| Title | : | Whispers in the Dark |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1947654616 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781947654617 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 318 |
| Publication | : | First published December 7, 2018 |
When Charlie Akers, a half-brother she never knew, ends up on the wrong side of Rose's rifle, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that puts her family in the middle of increasingly dangerous paranormal visitations. Charlie won't stay dead, and soon ghosts from Rose's past are creeping back into her life. People she's killed in the line of duty, family she thought long buried, every one of them under the influence of Rose's greatest fear, the Whispers themselves.
As the walls between our world and the world of the dead grow thin, Rose will have to face her old nightmares to stop the Whispers from breaking free. If she can't, it won't just be Memphis that falls to the dead--there will be no safe place left on earth for the living.
Whispers in the Dark Reviews
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Thank you to the author, Laurel Hightower and JournalStone publishing for the FREE review copies to our Night Worms Book Party. You can follow our Book Party on Instagram with #nightwormswhispers or #nightwormsbookparty
This book gets a lot of traction in the "horror family" circle on social media. It has captured the hearts of so many readers of indie horror fiction.
It's hard to believe this is a debut book; an impressive way to make a first impression. The story centers on Rose McFarland, a sniper in a S.W.A.T. team. She's tough as nails, takes zero bullshit from her peers, and seems strong enough to handle even the most stressful situations.
But this is just in the first 20 pages or so. As the pages fly by, we see that Rose is complex. She has a traumatic past and complicated relationships. We're introduced to a softer side of her that she reserves for her children and the men in her life.
She appears to struggle with something paranormal she calls, the Whispers.
As the story moves on, I found myself marveling at the author's ability to foster a culture of authenticity. Rose leaped off the page. Her inner thoughts resonated with me and felt very realistic. The dialog was natural and serves the narrative well. Character-driven horror is the most successful for me and I would say that WHISPERS IN THE DARK checks all the boxes for me.
There are some legitimate scares in this book too!
In our group discussion, I will say that I felt like I had a different reading experience than almost all of my fellow Night Worms crew. Everyone reported they were investing upfront and binge-reading the hell out of this novel, finishing in a matter of a day or two. I didn't have this same compulsion.
I found myself reading about 20-30 pages at a time and then feeling ready to jump into something else or distracted from my reading. Nothing is wrong with the pacing and it's not dull, I just didn't engage or get sucked in the same way other readers did.
So, I can't say this is five stars for me but I will say, I enjoyed my time reading this story, I think Laurel Hightower is a natural-born storyteller, and I'm looking forward to anything she releases in the future.
Mother Horror Review Blurb: "The hype surrounding this book is real. This is one of the best debut novels on the indie horror scene right now. Protagonist Rose McFarland is easily one of my favorite fictional characters. Strong storytelling voice, original story ideas and full of surprises. Buy this book & keep tabs on this author." -
Thank you so much JournalStone Publishing for my free copy. Another day, another fantastic #nightwormsbookparty under my belt.
WHISPERS IN THE DARK by @laurelhightower is nonstop intensity, suspense, and intrigue. I am still gobsmacked that this is a debut novel. It’s a horror story wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in a police procedural, wrapped in a character building extravaganza.
We meet our strong female protagonist, Rose McFarland, who is a no nonsense sniper for the Memphis S.W.A.T. team. The story starts off with a bang as a hostage situation leads into her story. She’s divorced, but stays close with her ex-husband, Sam, who remains a great dad to their kids. She covers herself up because of scars from a traumatic past and recoils at the thought of being touched - except when it comes to the people she loves, especially her kids, Lily and Tommy. Rose is fierce, complex, and totally believable. In fact, all of the characters are believable.
Hightower knows how to craft a propulsive, creepy story. I had no trouble reading this book incredibly fast as the story never slows down. BUT the chapters in the first half are pretty long compared to the second half which might trip some readers up. Either way, no matter what your reading style, I think anyone who enjoys this sub-genre will be invested until the last page.
This debut has it all with stellar characters, a compulsive mystery, and a fantastic supernatural storyline. I enjoyed every page of this thrilling, chilling story. Be sure to watch out for those WHISPERS IN THE DARK. -
O.M.G! This was amazing! One of the best books l have read so far in the last years! Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Laurel, for asking me to review this! Can't wait for your next book!
Full review to come soon! -
This was a great, intriguing novel! It's hard to believe this is Laurel Hightower's first. She seamlessly mixes supernatural horror with thriller and mystery elements to create a fast-paced story that had me from page one. Her writing style is easy to fall into and equally as hard to get out of. All the characters, especially the protagonist Rose, were written as though they were real people - rich backgrounds, flaws, insecurities, etc. I'll definitely be eager to dive into whatever Hightower churns out next!
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4.5 stars. Eerie, well-written, addictive, creepy… and a strong female protagonist!! Brilliant read
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Una de las grandes ventajas que presentan los thrillers de terror consiste en su capacidad para mantenerte atrapado a lo largo de sus páginas. Son narrativas que consiguen que avances a través de su lectura sorprendiéndote ante los giros de su trama, sus desconciertos, su capacidad para llevarte al límite en la búsqueda del misterio que atenaza a los protagonistas. Este tipo de libros se adaptan a la perfección a la narrativa de terror ya que presentan una historias que son vehículos ideales para que te adentres en la mente de sus protagonistas y así empatizar con sus dudas, sus pasiones, sus miedos y, por que no, para desconcertarte ante la falta de fiabilidad de sus puntos de vista.
Eso da pie a que en historias como esta, Susurros en la oscuridad de Laurel Hightower, sientas una empatía natural con su protagonista. Aunque ella sea una francotiradora perteneciente a la S.W.A.T especialmente certera en situaciones estresantes. Rose MacFarland tiene que lidiar en su día a día con los criminales más peligrosos, tomando en cuestiones de segundo decisiones de las que depende la vida de los que están a su alrededor. Al mismo tiempo, nuestra protagonista tiene que atender a sus propias necesidades como mujer, enfrentándose a sus relaciones emocionales y físicas con los hombres que la rodean, así como también afrontar sus necesidades como madre, tarea nada fácil dada la complejidad que suponen mantener separadas sus emociones en ambos ámbitos. Por si fuera poco, Rose McFarland guarda un terrible secreto que tiene que ver con su pasado y con las quemaduras que han deformado su cuerpo y su particular carácter. Un secreto que le ha atormentado desde que era niña y que ahora que empieza a generar pesadillas a su propio hijo.
Y esa es la gran baza con la que cuenta esta historia que, no se dejen engañar, está plagada de momentos puros de horror. La presencia del componente sobrenatural estará presente desde el inicio de la trama y se hace notar, presentado algunos episodios sobrecogedores que harán las delicias de los amantes del género. Esos susurros a los que alude el título de la novela están presentes para inquietar al lector, que irá conociendo poco a poco el complejo y aterrador pasado que arrastra nuestra protagonista. Y los susurros se sienten amenazadores, llenos de rabia, de maldad, cargados de una negatividad que se materializa en muchos episodios de los que estremece al lector más experimentado. Sin embargo, no dejan de ser elementos que se personifican para abordar situaciones mucho más complejas a las que se tiene que enfrentar nuestra protagonista.
Pero a pesar de los frecuentes pasajes de terror que empapan la trama, el libro destaca al presentar situaciones que se manejan desde el prisma de un mujer compleja y profundamente humana que se tiene que enfrentar a una situación que la desborda. En más de una ocasión sus decisiones se ven erróneas, diluyendo la frialdad de su carácter entre las olas de la simple necesidad de cariño y deseo. Y eso la vuelve más cercana que cualquier otro personaje idealizado de este tipo de narrativas. ¿Quién no se ha dejado llevar en más de una ocasión por los sentimientos, olvidando por completo sus principios?
De ese modo, no dejas de identificarte con un personaje cuyo mundo se tambalea entre apariciones siniestras, gritos en la oscuridad y recuerdos del pasado. Al fin y al cabo, los miedos más terribles se vuelven genéricos cuado la vida de las personas que quieres se encuentra en peligro. Y todos, en mayor o menor medida, hemos tenido que afrontarlos con el miedo a no estar a la altura de lo que se espera de nosotros. -
I read this book with the Night Worms blog team for a Night Worms book party, and I'm so glad this was our pick for this month.
This is Hightower's first book, and I was absolutely shocked when I found that out. This does not read like a book from a new author. It seriously reads like Hightower is a seasoned writer. Her characters are fully fleshed out, and I would love to read another book with Rose McFarland as the main character. She's a tough female character who knows how to take charge of a situation. She could easily have her own series and a dedicated following.
McFarland is a Memphis S.W.A.T sniper with a dark past. She wears long sleeves and gloves even in the Memphis heat because her entire torso, arms, and hands are covered in burn scars from a house fire that killed half of her family when she was a child. Rose lived in constant dread of the Whispers then - ghostly sounds and hallucinations that caused her parents to abuse her and punish her whenever she admitted they appeared. Eventually the Whispers stopped, but after Rose takes out a criminal in a 48 hour hostage situation, it appears as if they are back. And now Rose's four-year-old son is experiencing them too.
Desperate to banish the Whispers forever, Rose also wants to save her son from the terrors she experienced as a child. However, the Whispers are not going to go away easily, and Rose will be forced to put the lives of herself and her entire family in danger in order to banish them for good.
I absolutely adore Rose as a strong female protagonist, and I really liked all of the secondary characters as well. Hightower builds a lot of tension in this story, and I found myself reading for long stretches at a time, thoroughly engrossed and unable to put the book down. I had been in a bit of a slump before reading this one, and after finishing it in less than two days, my slump is over. Now I'm anxiously awaiting Hightower's next book. She is definitely an author to watch. -
I somehow missed getting a full review up for this. I’ll say it was the holidays and then a new semester of teaching and just life in general that caused me to miss this one.
BUT: I still remember almost everything about this book. From plot, to characters, to writing style, I haven’t really forgotten much. That’s a hallmark of a good read for sure. I loved Rose. She’s a flawed, strong female character. She isn’t a “strong girl” trope nor a damsel in distress. She’s like, well, me, if my life had taken a different path. I imagine a lot of female readers will be able to see themselves in her and that takes considerable skill.
Horror? This book has it in spades. There’s a basement scene that made my SKIN CRAWL and I loved every part of it.
Be sure to check out all the amazing reviews for this one and pick up a copy. I hope Hightower has a new book out soon! -
I’m going to be honest here and say that I’m not a major fan of police procedural type books, movies or tv but I’ll always make an exception when several someones tell me I need to pay attention to something and that’s why I decided to read Whispers In The Dark. People on my Twitter feed would not shut up about it and now that I’ve read it I can understand the positive buzz.
Rose is a sniper with a painful past and when the book begins she is in a standoff with an irrational man. The scene is intense and shows Rose is calm, cool and knows what she’s doing but this event is more than it seems. Rose is also more than she seems and soon after finds herself and her family embroiled in a battle for their lives. The stakes are high and the revelations are chilling. You’ll have to read the book to discover them though because I am not a spoiler of books.
The best thing about this story, besides the history and the creep-factor and the ever-lurking dread, were the characters and their very complicated relationships with each other. They’re flawed, realistic, relatable - all of those things, and I really enjoyed reading their stories and reactions to events. Life is often messy, imperfect, frustrating, and disappointing and this book felt real to me because of the character’s interactions with each other and the realism and emotion written into the scenes. I still find it difficult to believe this novel was a debut. That sort of blows my mind.
I’m glad I listened to my horror people and gave this book a chance. I can easily recommend it to anyone looking to escape reality for a while and fall into a tension-filled novel with unforgettable characters. -
I am blown away by Laurel Hightower’s first novel, Whispers in the Dark. Very impressive.
The fabulous cover fits the dark story on the pages inside…the doors of hell opening up to her, calling her, the dead demanding her attention. Some warn her, others want…something from her.
Is her son in danger? Her daughter? Her friends and coworkers? All the characters have their part to play and I must say, I wouldn’t mind killing a couple of them myself, in the book of course. lol
Her son, Tommy, is the sweetest, bravest four year old I have come across.
I love Laurel’s description of grandparents…if the children are bad, they had to sit on the couch, watch cartoons and eat chocolate while they thought about what they’d done. LOL
I love stories like Whispers in the Dark, insidious evil lurking…
Her past was filled with terror and torture…visions, ghosts and the whispers, and now I know why. Her job with SWAT had put them to bed, until…Charlie Akers.
Is that a whisper I hear? Is that a shadow in the corner? Are those footsteps climbing the cellar stairs? You know there has to be at least one cellar!
The rich detail of the writing made me almost feel them reaching out for me, seeing their eyes peering at me out of the dark corners.
To get the full effect, I recommend reading the story at night, when you are alone, turning off all the lights and letting your imagination run wild. HA HA HA
I couldn’t put down Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower and it freaked me out. I love sneaky evil oozing its way off the pages, into my mind.
I was very happy with the ending, and I didn’t know what it would be. Laurel Hightower did a fabulous job with her first attempt at writing a novel and I can hardly wait to see where she goes from here. I am very impressed, can find no fault, and give it a giant stamp of approval…and, Laurel, I will be stalking you.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower.
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"The dark is coming, and you need to be ready when it does."
I buddy read Whispers in the Dark with my friend Tracy, and I enjoyed it so much! When I first read the synopsis, I was sort of worried that this was mostly going to be a procedural with horror tones (which isn't my favorite), but Whispers in the Dark was not like that at all. This is a solid horror story, and it was so entertaining.
This is Laurel Hightower's debut novel, but it doesn't feel that way at all. The story is intriguing, and it flows really well. At times it felt like there was a tiny bit too much relationship stuff for my taste, but everything ended up balancing out. The romantic relationships and friendships felt believable. There were some good creepy scenes, and this book held my attention well. I can't wait to see what Laurel Hightower does next! -
Updated as now live in STORGY Magazine
Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower is pretty damn good, actually it’s pretty stunning – and to think this was her debut, bloody hell! Fierce storytelling, prose to die for, and a story that is achingly brutal; whilst also populated by characters that are really relatable, even the secondary cast of characters – all of these elements makes for a perfect storm in the bottle. Whispers in the Dark is a book that will have you hooked on Hightower’s brilliance!
I first discovered Laurel Hightower through her stunning novella ‘Crossroads‘ which I had given five stars to, I then set about discovering more of her work and my first port of call was Whispers in the Dark – her debut!
The premise of this book is what grabbed me, the blurb of the book sold it to me and then the creepiness that is trapped within the pages sealed the sweetest of deals! This is a book that is so cinematic, from the opening stand-off to the last, everything about this story is in the details and Hightower ensures that these come across in blinding clarity and with an originality that it doesn’t have the reader wanting or looking for inaccuracies – it felt I was right there beside Rose McFarland as she had a criminal in her crosshairs or as she ventured into hellholes looking for her intended target, whether that be earthly or unearthly.
Rose McFarland is a trained killer–a Memphis S.W.A.T. sniper with a secret. Her team knows about the burn scars that lurk under her clothes, a legacy of the house fire that killed her father and brother sixteen years before. Her supervisors know that she spent two years in a rehabilitative facility, healing and learning to cope with the emotional trauma of the fire. But no one knows about the visions that drove her there, angry spirits that consumed her childhood, alienated her from her family and made her doubt her own sanity–the Whispers.
When Charlie Akers, a half-brother she never knew, ends up on the wrong side of Rose’s rifle, she unwittingly sets off a chain of events that puts her family in the middle of increasingly dangerous paranormal visitations. Charlie won’t stay dead, and soon ghosts from Rose’s past are creeping back into her life. People she’s killed in the line of duty, family she thought long buried, every one of them under the influence of Rose’s greatest fear, the Whispers themselves.
You see this book deals with the blending between worlds, their world and our world, and sometimes the walls between these worlds is rather thin, sometimes Whispers break through, and sometimes so does something else. The supernatural element in this book is damn scary, I found myself at numerous times feeling unease creeping up my spine as I shivered from the things that Hightower puts to paper and shows exactly how great a storyteller she really is. The dread and the horror are on point in this book – they are inescapable and all consuming, there is no escape, the only way to escape is to silence those Whisperers once and for all, but what is the cost?
Hightower has created in Rose McFarland a protagonist who seems to exist outside of the book that she resides, such is the mastery of character work undertaken. Everything about Rose was thought out and put across brilliantly, her brashness, her not taking any crap, her messed up past, her own scars, how she interacts with the characters around her and how she is trying to be the best mother she can whilst defending her children from whatever is coming for her and her loved ones. What I loved about it is that she is a strong woman, think Ripley in Alien but on steroids – she is the character the story hangs from, she’s the capstone of the piece and with her the story has extremely strong foundations for the craziness to run free.
The book itself reads like a Kathryn Bigelow movie – action packed and character driven like ‘Point Break‘, horror filled like ‘Near Dark‘, the ingeniousness of ‘Strange Days‘ whilst also being infused with the thriller elements of ‘The Hurt Locker‘ & ‘Zero Dark Thirty‘. Whispers in the Dark screams to be turned into a film, I just wonder if someone will answer that call – maybe someone should drop Bigelow a copy?
Although it’s a rave review, I did have some issues with it keeping my attention towards the final quarter of the book, the first three quarters I was zipping through, then I hit a wall and I had to push through it. It didn’t become boring, it was just that I found myself wanting to do something else (this may have more to say about me than the book as I was in the middle of final edits for my own book) it seemed to lose the hold it had on my. But when I returned I could still jump back into the book, enjoy the characters and not feel like I’d missed a beat.
Whispers in the Dark is a gripping read, one full of horror and populated with intrinsically brilliant and interesting characters. You feel the pain, the hurt and the horrors in blinding clarity, with prose that is hypnotic and that doesn’t pull any punches. Some might say you can even hear the whispers of the dark as you drown yourself in Hightower’s beautiful prose – If you’re after a cinematic experience, think Kathryn Bigelow at her very best, then check this out! -
For starters: I cannot believe this is a debut novel from Laurel Hightower! The storyline, her knack for getting under your skin, her ability to write believable characters, etc make it seem like she has been doing this for quite some time.
Rose McFarland can be described as a gutsy woman who takes no crap. She is a sniper for S.W.A.T. and her fiery past is definitely one for the books. But as the story progresses, her past and present reunite in the best and worst ways. All of these things make this book perfect for fans of thrillers and horror - there's a bit of both in this one! There are some genuinely creepy scenes in this that had me wondering just how it would play out on the big screen - yes, I do that sometimes with certain books when I am completely pulled in. I want to experience it with all my senses. And this book demands all of my senses! A solid 5-star read and I cannot wait for Hightower's next endeavor!
Thank you to the author, Laurel Hightower and JournalStone publishing for the review copies to our Night Worms Book Party. -
WITD captivated me from the get go. The story centers on Rose McFarland, a SWAT sniper working in Memphis and also our first person narrator for the duration of the tale. When we first encounter Rose, she is engaged as a sniper in a hostage situation and after two days, finally gets her shot and takes the perp out. Rose is horribly scared on her torso and arms/hands from a house fire when she was a teenager; today, she wears gloves and long sleeve shirts to hide the scars (and she also has wicked tats to cover them as well).
WITD unfolds somewhat slowly as we are introduced to Rose's life and backstory. Rose has two young children-- one from each of her former husbands. Her first husband, now her ex, have evolved since their divorce and share custody of the kids; her second husband was killed in a car accident. The house fire killed her father and brother, leaving just her mother and her, but her mother basically disowned her and they have not spoken since. Rose is a tough cookie to be sure, however, and lives life with few regrets.
Since she was a child, Rose has heard 'whispers' in the dark, which terrified her; her terror was exacerbated by the harsh punishment given to her by her father, who told her she was basically possessed by evil, locking her for days in the basement. Water under the bridge, but Rose obviously has some connection to ghosts or spirits and can still sense, for example, 'bad places' and events.
Things start to come apart for Rose, however, when she learns that the perp she took out at the start was actually her half-brother and a strange FBI guy starts dogging her with statements and questions about the whisperers. Furthermore, her 4 year old son starts experiencing the whispers as well...
WITD is truly and inventive novel and has some seriously creepy moments to be sure as well. Hightower takes us on quite a journey here and Rose is forced to confront her past in order to have a future. This is Hightower's first novel and it is definitely impressive. IMO, it could use a little editing and the ending needed a little more, but Hightower is definitely someone to watch. 4.5 stars!! -
Wow, Whispers in the Dark is a hell of a debut novel. The ghosts within these pages are downright terrifying. A fast-paced ride to hell and back!
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Rose McFarland has a traumatic past, one that involves a fire that burned her skin, leaving her with scarred flesh to hide from the world. It’s a reminder of the angry spirits that pursued her childhood, of how her sanity was put in jeopardy while her family accused her of being dangerous. Now, as an adult, all that matters are her children, yet the Whispers that tormented her are back, and she’s not the only one they’re putting in danger this time. Rose must now confront her fears for those she loves, or she might lose everything.
(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Laurel Hightower for giving me the opportunity.
I’m excited that this was my first novel by Laurel Hightower, I’m now eager to read more of her work ASAP. It didn’t take long for Whispers in the Dark to grip me and hold me until its end, several aspects hitting me as a breath of fresh air, while some of its darker notes summoned an unsettling atmosphere. It blended more than one genre: horror, thriller, mystery, and it even reminded me of my old love of urban fantasy, with magical elements in a modern day setting, not to mention a tough-as-nails heroine. Rose McFarland was a great character, and not just because of her being a skilled S.W.A.T. sniper, but also because of how independent and stubborn she was, and I’ll admit that it was downright excellent to read about a woman determined to maintain her professional career while also being an involved and loving mother. Her life was full of messy, complicated relationships that felt genuine, and the familial secrets that overwhelmed her life were engrossing, with each new revelation more riveting than the last. With an abusive childhood, Rose was punished for a “gift” she couldn’t control, and this resulted in her witnessing and experiencing horrific things, the plot therefore a journey for her to overcome her trauma. It kept my attention, and I wished more than ever for a happy ending for both Rose and Sam, despite my inclinations toward more bleak resolutions.
As for the spooky side of things, I honestly found some scenes to be unnerving, which doesn’t happen a lot when it involves ghostly happenings; the typical tropes of hauntings generally don’t do much for me, but Hightower implemented the paranormal very well, and I don’t think horror lovers would go disappointed. At first, Rose’s experiences were subtle, a lone figure glimpsed in the rearview mirror as an example, and the phenomenon described as the “Whispers” intrigued me a great deal, however there was a slight bit of confusion when the answers were revealed, especially regarding her ancestral line. As it was, the plot itself was rather complex, with some characters that would come and go, or disappear altogether after it seemed they would play a larger role. Sometimes, following a break, I had to try and remind myself who a certain name was – I’m not saying that numerous wheels and cogs are a bad thing, though.
Lastly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to mention it or not, but the synopsis of the book spoils something that I feel would’ve had more impact had it came naturally through reading. It was a pretty significant twist that affected the entire story, but I already knew it was coming even before opening to the first page.
In conclusion: Family was a prominent theme in Whispers in the Dark, with a mother desperate to protect her child. A brilliant protagonist was found in Rose, and I was immediately pulled into her life, her personality complicated yet beautiful. Her encounters with the dead gave some chills that I relished, and I was impressed at how much she developed when it came to taking control of things once feared. Even with my occasional muddled thoughts due to the large cast of supporting characters and various other components, there’s no denying the blatant talent of how this tale came together – there’s so many elements to enjoy, I believe every reader will find something to like.
Notable Quote:
Beauty never troubled me, and that’s a freeing thing, more so than most people can imagine.
© Red Lace 2021
Blog ~
Twitter -
*Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
4.5 /5
If you spend any time on Twitter within the horror community, you’ve undoubtedly experienced two things; A) someone recommending ‘Whispers in the Dark’ as a must-read or B) Laurel piping in on a Twitter thread with her hilarious wit.
I don’t believe I’ve ever once been on an extending sub-tweet thread with Laurel where we haven’t gone off the rails and it’s always hilarious.
When the Ladies of Horror Fiction announced that they wanted people to start their 2020 reading year off by choosing a book written by someone identifying as a female, I knew which two I was going to start with – The Making of Gabriel Davenport by Beverley Lee & this book, Whispers in the Dark. Now that I’ve finished Whispers, I’ll be starting Davenport shortly!
What I liked: Pretty much everything! Hightower throws us directly into the story. We quickly are introduced to Rose McFarland, SWAT Sniper. She’s on a call and things are not exactly as they seem. Throughout, Hightower kept the story pulled along by a very tight string made of tension. It was great. This a book that falls into the “page-turner” category with ease. The characters that are introduced are great and you feel like you know a good portion of them, and the others you’ve met at some point. The backstory is teased along the way before Laurel does a great job of connecting all of the dots and the ending was fantastic.
I personally enjoy epilogues, and with this book it was great to see what happened after the final moments of the main story.
I loved the character of Rose. She was a physically and mentally scarred character who was tough but caring. Her desire to be the best mom while also being the best sniper was a great plot piece and a lot of the time Hightower made story decisions based on that mentality.
What I didn’t like: Two small things. I didn’t care for the character Luke. Part of it was the fact that Rose and Luke had been partners for so many years, so the traces of jealousy we saw I found frustrating, and when the character Neal was involved and Rose was questioning some of Luke’s actions, I struggled to believe Rose would feel that way, due to them having been partners for so long.
The second thing was a character at the beginning I thought was going to be more prevalent but who just disappeared. I can’t even remember his name, but he wanted Rose essentially kicked out of the force due to his indecision and then poof gone. It wasn’t a big part of the story, but I kept wondering when we’d see him return.
Why you should buy this: You should buy this because it features some of the best writing I’ve read in some time and it’ll blow your friggin’ socks off that this is a debut novel.
You should buy this because it’s always great to find another strong female lead like Rose, especially one who has paranormal attachments.
I loved this book and I can see why people suggest that if this wasn’t released in December of its release year, there would be a good chance this would have won a Bram Stoker for Best Debut Novel. -
My first take on this book is that I’ve never read anything like it, and that’s a good thing. In a world of rehashed stories and remade movies, we need new blood (pun intended), and this is a slice of what we’ve all been waiting for. Yes, I have heard W.I.T.D. described as “The Sixth Sense except the main character is a SWAT team member,” and that’s pretty close, but at the same time, that ain’t quite it. The main character in this story is a brave woman (and trained killer) protecting her child and while she’s naturally afraid of the threatening supernatural forces, she doesn’t shy away from them like the kid in Sixth Sense tried to do. This story is refreshing, original, polished and professionally written. It has been said before, but, remarkably, this is the author’s first novel. I most certainly look forward to more books by Laurel Hightower.
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Whispers in the Dark was interesting and creepy!
I loved reading about Rose (a S.W.A.T. sniper) and how she coped with the emotional trauma that came from surviving a rough religious childhood and surviving a mysterious fire that killed her father and brother. Rose thinks she's left the past behind, but it comes back in the form of a brother she never knew and whispers of the undead that grow louder and more menacing. -
A fantastic debut novel by Laurel Hightower, and a great first read of the year for me! This book reminded me of some of my favorite things -- Gillian Flynn's novels but with a more supernatural twist, and the show Supernatural itself. Rose was such a great main character, and if Dean Winchester was a female cop in another life, I'm pretty sure he'd be a bit like Rose McFarland. The dynamics between the characters are strongly crafted, and the author does a great job at getting the reader to be invested in each character and relationship. The blend of real-world issues and supernatural issues that the characters face is blended beautifully.
Hightower's writing maintains an excellent pace throughout the entire book; even though I could have done with less head-hopping since sometimes that ventured into more telling than showing, and the book was so well-written it didn't quite need all of that, I thought she did a great job characterizing each person's personality, voice, and main goals. The different threads and plot points wrap up so well at the end.
Hightower is an author whose career I will watch with great interest! I cannot wait to see what she writes next. Highly recommend! -
"Bad-ass female protagonist, spooky storyline and vivid imagery, a brilliant selection of ingredients for this scintillating horror novel."
Read my full review here!
https://www.scifiandscary.com/whisper... -
A woman named Rose who is a mother and S.W.A.T sniper with fierce loyalty, a sordid and painful past and a fierce personality - this is a woman you do NOT want to mess with. What can I say? I fell in love with this book. Solid writing, a very interesting story line, some shiver inducing scenes and characters that felt extremely human. What more do you need?
I absolutely love Rose's characters. For all that she's endured, she has risen above and yet now she's in for the fight of her (and her children's) lives. I appreciate that the men around her have supporting roles and she's not a character who depends on them to take the wheel. Absolutely engaging, I was riveted from the very first chapter and didn't feel like the book let up much throughout the entire read. I do wish that the synopsis didn't mention that Charlie is her half-brother as I felt this was a good reveal within the story that would've been more impactful had that piece of news hadn't already been known. But that's just being nit picky.
Debut novel?! So very impressed with this entire story. As an avid thriller and horror lover, this book encompasses both of these so well that it's like this was written for me. (I'm just gonna pretend it was.) Then I see that Hightower is a paralegal who loves beer, bourbon and horror movies and I know that I would absolutely hang out with her because I resemble all of those!
I will be waiting (impatiently) for Hightower to grace us with another book. Until then, I'll try not to let the whispers get to me. -
A compulsively readable paranormal thriller. I look forward to reading more work from Hightower.
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Pretty impressive for a debut novel. Real close to five stars.
Human evil combined with the supernatural reminds me a bit of the Charles Parker series.
9/10 -
I started reading this novel with little to no knowledge of what it was about. I knew the protagonist was a sniper and that she would be facing supernatural forces and that was it. If I had any expectations at all, it's that the novel would maybe be an action horror along the lines of Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International series. I was wrong.
"Whispers in the Dark" is a straight up horror story. There are some downright terrifying moments throughout the book, and while Rose McFarland is a tough dangerous character in her own right, this is not an octane-fueled action horror shoot-em-up. Rose is a very relatable character, and all too human and vulnerable, just like us. She's tough, yes, but she bleeds and she cries and she needs the strength and support of her friends and family to make it through.
I enjoyed the way Hightower reveals the backstory, bit by bit, through the novel, keeping the suspense and mystery flowing till the end. I was definitely hooked, and read the last third of the novel in one sitting, finishing it off as I lay in bed fighting off sleep. I had to finish the story.
The story is Laurel Hightower's debut novel, and it's a grand beginning. I loved this story and look forward to reading her future stories. -
As Always you can check out all of my reviews on my blog -
https://darkreads.blog/
Yikes that was a creepy read!
Whispers In The Dark is the debut novel from the awesome Laurel Hightower, it is a perfect genre cocktail; Horror, Thriller and Mystery a must read for fans of any of those genres!
The story follows Rose McFarland, a S.W.A.T sniper with a past. Rose has survived a traumatic childhood filled with psychological abuse and death and a supernatural ability she has spent her whole life trying to suppress until now..
Rose is a fantastic character, a strong female protagonist who is a killer at work and a loving mother at home, she is fierce, flawed and completely believable. In fact the characterisation in general was really good. I really enjoyed the relationship between Rose and Sam, it was realistic and helped make the whole plot believable, even the supernatural parts.
Hightower did a brilliant job with the scene setting, it was eerie and there was a creeping feeling of dread building throughout, there were lots of lovely goosebump moments and the mystery surrounding the plot made for a real page turner. It was difficult to put this one down, and when I did put it down I was still thinking about it!
If you are looking for a immersive, creepy read for the spooky season this is the book you need to pick up. Whispers In The Dark is a nail-biting Supernatural Horror that will leave you wondering what is lurking in the shadows.
I just wanted to add that this novel is beautifully written and I can hardly believe this is a debut novel, it reads like a book from a seasoned author who has been writing books for years! Easily one of my favourite reads this year and I’m very excited for what comes next from Hightower. -
This book was a great blend of paranormal, mystery and thriller. I had a hard time putting it down, but Motherhhood calls and one must answer. I, however, found that reading this before bed was probably not a wise decision - especially since the main character, Rose, is a Mother and her children become involved with the Whispers...
I greatly enjoyed the plot and the way Hightower tied everything together rather seemlessly. I finished the book feeling like all my questions were answered throughout and that the storyline had a well rounded ending.
I hope to see more work by Hightower soon. Her writing style has made a lifelong fan out of me. -
I don’t understand how this is a “first book”. This read like book 10 in a series. Effortless. It grabs hold immediately, its far from predictable and it creeped me out several times (which is a good thing). This is another author who I’ll have to read everything that she writes. Can’t wait.
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Whispers in the Dark by Laurel Hightower is a powerful and fiery tale about motherhood and the lengths one woman will go to protect those that she loves.
Rose McFarland is a member of the Memphis S.W.A.T. team who works as a sniper when duty calls, taking out the targets when negotiations fail. When she puts down her gun and removes her work clothes, she’s a mother to two young children.
Rose also struggles with two things that always have her on edge. One, her body image; Rose is covered in burn scars from a fire that had killed her brother and father when she was a child and she still doesn’t let anyone touch her. And second, she hears whispers and sees things that no one else can…
The one person that believes her and, in turn, who she believes when he says things to her is her ex husband, Sam, who she still has a great relationship with as they continue to co-parent the children.
One day, after neutralizing a target at work, the whispers pick up again. Rose tries to move on, but when they start to go after her son, she starts off down a path that leads straight to hell itself. While terrified, Rose will do whatever it takes to make them leave her son alone.
My gosh. Right from page one I was hooked! The plot overall was incredibly eerie! Laurel has such a talent with organizing tales to scare the pants off of you in one scene, and then jump to a heartwarming scene that will have you melting. I absolutely love this because I never quite know what to expect next!
I loved the main character, Rose, immediately. She is such a powerful woman both with her line of work and how she handles her family life. I was in awe of how well she seemed to balance everything. I also really loved Sam and I was interested to see where things on his end were going to go. Out of a feeling of protection for Rose, I was wary about Sam’s intentions at first, but hoped for the best.
This is one of those stories that I could go on and on about, but I’ll leave the rest to you to discover when you pick it up!
My Favorite Passages
I know you have a romantic notion of yourself as enigmatic, but I have to tell you that every thought you have marches straight across your face on its way through your mind.
L’Oreal or Cover Girl couldn’t paint on a soul.
It could almost have been beautiful, if you didn’t know what hell it had been to live there.
They were in me, they were all around me, and they were everywhere at once.
My Final Thoughts
I cannot believe it took me this long to get to this book. This was Laurel’s debut novel and my goodness, it was incredible! I love the focus on family and how strong the love was there. I also loved the elements of the paranormal that, while very eerie and intense, were added into the story in such a believable way.
I will definitely be reading this one again from time to time.
If you haven’t yet picked this one up, I highly recommend doing so ASAP if you enjoy seriously creepy reads with a strong focus on family. -
What a debut, holy smokes! I read this one recently along with my fellow Night Worms folks in another #NightWormsBookParty, and whoa. We pretty much unanimously loved this one, and the entire group of us have been stunned by the fact that this is Laurel Hightower's first ever book!
I'm a big fan of compelling, fierce characters, and Hightower knocks it out of the park with Rose McFarland in WHISPERS. The characters in her story are all so complete and whole, it feels like you're reading about actual people. Rose in particular is written with so much detail that she seemed to leap off of the pages. I could easily see her on screen in a TV series about her life, and I'd watch the hell out of it because she's an amazing badass that I'd love to be best friends with! She reminded me a little of Anita Blake - although, I guess her Whispers are a little... different, lol. Both are really strong, take-no-shit type women, and I love that in a character so much!
While this one does have a lot of spooky stuff going on to qualify it as horror, it's also a thriller, and I loved the way the author blended these genres seamlessly. The Whispers are terrifying, but Rose is also a S.W.A.T. sniper, and can handle her own. This combination of strength mixed with otherworldly terror made for such a compelling plot, and I found myself completely sucked into Rose's world as soon as I started reading. I ended up finishing this in two sittings, only stopping in between because a girl must sleep before she works in the morning.
There's a lot going on in this story, and a lot of ground to cover for an author taking on the task of writing it all. Hightower handles the task perfectly, and we're able to experience some really scary stuff with our main character, as well as able to experience a little bit of normality with her as well. From relationship drama to being a mom to just loving a cold beer after a long day at work, Rose just a regular woman doing regular things. I mean, besides the creepy Whispers, of course!
Hightower's ability to craft a completely believable, fast-paced, emotionally charged horror/thriller makes her a force to be reckoned with, and I am so eager to see what else she writes in the future. And I know I already said it once, but gosh, this would make such an incredible book-to-screen adaptation!