Alex North has done it again!
The man behind the successful The Whisper Man--a personal favorite--is at it again with his follow up novel, The Shadows.
Twenty-five years ago, Paul Adams and his friend James got in too deep with a classmate named Charlie Crabtree, a boy too sinister for Paul to stomach. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to just sever the friendship: a crime of unspeakable evil would shatter their lives and forever ruin their town. And afterward, Charlie is never seen again.
Now, having put the past somewhat behind him, Paul has returned home to be with his ailing mother. But the past refuses to stay buried and he learns that a copycat has struck, all in the name of Charlie Crabtree. And his mother is terrified that something terrible is in her house.
With a killer on his heels, Paul must piece together his mother's disturbed warnings before he, too, falls victim to the myth of someone called Red Hands, and someone lurking in the Shadows...
Having already loved North's storytelling in The Whisper Man, I was eagerly looking forward to his new book. I wasn't disappointed. I was hooked from the first page and devoured the rest in a matter of days. And dare I say, I might like this one even more.
I found the subject matter--particularly lucid dreaming particularly fascinating and a unique twist on the genre. As someone who frequently has very vivid dreams, I was immediately drawn in to how this device would effect the plot. And it delivered wonderful twists that I did not see coming. One even brought me to tears.
North's writing shines again--he has remarkable talent to create a story rich in character and detail while at the same time offering up fast-paced thrills this genre is known for. And once again, instead of cheap violence intended only for shock value, we're given a protagonist we can root for, believable villains, and a satisfying ending.
Oh—and plenty of bonus points for that deliciously creepy cover.
A special thanks to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for providing me with this copy in exchange for a review. It's proof that my enjoyment and the success of The Whisper Man was not a fluke. I'll be looking forward to Alex North's books for a long time to come.
The man behind the successful The Whisper Man--a personal favorite--is at it again with his follow up novel, The Shadows.
Twenty-five years ago, Paul Adams and his friend James got in too deep with a classmate named Charlie Crabtree, a boy too sinister for Paul to stomach. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy to just sever the friendship: a crime of unspeakable evil would shatter their lives and forever ruin their town. And afterward, Charlie is never seen again.
Now, having put the past somewhat behind him, Paul has returned home to be with his ailing mother. But the past refuses to stay buried and he learns that a copycat has struck, all in the name of Charlie Crabtree. And his mother is terrified that something terrible is in her house.
With a killer on his heels, Paul must piece together his mother's disturbed warnings before he, too, falls victim to the myth of someone called Red Hands, and someone lurking in the Shadows...
Having already loved North's storytelling in The Whisper Man, I was eagerly looking forward to his new book. I wasn't disappointed. I was hooked from the first page and devoured the rest in a matter of days. And dare I say, I might like this one even more.
I found the subject matter--particularly lucid dreaming particularly fascinating and a unique twist on the genre. As someone who frequently has very vivid dreams, I was immediately drawn in to how this device would effect the plot. And it delivered wonderful twists that I did not see coming. One even brought me to tears.
North's writing shines again--he has remarkable talent to create a story rich in character and detail while at the same time offering up fast-paced thrills this genre is known for. And once again, instead of cheap violence intended only for shock value, we're given a protagonist we can root for, believable villains, and a satisfying ending.
Oh—and plenty of bonus points for that deliciously creepy cover.
A special thanks to BookishFirst and Celadon Books for providing me with this copy in exchange for a review. It's proof that my enjoyment and the success of The Whisper Man was not a fluke. I'll be looking forward to Alex North's books for a long time to come.