Alex North

In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the crosshairs of an investigation to catch a serial killer preying on a small town.

After the sudden death of his wife, Tom Kennedy believes a fresh start will help him and his young son Jake heal. A new beginning, a new house, a new town. Featherbank.

But the town has a dark past. Twenty years ago, a serial killer abducted and murdered five residents. Until Frank Carter was finally caught, he was nicknamed "The Whisper Man," for he would lure his victims out by whispering at their windows at night.

Just as Tom and Jake settle into their new home, a young boy vanishes. His disappearance bears an unnerving resemblance to Frank Carter's crimes, reigniting old rumors that he preyed with an accomplice. Now, detectives Amanda Beck and Pete Willis must find the boy before it is too late, even if that means Pete has to revisit his great foe in prison: The Whisper Man.

And then Jake begins acting strangely. He hears a whispering at his window...

The Whisper Man

The haunting new thriller from Alex North, author of the New York Times bestseller The Whisper Man 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...

A Novel

The Shadows

From the New York Times bestselling author of “The Whisper Man” and “The Shadows” comes a dark, suspenseful new thriller about the mysteries of fate, the unbreakable bond of siblings, and a notorious serial killer who was said to know the future.

Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever.

Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more.

Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future.

The Angel Maker

"Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder. On the darkest corners of the internet, plenty of people still remember what happened: Charlie's crime has attracted a dark infamy, inspiring more than one copycat. Paul Adams can remember the case too - Charlie and his victims were his friends. Paul left town as soon as he could, and he's never gone back. But then his mother, old and senile, takes a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it's time to come home. It's not long before things start to go wrong. In the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there's something in the house. 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 afterwards, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again . . .

The Shadow Friend

Phoebe Morgan

Dominic Nolan

James Delargy

Victoria Selman

Kate Simants

Elle Croft

S. R. Masters

Jo Furniss

Adam Southward

N.J. Mackay

Rachael Blok

Heather Critchlow

Clare Empson

Some people are scared of the dark. But it’s the light that exposes the secrets. A young boy with nightmares faces up to his demons. A deathbed confession turns the world on its axis. A five-year-old watches his parents bury a body in the garden. A soldier returns from the war to find the horror isn’t yet over. Afraid Of The Light brings the imagination of fourteen bestselling crime writers together in a collection that will keep you up all night. From a deadly campfire game to a holiday gone wrong, to an AI assistant with a motive and a love affair that can only end in murder, this is a gripping, twisty set of stories to send a shiver down your spine.

An Anthology of Crime Fiction

Afraid of the Light

The creepy new thriller from the globally bestselling author of Richard & Judy pick, The Whisper Man

Katie always looked after her beloved younger brother Chris - until she left him alone for one selfish afternoon, and their picture-perfect family fell apart. Although Chris survived the attack, the scars ran deeper than the ones left across his face. Now they're adults, and they haven't spoken in years. Then she gets a call, from Detective Laurence Page.

Chris is the prime suspect at an unusually disturbing crime scene. Alan Hobbes, a distinguished and wealthy philosophy professor, has been brutally murdered. Hobbes was living in a sprawling mansion - but one that remains half-ruined by a decades-old fire, wind and rain howling through the gaping, creaking roof.

Katie knows she should help the police, but she only has one thing on her mind. This is her last, best chance to finally save her brother, and make up for her negligence all those years ago. But she doesn't realise the case has connections to an awful serial killer - and so she can't possibly imagine just how much danger she's in...

The Half Burnt House

The latest gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Alex North.

Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?

With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.

The Man Made of Smoke

Whisper Man Sneak Peek

YOU SAW IT. YOU WERE TOO SCARED TO ACT. BUT NOW IT’S COMING FOR YOU... From the mind behind the international bestseller The Whisper Man comes a new nightmare -- You never forget the day you meet a serial killer. Dan was just a teenager when he saw the man made of smoke, silent, watchful, vanishing into the mist. He was too scared to move, too scared to stop him. He’s carried the guilt ever since. Now a criminal psychiatrist, Dan spends his life trying to understand the darkest minds. But when his father disappears, he’s pulled back to the remote island he once called home, where something unsettling is waking. A body has been found. The past is reaching through the fog. And the man made of smoke might never have left. This time, Dan has to face what’s been waiting in the dark. -- Praise for The Man Made of Smoke ‘The Man Made of Smoke was in equal parts terrifying, creepy, thrilling and moving’ Marnie Riches ‘A haunting, atmospheric story...Truly a white-knuckle read from start to finish’ Tracy Sierra ‘Creepy and atmospheric from the first page, The Man Made Of Smoke is as well-written as it is tense’ Rachel Wolf 'Balancing his trademark hint of the supernatural with very real fears, this is a book full of regret and grief, but most of all heart' Sam Holland, author of The Echo Man 'I tore through this gritty tale of guilt, grief and the ghosts that haunt us. The twists are exceptionally well executed, the emotional through line compelling, and the mercurial baddie is genuinely unsettling' Josh Winning, author of Heads Will Roll 'Written with skill and intelligence, and told with empathy and nuance, this is a novel that’s not to be missed. I loved every word' Rebecca Thorne, author of The Grief House 'Creepy, compelling and so fiendishly tricky, I couldn’t put it down. Another surefire winner from the king of haunting!' Natalie Chandler, author of The Voices

A chilling psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Whisper Man

This excerpt from The Angel Maker by Alex North contains the first section of the book. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Whisper Man and The Shadows comes a dark, suspenseful new thriller about the mysteries of fate, the unbreakable bond of siblings, and a notorious serial killer who was said to know the future. Growing up in a beautiful house in the English countryside, Katie Shaw lived a charmed life. At the cusp of graduation, she had big dreams, a devoted boyfriend, and a little brother she protected fiercely. Until the day a violent stranger changed the fate of her family forever. Years later, still unable to live down the guilt surrounding what happened to her brother, Chris, and now with a child of her own to protect, Katie struggles to separate the real threats from the imagined. Then she gets the phone call: Chris has gone missing and needs his big sister once more. Meanwhile, Detective Laurence Page is facing a particularly gruesome crime. A distinguished professor of fate and free will has been brutally murdered just hours after firing his staff. All the leads point back to two old cases: the gruesome attack on teenager Christopher Shaw, and the despicable crimes of a notorious serial killer who, legend had it, could see the future.

The Angel Maker: Chapter Sampler

"So well written and neatly plotted that it will appeal even to readers who usually shy away from this sort of thing." ―New York Times The latest gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Alex North. Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years? With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.

HOW DO YOU CATCH A KILLER WHO ENJOYS THE FEAR HE CREATES? A chilling serial killer thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author or international phenomenon, The Whisper Man -- For DI Andrew Hicks, solving a murder is logical: your first suspicions are usually right. So when the body of a young woman is found, Hicks immediately turns his attention to the most likely culprit – her possessive ex-husband. But when a second body is found, killed in near identical circumstances, Hicks is forced to think again about his suspect. As the death toll starts rising, Hicks realises he’s dealing with something much darker – and deadlier – than he’d imagined. A serial killer is at large – one who revels in chaos. To stop the senseless murders, Hicks must bring the killer to justice. But will his own demons stand in the way? -- Praise for Alex North 'The best crime novel of the decade' Steve Cavanagh 'A thriller that is both terrifying and utterly heartbreaking. Mesmerising and masterful' Mark Billingham 'This is a true skin-crawler' Guardian 'Shades of Thomas Harris and Stephen King but brilliant in its own right' C.J. Tudor 'First it's spooky. Then it's scary. Then it's terrifying' A.J. Finn

An Unputdownable Serial Killer Mystery from the Sunday Times bestselling Author of The Whisper Man

Dark Room

PRE-ORDER NOW! A CHILLING THRILLER FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON, THE WHISPER MAN YOU CAN RUN Police called to a crime scene on a quiet suburban street are shocked to find a woman being held captive. YOU CAN HIDE When the remains of more victims are discovered, it seems that the notorious Red River Killer, who has been abducting women for twenty years, has finally been identified. BUT HE'S STILL OUT THERE DI Will Turner leads the investigation. The killer may be running, but he's certainly not hiding - and the hunt for his next victim is very much underway . . . Praise for Alex North 'The best crime novel of the decade' Steve Cavanagh 'A thriller that is both terrifying and utterly heartbreaking. Mesmerising and masterful' Mark Billingham 'This is a true skin-crawler' Guardian 'Shades of Thomas Harris and Stephen King but brilliant in its own right' C.J. Tudor 'First it's spooky. Then it's scary. Then it's terrifying' A.J. Finn

You Can Run

The most terrifying novel of the year, from the internationally bestselling author of The Whisper Man, available to pre-order now **** You never forget the day you meet a serial killer. Dan was just a teenager when he had a chance encounter with the elusive killer known only as "the man made of smoke". Nobody could blame him for being too scared to intervene, for being too scared to save the latest victim, for letting the killer vanish again. Nobody except Dan himself. Years later, Dan has a successful career as a criminal psychiatrist, unpicking the very darkest of human behaviour. Because, despite what he saw that day, Dan knows there's no such thing as a monster. But now his father, John, has gone missing. And, when Dan returns to the small island where he grew up, he finds out that not long before his disappearance, John had stumbled across a body. As Dan begins to dig, he finds unsettling links, stretching all the way back to the man made of smoke. Which means this might just be a chance to not only save his dad, but to finally find redemption. But what if he's been wrong about that day for all these years. What if he was right to be scared? ******* Praise for Alex North "As terrifying as a great horror novel, as unpredictable as the best type of crime novel and above all beautifully written...a writer who is an absolute master of his craft" Jane Casey "This is absorbing, headlong reading, a play on classic horror with an inventiveness of its own" New York Times "Hugely atmospheric and deliciously creepy" Alex Michaelides

ARE YOU READY TO ENTER THE HALF BURNT HOUSE? The spine-tingling new thriller from the internationally bestselling author of Richard & Judy pick THE WHISPER MAN ____________ It begins with the house – and a body: Alan Hobbes stabbed to death in his own bed. For years, he’s lived as a recluse in the remains of a derelict mansion that once belonged to a serial killer. The police have a suspect: Christopher Shaw, observed on the premises on the night of the murder. Katie Shaw hasn’t seen her brother Chris in two years. All her life, she’s tried to look out for him. Even when he made it so hard. But now he’s bound up in the secrets of this dark house. To save Chris, dare she follow him inside . . . ____________ ‘North handles the complicated plot with skill while bringing his troubled characters to life amid the horror’ Observer 'Alex North at his best - a writer who can terrify you on one page and break your heart on the next' STEVE CAVANAGH 'One of those books that made me wish I'd written it. North wields suspense like a blade. Breath-taking and terrifying' HELEN FIELDS 'Dark, gripping, and twisty' CLARIE MCGOWAN 'Endlessly intriguing' NEW YORK TIMES

Alex North

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