The Shadows by Alex North (#84 in 2020)
Thank you to @macmillan.audio for my advanced listening copy of The Shadows!
Paul remembers when Charlie Crabtree killed a boy. Paul also remembers when Charlie went missing. Shifting between the past and the present, Paul comes to terms with what happened twenty five years ago while also trying to settle his senile mother's agitation related to her fears of the past.
Last summer when readers anticipated The Whisper Man to be downright terrifying and were subsequently disappointed that it was less horrific than expected, I still thought the book was great. Misplaced in terms of genre? Yes, but it was good nonetheless. If you liked the slow-burning suspenseful drama of The Whisper Man, you'll like The Shadows just as much.
I started this audiobook at the beginning of the month and then got distracted and put it to the side, but when I started listening again, I really got into it. The concept this internet-based horror reminded me of the documentary about those little girls who tried to kill their friend because the Slenderman told them to. I would absolutely venture to say that The Shadows lends itself to the horror genre much better than The Whisper Man did. While there may not be the ghosts and sci-fi elements that horror lovers expect, the concept of children killing other children is utterly horrifying (to me, at least).
Hint: While you're reading, keep your eyes out for an Easter egg where the narrator makes a reference to The Whisper Man!
The one drawback was North's incorporation of the dual timelines. I felt like the transitions weren't as clear as they could have been, but perhaps that's because I was listening on audio and didn't have the book in front of me.
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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