Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Whisper Man by Alex North

60 reviews

sylvestra's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Murder, and Physical abuse

blakethebookeater's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Kidnapping, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child death, Murder, and Blood

Minor: Domestic abuse

diamonds1202's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 

As I was reading this book I was unsure whether it was a crime mystery or a paranormal book. I would say there are definitely elements of both, but it is much more of a crime mystery. This book very much explores the father-son relationship in several different ways. 

Tom and his son Jake move into a new house, after the death of Tom’s wife and Jake’s mother. Tom does not realize that this area has a history of a serial killer, who now is in prison. But little does he know before moving that another boy has went missing and the crime seems substantially similar to the one that occurred before. 

This book had spooky elements, it was sad, and it was a good crime mystery. It’s not the best work of literature and not the best crime mystery, but it was definitely a good read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Death, Child death, and Kidnapping

sophiaanne5's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Murder, Child death, and Stalking

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

mirandareadsca's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, and Kidnapping

pinkberryoasis's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Confinement and Blood

waywardtomes's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Death, Child death, Child abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Torture, Terminal illness, and Sexual assault

booksandmo's review against another edition

• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Kidnapping, Death, and Emotional abuse

sheryl_macca's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Only one author had ever made me feel genuinely scared while reading and that's Stephen King. Alex North has made it two authors. North was someone I knew nothing about but I was looking for books from the library with a Halloween flavour and The Whisper Man fit the bill, especially since missing persons is a favourite trope of mine. 

It hits a number of typical fear factor notes, most with subtlety; the supernatural, unexplained events, haunted house, being alone in the dark, stranger danger, nightmares, creepy kids, psychopath prisoners etc. What truly disturbed me, and disturbed is the right word here, was the unknown predator. A deeply psychological fear where your mind creates a monster that is your very own brand of frightening. Alex North keeps that monster lurking constantly. The predator is everywhere and nowhere right up to the final chapters of the book. You never know who to trust.

What really makes this book a 5 star read, however, is the multilayered examination of parenthood. In particular, the fathers of the story have one thing in common: doubting themselves as a parent. This is a theme that usually applies to the mothers in our reads but for fathers to be open in a realistically honest way was refreshing. For there to be 3 key fathers in just one book is unusual even for one focused on parenthood for it's story. Here we have 3 key fathers in a disturbing crime novel. 

I also particularly enjoyed that one of the multi POV's that narrate The Whisper Man was a very young but bright boy named Jake. He's an intelligent, inquisitive character but also so very clearly a frightened little boy. He's brave but vulnerable and I just wanted to protect him. 

With a book that lives and breathes on the unknown I'm not sure it's one I'll reread which is usually my test of a 5 star review but I would 100% recommend The Whisper Man to others to read at any time of year. I'm definitely going to be looking for Alex North in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Terminal illness, and Domestic abuse

olyally's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Alcoholism