The Whistling - Rebecca Netley
Narrated by Lois Chimimba

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome takes the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea.

Her charge, Mary, hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William - just days after their former nanny disappeared.

No one will speak of what happened to William. Just as no one can explain the hypnotic lullabies sung in empty corridors. Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms. Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night . . .

This is a ghostly and gothic story, perfect to read as the nights are getting darker. Netley has created an ominous atmosphere but left enough mystery that the reader is left with no choice but to read on. The reader is left trying to work out which of the characters can be trusted.

A dark book with a ghostly presence and strange goings-on. From the beginning this book will grip you, a well-written novel ideal for reading on a dark and cold evening.

Rating: 4/5

**Listened to the audiobook**

This book is really atmospheric, and even though it is newly released it already feels like classic gothic literature. I easily could have thought it was written by Daphne du Maurier or Emily Bronte.
The atmosphere was certainly my favourite thing about the book.

I enjoyed reading, but there were times when the pacing felt a little slow. Also, it hinted at an outcome eg. someone being murdered, and then later confirmed that in fact they were indeed murdered. This happened on a few occasions and I found this really annoying and repetitive.

The narrator really helps to add to the creepy atmosphere, and I'm a big fan of Lois Chimimba, seen her in a lot of theatre shows in the past. However, she does have a very thick Scottish accent so I struggled to listen to this on a faster speed (something I usually do with audiobooks, but was unable with this one.)

Overall i enjoyed my reading/listening experience, but think the mood and atmosphere outweighs the actual plot.

The narrator of this audiobook has done a wonderful job with the different characters in The Whistling, and it was a pleasure to listen to this audiobook. The atmosphere the author creates is there right from the start and paints a bleak and eerie picture of life on a remote Scottish island in the 19th century, where we follow Elspeth as she becomes nanny to a little girl who has refused to speak since the death of her twin brother and the disappearance of her former nanny. Things turn fantastically gothic and creepy when Elspeth begins hearing a whistling at night and believes she is having ghostly visitations.

This is a gloriously dark read and perfect for a spooky Halloween read.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the chance to listen to the audiobook of The Whistling.