Review: The Shadows

The Shadows by Alex North
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was hooked on this story very quickly!
I was reading the physical copy of this and enjoying it but today received the audiobook and it really added to the whole atmosphere and creepiness of the story. The narrators, #JohnHefferman and #HannahArterton did a wonderful job capturing the sense of fear and foreboding in this book. Once again Alex North has brought a terrific story through his writing.
The story is compelling in the plot and dual timeline, being told from the perspective of the characters and story of a horrific murder that occurred 25 years before in this small town and the current day timeline of one the main characters being summoned back to town for his mother's failing health. Paul had moved away for university and tried to not think about the events he lived through as a teen. This strategy was somewhat effective until he returned back home to handle his mother's final days. He is quickly drawn back into the previous events and then current events that seem to follow the same course. I enjoyed some of the locales and the references to North's prior book, The Whisper Man.
My only critique of the story is a pet peeve of mine, and may have to occur when marketing the same book in the UK and USA. There are many phrases and terms used throughout the audiobook that were believable as read by narrators with UK accents and the story is clearly set in England. There is also the reverse where terms are artificially changed for the US crowd and it sounds awkward with an English narrator. I found several instances where the physical book had one version and the audiobook had the other. I don't believe there is anything lost in a novel that is kept in its original form, be that UK or USA. Most of people reading these books have enough experience with the differences in terms that we get it.
5/5
#Netgalley #NetgalleyAudiobooks #TheShadows #CeledonBooks #MacmillanAudio

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