The Whispers: The new impossible-to-put-down thriller from the bestselling author

· Random House
4.3
32 reviews
Ebook
400
Pages

About this ebook

'Reads like Liane Moriarty at her Big Little Lies best' TONY PARSONS
'A gripping thriller about toxic female friendships with a killer twist' CLAIRE DOUGLAS
'Kept me up late into the night. . .' LUCY CLARKE
_______________________

Grace's best friend Anna is missing.

She would never leave her husband and son by choice and Grace is beside herself with worry.

As Grace searches desperately for answers, everyone seems to have a different version of the truth.

Why won't Anna's husband call the police?

What secrets are the other mothers at the school gate hiding?

With each day that passes, Anna's life is under increasing threat.

The pressure is mounting and it won't be long before something cracks.
_______________________

'The story of Anna and Grace's friendship and Anna's disappearance is compelling in its own right, but the real triumph emerges from Perks's skill as seeing some women for exactly who they are and what they are capable of' DAILY MAIL
_______________________

PRAISE FOR HEIDI PERKS:

'I was knocked for six by the twist in this book' ROSAMUND LUPTON

'Slick, gripping and compelling. I could not put it down!' LISA JEWELL

'Deliciously dark' CRIME MONTHLY

'Heidi Perks' new novel takes 'sinisterness at the school gates' to a scary new level. You'll be watching your step' JANE CORRY

'A highly addictive and thrilling read!' HEAT

'Simmering tensions and double crossings will have you racing to the dramatic finale' SUNDAY MIRROR

'Terrifically suspenseful and intriguing' LIZ NUGENT

'Absorbing and beautifully observed, I was knocked for six by the twist in this book' ROSAMUND LUPTON

'A gripping thriller' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

'I really loved it. The Whispers is a big-hearted psychological thriller about the dark corners that lurk in even the closest of friendships. Heidi Perks reads like Liane Moriarty at her Big Little Lies best as she brilliantly mines the jealously, spite and rage that lurk behind the polite smiles at every school gates. Highly recommend' TONY PARSONS

Ratings and reviews

4.3
32 reviews
Marnie Harrison
April 19, 2021
The Whispers by Heidi Perks is the first book I have read from her and it has been a great introduction to her work. I really enjoyed her style of writing and how she was able to draw me into the story experiencing it as her characters do. Heidi Perks had me wrapped up in this story right from the blurb. The idea that someone could disappear while on a night out with four of their closest friends, definitely makes for an intriguing catalyst to a fascinating mystery. There is nothing I love more than unreliable narrator and you get that in spades with this book. Even had I been able to trust the clues I was given, I didn’t even come close cracking the mystery of this group of women. A gripping and solid mystery, The Whispers is an in depth look at toxic friendships, manipulation, control and obsession. A deviously wicked read, with a thrilling twist that I enjoyed immensely. It was a pleasure to read and review The Whispers, which I recommend.
5 people found this review helpful
Grace J. Reviewerlady
March 18, 2021
Mind boggling! This is one to get your thoughts in a twist! Five women go out for a night in the pub, only four of them return safely home. What happened to Anna? No-one seems to know. Speculation among the other mothers at the school gates is rife; Grace, her childhood friend, is out of her mind with worry and the more she tries to find out, the more she is concerned that someone isn't telling all they know. As time passes and tension racks up, something - or someone - has to give . . . Before I start my review, I have to say that I really appreciate that the blurb doesn't give away an awful lot - just enough to pique interest! Women, as we all know, can be the best of friends but they can also be their own worst enemies. This is a story of friendships, jealousy and resentments with past and present in equal measure. Who to trust? My mind was certainly in turmoil trying to work it all out. The characterisation here is absolutely superb and the story-telling is spot on; at times I didn't even know whether to trust myself! Full of suspense and possibilities I still failed to spot the truth - full marks to the author for her very clever writing. An intricate, enigmatic read which kept my attention to the bitter end. Heidi Perks never fails to live up to my expectations and I'm happy to give this one 4.5*.
9 people found this review helpful
Duchess Sarah Ferguson
April 19, 2021
The Whispers is an enthralling psychological mystery/suspense read. Heidi Perks explores the dynamics, intricacies and intensities of female friendships, from childhood, through adolescence to motherhood and beyond. The book opens tantalisingly with the discovery on New Year's Day of a woman's body at the bottom of Crayne's Cliff, an area locals know to be prone to landslips. We're not told the victim's identity, but the detective from whose perspective the prologue is told recalls an earlier tragedy, involving a younger woman, and the fact that three weeks ago, a woman called Grace Goodwin had reported a crime... We're then taken back four months, as the narrative works forward to the present day. The point of view shifts between those of Grace Goodwin, Anna Robinson and a Greek chorus-like overview emanating from the observations of other parents in the school playground. Thirty-something mother of one Grace Goodwin has recently returned to her (fictional) childhood hometown of Clearwater, on the UK's south coast, having lived in Australia since late adolesence. Her husband has a high-flying job based in Singapore, so she's effectively a single mother of 8-year-old Matilda much of the time. She's looking forward to re-establishing a close friendship with Anna Fallow (now Robinson), with whom she enjoyed a childhood and teenage friendship akin to sisterhood. However, as the story slowly unfolds, through present day perspectives and occasional flashback sections, we realise that there is a darkness underpinning Grace and Anna's relationship. What is the past event that seems to preoccupy them both in the present day, and why does Anna seem so reticent to rekindle her close friendship with Grace? Heidi Perks skilfully uses foreshadowing, hints at the possible unreliability of the character's recollections, and immerses the reader in each woman's experience. Our sympathies are pulled back and forth as we observe the tensions between the central group of female characters. What loyalties do we owe our friends? Is the length of a friendship necessarily indicative of its strength or health for the protagonists? What can we reasonably expect from our friends, or they of us? At what point do we concede that we have outgrown a friendship and walk away? I found The Whispers a thought-provoking and deliciously suspenseful read. Any female reader will recognise the types of individual and group dynamics Heidi Perks describes, especially those of us who have observed and/or experienced playground (parent) politics ourselves! I would highly recommend The Whispers to any and all readers who enjoy character-based dramas set against a background of mystery and suspense. My thanks to the author Heidi Perks, publisher Penguin Random House UK - Cornerstone - Century imprint, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. (Thanks also to Carolyn, whose excellent review prompted me to seek out a last-minute ARC)
3 people found this review helpful

About the author

Heidi Perks is the Sunday Times bestselling author of Now You See Her, which was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick, Come Back for Me, Three Perfect Liars, The Whispers and The Other Guest. The Last Resort is her sixth novel. Heidi is a voracious reader of crime and thrillers and is fascinated by the darker side of our closest relationships. Heidi lives in Bournemouth with her husband and two children.

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