After devouring Alex North's The Whisper Man I was eager to dive into The Shadows. Existing in a shared universe, but each novel standing on its own, The Shadows takes place in Gritten, a town not far from Featherbank (the site of The Whisper Man) which allows for the cross over of a supporting character (no spoilers here though).
We meet Paul Adams, our protagonist, as he returns to Gritten after a twenty-five-year absence to see his dying mother. Years ago, when Paul was a teenager, he befriended a boy named Charlie Crabtree. Charlie was dark and manipulative and through those manipulations, a classmate was killed in a ritualistic style killing to local myth 'Red Hands." After the murder, Charlie vanished, but as the years went by similar killings continued to plague the small town and surround areas.
The woods surrounding Gritten set the perfect eerie backdrop. Known to the locals as the Shadows it serves as an ominous presence and as a character itself throughout the novel. The story bounces back and forth between present-day Paul and Paul as a teenager exploring the idea of lucid dreams and the supposed ability that Red Hands would give them to manipulate reality through these dreams.
The more time Paul spends in Gritten the more he finds himself sucked back into the horror and mystery surrounding the murder and Charlie's mysterious disappearance. When the impossible happens and items that have been missing for twenty-five years suddenly appear, coupled with his mother's warnings of "he's in the woods" and "he's in the house!" Paul can't help but wonder if Charlie is back with a score to settle.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Shadows and feel it was a stellar follow up to The Whisper Man. However, I don't feel that it was as strong or as spooky as it's predecessor. That being said, if you enjoyed The Whisper Man you will enjoy this book. It was full of twists and I did not see the ending coming one bit. I look forward to North's next novel, certain authors are worth losing sleep for.
We meet Paul Adams, our protagonist, as he returns to Gritten after a twenty-five-year absence to see his dying mother. Years ago, when Paul was a teenager, he befriended a boy named Charlie Crabtree. Charlie was dark and manipulative and through those manipulations, a classmate was killed in a ritualistic style killing to local myth 'Red Hands." After the murder, Charlie vanished, but as the years went by similar killings continued to plague the small town and surround areas.
The woods surrounding Gritten set the perfect eerie backdrop. Known to the locals as the Shadows it serves as an ominous presence and as a character itself throughout the novel. The story bounces back and forth between present-day Paul and Paul as a teenager exploring the idea of lucid dreams and the supposed ability that Red Hands would give them to manipulate reality through these dreams.
The more time Paul spends in Gritten the more he finds himself sucked back into the horror and mystery surrounding the murder and Charlie's mysterious disappearance. When the impossible happens and items that have been missing for twenty-five years suddenly appear, coupled with his mother's warnings of "he's in the woods" and "he's in the house!" Paul can't help but wonder if Charlie is back with a score to settle.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Shadows and feel it was a stellar follow up to The Whisper Man. However, I don't feel that it was as strong or as spooky as it's predecessor. That being said, if you enjoyed The Whisper Man you will enjoy this book. It was full of twists and I did not see the ending coming one bit. I look forward to North's next novel, certain authors are worth losing sleep for.