The Whisper Man: A Novel

Alex North

Aug 2019 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Christopher Eccleston

About this audiobook

"Listeners looking for creepy will find it in full force in Alex North's dark thriller, narrated by British actor Christopher Eccleston." -- AudioFile Magazine

"Reader Eccleston...adds flavor to the tale. He reads with a fervor that gives the story a strong sense of suspense." -- Booklist

This program is read by acclaimed British actor Christopher Eccleston.

In this psychological thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of suspense, as a father and son are caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

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...

Praise for The Whisper Man:

"The Whisper Man is the most unsettling thriller I have read since Jo Nesbo’s The Snowman. Much more than the sum of its parts, it is nightmarish and disturbing and, at the same time, a moving and life-affirming novel about fathers and sons, and grief, loss, and recovery." -Alex Michaelides, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Silent Patient

“There’s a soft voice outside your window and it demands your attention. The Whisper Man is coming. In fact, he’s already here. Get ready to be unnerved. This novel is thrilling." - Brad Meltzer, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Ratings and reviews

This was very well done. This book got my attention after reading a few really favorable reviews. Once I looked a little further, I decided that this was my kind of book and decided that I needed to read it. This was a book that hooked me rather quickly and was rather hard to put down at times. I had a really good time with this story and am really glad that I decided to give it a try. Tom is trying to move on with his life after the loss of his wife. It is now just him and his son, Jake, and Jake is not dealing with the loss very well. Tom decides that moving into a new house is the step they need. Meanwhile, a boy in town disappears and the details are incredibly similar to the events twenty years earlier when "The Whisper Man" terrorized the community. I really enjoyed the mystery in this book. I thought that the mystery was rather complex and I couldn't wait to see how all of the pieces would end up coming together. I was never exactly sure how things would work out and I found myself working along with the characters to try to piece things together. There were plenty of surprises and I enjoyed the fact that the book kept me guessing until the end. I thought that the characters were well done. Tom and Jake were hurting from their loss at the start of the story. Most of the book is told from Tom's point of view and I really liked that we got to see his doubts and concerns. In addition, we also get to know some of the detectives working on the case. I didn't agree with everything that these characters did in the story but they seemed very real to me. They were flawed but trying to make their life better. I thought that Christopher Eccleston did a great job with the narration of this book. I think that I enjoyed the book just a bit more because of his performance. He did a great job with the character voices and I thought that he was able to add a lot of emotion into his reading. He had a very pleasant voice that was easy to listen to for hours at a time. I would definitely recommend this book to others. This was a very well done and rather complex mystery that grabbed my attention and didn't let go. I wouldn't hesitate to read more of Alex North's work in the future. I received an advanced review copy of this book from Celadon Books via Bookish First and I borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

This book was great. I have never read a book that actually gave me goosebumps. Couldn't read it at night, but also couldn't put it down! I would definitely recommend this book to others.

The narrator does very poor job of distinguishing voices for different characters.

About the author

Alex North was born in Leeds, England, where he now lives with his wife and son. He studied philosophy at Leeds University and, prior to becoming a writer, worked in their sociology department.