the best parent she can be. When she receives a letter from Sean’s preschool stating that his teacher is under investigation, Sean and his mother find themselves in the middle of one of the most significant trials the country had seen at that point.

Now, someone is determined to make someone paid the price for Sean’s lies, and they are making sure Richard remembers what Sean did.

It was pretty clear from the beginning that Whisper Down the Lane isn’t a typical horror. In my opinion, Chapman masterfully built an atmosphere that felt real. Whisper Down the Lane is inspired by actual events; even though it is purely a work of fiction, I thought that the author captured the essence of what it must have been like to be a key player in the McMartin preschool trials. The solution was fair and consistent with the book’s narrative, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading the book (even though I was unnerved at times).

Whisper Down the Lane is told through Richard’s, an adult in the present time, and Sean’s, a child in the past POV. This choice really worked for me, even more so when Chapman brought both narratives together terrifically.

The main characters were well developed, especially Sean’s arc. I felt every second of his distress and the effects the incident had on his life. There is just one particular character that I would have liked to follow longer than we did in this book, but that’s me nitpicking.

Also, because Whisper Down the Lane was marketed as horror, I wouldn’t have minded some more occult or cult vibes.

In my opinion, Whisper Down the Lane is a psychological horror (is that even a thing? It should be…). I mean to say that the book is 100% psychological but a blend of thriller and horror. The horror within the book is human; what makes it terrifying is not the devil or the occult, but our inherent evil nature that can lead some people to cause irreparable harm to others without any remorse.

Whisper Down the line is inspired by the Satanic Panic of the 1980s (which I only heard of now, as I grew up in Brazil), but it’s very much current. It touches on a very contemporary problem of authority figures (parents, psychologists, police, etc.) asking leading questions and coercing false testimonies without any regard to the accused or the mental health of the witness. Can you imagine how much strain a child’s psyche endures when they are convinced they were involved in devil worship, abused by adults, practiced cannibalism, and took part in occult rituals? The fact that this happened to preschoolers in real life turns my stomach.

As with its real-life counterpart, the lives in this book were deeply affected and changed permanently. Sean’s and Richard’s stories were compelling, empathetic, intense, and distressing. The connection between the two narratives was evident from the beginning; I felt the alternation added to the book’s suspense.

I had to put this book down a few times, especially during interrogations, because the unease the scenes caused me was tremendous. I wanted to jump into the pages and protect Sean. Not to mention, the psychologist’s questions and the darn puppet were terrifying. Chapman’s talent is evident in his characterization of Sean: I could see myself in his shoes – confused, afraid, trying to say what adults wanted to hear as if pleasing them will be the only way to end things. I felt the same during another part of the story that I won’t spoil for you.

A strong sense of foreboding permeates the entire narrative in this visceral, evocative cautionary tale. And that, to me, IS horror. Whisper Down the Lane will linger with me for a while.

Disclaimer: Even though I couldn't wait and purchased Whisper Down the Lane, I was also gifted a copy of the e-book by the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Quirk Books, Clay McLeod Chapman and NetGalley for my e-ARC.

#FrostaWingsIt #FrostaHeat #ClayMcLeodChapman #QuirkBooks #WhisperDowntheLane #Horror #Booktwitter #bookstagram #bookworm #booklover #bibliophile #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle

Starting out, this book held promise of creepiness, with disemboweled animals and references to satanic panic, I was excited. However, it soon lost steam, dragging its way through until a whirlwind conclusion that was ambiguous and required some rereading to ensure I hadn’t missed anything. The characters lacked depth and personality, the backstory was exhausting and redundant, and the entire story just left me bored and anxious to finish. Not to mention, it all seemed highly improbable, even if some of the story was a regurgitation of real events from the 1980s, it still seemed a stretch in a lot of ways. While I didn’t care for the way the story played out, the writer was able to keep my interest enough, even if it was just to see if the book got better, and I believe could create something better with a little more finesse.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions are my own.

I love when books have an alternating timeline and this one is set in the middle of the 1980's satanic panic period with a kindergarten student and 2013 with an adult art teacher. Sean is the guileless impressionable kindergartner who just wants to make friends and escape his weird mom and Richard is the art teacher who so badly wants to adopt his stepson and fit in to his new community and school. Both are hiding big secrets and it's gave me Chilling Adventures of Sabrina vibes. I do wish there was more about Sean than Richard, because he was more interesting to me and I wanted more satanic panic freakouts.

This is the second book I've read by this author and I can say with certainty if you're a fan of Grady Hendrix you'll be a fan of Clay McLeod Chapman. I'll continue picking up this author's books!

Wonderfully atmospheric, great characterizations, very interesting delve into the Satanic Panic era. 4/5 stars. I'm definitely going to be looking into Chapman's books going forward.

3,5*
CW: Two instances of ritualistic animal death

<i>What happens if you believe in a lie, believe it so much, with every fiber of your body? Does it become real, somehow? Does the lie become the truth? Your truth?</i>

Let me start off by saying this is a hard book to read. As a child of the 80s, I'm all too aware of the Satanic Panic and some of the very real cases that came out of that mass hysteria. There are a lot of moments to seethe over in <i>Whisper Down the Lane</i> - a character seemingly meant to be a Geraldo Rivera type that's just sensationalizing the situation, a child psychologist using phrases like "what are you, stupid? You don't want to be stupid, do you?" when speaking to one of the alleged victims, parents leading their kids with the answers they want during questioning - it's hard to stomach. While a lot of this reads as authentic - that is, many of those around my age probably remember the outcry over select shows and pop culture figures because they were "clearly" trying to corrupt our innocent little minds. (If I could insert an emoji of rolling eyes here, I totally would.)

But the other reason this book is hard to read is because Sean is just a kid who doesn't fully understand the repercussions of his actions. He doesn't want his mother to worry - they're getting a "fresh start" after all - and he thinks this one little white lie will help them both. But of course it doesn't and it <i>completely</i> blows up and while I could feel some sympathy for Sean, I felt none for the child psychologist or the other adults in his life that took his story and ran with it without trying to find any shred of proof.

The book jumps back and forth between 1983 and 2013, and we see how the past built to the case that is central to the book's plot. In the present, we begin to see certain parts of that story brought to life, which is a huge red flag for Sean, obviously. But here's the thing: it's not hard to figure out who the culprit is. From the moment they're mentioned, it's very obvious to the reader who's torturing him. And the rest of the book is basically seeing how far they'll go and waiting on Sean to catch up. It was a bit disappointing in that aspect for me; there's even one final twist in the last few pages that as long as you've paid attention, should be fairly obvious within a couple of lines of that part. Predictability isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I did find myself wanting a little <i>more</i> from the book because of it in this case.

Overall, I think it was a dark ride with a ton of research clearly done on the Satanic Panic. There were some predictable bits in there, and a couple of scenes and interactions that seemed unnecessary to me. It's a good book, but I don't think I could read it again simply due to the animal deaths and the anger that the adults in the book evoke in me.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me the ARC!