The Whisper Man
The Whisper Man completely lived up to the hype for me! I purposely saved it as my first spooky read for October, and it definitely set the mood for the month as it was everything I love in a good thriller…creepy and captivating!
I'll be honest, based on the synopsis I was bracing myself for a Silence of the Lambs wannabe: a devilishly charismatic serial killer sitting in prison who will only talk to a particular detective about a case involving another serial killer sounds all too familiar, but please believe me when I tell you that this is where the similarities end and the unique aspects of the plot begin. Also, I know that this appears on the surface to be another run-of-the-mill police procedural, but it is so much more than that. So, lets look a bit deeper at this book…well not too deep as I cannot spoil this nail biter of a tale for you!
After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.
But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.
Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.
And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window...
The Whisper Man is one of those reads that I didn't even blink while reading; I blew through at record speed. I could have finished this book in one sitting if life didn’t keep getting in my way (Did my family really need to eat? Why did I need to work? Do I really need clean underwear?). I really couldn't put it down…well, there were a few times when I slammed this book down in frustration…the good kind, as I was so into the happenings among the characters that I became emotional.
The story is told in the third person through the eyes of Tom, Pete, Jake and at times the new killer too (very creeptastic), and it will all play with your mind. Since we are viewing the story from multiple points of view, there are a lot of individual threads running loose throughout the course of the story, but the good news is that most of them converge towards the end of the novel, which makes for some satisfying twists and emotional reunions. I'm going to tiptoe around specifics, because there's a delicate balance of reeling you in and not giving anything away when it comes to this terrifying tale, and I'd hate to be the one to ruin your experience with The Whisper Man. In other words, I would hate for you not to be scared sh@%less at some point while reading this book.
This is a story about the abductions and murders of many children, for sure, but it's so much deeper than that. We also have an exposition on grief, from multiple characters on many levels, and how that grief can affect our daily actions, our thought process, and how we connect with those who need us most. It's also an alert to how our actions have a ripple affect to those around us, and can alter the course of our local history.
Can you imagine someone whispering to your children at night telling them to do things? Someone shimming up the drainpipe and talking to them directly outside their window? Well, that’s what the Whisper Man does.
There are also some supernatural elements to the story too, including the little girl who may or may not be real but she certainly knows things and sees things and tells them to Jake. Couple this with the fact that the family has moved into a house the villagers call ‘The Scary House’ and you just might find it difficult to sleep after reading this book.
Now, I will take this moment to brag (yup, I’m gonna do it). I was dead on the money when I guessed who was behind the second batch of murders in this story. Having predicted the murderer did not ruin this book at all or make it less of a thriller or story. There were so many twists I didn't see coming sprinkled throughout the book, and this was way more satisfying than one big twist at the end that ultimately ends up being a Hail Mary.
I highly recommended this book to readers who are looking for that next thriller they won't be able to put down.
Did you know that they are adapting this for film? I’m wondering if I can handle watching it. If you’ve read this book, would you be able to watch the movie version? Who do you imagine playing the roll of the killer?
