Title: THE WHISTLING
Author: Rebecca Netley
Publisher: Penguin Michael Joseph UK
Read: October 2021
Expected publication: 14 October 2021
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Book Description:
Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome
has taken the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of
Skelthsea.
Her charge, Mary, is a strange child. Distracted and secretive, she hasn't
uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William - just days after
their former nanny disappeared.
With her charge defiantly silent, Elspeth turns to the islanders. But no one
will speak of what happened to William.
Just as no one can explain the hypnotic lullabies sung in empty corridors.
Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms.
Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night . . .
As winter draws in and passage to the mainland becomes impossible, Elspeth
finds herself trapped.
But is this house haunted by the ghosts of the past?
OR THE SECRETS OF THE LIVING..?
My musings:
It’s this time of year that I start looking for
spooky, atmospheric reads and THE WHISTLING fitted that category perfectly,
from its cover to its claustrophobic setting seasoned with plenty of gothic vibes. Its basic premise is an oldie but a goodie: a nanny arrives on a remote
Scottish island to take up a position in a grand old manor house, full of hope
for a better future and to escape her own personal tragedy. She soon discovers,
however, that there may be a good reason the previous nanny left in a hurry,
never to be seen again. Elspeth’s charge, nine year old Mary, is so traumatised
after the death of her mother and her brother, that she has been mute ever
since. Her aunt, a stern, austere woman, will not speak of the past. And the
house itself harbours secrets that may lay in a realm outside the human
consciousness (let’s just come out with it, the house is haunted!).
I loved the way Netley set the
scene. From the moment Elspeth arrived on the island, I could picture it all
vividly. The rugged coastline, so stunning in summer, that turns sinister and
dangerous in the cold, dark and misty days of winter. The old house, grand from
a distance, but with signs of neglect that run deeper than just financial – and
of course there are rooms that shall not be entered, and secrets that shall not
ever be spoken of. Dark corridors, lit only by flickering candle light. Hostile
servants. Whispers in the night, objects that are never in the same place,
dusty portraits staring down from the walls, an eerie lullaby coming from the nursery
at night. Netley’s descriptive writing brought it all vividly to life in my
head. And Elspeth’s own tragic past made her a well rounded character whose
motives and aspirations I could easily relate to.
From here follows a story that may
not reinvent the traditional haunted house story, but runs with the tropes and
uses them well to create a tense, eerie atmosphere. Apart from supernatural
vibes, there is a whisper of witchcraft and wise women that fits in well with
the era and the setting. I read this at night and got the full effect of the
spooky atmosphere. The mystery at the heart of the story gave it extra depth,
even though I felt that the ending felt a bit rushed to me after the
deliciously slow and tense build-up.
Summary:
All in all, THE WHISTLING is a beautifully written,
haunting novel with a classical haunted mansion theme and a wonderful
atmospheric setting. Netley’s writing has a dreamlike, almost wistful quality
that made it easy to emotionally connect with the characters, the place and the
era it is set in. If you love spooky old houses, the dark corridors of
Skelthsea’s manor will lure you in and send shivers up your spine. If you are
looking for a perfect Halloween read, and love slower, atmospheric novels in
the vein of Laura Purcell or Michelle Paver, then look no further!
Thank
you to Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for the free electronic copy of
this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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