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ARC provided by Ben at Bloomsbury Books. Thank you for the copy! All quotes used are taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication. This did have ghosts and a haunting don’t get me wrong. But it also has a weird amnesia plot line, men with guns, and the mc running from someone who may or may not be out to kill her. And then just like on top of that she just didn’t happens to have the ability to see ghosts that she can apparently turn off and on? She’s supposed to be hiding from men who want to kill her, but instead of doing that she’s openly walking around town digging for info about a 50+ year old murder so she can put the ghost to rest? Don’t even get me started on the fact that she doesn’t know who’s dangerous or who isn’t…. But gives tons of info that could be important away. The whole memory thing was just….. ugh. I don’t wanna rip into this because it’s cozy horror…. The movie starts with the small town engulfed in a series of brutal murders. In-chul, a seasoned detective, is assigned to solve the case. He soon discovers that the murders are connected to a young girl named Soon-ae. Soon-ae has the ability to communicate with the dead and has been speaking to a ghost that seems to be involved in the murders.
Meanwhile, Soo-yeon, another detective who has just transferred to the town, is put on the case. Soo-yeon is strong-willed and determined, but she has a dark past that has left her emotionally scarred. As she and In-chul work together to solve the case, they begin to uncover a web of lies and conspiracies that will keep you guessing till the very end. She acts like she knows all these people for year and years but it's been 4 days. 4 days!! Everyone is giving this stranger in there tiny village free flowers, a place to stay, groceries, and drinks at the coffee shop. She's sad that she is leaving everyone and doesn't want to go because they're all best friends after 4 days!!! What is it with this author that she makes all her characters best friends after meeting one time?! Gorgeous description of setting though somewhat creepy and uncomfortable but very atmospheric. It's a very clear picture of a grey world with unremitting drizzle (sometimes drenching!) combined with humidity-related sweat which lend the mystery ever more intriguing. As Callum continued to dig in the current mystery, his mind is also slowly clearing up his murky memory of the past. Hand in hand along with secrets the townspeople carried and hid, Veronica Lando wove an intricate mystery replete with smokescreens and suspense. A powerful and thrilling read!Swear words, sexual references, hate speech, discriminatory remarks, threats, or references to violence
It’s hard to talk much about the plot of this without giving too much away. Although I really liked Callum (though his doggedness, despite the pain he was inflicting on himself frustrated me), the strength of this novel is in the twisty plot reveals. Initially it seems pretty straight forward but somehow Lando manages to bury secrets within the most simple things. Things we assume. Things we believe.
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The Whispering by Veronica Lando is an absolutely amazing debut novel! It is so atmospheric, creepy and mysterious. It definitely has the WOW factor!
One of the things that annoys me about the author’s books that probably is the thing that people love is that there is always 2 things happening. It annoys me that Keira doesn’t even know who she is but she’s out there trying to solve a 40 year old murder. Oh but wait now we have to tag along with her and the mystery cat. The story managed to continue to build with intensity, drawing me in just as the Whispering supposedly draws the unsuspecting hiker to the deadly drop to the boulders below. Having tested it out during our trip to New York earlier this year, I can categorically state that it does work ! Unfortunately, Keira knows her first name, but little else. When Adage tells her she is in the town of Blighty, she says she's never heard of it. She seems to have amnesia, but only when it comes to her own life. She has no idea who the men were that were chasing her, or why. She fears she may have committed a crime, but doesn't know for sure.
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This is the first book in the Gravekeeper series and the book still did not tie up loose ends about Keira as she still does not know where she came from or anything about her past. There were some other unanswered questions with different things in the book, but I feel like with any series not everything is going to be wrapped up in the first book and that is why I will be looking forward to the rest of the series to see how everything pans out in the future books. This book makes little sense. One on hand Keira likes tea with milk, no sugar but doesn't know if she hates coffee. What are the rules of this book? The Whispering Dead by Darcy Coates is a paranormal mystery novel, and the first in the Gravekeeper series. I wouldn't call it horror. Callum reminded me to Chris Hammer’s Martin Scarsden, whether that’s the journalism link I’m not sure. I did initially assume we’d meet Callum again and this would be the first in a series, however (for reasons I can’t divulge), in many ways his story is ‘done’ in The Whispering, so I think I’d prefer to leave him here. I’d definitely like to hear more from Lando though and like the FNQ setting, so perhaps something featuring First Nations’ cop (and Callum’s childhood bestie) Eddy would be an option.
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