Title : The Shadows
Author : Alex North
Genre : Thriller/Mystery/Horror
Format : Audio-book
Narrated by : Hannah Arterton and John Heffernan
Duration : 9 hours 5 mins
I received the copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review by Netgalley and MacMillian Audio. Thank you Netgalley and MacMillian Audio!!
Blurb
You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile–always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet–and inspired more than one copycat.
Paul Adams remembers the case all too well: Crabtree–and his victim–were Paul’s friends. Paul has slowly put his life back together. But now his mother, old and senile, has taken a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it is time to come home.
It’s not long before things start to go wrong. Reading the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there’s something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.
It wasn’t just the murder.
It was the fact that afterward, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again…
Review
The Shadows by Alex North is a nerve-chilling thriller which revolves around a dark and creepiest murder which took place twenty-five years ago. The protagonist Paul Adams is somehow linked with this murder, about which he had been trying to forget for the past twenty-five years and he was also quite successful in it. But once he return to his hometown where the horrible incident had taken place, he realize he cannot after all escape his dreadful past. The demons of the past resurface and comes to attack him brutally. Can he escape this time ?
The author, Alex North had written the story damn frightfully. This is a kind of novel which will scare you to death. Certain sequences were absolutely daunting and nail-biting. This is the success and the plus point of this book. And also in the audio-book John Heffernan had narrated Paul Adams’s side of the story and he had done the job tremendously. The way he had read out the story was totally out of the world experience. He made the book even more interesting and intimidating.
The plot juggles between the past and the present, and that was penned down efficiently without confusing the readers. The book had a handful of unexpected twists. Just when you think that the plot has become more predictable the author hotly serves you with an unexpected plot twist. This will leave the readers jolted and satisfied at the same. Alex North’s writing had all the required elements to make the book darkly thrilling. It seems like the author is an expert in the genre and he knows what he is doing.
The way in which the author had described the dark village and its forest area which is popularly called The Shadows were crystal clear and riveting. Through Alex North’s words the readers will be able clearly see everything in their mind’s eye. The book is mainly based on the dark concept of Lucid Dream, how the teenagers experiment excitedly with Lucid Dream will hype the anticipation of the readers of all age.
Everything about the book – the village, shadows, characters and their dreams had an eerie and dark air to it. This is another plus point of this book because the author had set out a suitable environment for the plot right from the very beginning. He had a clear goal for his plot from the start and to which he had struck on to till the very end, without any diversions.
All the characters in the book were simple, silent and subtle. The characteristic trait of them all remained the same and even the development of the characters were in the same path paved for them. No character acted or behaved out of their characteristic trait. The character of Detective Amanda Beck was very strong and active. Her character in this book is the one to watch out for. And Paul Adams’s character was of a helpless man who had been heavily traumatized by the events of the past. His character is naturally the one, the readers will root for.
The minus point of this book was, certain crucial things wasn’t told clearly towards the end. It almost felt like the author was rushing up to finish the novel as he was so done with it. If he had been a bit more patient and elaborate about few things in the end, it would’ve been a much greater book. All the wonderful elements the author had adjoined into book from the beginning had lost its importance towards the end because of the gallop.
My Views
It was an absolutely thrilling and the audio-book was damn good. I clearly loved John Heffernan’s voice and the way he narrated it. It was spin-chilling. At certain instance it gave me creeps that I couldn’t make myself continue with the book, then I would take a couple minutes break and continue listening to it. It was that scary.
My rating for this book would be 3.5 out of 5 stars
I would recommend this book to all the dark thriller lovers, preferably listen to the audio-book. It’s really nice!!!
I hope you will enjoy this book!!!
Click here to buy this audio-book
Happy Reading Folks!!!
~ Meenu
Listen to Alex North’s The Shadow, narrated by John Heffernan and Hannah Arterton!!!! This will surely creeps you out!!!
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