Happy publication day to Alex North for The Shadow Friend! Thank you to Penguin for letting me read a proof copy through NetGalley. Before I give you my thoughts, here’s the blurb.

 

The Blurb

The victim was his friend. So was the murderer.

Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder.

For Paul Adams, it’s a day he’ll never forget. He’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened to his friend and classmate. He’s never gone back home.

But when his elderly mother has a fall, it’s finally time to stop running.

It’s not long before things start to go wrong. A copycat killer has struck, bringing back painful memories. Paul’s mother insists 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 afterwards, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again . . .

 

My Review

Dreams have always mystified us. Whether it’s from Joseph interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams in the Bible to Leonardo DiCaprio starring as the dream-maker in Inception, our sleep-induced thoughts affect us. Lucid dreams are the premise of The Shadow Friend, the second book featuring DI Amanda Beck.

Paul Adams has returned to his home, Gritten Village, after being away for many years. He would have stayed away for longer but his mother is dying. Once back, he finds he can’t escape the secrets from the past. DI Amanda Beck is investigating the terrible murder of a teenager killed by two friends. What’s more horrific is that she discovers similar cases, starting with one in Gritten Village, twenty-five years before.

I could tell you more about the plot and the characters but I don’t want to give too much away.  Especially in relation to the lucid dreams – that’s something you need to experience yourself! But the thing that makes this book stand out for me is the emotional content. Alex North made me cry with The Whisper Man and he’s done it again with The Shadow Friend. He looks at grief once more but not just in terms of the loss of a loved one. He also considers grief over decisions made and the sacrifices a mother makes for her child. There were so many beautiful phrases that connected with me personally. I’m welling up again just thinking about it!

I thought The Whisper Man was pretty creepy but Alex North has turned up the tension  and chill factor significantly. In hindsight, reading this just before I went to bed might not have been the best plan! I had some pretty restless nights. But The Shadow Friend is utterly compelling and despite wondering if my nerves could take it, I had to keep reading. An outstanding book and one that is definitely going into my top ten reads of 2020.

 

You can buy The Shadow Friend here.

Or now that bookshops are open again, why not buy a copy from your nearest one, particularly if it’s an independent shop.

 

The Author

Alex North was born in Leeds, where he now lives with his wife and son. He studied Philosophy at Leeds University, and prior to becoming a writer he worked there in their Sociology Department.