The Whistling
- Downloads：7438
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-11-10 09:51:26
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Rebecca Netley
- ISBN：0241534003
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
A spine-chilling ghost story with a thrilling mystery at its heart， set on a wild island off the coast of Scotland。。。
Alone in the world， Elspeth takes the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea。
Her charge is a strange child。 Distracted and secretive， Mary hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin， William - just days after their former nanny disappeared。
Elspeth's questions are met with silence。
No one will speak of William。
Just as no one can explain the lullabies sung in empty corridors， or the whistling that comes in the night 。 。 。
With winter closing in， passage off the island turns treacherous - and Elspeth finds herself trapped。
But is this house haunted by the ghosts of the past？
OR THE SECRETS OF THE LIVING。。？
Alone in the world， Elspeth takes the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea。
Her charge is a strange child。 Distracted and secretive， Mary hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin， William - just days after their former nanny disappeared。
Elspeth's questions are met with silence。
No one will speak of William。
Just as no one can explain the lullabies sung in empty corridors， or the whistling that comes in the night 。 。 。
With winter closing in， passage off the island turns treacherous - and Elspeth finds herself trapped。
But is this house haunted by the ghosts of the past？
OR THE SECRETS OF THE LIVING。。？
Reviews
Sarah O'Riordan | travelseatsreads
，
The Whistling was the perfect spooky gothic audiobook that I wanted for October。 From the beginning it was deeply atmospheric and the sense of unease and foreboding was all consuming。 There is something not right on Skelthsea island， are the people just recovering from the death of a little boy or is there something far more sinister lurking？I listened to the audiobook and found the narration and play on tone and accents to add so much to the dark and sinister atmosphere。 Brimming with character The Whistling was the perfect spooky gothic audiobook that I wanted for October。 From the beginning it was deeply atmospheric and the sense of unease and foreboding was all consuming。 There is something not right on Skelthsea island， are the people just recovering from the death of a little boy or is there something far more sinister lurking？I listened to the audiobook and found the narration and play on tone and accents to add so much to the dark and sinister atmosphere。 Brimming with characters that you want to protect and others you want to run far far away from， The Whistling is an eerie tale which you will want to leave the lights on for。 。。。more
Mabelline Grey
，
It's unusual for me to give up on a book， and it's clear lots of people enjoyed this， but I found it unreadable。 It's difficult to write authentically in the style of a Victorian novel and the author doesn't come close。 The result is a clunky pastiche that is riddled with cliches。 In terms of plot， it seems to be heavily influenced by The Turn of the Screw with a bit of Jayne Eyre thrown in， and did I mention the cliches。。。 I really wanted to love The Whistling and I was hoping for a successor t It's unusual for me to give up on a book， and it's clear lots of people enjoyed this， but I found it unreadable。 It's difficult to write authentically in the style of a Victorian novel and the author doesn't come close。 The result is a clunky pastiche that is riddled with cliches。 In terms of plot， it seems to be heavily influenced by The Turn of the Screw with a bit of Jayne Eyre thrown in， and did I mention the cliches。。。 I really wanted to love The Whistling and I was hoping for a successor to Susan Hill who writes beautifully about the period， but sadly it wasn't to be。 Two stars rather than one because I feel bad for not liking it。 。。。more
Jan
，
Disappointing。 Too long and several historical mistakes， notably the use of informal outside family photographs at a period before they were possible
Clare Didcock
，
Very eerie gothic tale。 If you love that genre this is for you。 The scary haunted house mystery。 #TheWhistling #NetGalley。
Tripfiction
，
Gothic mystery set on a remote Scottish islandThe year is 1860。 Elspeth has suffered considerable personal loss and death， and alights upon the job of nanny to young Mary， who lives with her aunt on the fictional island of Skelthsea。 Theirs is a dour house – Iskar – with melancholy oozing from the very fabric of the building， its faded grandeur and endless corridors and rooms adding a gloomy atmosphere to the story。Mary has lost both her mother and her twin brother， and therefore nanny and charg Gothic mystery set on a remote Scottish islandThe year is 1860。 Elspeth has suffered considerable personal loss and death， and alights upon the job of nanny to young Mary， who lives with her aunt on the fictional island of Skelthsea。 Theirs is a dour house – Iskar – with melancholy oozing from the very fabric of the building， its faded grandeur and endless corridors and rooms adding a gloomy atmosphere to the story。Mary has lost both her mother and her twin brother， and therefore nanny and charge already have death and grieving in common。 However， Mary is unwilling or unable to speak and is clearly a troubled child。 Elspeth however rises to the challenge and soon finds a connection and empathy to bind them。As Elspeth settles in， things begin to disconcert her。 Things move and go missing， decorated stones appear – she disposes of them and then they reappear again – and the eerie atmosphere begins to get under her skin。 Whistling sounds and ghostly rumblings all continue to unsettle her， as she builds the relationship with Mary。 She observes the people around the house and beyond， many of whom seem to know more than they are prepared to divulge。 Things are hinted at， secrets alluded to but not revealed; Elspeth is rattled by the ghostly goings-on。This is an incredibly atmospheric read and the author does a fantastic job of conjuring up the remote island， where the boat from the mainland only calls irregularly。 The seas pound， the wind whistles and the skies form a leaden backdrop outside。 Inside the house， the musty and oppressive atmosphere feathers around the characters as they move through their days。An excellent choice for anyone who liked Mexican Gothic and is looking for something suitable for the period around Halloween。 。。。more
Mark Dare
，
My first read of Rebecca Netley。。。and it was good！ Nanny goes to remote island to look after a little girl after previous nanny left suddenly！ All the ingredients for a good story， and it was exactly that。。。add in a nice twist at the end and a satisfying， and at times， spooky， read！
Karen's World
，
The chilling events that happen in a remote place will keep you reading as you try to work out who is the one doing these things。 This kept me entertained and I liked the characters as they fitted in so well。 Also the house and area made this story what it was。 I thoroughly enjoyed this。
Jess
，
God I love this book so much and I want to shout it from the rooftops - this is everything a horror fan could wish for and more。 It's a classic ghost story， it's genuinely scary， and if you like movies such as The Woman In Black， Crimson Peak， Sleepy Hollow， and The Others than you'll love this because it has similar vibes。 Also， the characters are amazing， the setting is perfect， and the writing is beautiful！ God I love this book so much and I want to shout it from the rooftops - this is everything a horror fan could wish for and more。 It's a classic ghost story， it's genuinely scary， and if you like movies such as The Woman In Black， Crimson Peak， Sleepy Hollow， and The Others than you'll love this because it has similar vibes。 Also， the characters are amazing， the setting is perfect， and the writing is beautiful！ 。。。more
Sarah Smith
，
This book creeped me out！ I’m a city dweller and， although I love a holiday on a remote Scottish island， those stunning， expansive skies and wild， changeable seas never make me feel safe。 And so it was with Rebecca Netley’s Gothic mystery， The Whistling。 Unsettling， atmospheric and a real puzzle， who’s twists and outcome kept me guessing right until the end。 A book for reading curled up on the sofa， safe by the fire while the wind howls and rain lashes the window panes。 Just pray you don’t hear This book creeped me out！ I’m a city dweller and， although I love a holiday on a remote Scottish island， those stunning， expansive skies and wild， changeable seas never make me feel safe。 And so it was with Rebecca Netley’s Gothic mystery， The Whistling。 Unsettling， atmospheric and a real puzzle， who’s twists and outcome kept me guessing right until the end。 A book for reading curled up on the sofa， safe by the fire while the wind howls and rain lashes the window panes。 Just pray you don’t hear a whistling sound… 。。。more
Stuart Cummins
，
A classic gothic tale that both pays homage to and surpasses some of the greats！The Whistling is a perfect example of the gothic horror genre being done well。 It’s a story that is very much about unsettling， chilling experiences， but it’s also an unpredictable and exquisitely plotted mystery and a fascinating look at psychology。 I was completely gripped by this book and revelled in all the aspects of the supernatural， whilst being grounded and left shocked by all the very human trauma at the hea A classic gothic tale that both pays homage to and surpasses some of the greats！The Whistling is a perfect example of the gothic horror genre being done well。 It’s a story that is very much about unsettling， chilling experiences， but it’s also an unpredictable and exquisitely plotted mystery and a fascinating look at psychology。 I was completely gripped by this book and revelled in all the aspects of the supernatural， whilst being grounded and left shocked by all the very human trauma at the heart of the narrative。 Netley beautifully blends both the otherworldly and the natural world and the novel has an almost ethereal quality。 Tension is expertly built from the outset and continually layered throughout， culminating in not one， but two， key crescendos that flip the story on its head。 The twists and revelations come at pivotal moments and provide some genuine surprises， which are really satisfying。 Netley writes with the perfect sense of repression for the historical perks the novel is set in， which also means that the unsettling scenes play out with reserve and are ultimately much more terrifying for it。 Her ability to make a rugged coastline， the natural elements and the thought of a whistling sound all seem so chilling is testament to Netley’s power as a writer。 I was genuinely unnerved at many a point during this tale！As well as the authentic chills and gripping mystery， I found the psychological element of this story absolutely fascinating。 Whilst it’s easy to drawn comparisons to other works of horror fiction such as The Woman in Black or The Haunting of Hill House， I was also reminded of the film The Awakening， as Elspeth Swansome is a strong female character with echoes of Florence Cathcart’s gumption。 I was immediately drawn to Elspeth as a character and liked her level-headedness and logical reasoning。 The narrative is very much a journey for her and sees her drawn out from her past tragedy and grief via a new purpose and desire to protect young Mary。 I enjoyed following the developments of their relationship and seeing how the dynamics changed over the course of events。 This novel is actually a brilliant collection of female characters， both good and bad （and every shade of grey in between！）。 This felt like a refreshing aspect for the horror genre， where there was no reliance on a male influence to “save the day”。This was the perfect spooky read for the current time of year， but don’t be put off picking this novel up any time you fancy a fright！ I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I will certainly be seeking out more from Netley in the future。 。。。more
Jacob Collins
，
I absolutely loved The Whistling by Rebecca Netley。 If you’re looking for a ghost story that will give you shivers then I highly recommend this one。 It’s creepy， atmospheric and Rebecca’s writing draws you effortlessly into the story。 It’s crying out to be a TV drama， perfect for the autumnal months and as winter draws in。 We meet Elspeth Swansome who is taking up a new position as a nanny in a house on the remote isle of Skethsea。 It is a big change for her as she has been used to the living in I absolutely loved The Whistling by Rebecca Netley。 If you’re looking for a ghost story that will give you shivers then I highly recommend this one。 It’s creepy， atmospheric and Rebecca’s writing draws you effortlessly into the story。 It’s crying out to be a TV drama， perfect for the autumnal months and as winter draws in。 We meet Elspeth Swansome who is taking up a new position as a nanny in a house on the remote isle of Skethsea。 It is a big change for her as she has been used to the living in Edinburgh。 The remoteness of the island comes as quite a shock to her。 I thought Rebecca Netley did a fantastic job with the sitting。 She managed to create the feeling that the island and islanders were cut off from the rest of civilisation and that anything could happen there。 I thought this really helped in adding another element to the mystery。As Elspeth becomes acquainted with the young child she is supposed to be looking after， it is clear that there is something chilling and very scary going on here。 Mary， who lives with her aunt， following the death of her mother shortly before William’s death， hasn’t spoken since her brother died。 There is a very sinister atmosphere in the house。 Soon Elspeth begins to notice the strange happenings that are occurring and it terrifies her。 I really wanted to know what was going on here。There were definitely a few places， while reading this book， where I felt the same fear that Elspeth did。 I could really imagine just how scared she was as she began to realise that something wasn’t quite right in the house。 Rebecca Netley creates a very creepy atmosphere。 It feels as though the very soul of the house has been sucked out。 Elspeth’s relationship with her charge， Mary， grows over the course of the book and I liked how Rebecca Netley developed this。 When they first met each other， I did wonder if Elspeth would ever be able to get through to Mary。 I was interested to see how things would develop between them and if Elspeth would decide to stay there。 The Whistling is such a chilling read and I highly recommend it if you enjoy a good ghost story。 I’m sure this is one I will return to when Halloween comes around again。 。。。more
Sue
，
A menacing， spooky story with enough rope to guide the reader through the past and the present。With the past coming to light gradually this lead me to wonder how this ties in up to date， no fear of it wandering off at all。 This historical events of the past come uniquely up to haunt us。 The writing was exquisite， the pace very satisfying for me as a reader。 It was spooky and chilling giving me goosebumps in places like someone on the Misty hills wondering whose out there。The character （Nanny） of A menacing， spooky story with enough rope to guide the reader through the past and the present。With the past coming to light gradually this lead me to wonder how this ties in up to date， no fear of it wandering off at all。 This historical events of the past come uniquely up to haunt us。 The writing was exquisite， the pace very satisfying for me as a reader。 It was spooky and chilling giving me goosebumps in places like someone on the Misty hills wondering whose out there。The character （Nanny） of past who vanished and the Nanny of present day was awesomely done。I loved everything about this book。 。。。more
Moray Teale
，
After a devastating loss， Elspeth Swansome moves from Edinburgh to Skelthsea， a remote Scottish Island to nanny for Miss Gillies and her young， orphaned niece Mary。 Mary recently suffered her own tragedy when her twin brother William was killed in an accident。 Mary hasn't spoken a word since。 As Elspeth tries to break through to the silent girl， the nightmares， Mary's tendency to stare into space and whisper furiously when she thinks she's alone suggest that all is not well in the large， gloomy After a devastating loss， Elspeth Swansome moves from Edinburgh to Skelthsea， a remote Scottish Island to nanny for Miss Gillies and her young， orphaned niece Mary。 Mary recently suffered her own tragedy when her twin brother William was killed in an accident。 Mary hasn't spoken a word since。 As Elspeth tries to break through to the silent girl， the nightmares， Mary's tendency to stare into space and whisper furiously when she thinks she's alone suggest that all is not well in the large， gloomy house of Iskar。 It's inhabitants are reticent and looked at askance by the villagers。 There are whispers of evil and in the night， the thin unearthly sound of a whistle。。。 This was a suitably spooky read for late October and delivered it's share of chills。 Netley's strengths definitely lie in creating atmosphere and setting and the old house of Iskar is the quintessential haunted house， populated by the essential eerie sounds， locked doors and dust-sheeted furniture that could be anything in the draughty gloom。 Unfortunately， plotting and character-building didn't quite live up to these well-drawn elements。 With a first-person narrator， the reader's knowledge of other people and events will always be incomplete， that's the point， but The Whistling is full of people that are fuzzy and incomplete in ways that's aren't dictated by the plot。 Even Elspeth's beloved sister is a plot device rather than a person。 There is a similar problem with plotting。 The narrative had more than its fair share of red herrings， fine， but many of them drift away as though they were included just for a moment of suspense leading too many dangling questions If your looking for a story with chills and spills， it's worth a read， but I'd recommend others like The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters for a real gem of the genre。 。。。more
Jan
，
This book held up to the promise for which I purchased it。 To buy a brilliant gothic novel，with no swearing and an ending that ties up is remarkable。 The suggestions of Susan Hill and Turn of The Screw was enough to sell the novel to me。 A remote Scottish Island， a Governess who has had her own fair share of tragedy finds this is only the beginning。 Elspeth's charge Mary has not spoken since the death of her brother， but that isnt all Elspeth needs to know， her predecessor also disappeared。 Stra This book held up to the promise for which I purchased it。 To buy a brilliant gothic novel，with no swearing and an ending that ties up is remarkable。 The suggestions of Susan Hill and Turn of The Screw was enough to sell the novel to me。 A remote Scottish Island， a Governess who has had her own fair share of tragedy finds this is only the beginning。 Elspeth's charge Mary has not spoken since the death of her brother， but that isnt all Elspeth needs to know， her predecessor also disappeared。 Strange happenings eerie lullabies whistled on deserted corridors， this is only the beginning for Elspeth as she tries to help her charge Mary。 It was perfect for the cold， dark autumn nights， not many books of this calibre。 I absolutely loved it。 。。。more
Holly Strevens
，
Spooky read。 Really good。I loved this book。 It reminded me of the Netflix series 'Bly Manor'。 It was spooky and dad at the same time。 Spooky read。 Really good。I loved this book。 It reminded me of the Netflix series 'Bly Manor'。 It was spooky and dad at the same time。 。。。more
Gemma
，
This book is great to read if you are in a scary mood， there is a really eerie feel to it and the setting also creates a spooky feeling。 I loved the relationship that developed between the main character Elspeth and Mary， the child she is caring for and their connection continues to grow throughout the book。 The creepy sensations of the house and the presence of the ghosts made this book even more creepier which also lingers throughout， however some aspects of the novel did feel quite repetitive This book is great to read if you are in a scary mood， there is a really eerie feel to it and the setting also creates a spooky feeling。 I loved the relationship that developed between the main character Elspeth and Mary， the child she is caring for and their connection continues to grow throughout the book。 The creepy sensations of the house and the presence of the ghosts made this book even more creepier which also lingers throughout， however some aspects of the novel did feel quite repetitive and there was a slow bit in the middle。The ending brings everything together nicely with secrets and big twists revealed which I had mixed feelings about but overall it is a really spooky book which deserves to be read。 。。。more
Helen Hollick
，
Releasing a ghost story on Hallowe'en [albeit we are a day late here on DDRevs] is a great idea， and， if you sit up all evening to read this， you will get to the spine-chilling conclusion at around the witching hour。 And it would be worth persevering。On the island of Skelthsea in 1860， Elspeth accepts the position as nanny to a young girl who has been mute since her brother was killed。 An orphan， she lives with her aunt， Miss Gillies， in Iskar， a strange old house that has a tableau of character Releasing a ghost story on Hallowe'en [albeit we are a day late here on DDRevs] is a great idea， and， if you sit up all evening to read this， you will get to the spine-chilling conclusion at around the witching hour。 And it would be worth persevering。On the island of Skelthsea in 1860， Elspeth accepts the position as nanny to a young girl who has been mute since her brother was killed。 An orphan， she lives with her aunt， Miss Gillies， in Iskar， a strange old house that has a tableau of characters who may or may not be friendly， and the presence of the dead brother and the previous nanny who， Elspeth is told， left for a new life in America。 This novel first appeared as the winner of the 2018 Exeter Novel Prize but it has obviously undergone some alteration since。 It's a slow burner。 Beautifully written， it begins and continues for some time as more of a portrait of a small Scottish island， drawn with exquisite detail that will make this a novel to return to if ever I want some inspiration on descriptions that work but are new and fresh。 "Darkness clotting" is a favourite。The ghostly element is gently introduced and for the majority of the book is described but not necessarily felt， but the mystery of what on earth is going on and where is this going will keep you reading， if the beautiful prose isn't enough to lap up。 The denouement is unexpected until just before it happens， and it is surprising if not entirely shocking - a tale as old as time of jealousy and anger， and ghosts。 For， as always in these stories， everything is not always what it seems。The tension one would expect in a ghost story is lacking， in my opinion， because the prose is so dreamy， but it is a satisfying read and I'm not surprised its， presumably， less polished first draft won an award。Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds 。。。more
Jane
，
The Whistling is a very enjoyable gothic mystery， dripping with atmosphere and a sense of impending danger。I quickly warmed to the protagonist， Elspeth Swansome， and her developing connection with her young charge， Mary。The final reveal was neatly thought out， with a few surprise twists。I’m looking forward to reading more from Rebecca Netley。
Vavavoom
，
Read it in a couple of hours。 Kept me engaged。 It was nothing out of this world but the writing was poetic and intense。 The plot was gripping。
Becca
，
Gothic horror at its best Really enjoyed this had so many moments when I was actually feeling a little scared and wanted to put a lamp on。 Very good was the perfect Halloween read。
Sarah Faichney
，
Rebecca Netley's "The Whistling" is beautifully written， atmospheric and tense。 It's the perfect read for these dark nights。 Reminiscent of du Maurier's "Rebecca" in style， the creepy house， Iskar， feels like a character in itself。 I particularly liked how Netley kept me guessing until the bitter end。 Coming up with theories made for some interesting book group discussion！ Rebecca Netley's "The Whistling" is beautifully written， atmospheric and tense。 It's the perfect read for these dark nights。 Reminiscent of du Maurier's "Rebecca" in style， the creepy house， Iskar， feels like a character in itself。 I particularly liked how Netley kept me guessing until the bitter end。 Coming up with theories made for some interesting book group discussion！ 。。。more
Margaret M
，
The setting of Iskar is mysterious， wild， and untamed with a range of deeply drawn characters that connect the past and the present。 The writing is creepy but elegant and darkly ominous， even the weather has its role in creating the perfect haunting atmosphere whilst the author does an amazing job in telling an evil tale that is accretive， extending， and unyielding。The year is 1860。 Elspeth， now without any family of her own after the death of both her parents and sister Clara， she relocates to The setting of Iskar is mysterious， wild， and untamed with a range of deeply drawn characters that connect the past and the present。 The writing is creepy but elegant and darkly ominous， even the weather has its role in creating the perfect haunting atmosphere whilst the author does an amazing job in telling an evil tale that is accretive， extending， and unyielding。The year is 1860。 Elspeth， now without any family of her own after the death of both her parents and sister Clara， she relocates to the remote island of Skethsea to take up a new position as nanny of a troubled child named Mary。 Needless to say， all is not well at Iskar， Mary has refused to speak since the sudden death of her brother， William， most of the house remains uninhabited and unused， and the residents are mysterious and unfriendly。 Slowly the island， the house and its inhabitants begin to give up their secrets， William， and the former nanny who is now missing are labelled dangerous and evil。 Meanwhile the regular ghostly and unexplained events seek to ratch up an even deeper sense of foreboding， and “beyond the sounds of the island， another sound made itself heard: the faintest of whistles”This is another perfect dose of spook-ology。 The author delivers a wonderfully menacing story whilst maintaining the suspense throughout as she unspools the tales of bygone days。 The plot， ambiance， writing， and pace was excellent， but the characterisation was fabulous and made the book for me。 The author created a sense of vulnerability in all the characters whilst at the same time making them capable of menace。 So， it was difficult to predict the outcome which I loved。 I thoroughly enjoyed this book and perfect to end my spooky challenge。 。。。more
Mrs B
，
If you enjoyed The Woman In Black， then you would also enjoy The Whistling。 Both are set on cut-off islands （in this case a remote Scottish one）， with swirling mists/fogs， and chilling indications of supernatural presences。The narrator in The Whistling is Elspeth， a nanny who has been employed to look after the withdrawn and decidedly creepy Mary， who incidentally has a dead twin brother and doesn’t speak。 Iskar， the rotting cold house in which Elspeth works， is suitably populated with odd， susp If you enjoyed The Woman In Black， then you would also enjoy The Whistling。 Both are set on cut-off islands （in this case a remote Scottish one）， with swirling mists/fogs， and chilling indications of supernatural presences。The narrator in The Whistling is Elspeth， a nanny who has been employed to look after the withdrawn and decidedly creepy Mary， who incidentally has a dead twin brother and doesn’t speak。 Iskar， the rotting cold house in which Elspeth works， is suitably populated with odd， suspicious and unfriendly characters - which of them could be behind the menacing faceless dolls and hair-bound pebbles that Elspeth keeps finding？ It’s fun to keep guessing throughout this enjoyable read。 。。。more
Amanda
，
Elspeth takes a job as a nanny on a remote Scottish island after struggling to come to terms with the loss of her sister。 She immediately feels a connection to the young girl Mary who has also suffered the loss of her mother and twin brother William - the grief has affected her so badly that she hasn't spoken a word since。Only two days after her arrival， Elspeth begins to hear an eerie whistling in the night， and this is just the first of many strange occurrences in her new home。 Battling with h Elspeth takes a job as a nanny on a remote Scottish island after struggling to come to terms with the loss of her sister。 She immediately feels a connection to the young girl Mary who has also suffered the loss of her mother and twin brother William - the grief has affected her so badly that she hasn't spoken a word since。Only two days after her arrival， Elspeth begins to hear an eerie whistling in the night， and this is just the first of many strange occurrences in her new home。 Battling with her own sense of reason， will Elspeth be forced to open her mind to the possibility that supernatural forces are behind these creepy events or should she be more afraid of the living？When I read the synopsis for The Whistling I thought it sounded like the perfect choice for Halloween and it certainly didn't disappoint。 It is an unsettling and claustrophobic story， the island setting and limited set of characters only added to this， as Elspeth is completely isolated and has nobody to turn to for help。I love a classic ghost story and this one hooked me from the start。 I was unable to put it down as the fear and tension built gradually throughout the book， and the twists， reveals and surprising discoveries left me desperate to find out what had really happened at Iskar。 The Whistling is beautifully written， the creepier moments are balanced out by sections exploring the relationships between the characters both past and present。 This does mean that the narrative is more of a slow burn， but it gives the story a subtlety which I personally prefer in horror or ghost stories。 A chilling gothic ghost tale （and a fantastic debut） which is perfect to read on a dark autumn night！ 。。。more
Stacey Bookerworm
，
If you are planning to read The Whistling then you also need to plan to have someone feed your kids and warn your loved ones you may not shower or communicate for the duration。Read more of our review here: http://www。bookerworm。com/reviews/773。。。 If you are planning to read The Whistling then you also need to plan to have someone feed your kids and warn your loved ones you may not shower or communicate for the duration。Read more of our review here: http://www。bookerworm。com/reviews/773。。。 。。。more
Angustia⋆Cósmica
，
"I felt my skin as if it were new and marvelled at how it had held me through all that had been so dreadful but also all that had brought delight。 I felt the impermanency of life and the steadfastness of love。"I don't consider myself to be a big fan of gothic settings， but when I find one I like， I fall head over heels for it。The Whispering is as beautiful as it is scary; a silent kind of horror， as many of you may know。How far will you go for your loved ones？ Can you open your will yourself int "I felt my skin as if it were new and marvelled at how it had held me through all that had been so dreadful but also all that had brought delight。 I felt the impermanency of life and the steadfastness of love。"I don't consider myself to be a big fan of gothic settings， but when I find one I like， I fall head over heels for it。The Whispering is as beautiful as it is scary; a silent kind of horror， as many of you may know。How far will you go for your loved ones？ Can you open your will yourself into forgetting reality as you knew it？A great spooky read before Halloween hits its peak， give it a go if you're down for witchy business and creepy kids。 。。。more
Jen
，
4。5🌟A perfect spooky season/winter ghost story。 I was a bit hesitant at first - there were aspects of the story/plot that seemed a bit derivative but that soon changed once the story hit its stride。 Yes， there are elements that will be familiar but I think that The Whisperibg has its own voice that increasingly enthralls and grips the reader。 I ended up not being able to put it down。 Thoroughly enjoyable
Lauren
，
‘The Whistling’ is the epitome of a gothic ghost story and a perfect winter read。The story follows Elspeth who is to start a new job as a nanny for young Mary on a secluded Scottish island。 Mary has not spoken since the death of her twin brother and Elspeth feels a connection over their grief after the loss of her own sister。 However Elspeth instantly senses the air of suspicion and secrecy as an outsider on the island。The whole novel embraces the gloomy and claustrophobic atmosphere that is so ‘The Whistling’ is the epitome of a gothic ghost story and a perfect winter read。The story follows Elspeth who is to start a new job as a nanny for young Mary on a secluded Scottish island。 Mary has not spoken since the death of her twin brother and Elspeth feels a connection over their grief after the loss of her own sister。 However Elspeth instantly senses the air of suspicion and secrecy as an outsider on the island。The whole novel embraces the gloomy and claustrophobic atmosphere that is so innate in a great gothic story and is perfect for anyone who is a fan of ‘The woman in black’。 The descriptive passages are so in depth and all consuming that you are drawn in completely and will not be able to stop wanting to find out what lurks ahead for Elspeth。 It is a story steeped in loss and beautifully wrapped up in an ominous and intriguing mystery。 。。。more
The Book Club
，
The story set in 1860。 Follows Elspeth Swansome on her way to the Scottish island of Skelthsea， after loosing her sister in a tragic accident。 She is set to look after Mary， a troubled child rendered mute by grief and looked after her auntie Violet Gillies。 Elspeth soon realises that strange things occur in the house and she wants to get to the bottom of what disturbs her daily tasks。Definitely a perfect read dive into during this spooky season。 The writing style is smooth and fast paced and is The story set in 1860。 Follows Elspeth Swansome on her way to the Scottish island of Skelthsea， after loosing her sister in a tragic accident。 She is set to look after Mary， a troubled child rendered mute by grief and looked after her auntie Violet Gillies。 Elspeth soon realises that strange things occur in the house and she wants to get to the bottom of what disturbs her daily tasks。Definitely a perfect read dive into during this spooky season。 The writing style is smooth and fast paced and is perfectly adapted to the time in which the story is set in。Iskar， the mansion where Mary and her auntie lives at， is really well described and almost feels like a character in itself， with the decaying corridors and rooms， perfect setting for a ghostly story。Mary and Elspeth bond and the way they find solace in each other is heartwarming and I wasn’t surprised to read about the length the nanny goes to look after the child and her will to shield her from what seems to be an horrifying end。Only thing I’d like to probably point at is that I felt that some parts were a bit too repetitive especially when it came to the conflicting relationship between Greer （one of the maid in the house） and Elspeth and the ending didn’t blown me away as much as I wanted it too。But overall it was an enjoyable read and I definitely recommend this book to Laura Purcell’s fans。 。。。more
Kerri
，
If you’re looking for an atmospheric and spooky story just in time for Halloween then I’d highly recommend this one！ 🎃Although， I must admit to reading it during daylight hours due to me being a massive wimp！ 😂 With its isolated and bleak setting to its strange， distant characters this was an incredibly evocative， unsettling and mysterious ghost story that kept me guessing all the way through！
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Whistling
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Whistling&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Whistling&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0