The Whistling by Rebecca Netley is a perfect ghost story for darker autumn nights.

I loved how it was written in a classic style, slow with reveals, highly descriptive, and centred upon characters' evolving personalities. It reminded me of a Victorian gothic novel.

The setting of a remote Scottish island in the 1800s lends well to the gothic atmosphere, along with folklore, witchcraft, and the supernatural. The island is as much a character as any other.

The characters are all intriguing and many are secretive, adding mystery to the deceased who seem to have come back to haunt.

I discerned a link, intentional or not, with The Turn of the Screw with the protagonist, Elspeth. She is also a troubled young woman starting her first job of minding a child, Mary. At times the reader questions if Elspeth is losing her mind with fierce devotion for her charge, or if ghosts are real.

Mary hasn't spoken since her twin brother died and the last nanny left. Elspeth wants to help Mary talk but the house and its ghostly encounters want to keep Mary silent.

Highly recommended. Published 14th October.

Mystery and supernatural blend on a remote 1850s set Scottish island

As a proud Scotsman in exile, I am always interested in spooky stories set in my homeland, tales which spirit me back to my childhood in the windswept north-east coast area of the country. Sadly, Rebecca Netley’s debut The Whistling failed to fire my imagination and the location, the fictional island of Skelthsea, undoubtedly had something to do with it. There are countless breezy, desolate and atmospheric spot in the Western Isles, so I saw little logic in fabricating this setting. To a Scotsman, this felt like cheating and genuine places like Mull, Skye or Barra for example, would have made this tale much more authentic. Francine Pine’s Toon is a terrific recent example of a recent ghost story which made excellent use of its rugged north of Scotland location.

Why is this a big deal you might ask? Considering the entire novel is set on Skelthsea, its descriptions were rather bland, slightly repetitive and certainly did not feel authentically Scottish. The action could have been set on any island where it rains frequently and is windy most of the time. The location was crucial to the success of The Whistling and ultimately it came up short as it was not convincing enough. Perhaps I am a fussy Scotsman and other readers might not pick up on this gripe and simply accept that ‘an island is an island’. I also noted the complete lack of Scottish dialect, with the exception of the occasion token “aye”, everybody spoke perfect English.

This novel lacked scares and considering it is billed as a “chilling and original new ghost story” this is a problem. The main character frequently hears whistling at night, or lullabies being sung in empty corridors and strange dolls appear in abandoned rooms. All of this has been done so many times and it quickly became tiresome, went around in circles, and in the end the supernatural element of the story was weak and it worked better as a mystery novel. I love a creepy doll story, but if you’re looking for a scare try Adam Nevill’s House of Small Shadows which will have you looking over your shoulder. There is a children’s novel called Frozen Charlotte, by Alex Bell, which is set on the Isle of Skye and even that kid’s book has more scares than this. If a book for ten-year-olds has more frights then you have problems. The Whistling was based around such an overused supernatural trope it really needed to bring something new to the table, which it completely failed to do.

As I said the mystery element of the plot was more convincing, including some decent twists and turns. However, too much of it played out like some nineteenth century soap opera, with much of the big reveals coming via gossip, whispers, half-truths, and talking ill of the dead. Main character Elspeth Swansome arrives on Skelthsea to become the nanny for nine-year-old Mary who has been mute since her twin brother William died some months earlier, mysteriously falling off a cliff. Around the same time their former nanny also disappeared, possibly heading for America, with local gossip revealing she may have had supernatural talents.

Elspeth arrives at a dour house which is both mourning and unwilling to provide much background on the recent disturbing events, with the lady of the house not having left the island for some years. Finding everybody unhelpful, silent and very unfriendly Elspeth begins to investigate what exactly happened to William and the former nanny, whilst at the same time she carries her own heavy psychological baggage, with the story revealing tragedy from her own past. At a rather pedestrian pace, the plot plods along with Elspeth irritating the locals with her questions as the mystery thickens.

In the background the whistling continues and the house, haunted or otherwise, was remarkably bland and failed to fire the imagination as the reader never truly felt any level of threat. This was undoubtedly one of the dullest haunted houses I have come across in a while. The Whispering has been compared to the work of Laura Purcell, Sarah Waters and Susan Hill authors who specialise in atmospheric slow burners which blend literary fiction with the supernatural. These are fair enough comparisons and if you are looking for an old-fashioned ghost story, set in the mid-1800s, then you might enjoy this, but for readers looking for a harder edge it might be too old-fashioned.

Other readers will undoubtedly enjoy it more than I and some parts of the story did hold my attention. There is a deeper story about grief, loss and the compulsion to find atonement in the salvation of others which drives Elspeth and this leads to the relationship with her charge Mary who was both distracted and secretive, which was one of the strongest aspects of the story. One could also feel the isolation Elspeth felt, never truly knowing whether she would ever return to Edinburgh and her lack of adult friendship on the island. The disunity between rationality and belief in the supernatural was also nicely presented, as it became obvious that the islanders were very quick to accept the otherworldly, with the obscure references to the ‘old ways’.

I like my horror or ghost stories with much more bite that The Whistling offers and I am sure readers who are not as jaded by the remote haunted house nanny trope and enjoy a nice not-too-threatening supernatural mystery, will dig this much better than I did.

A young woman, Elspeth, travels to a remote Scottish island to become the nanny for a troubled child, who hasn't uttered a word since the tragic death of her twin brother. Elspeth is taking over from the previous nanny, who disappeared. Elspeth sees and hears things that terrify her. Things that shouldn't be seen or heard.

The Whistling is a deliciously creepy gothic novel.

Remote island - Check.
Creepy kids - Check.
Horrible characters with secrets - Check.
A protagonist who knows nothing, but tries to find out everything - Check.

With all of these tropes, The Whistling could have been an unoriginal attempt at a horror novel, but it isn't. The reason for this is that Netley has created rich characters who happen to live in this terrifying place. The events that happen are genuinely creepy, and I would recommend anyone who enjoys a good gothic book to sit down and read it. It's what cold winter nights were made for.

Thanks to Rebecca Netley, NetGalley, and Michael Joseph for this copy.

Elspeth brings her tragic past with her to new job at Skelthsea. She has just lost her little sister in a fire and the loss weighs heavy on her heart. The position as nanny to a young girl feels like exactly what she needs to put her sorrow behind her. A change in scenery and a new little girl to love.

But Mary isn’t the happy little girl that Elspeth expected. She is troubled, secretive and has not said a word since the death of her twin brother William, who died just a few days after her previous nanny, Hettie, left them without a word. It is clear that Mary is weighed down by grief but there’s something else going on as well. Who does Mary whisper to when she thinks no-one can see her? Who has been moving things in Elspeth’s room and humming outside her room at night. Where are these strange faceless dolls coming from but more importantly, what is that whistling sound? There is something going on at this house and Elsbeth needs to figure out what it is if she is to save Mary and herself.

It has been a very long time since I have read horror. To be completely honest, I was a bit scared to start this book and I made sure I only read when the sun was up, haha! I love the way this story evolved. You know from the start that there is something very wrong at Iskar (the family house) and that feeling just grows as the story continues. There is very little respite from the building horror and despair and the pace of the story pulls you along even when you want to dig your heels in and stay put. I really enjoyed it and can highly recommend this book.

That being said, my idea of what constitutes a horror has changed over the years. Now I have no problem reading about ghosts and going to sleep. But give me a book about a missing child and I will be sleepless for days.

This was a proper slow burn, spooky, creepy tale. There were twists and red herrings aplenty, kept me guessing right to the final reveal. An excellent ghost story for a dark night!

Having lost all that’s dear to her, Elspeth Swansome hopes to escape her troubled past with a fresh start as a nanny on a remote Scottish island. When she arrives at Iskar, the house she will now call home, it soon becomes clear that all is not well there. Her charge Mary is mute and has been since the untimely death of her brother William, though no one will speak of what happened to him. All that Elspeth is told is that their first nanny fled a few days before he died, which raises more questions than it answers. And as for Iskar, the house is old, the wind rattles the windows, and the stairs creak with every step, but is that enough to explain the strange noises Elspeth hears? Where is the whistling coming from? Who keeps stopping outside her door at night? And can she get Mary to talk before it’s too late?

This is a thoroughly chilling book! As I read I kept thinking what an excellent horror film this would make, which is definitely a compliment as I don’t find that many books would lend themselves so well.
Iskar and the island of Skelthsea are beautifully described and you can almost feel the sea breeze on your face and hear the waves crashing against the rocks. The setting is perfectly gothic and haunting, and Iskar is like a character in its own right. I loved Elspeth and really warmed to Mary too, although you do suspect her and pretty much every other character at some point during the book. There are red herrings aplenty and <spoiler> although I didn’t think Greer was going to be the culprit </spoiler>, the twist at the end was unexpected for me. <spoiler> I thought Bridget might be assisting Miss Gillies in some grand plan, not that she was the one who was actually behind it all! </spoiler>
Overall it’s an incredibly atmospheric read that it perfect for the upcoming autumn and winter months. It’s an excellent ghost story that you won’t want to read at night, or perhaps you will for Halloween?!

Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. Rebecca Netley will now be going firmly on my list of favourite spooky authors - I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

The Whistling is a beautifully written gothic ghost story, not a horror , which is both atmospheric and enthralling.

It is sent on a remote Scottish. island and follows the story of Elsbeth who arrived to nanny an orphaned child ,Mary,who has become mute after the the successive deaths of patents nanny and brother and is now under the care of her emotionally distant aunt.
The themes of new ways versus old ways and the differences between life rural Scotland as compared to the bustle and familiarity of Edinburgh is explored through Elspeths eyes.
As a reader I was instantly drawn in and really cared about what would happen to the protagonists Elsbeth and Mary.
The story however ends quite abruptly with some unanswered questions.
Nevertheless I throughly enjoyed this book and devoured it over 2 days

Nanny going to a spooky old house to look after a small child with problems has been done before but nevertheless I really enjoyed this book. I engaged with Elspeth and was intrigued by the other characters in the book. Very atmospheric , you could really feel that you were on a remote Scottish island with the wind and rain. Ghostly goings on, why won't anyone talk about William? Why won't Mary speak? Many questions to be answered. It did slow down rather a lot in the middle which is why I dropped a star which was a shame really..
Not totally sure about the ending. I was left with a few questions although mothing major.
Very enjoyable and highly recommended

Elspeth Swansome starts to work as a nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea.
Her charge, Mary, is a secretive child, who became silent after the sudden death of her twin William. He died days after the previous nanny disappeared.
Elspeth tries to find out more about events and turns to the islanders. But no one will speak of what happened to William.
And no one can explain strange whistling in the night, nor little dolls that start to appear in rooms or the lullabie sung in the evening.
Elspeth, full of personal grief and used of total different lifestyle finds herself paranoid and isolated.

Is this house haunted by the ghosts, spells or just evil living?

The Whistling is twisty, gripping and dark. Elspeth's disunity between rationality and belief in a supernatural is so relatable and all the other characters are completely developed. The atmosphere is perfect, almost gothic.

Unputdownable reading.

This story reminded me in some ways of The Lost Ones by Anita Frank so if you’ve read that and enjoyed it you will probably love this equally.

It is certainly atmospheric especially with its period setting of mid 1800’s. There are so many vivid descriptions – of Iskar the old and crumbling house with its many empty rooms and corridors, the remote island of Skelthsea with mists that roll in off the sea and where Elspeth spends much of her time with mute Mary on the beaches and rocks that surround the island. Added to that are the strange noises that Elspeth hears in the old house. The singing of a lullaby out in the corridor by her room at night, the quiet whistling that she sometimes hears and generally things that tend to go bump in the night.

Perhaps just over mid-way I did feel it started to get a little slow. The story didn’t seem to be moving on. I don’t believe in ghosts but I do love the idea of there being something that brings spirits back, however I began thinking that perhaps it was all a bit too typical ghostly type things going on. I’m glad I have patience to push on with a book even if I think things are not moving along because it would have been an absolute travesty to have given up on it.

Push on, keep reading because the last third of the book is so worth it. Things really begin to pick up and it becomes quite chilling with revelations slowly coming to light. I was really glad I carried on because I loved it in the end, a really satisfying read which I very much enjoyed overall. There is so much more to this book than simply a ghost story, it’s emotional, full of mystery and many unanswered questions – until you get to the end, brilliant!

*I will post this review to my blog on or around publication date and post to Goodreads now*

Eerie, atmospheric, scary, can be said of many ghost stories. In this case the author catches all three plus added mystery. When Elspeth arrives at Iskar to look after Mary she knows that all is not well immediately and thence the story draws you in. The language used is an adjunct to this Victorian Gothic novel with a hint of the Turn of the Screw.

I loved The Whistling, it gave a brilliant feeling of being cut off living in the middle of nowhere, the isolation and paranoia. The story had witchcraft, ghosts, mystery and horror; I loved it and couldn’t put it down.; I fully recommend it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The remote setting is excellent and I loved the descriptions. There is a lot of suspense created and it has such a creepy atmosphere throughout. The characters and storyline are very intriguing and made me want to read on to find out what happened.
A brilliantly written ghost story which is perfect for the autumn nights! Would recommend to friends. Thank you for this copy.

Very atmospheric, perfect for Hallowe'en. "The Whistling" by Rebecca Netley is a perfectly crafted old-fashioned ghost story reminscent of M.R. James, The Woman in Black and Laura Purcell's "The Silent Companions". Atmospheric, creepy and chilling. Dare you read it with the lights down low?

Should appeal to keen readers of Susan Hill and Laura Purcell.

Rating: 3.3/5

With this, her debut novel, Rebecca Netley has produced a well-written and atmospheric ghost story. There is much about the feel of "The Whispering" that put me in mind of Laura Purcell's "The Silent Companions", though I have to say that I actually found Rebecca Netley's writing style to be a little more fluent and engaging than that of Laura Purcell.

"The Whistling" is set on the remote and wild Scottish island of Skelthsea in 1860. Elspeth Swansome has just taken up her first position as nanny. Elspeth, herself, is only twenty-four years old and she is given charge of troubled nine-year-old, Mary. Since the sudden death of her twin brother, William, Mary has become dumb and will not speak to anyone. Elspeth is tasked with trying to encourage Mary out of her silence, but receives little in the way of support from the local community. As if her situation were not already challenging enough, she starts to hear eerie whistling in the night and discovers strange dolls around the house. As winter sets in and any imminent return to the mainland becomes impossible, Elspeth has no option but to remain in her increasingly ghostly surroundings.

Rebecca Netley has chosen her setting well and it provides an excellent backdrop for the story. The quality of her descriptive writing is also hugely impressive. If you were not already aware, then you would certainly not have the impression that this was her debut novel. There is an intricacy and deftness of touch that belies that fact. The reason I decided to rate this as a high-end 3-star read was due to the fact that although I enjoyed it, I did find the pace of the novel to be a touch too pedestrian at times. I recognize that this is, in part, a trope of the genre and I appreciate the effect that the author was aiming to achieve. Nonetheless, there were occasions when I felt the point had been adequately made and did not require the degree of reinforcement that was forthcoming.

Overall, this is an accomplished debut and an enjoyable read that I would gladly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Sorry, but I think I’ve discovered that gothic historical fiction trope of ~new nanny rocks up at old disheveled probably haunted house to look after strange child~ is really not my thing. DNF at 20%!

Elspeth Swansome moves to a remote Scottish Island to be a nanny to Mary.

Mary hasn’t spoken since the death of her twin brother, William and the disappearance soon after of their last nanny.

This is a tense read and I did find it to be a bit scary! There are plenty of twists to keep you guessing and you can feel the fear from the main characters. A great, gothic ghost story that I found to be chilling throughout. Beautifully written by the author and I found I couldn’t put the book down.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for my review.

Genuinely quite creepy ghost story!
This is the story of a nanny who comes to live in a big stately home in Scotland, only to find it haunted. The story reads like a 19th century novel which made it a little hard to get going but I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend for a spooky autumn winter evening.

Seriously spooky! What a read - i would recommend this to anyone, but just don't read at night, you will lose sleep....

A brilliantly written ghost story. A young girl, Elspeth, arrives on the island of Skelthsea to be a nanny to a girl whose twin brother died suddenly days after the original nanny nysteriously left the island.
An eerie mansion, locals who will not speak about what happened, an aunt who is ward to the girl but seems to resent her, creepy dolls, whistling at night and strange rituals. All of which make for a scary read.
This is definetly a page turner not to be read in the dark! Rebecca Netley has cleverly written believable characters and a story which draws you into Elspeth's shocking and frightening journey.
I very much look forward to reading more books by this author.