The Shadows

I read both The Shadows and The Whisper Man and both were such fun reads. A mystery that keeps you on your toes and changing your theory consistently. I wish that there was more of these to read.

There are no spoilers in this review. This book was great! It was just the right amount of creepy thriller and murder mystery combined. The only reason it is not a 5 star book to me, personally, is that I felt like there were just a couple of loose ends left but, honestly, those may have been a very intentional choice on the authors part. There are moments where you start to question if this is really a case of the supernatural or just a man. The answer to the question of "who done it?" caught me very off guard. I always enjoy a book that keeps me guessing until it is actually laid out in the plot. I felt like this book was just as good as "The Whisper Man", which I thoroughly enjoyed as well.

I really loved The Whisper Man and this next book by Alex North does not disappoint! I think it is cool that the books are linked as well. It was a nice nod to the first book to have the Detective Amanda from Featherbank. Most of the book takes place in Gritten and the story is split into before and after. The before is when Paul is a kid and friends with James, Charlie, and Billy. They are trying the succeed in lucid dreaming and connecting with each other in dreams. It is fascinating and that part (since it is quite detailed) has actually inspired me to start my own dream journal. They grow apart though, especially when there is a murder in Gritten and Billy and Charlie are guilty. Charlie however disappears and is never seen again. The after part is 25 years later and there are copycat murders happening. Could it be Charlie, or something else? I don't want to give any spoilers, but it is a good story and has many twists to keep things interesting. I highly recommend it!

The Shadows' main character is Paul Adams who returns to his home of Gritten Wood after an absence of 25 years because his mother is in hospice, near her end. Paul left because of the horrifying murder of one of his friends by very disturbed teenagers, Charlie Crabtree and Billy Roberts. Billy confesses and is convicted, but Charlie, the instigator, disappears, never to be seen again. There are rumors that Charlie is hiding in The Shadows, the dark, sinister woods surrounding the town. There have been copycat murders over the years which fuel the idea that Charlie is still out there. This book is told through Paul's point of view but also that of Detective Amanda Beck who is investigating one of the copycat murders. The Shadows is an absolutely compelling read with multiple twists, turns and revelations. It is chilling, spooky, creepy and terrifying and impossible to put down.

This story was a solid 4.5 stars for me. While I still find the first of Alex North's book my favorite this one was just as good and the mystery was solid. The story starts off with a crime and grabs the reader's attention immediately and it keeps going the whole time. There was a mix of solid thriller and horror and those are the best kinds of stories in my opinion. I loved the ending. I really didn't see it coming and it honestly was pretty shocking which is all I will say for fear of giving things away. The setting was a nice creepy dark feel to it with a neighborhood that has forgotten humanity which sets the perfect place for the story. If you are looking for a dark creepy summer read, this is the book for you.