Whistle is the suspenseful 2025 horror written by Linwood Barclay. It’s a bold step from his usual crime thrillers into a new area of slower more atmospheric supernatural stories while still retaining the suspense which have made his other thrillers so popular.
Set in a charming yet unsettling town, the kind of place where secrets linger just out of sight, the story combines a mix of small-town secrets and big drama. It begins with a chilling incident, an innocent whistle, which triggers a chain of danger, betrayal and fear. As paranoia grips the town, long-buried secrets surface and ordinary people are catapulted into unimaginable danger.
Barclay’s characters remain one of the novel’s strongest elements. They are relatable, flawed, and instantly believable. The story delves into their inner thoughts creating a haunting tone. Tension builds through psychological depth and an eerie sense of unease in the community.
The short chapters and well-timed reveals keep you turning pages late into the night. Barclay avoids cheap tricks and over the top horror, instead peeling back the layers of everyday life to expose something chilling beneath. The result is a story that explores the dangers lurking in ordinary lives as much as it revels in the thrill of mystery.
Whistle is perfect for anyone who enjoys novels with a haunting edge and psychological depth.
About the Book
Evil has a one track mind…
Celebrated children’s author and illustrator Annie Blunt has had a dreadful year. Her husband was killed in a tragic accident, then one of her children’s books ignited a major scandal. Desperate for a fresh start, she moves with her young son Charlie to a charming small town in upstate New York where they can begin to heal.
But Annie’s year is about to get worse.
Bored and lonely in their isolated new surroundings, Charlie is thrilled when he finds a forgotten train set in a locked shed in the grounds of their new house. While Annie is pleased to see Charlie happy, there’s something unsettling about his new toy. Strange sounds wake Annie – she’s sure she can hear a train in the middle of the night, although there isn’t an active line for miles. And then bizarre things start happening in the neighbourhood. But even stranger, Annie can’t seem to stop drawing a disturbing new character that has no place in a children’s book…
Grief plays tricks on the mind, but Annie is beginning to think she’s walked out of one nightmare straight into another, only this one is far more terrifying…
About The Author
Linwood Barclay is a former columnist for The Toronto Star and the author of several critically acclaimed novels, including Too Close to Home and No Time for Goodbye, a #1 Sunday Times (UK) bestseller. He lives near Toronto with his wife.
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