TRIGGER WARNING FOR BOOK. Review is safe.
and my FREE BINGO becuase I thought it would be funny to have all the circles filled
and I really couldn’t make up my mind which one I wanted to use for Or (‘cause really you can’t trust anyone OR can you?)
Like the last few years, my New Year’s Resolutions this year were to read more books and different books than usual. However, the second one proved tricky. I’d start something out of my wheelhouse and realize I just can’t suffer through it. So, I decided to try something a bit easier: Read in formats and genres I already like but expand into the adult world. That usually meant graphic novels in new areas I didn’t usually read. I’ve read horror, biographies, even sports that way. But novels prove trickier. I realized graphic novels may have deep themes, but they can be quick reads and I’m at a place where I don’t want to take weeks to finish a book, I want a “quick fix” for fun reading.
But I found an online challenge that said “Read one of these deep theme novels.” At first, I couldn’t find anything that grabbed my attention. But then I saw The Whisper Man by Alex North. I have liked the cover for years and said nothing like the present to try and read. It presented as mystery/thriller/horror. I like mystery and thriller is a good genre, but then there were elements suggesting horror and paranormal. Now, I read that when I was reading RL Stine, Christopher Pike, Richie Cusick, etc. or Young Adult, but in the very adult world? Only one way to find out
Halfway through I figured unless something really fantastic happened, it was a 3 out of 5, maybe a 3.5. The theme was interesting (missing children, murder, mystery, creepy houses, freaky neighbors) but it was slow (very slow). I started doing my theories. A few were confirmed but some things were unexpected. But I never really got deeply involved with Tom Kennedy and his son Jake. Sometimes I felt Jake was a little bratty, but then again, he is only 6 or 7, maybe autistic, definitely not a so-called “normal kid.” Sometimes I felt Tom was whiny (okay your wife died, I get that sucks seriously big time, but pull up your big girl panties and deal, your son needs you). And wondered why didn’t Tom think Jake really was talking to an invisible (to Tom) wild haired girl? Or the boy in the floor?
We follow the mysteries of a missing boy of a few months ago, similar murders from 20 years ago, the haunting memories of our police officer, the missing or false memories of people such as Tom, some really creepy people who have waaaay too much time on their hands and excess income, and how Tom, Jake, Officer Pete Willis (head of the case 20 years ago, now assisting in the recent detective work), Frank Carter (The Whisper Man of 20 years ago), several odd characters in town, the death of the former tenant of Tom’ s new home are all connected. Oddly enough, though it was slow, and by part four things were at a point where I said, “Alright already! Who dun it???” I was pulled along. It was worth taking a week or more to read. However, as of this posting, I have not finished (I didn’t want any spoilers leaking into the review). I think this might not be my ALL TIME FAVORITE book, but it is one that will be memorable and stick with me long after the covers meet together for the last time.
