Alex North Double Bill

The Whisper Man & The Shadow Friend
Alex North

The Whisper Man
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The Shadow Friend
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 Time for another double bill!

Today it is the turn of Alex North. Full disclosure - despite what the marketing for The Whisper Man may lead you to believe, Alex North is not, strictly-speaking, a new writer. And that was not his debut novel. A touch naughty perhaps, but when you write this well it can be forgiven. North already had a successful career, writing some excellent stand-alones, each with a terrific premise. I've known him for a number of years, enjoying those previous works, and he'd be a recommended read regardless. North's real identity is an open secret within the crime writing community but I'll respect his privacy and refer to him by his pseudonym.

Before I get into the reviews though, let's just take a moment to appreciate those amazing covers! I splashed out on the hardbacks, which are embossed, and they look absolutely lovely on the bookshelf.

North writes  standalone thrillers. A hallmark of these, and his previous works, are a really clever premise, populated by beautifully-realised characters and a deep understanding of the psychology and motivations behind both protagonists and antagonists. Both of these novels could be categorised as psychological suspense, with an element of the supernatural* - real or imagined - but at the heart of each is a damned good mystery.

In The Whisper Man, Tom Kennedy and his young son move to a new area for a fresh start after the death of his wife, Jake's mother. Fifteen years before they arrived, a serial killer murdered five children. The killer was caught and imprisoned, and became known as The Whisper Man. The new start seems to be working, until Jake starts acting strangely. He says he hears whispering at his window...

Where The Whisper Man is a beautiful exploration of what it's like to be a father, The Shadow Friend​ examines what it is to be a son. Twenty-five years after a troubled teenager, Charlie Crabtree, disappeared after committing a shocking, unprovoked murder, his then friend, Paul Adams finally returns home. He's never forgiven himself for his part in what happened that day, but his mother has a fall and he finally decides to stop running. The old town is full of things he'd rather forget, but by coming back, he's forced to confront them.

I recommend these books, because not only are they very good, original page-turners, they are extremely well-written and they linger with you long after you close the cover. North has earned enough trust from me that I will buy whatever he writes next, in hardback, sight unseen.

*BTW if the mere mention of the word 'supernatural' puts you off - don't let it. I've never been a fan of the so-called supernatural genre. The scientist in me tends to scoff and roll his eyes as soon as anyone mentions ghosts, spirits, and the 'paranormal'; I spend the month of October skimming through the TV guide looking for something else to watch, and have never read any Stephen King! However, North slips these hints into his stories in an ambiguous way that is more creepy and disturbing than supernatural, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions based on their personal outlook.