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Whisper #1
Whisper
It was supposed to be a fresh start. A place for Steve & Melody Samson to begin their new life together away from the noise and crime of the city. However, their new home – an idyllic cottage nestled deep within the dense solitude of Oakwell forest-has a disturbing history, hidden for generations by the locals. There is evil in Hope House, and the cursed forest that surrounds it. Evil that has awakened after lying dormant for decades, and has terrifying plans for the young couple.
Once you hear the whispers, it may already be too late.
Once you hear the whispers, it may already be too late.
332 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2013
183 people are currently reading
2413 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bray
134 books236 followersMichael Bray is a bestselling author/screenwriter of more than twelve novels and numerous short stories. Influenced from an early age by the suspense horror of authors such as Stephen King, Richard Laymon, Shaun Hutson, James Herbert & Brian Lumley, along with TV shows like Tales from the Crypt & The Twilight Zone, his work touches on the psychological side of horror, teasing the reader’s nerves and willing them to keep turning the pages. Several of his titles have been translated into multiple languages including a major bookstore distribution deal in Japan and his biggest selling title, Whisper, has, on numerous occasions topped the overall horror charts for Amazon titles in both the UK and US with thousands of copies sold.
His work has been featured in anthologies alongside such horror greats as Clive Barker, Adam Nevill, Shaun Hutson, Brian Lumley, Paul Tremblay, Ramsay Campbell, Ray Bradbury and many others and he continues to be an active and popular member of the horror/suspense genre.
A feature film written by Bray based on his co-written novel MONSTER starring Tracy Shaw (Coronation Street), Daniele Harold (East Enders) & Rod Glenn (American Assassin / World War Z) was shot in January 2018 whilst another of his titles, MEAT is currently with a leading Los Angeles based production company with a view to production in 2019.
My IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm8960144/?r...
Where to find Michael Bray online
Official website: www.michaelbrayauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michaelbrayauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelbrayauth
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michaelbrayauthor
Google +: www.plus.google.com/michaelbrayauthor
Where to find my books
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Bray/...
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Bray/e/...
To discuss publication or television / movie rights to
any of my work, or for any other queries, please
contact me directly at darkcornersbook@gmail.com
His work has been featured in anthologies alongside such horror greats as Clive Barker, Adam Nevill, Shaun Hutson, Brian Lumley, Paul Tremblay, Ramsay Campbell, Ray Bradbury and many others and he continues to be an active and popular member of the horror/suspense genre.
A feature film written by Bray based on his co-written novel MONSTER starring Tracy Shaw (Coronation Street), Daniele Harold (East Enders) & Rod Glenn (American Assassin / World War Z) was shot in January 2018 whilst another of his titles, MEAT is currently with a leading Los Angeles based production company with a view to production in 2019.
My IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm8960144/?r...
Where to find Michael Bray online
Official website: www.michaelbrayauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/michaelbrayauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/michaelbrayauth
Instagram: www.instagram.com/michaelbrayauthor
Google +: www.plus.google.com/michaelbrayauthor
Where to find my books
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Michael-Bray/...
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Bray/e/...
To discuss publication or television / movie rights to
any of my work, or for any other queries, please
contact me directly at darkcornersbook@gmail.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
February 1, 2015
An engaging haunted house tale that blends ghost stories, cursed places, secretive villagers and pure human evil into a creepy confection with an '80s vibe.
The dark history of Hope House adds to the scare factor, lending the story a classic feel and depth.
The dark history of Hope House adds to the scare factor, lending the story a classic feel and depth.
July 3, 2020
Whispers on the wind..whispers in the woods..something is stirring..something is coming!
The Samson's (Steve and Melody) decided to move out to the country to get away from the city life. Melody falls in love with the cottage (Hope House) and sees lots of potential for her and her husband to fix it up. Steve is a little unsure of the cottage as he just has a weary feeling in his stomach that something is just not right. Steve is also unsure of the realtor, Donovan, as the realtor is really pushing for the sale of the cottage.
Once the couple gets settled then things start happening not only within the cottage, but outside in the woods and near the stream that runs next to the cottage. The couple starts enduring strange dreams and sleep walking. Steve starts hearing whispers from the woods and wants to investigate the woods that lies behind the cottage. Melody starts noticing the change in Steve and she starts having her own problems with strange occurrences on the property. Melody decides to investigate the woods too and she finds an artifact that she removes from the woods as she wants clarification on what it is and why it is there.
Some of the townspeople are against them living in the house to the point where everyone doesn't want to talk about the house except for one old woman that seems to know quite a bit of history with the house. When the Samson's seek her out she has quite a story to tell and Steve and Melody do not want to believe what the woman says, but they cannot deny that something is going on in the house as things start escalating to the point where when they leave the house to go to town they do not want to go home.
As more things start happening, the couple decide to enlist the help of some of the townsfolk with possible history of the property and cottage. What does the couple learn from the towns people? What is the artifact that Melody found? What does the whispers mean? What has invaded their property and cottage? If you want these questions answered, then you will just have to read the book.
The story is fast paced with a creepy atmospheric feel and though it was not scary, it had a few heebie-jeebie moments in the book!
This book is part of a trilogy, so I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series "Echoes". Giving this book five stars.
The Samson's (Steve and Melody) decided to move out to the country to get away from the city life. Melody falls in love with the cottage (Hope House) and sees lots of potential for her and her husband to fix it up. Steve is a little unsure of the cottage as he just has a weary feeling in his stomach that something is just not right. Steve is also unsure of the realtor, Donovan, as the realtor is really pushing for the sale of the cottage.
Once the couple gets settled then things start happening not only within the cottage, but outside in the woods and near the stream that runs next to the cottage. The couple starts enduring strange dreams and sleep walking. Steve starts hearing whispers from the woods and wants to investigate the woods that lies behind the cottage. Melody starts noticing the change in Steve and she starts having her own problems with strange occurrences on the property. Melody decides to investigate the woods too and she finds an artifact that she removes from the woods as she wants clarification on what it is and why it is there.
Some of the townspeople are against them living in the house to the point where everyone doesn't want to talk about the house except for one old woman that seems to know quite a bit of history with the house. When the Samson's seek her out she has quite a story to tell and Steve and Melody do not want to believe what the woman says, but they cannot deny that something is going on in the house as things start escalating to the point where when they leave the house to go to town they do not want to go home.
As more things start happening, the couple decide to enlist the help of some of the townsfolk with possible history of the property and cottage. What does the couple learn from the towns people? What is the artifact that Melody found? What does the whispers mean? What has invaded their property and cottage? If you want these questions answered, then you will just have to read the book.
The story is fast paced with a creepy atmospheric feel and though it was not scary, it had a few heebie-jeebie moments in the book!
This book is part of a trilogy, so I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series "Echoes". Giving this book five stars.
April 23, 2015
Great atmospheric read in the style of some of the '80's horror books that I loved! Michael Bray does a fantastic job creating a menacing, supernatural story that is genuinely creepy. The mere "suggestions" of some of the scenes (dealing with the woods) was enough to cause a few shivers.
There were a few moments and dialogs that I felt were too "common" or "cliched", but overlooking those, the overall storyline won me over. I really enjoyed the visits into the past history of the building of Hope House, and couldn't help but feel for the new couple who were now brought into it.
Recommended!
There were a few moments and dialogs that I felt were too "common" or "cliched", but overlooking those, the overall storyline won me over. I really enjoyed the visits into the past history of the building of Hope House, and couldn't help but feel for the new couple who were now brought into it.
Recommended!
November 1, 2013
I received this novel from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Michael Bray for writing it and Graeme Reynolds for promoting it. This was a straight up, no shit, kick ass ghost story that far exceeded my expectations. The mixture of supernatural horror as well as horror of the more natural, human variety was impressively executed. I'd give this a PG-13 rating so if you are turned off by the splatterpunk horror stuff, you have no worries here. It was brilliant atmospheric horror with the absence of excessive violence, gore, sex, and all the other more hardcore elements that tend to come with a horror package. Personally I love all that depravity within the genre but WHISPER should still freak you out to some extent and I found the whole story to be practically un-put-downable.
Let's face it. Most ghost stories are rehashes of older ghost stories and they all tend to be the same. This one broke the mold and "had me at hello" (or had me at "whisper".) It was unique, authentic, and re-readable.
I highly recommend this to all my friends at Horror Aficionados and any other horror fans that burned out on ghost stories and are fixing for a fresh take.
Enthusiastic five stars.
Let's face it. Most ghost stories are rehashes of older ghost stories and they all tend to be the same. This one broke the mold and "had me at hello" (or had me at "whisper".) It was unique, authentic, and re-readable.
I highly recommend this to all my friends at Horror Aficionados and any other horror fans that burned out on ghost stories and are fixing for a fresh take.
Enthusiastic five stars.
April 2, 2016
I was in a mood for a good haunted house story after watching the superlative Crimson Peak. Whisper didn't quite meet that goal, being average at best. Let's see if you heard this one before...a clueless citified family buys an old creepy allegedly charming house in a small village to get away from the hustle and bustle. And surprise, surprise...it's haunted. Apparently no one reads/watches horror in these books. Anyway, yes, an all too familiar story that so many genre authors have taken on before. To make it work, it really has to be something special or original. But Bray seems to have never met a cliché he didn't like. From creepy locals to ancient Native American burial sites. He's so busy rehashing these ubiquitous plot points, he doesn't take the time to develop his main characters or even make them likeable enough to care about. It's all just a stereotypical B movie narrative and it would have worked nicer cinematically, because then it would only take up the prerequisite hour and a half. To spend over twice that on something like this just seems like a waste. It isn't a terrible book by any means, it's fine, it's paced decently, but there are literally thousands of books just like this out there. The theme has been tackled far more interestingly, engagingly and expertly. Needless to say, unnecessary as this one was, it still ended up with two more parts, breeding prolifically as mediocrity tends to do. Foolish choice on April Fool's Day.
August 27, 2014
It was going to be a fresh start for Steve and Melody Samson. They were leaving behind the big city and all its problems. A first glance Melody fell in love with Hope House.Steve had a funny feeling about this place but could not put his finger on it. Melody talk Steve into making a bid for the house. Steve was hoping that they would not accept it. To his surprise it was accepted. Hope House was isolated in the deep dark forest of Oakwell. Steve started to have horrific nightmares about the house and the forest that surrounds them. Sometimes if Steve listened closely he could hear the whispers through the forest winds. Melody and Steve knew that they were in for trouble. Hope House had a long history of events that were hidden for generations by the townsfolk. Hope House was built on cursed land. The house needed to seek revenge upon who ever moved in. It seems that whenever somebody moves into Hope House, they did not stay long or they died. The author had an excellent plot and believable characters. This is one of the best supernatural thrillers I have read in awhile. I plan on reading the second book in this series Echoes.
July 31, 2013
When Steve and Melody buy Hope House, they can't believe their luck. The house is beautiful, isolated and the perfect place to begin their lives together. Unfortunately for them, Hope House has a deadly secret. A secret that the local community will go to any lengths to keep.
Whisper is, without a doubt, one of the best ghost stories I've read in the last few years. Not since Heart Shaped Box has a tale chilled me like this. All of the characters are well drawn and believable, and Bray builds the tension slowly, but relentlessly, interspersing the quieter moments with flashbacks showing what happened to the previous owners of the house.
And it works brilliantly.
As the story progressed, I became increasingly drawn into the world that Bray paints, and I read the last half of the book in a single sitting, because I just could not put it down.
Highly recommended.
Whisper is, without a doubt, one of the best ghost stories I've read in the last few years. Not since Heart Shaped Box has a tale chilled me like this. All of the characters are well drawn and believable, and Bray builds the tension slowly, but relentlessly, interspersing the quieter moments with flashbacks showing what happened to the previous owners of the house.
And it works brilliantly.
As the story progressed, I became increasingly drawn into the world that Bray paints, and I read the last half of the book in a single sitting, because I just could not put it down.
Highly recommended.
May 12, 2025
This was a cracking read. Had an eery feel to it throughout the whole book. I really enjoyed it and I will be checking out the other books in the trilogy.
My only complaint is that in parts it was a little bit slow, that's why I gave it 4 stars and not 5.
Overall, a great read and a good old school ghostly tale.
Definitely recommend.
My only complaint is that in parts it was a little bit slow, that's why I gave it 4 stars and not 5.
Overall, a great read and a good old school ghostly tale.
Definitely recommend.
June 3, 2014
Whisper is one of those books you see for FREE and download in hopes of getting a chance to read one day. That day came when I received a review copy of Echoes by the same author, Michael Bray, and discovered it was a sequel to Whisper. I don't know about you, but I hate reading a sequel when I haven't read the original, so that meant it was time to read Whisper.
The book was a pleasant surprise. City dwellers, Melody and Steve Samson fall in love with "Hope House," located in the forest outside of Oakville. It'll need some work, but the price is right, and it will be nice to escape the concrete jungle.
The author does a nice job of building the mystique of the house and making the couple gradually regret their decision. When the story of the property is finally revealed, the legend was at once believable and complete.
My biggest concern with Whisper were the changes in the couple's demeanour from scene to scene, I felt there were times it lacked believability. If Melody is having weird experiences why wouldn't she be more understanding of Steve's and vice versa. Where is the love?
Aside from that, this was a well-crafted supernatural horror story and I look forward to reading it's sequel, Echoes, in a week or two.
Whisper is available now from Horrific Tales Publishing, through Amazon.com, both as a paperback and ebook. If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.
Recommended.
The book was a pleasant surprise. City dwellers, Melody and Steve Samson fall in love with "Hope House," located in the forest outside of Oakville. It'll need some work, but the price is right, and it will be nice to escape the concrete jungle.
The author does a nice job of building the mystique of the house and making the couple gradually regret their decision. When the story of the property is finally revealed, the legend was at once believable and complete.
My biggest concern with Whisper were the changes in the couple's demeanour from scene to scene, I felt there were times it lacked believability. If Melody is having weird experiences why wouldn't she be more understanding of Steve's and vice versa. Where is the love?
Aside from that, this was a well-crafted supernatural horror story and I look forward to reading it's sequel, Echoes, in a week or two.
Whisper is available now from Horrific Tales Publishing, through Amazon.com, both as a paperback and ebook. If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.
Recommended.
December 13, 2013
Must read!
Capturing my attention from the very beginning, I found it very difficult to stop reading this book until I finished. If you find yourself questioning paranormal activity, this story may clarify your feelings and may even make you a believer.
Capturing my attention from the very beginning, I found it very difficult to stop reading this book until I finished. If you find yourself questioning paranormal activity, this story may clarify your feelings and may even make you a believer.
December 8, 2013
Good thriller
Could not stop reading till I got to the end. This is my first ebook for my new KIndle. Took one day to finish
Could not stop reading till I got to the end. This is my first ebook for my new KIndle. Took one day to finish
May 8, 2013
Wow! What more can I say?
I thought that I would use the Easter Holiday to start reading Whisper, I began to read mainly at night knowing I wouldn’t have to get up early the next day but it also extended to during the day.
I struggled!
Struggled to put it down.
Whisper, by Michael Bray, is a must read for any horror/supernatural fan out there.
From start to finish, (especially the finish) you wont be disappointed. It has everything from the nice couple Steve and Melody, to the sleazy Donovan, to last but not least, the forces. Whilst reading you just can’t imagine how it will end, there are some real surprises within the book too. Not going to tell you, you just have to go and get your own copy
Michael has a way with words, his writing is right up with the Stephen King and Dean Koontz books, the cliffhangers between each chapter, will keep you reading to find out what is going to happen, not just the next chapter but the chapter after that.
I was left alone during the day for an hour while I was finishing off the final chapter, I got creeped out, thinking I was being watched {shudder}. Now when I go into the kitchen at night, I wont look out the window thanks Michael no seriously thank you for writing such a chilling and brilliant book.
Do I recommend Whisper? Hmm let me see! Well I can’t wait to read more of Michael Bray’s books and I suggest you do too
I thought that I would use the Easter Holiday to start reading Whisper, I began to read mainly at night knowing I wouldn’t have to get up early the next day but it also extended to during the day.
I struggled!
Struggled to put it down.
Whisper, by Michael Bray, is a must read for any horror/supernatural fan out there.
From start to finish, (especially the finish) you wont be disappointed. It has everything from the nice couple Steve and Melody, to the sleazy Donovan, to last but not least, the forces. Whilst reading you just can’t imagine how it will end, there are some real surprises within the book too. Not going to tell you, you just have to go and get your own copy
Michael has a way with words, his writing is right up with the Stephen King and Dean Koontz books, the cliffhangers between each chapter, will keep you reading to find out what is going to happen, not just the next chapter but the chapter after that.
I was left alone during the day for an hour while I was finishing off the final chapter, I got creeped out, thinking I was being watched {shudder}. Now when I go into the kitchen at night, I wont look out the window thanks Michael no seriously thank you for writing such a chilling and brilliant book.
Do I recommend Whisper? Hmm let me see! Well I can’t wait to read more of Michael Bray’s books and I suggest you do too
July 14, 2013
The quaint town of Oakwell contains its share of dark secrets passed down throughout the generations. When Steve and Melody Samson purchase her dream home, Melody is enraptured by the old world charm of Hope House. As they settle into their new life in Oakwell, questionable events begin to happen. Whisperings of malevolence and sinister deeds start to invade Steve's psyche just as they did to all inhabitants since the land was cursed in 1513. With Hope House and its property containing well-concealed secrets of insanity, lurking evil, and murder, Steve and Melody try to retain some semblance of hope that they can beat whatever is haunting them.
Whisper is one of the most intense paranormal novels I have read in a long time. Stories of hauntings can drive even the completely innocent to question their sanity, but Whisper is in a league of its own. The left-margin alignment with no true paragraph breaks/indentations on the Kindle version takes a bit to get used to, but the story takes off with the speed of a sling-shot and continues its forward momentum all the way to the last page, making the page formatting a distant memory. Leaping seamlessly between the memories of previous Hope House owners and those inhabiting the cursed land throughout the years, Whisper had me engrossed from beginning to end.
Whisper is one of the most intense paranormal novels I have read in a long time. Stories of hauntings can drive even the completely innocent to question their sanity, but Whisper is in a league of its own. The left-margin alignment with no true paragraph breaks/indentations on the Kindle version takes a bit to get used to, but the story takes off with the speed of a sling-shot and continues its forward momentum all the way to the last page, making the page formatting a distant memory. Leaping seamlessly between the memories of previous Hope House owners and those inhabiting the cursed land throughout the years, Whisper had me engrossed from beginning to end.
November 10, 2013
I just finished Mr. Bray's excellent book Whisper and as usual, I like to write my review with the experience fresh in my head. And as some of you might know, I write my reviews based upon the experience of the novel. I don't do plot breakdowns or extensive recaps. And I try my best not to do spoilers. That said, here it is.
Whisper is a tense, scary book. It's set in a haunted house, but the scariest element was the pervert serial killer Donovan. I've read a lot of bad-guy-with-a knife stuff in my time and most of it is boring or rehashed to the point of irrelevance. To me it screams, "Why doesn't someone just get a stick and beat him senseless?" Donovan was so well written that I never asked that question. He was icky, sadistic, and sly. No one would ever have a chance to grab that stick and beat him down. No one would ever see a guy like that coming until they're tied up and getting tortured. I dont want to imply that there's any exploitative torture porn stuff here-there isn't. My Bray draws his scenes far too well to have to resort to that kind of boring schlock.
Either way, I don't want to belabor it or contradict myself by spoiling any more than I have. This is a damn good book. It's got all the tension and menace that any good haunted house should have, but reminds us that humans outdo the devil in the evil department any day of the week.
Whisper is a tense, scary book. It's set in a haunted house, but the scariest element was the pervert serial killer Donovan. I've read a lot of bad-guy-with-a knife stuff in my time and most of it is boring or rehashed to the point of irrelevance. To me it screams, "Why doesn't someone just get a stick and beat him senseless?" Donovan was so well written that I never asked that question. He was icky, sadistic, and sly. No one would ever have a chance to grab that stick and beat him down. No one would ever see a guy like that coming until they're tied up and getting tortured. I dont want to imply that there's any exploitative torture porn stuff here-there isn't. My Bray draws his scenes far too well to have to resort to that kind of boring schlock.
Either way, I don't want to belabor it or contradict myself by spoiling any more than I have. This is a damn good book. It's got all the tension and menace that any good haunted house should have, but reminds us that humans outdo the devil in the evil department any day of the week.
November 8, 2013
I found this book to be quite the eventful and interesting twist on the typical "house is built on sacred grounds and is now haunted" storyline. I got to feel a little bit for the main characters - even if at times that feeling was of wanting to slap someone or scream at them "just tell them! gah!" So many things go wrong because so many people decide to not tell another person something in order to "protect" them and it always, inevitably backfires in all situations (tv, movies, books, real life...). I hate the lack of communication between people in a world where there is such an ability to communicate with others in several different ways. I wish that stories set in modern times would incorporate more of that into their storylines. I think it would be refreshing to have a story where the couple actually is honest with each other, communicates well and STILL stuff happens - because it could in the case of supernatural/ghost stories especially. Anyways - a little rant because that issue happens in this story and they both know the other is keeping secrets and/or lying.
With my "lack of communication" misgivings, this is still a delightfully spooky read that had me looking around, feeling like I was being watched or listening when the wind blew through the trees hoping I didn't hear my name...
With my "lack of communication" misgivings, this is still a delightfully spooky read that had me looking around, feeling like I was being watched or listening when the wind blew through the trees hoping I didn't hear my name...
October 11, 2013
A young couple move from the city to the country, unaware that their new home has a dark past, even darker secrets and a community that will stop at nothing to keep them hidden.
WHISPER by Michael Bray is a supernatural horror tale. There is a definite mix of classic and contemporary influences at work here and Bray has done a splendid job of blending them into his tale. There are characters you care about, some you hate, but for the right reasons.
I was completely drawn in by this book, it wasted no time in gnawing away at me, begging to be finished. Even the fact that it made me feel twitchy couldnt stop me. In fact I had a sleepless night over this one, the images are undeniably haunting, and definitely gave me a feeling that I was being watched.
I won't post any spoilers, but whenever my mobile sent a notification, or buzzed for a text message, I opened them with trepidation. I will say no more than that.
If haunted houses, supernatural occurences and the human condition are your thing, I'd tell you to buy this book.
In fact, everyone should give it a go.
WHISPER by Michael Bray is a supernatural horror tale. There is a definite mix of classic and contemporary influences at work here and Bray has done a splendid job of blending them into his tale. There are characters you care about, some you hate, but for the right reasons.
I was completely drawn in by this book, it wasted no time in gnawing away at me, begging to be finished. Even the fact that it made me feel twitchy couldnt stop me. In fact I had a sleepless night over this one, the images are undeniably haunting, and definitely gave me a feeling that I was being watched.
I won't post any spoilers, but whenever my mobile sent a notification, or buzzed for a text message, I opened them with trepidation. I will say no more than that.
If haunted houses, supernatural occurences and the human condition are your thing, I'd tell you to buy this book.
In fact, everyone should give it a go.
August 29, 2014
The book description tells you all you need to know about the book so I will not repeat it. I will caution you in that this is the beginning of a series. You will have closure at the end of this book (at least I did) and you may want to continue on in the series but you will not feel as if you have to. The story is very interesting and there is some great suspense in this. When you start out be warned that the book will jump back and forth in time and situations. Be patient with the first few pages, it is a very abrupt and disturbing start to this book but by the end you will understand how it all flows together nicely. There is a level of creepiness to this that gives you a feeling that King or Koontz may have written it. It also has a Friday night horror show to it, not a movie but a television series that would come on late on Fridays. I think this will be a good series and may get back to it once I get caught up on my other books.
October 17, 2013
I don't usually read much in the way of horror and/or paranormal literature as I usually find this genre to be a bit of a let down filled with cliches, predictability or idiotic characters. Thankfully Michael Bray's Whisper is an exception to the fodder filled genre.
The plot begin with a couple of city-folk moving into an old house in the middle of a forest, however as time passes things begin to... happen. It then becomes apparent the house has a sordid history and the welcoming townsfolk many not have their best interests at heart.
Excellent story.
The plot begin with a couple of city-folk moving into an old house in the middle of a forest, however as time passes things begin to... happen. It then becomes apparent the house has a sordid history and the welcoming townsfolk many not have their best interests at heart.
Excellent story.
August 12, 2016
Very chilling, very atmospheric and extremely clever.
A young, urban couple buy an apparently idyllic home in the country, backing on to dense woodland. Little do they know that their house, the woods and several of the local population hold a sinister secret.
The characters and their attitudes/reactions were well fleshed out and believable and the storyline was strong enough to captivate and take the reader along on the journey.
Highly recommended!
A young, urban couple buy an apparently idyllic home in the country, backing on to dense woodland. Little do they know that their house, the woods and several of the local population hold a sinister secret.
The characters and their attitudes/reactions were well fleshed out and believable and the storyline was strong enough to captivate and take the reader along on the journey.
Highly recommended!
October 26, 2013
What an absolutely fantastic read. The author keeps you entertained from the start. Thorough ally enjoyed this
June 30, 2020
Well done.
August 16, 2017
Talk about scary! Shivering in my boots! Looking at every shadow from the corner of my eye! Sleeping with the lights on! Oh boy, this book is horror, in every sense of the word. Michael Bray creates such an intriguing story from the beginning to the end. He grips you, gets into your mind and doesn't let go.
I love stories that have flashback to the past. I enjoy learning more about the why's and how's of a story when there's so much to tell. Michael does a wonderful job of going back and forth to the past and present. Michael leaves nothing out for the reader. He gives us all the detail we need in order to understand what is happening. His characters, all of them, are well developed. You get to know who they are and why they got to where they are. Let me tell you, he's got some really creepy characters in the book.
*WARNING: May contain spoilers from here on out*
When I first read the prologue, I already knew that I was in for a fright. The premise of the story was created and I wanted more. I wanted to know who this tribe was and what they had to do with story.
Michael teases us with tidbits of history surrounding two of the main characters of the story, Hope House and Oakwell Forest. Hope House and Oakwell Forest were very much who/what the story was about. When Steve and Melody first saw the house, Steve knew something was up. Melody was so oblivious to what was going on that I wanted to yell at her! When a book makes me want to interact with the character in any way, it makes for an incredible story. I wanted to protect them both because I knew it was just gonna get worse from there on out. And it did!
Not only did Steve and Melody had to deal with the supernatural beings that haunted them and their home but also with the very real, physical presence of a human being. I couldn't decide who was scarier or more sinister, the evil spirits or the evil man.
I loved how Steve and Melody went through emotional and physical transformations through out the story. We got to see sides of them that we'd never see under normal circumstances. They were pushed beyond their limits and you wondered whether they'd make it through to the end.
This story had me grabbing my sheets and wringing them. I couldn't cover my eyes, as I would when watching a scary movie because then I wouldn't be able to read but if I could, I would. I remember at one point while reading, the house was all quiet. The kids were in bed and I started hearing some noises. I'm used to that because the house "settles" but my heart started beating fast and I got scared. I even had scary dreams. My overactive mind tends to reenact in my dreams what I read or see, especially if it is really good.
I've always told my husband that while I like the idea of living in the country near isolation, that is just not for me. Whisper reinforces that notion.
Supernatural/paranormal is one of my favorite genres. I normally would read paranormal romance or urban fantasy. However, horror is fast becoming one of my favorites too. I've read loads of horror stories but only some have stood out for me in that they truly are spine tingling, bone chilling, nail biting and blood curdling horror. Whisper is such a story and will certainly be at the top of my favorite horror stories. Michael Bray is certainly a talented writer. I enjoyed this book to the point that while I was scared, I couldn't read fast enough. I wanted to know it all and take it all in.
Do I recommend this book? Hell yeah, I do!
I love stories that have flashback to the past. I enjoy learning more about the why's and how's of a story when there's so much to tell. Michael does a wonderful job of going back and forth to the past and present. Michael leaves nothing out for the reader. He gives us all the detail we need in order to understand what is happening. His characters, all of them, are well developed. You get to know who they are and why they got to where they are. Let me tell you, he's got some really creepy characters in the book.
*WARNING: May contain spoilers from here on out*
When I first read the prologue, I already knew that I was in for a fright. The premise of the story was created and I wanted more. I wanted to know who this tribe was and what they had to do with story.
Michael teases us with tidbits of history surrounding two of the main characters of the story, Hope House and Oakwell Forest. Hope House and Oakwell Forest were very much who/what the story was about. When Steve and Melody first saw the house, Steve knew something was up. Melody was so oblivious to what was going on that I wanted to yell at her! When a book makes me want to interact with the character in any way, it makes for an incredible story. I wanted to protect them both because I knew it was just gonna get worse from there on out. And it did!
Not only did Steve and Melody had to deal with the supernatural beings that haunted them and their home but also with the very real, physical presence of a human being. I couldn't decide who was scarier or more sinister, the evil spirits or the evil man.
I loved how Steve and Melody went through emotional and physical transformations through out the story. We got to see sides of them that we'd never see under normal circumstances. They were pushed beyond their limits and you wondered whether they'd make it through to the end.
This story had me grabbing my sheets and wringing them. I couldn't cover my eyes, as I would when watching a scary movie because then I wouldn't be able to read but if I could, I would. I remember at one point while reading, the house was all quiet. The kids were in bed and I started hearing some noises. I'm used to that because the house "settles" but my heart started beating fast and I got scared. I even had scary dreams. My overactive mind tends to reenact in my dreams what I read or see, especially if it is really good.
I've always told my husband that while I like the idea of living in the country near isolation, that is just not for me. Whisper reinforces that notion.
Supernatural/paranormal is one of my favorite genres. I normally would read paranormal romance or urban fantasy. However, horror is fast becoming one of my favorites too. I've read loads of horror stories but only some have stood out for me in that they truly are spine tingling, bone chilling, nail biting and blood curdling horror. Whisper is such a story and will certainly be at the top of my favorite horror stories. Michael Bray is certainly a talented writer. I enjoyed this book to the point that while I was scared, I couldn't read fast enough. I wanted to know it all and take it all in.
Do I recommend this book? Hell yeah, I do!
October 4, 2013
This is a full-length horror novel with plenty of good ideas and potential, plenty of opportunities to scare me silly, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for this reader.
Love the mixture of villains, both supernatural (the Gogoku and the cannibalized children) and -- well, you can't call Donovan either mundane or normal, so let's just say non-supernatural. Love the haunted house that messes with your mind, has you seeing and believing things that aren't, that can kill through hypnotizing its prey, or at least I'll call it that for lack of a better term; maybe mind control? Anyways, it's a great combo of imaginative ideas, and the way they're layered into the story is appealing.
There are at least two approaches to building horror and suspense: keeping the reader guessing through strange happenings without explanations; and giving the reader all info up front and letting her watch with horror as the various elements interact. Author Michael Bray chose the latter course, letting us know we're dealing with a curse in the prologue and showing it in operation with several early flashback chapters. I can't help thinking he'd have achieved more of his goal with the former option. Some guessing here could have been powerful.
As the book stands, being told the characters are feeling uneasy and listening to them argue about how they feel didn't engage me. Characters behaved inconsistently, one scene believing the house to be cursed, the next saying there had to be a rational explanation. The male lead, Steven, only bought the house because he loved his wife and would do anything for her, but as the book unfolded, he didn't do several things for her even when she begged, and these were much smaller actions than investing his last penny into a tumble-down historic house he didn't even like. And the female lead, Melody, claimed not to believe, but steadfastly refused to touch the Ouija board. If she didn't believe, why not? To her it should have been only a silly game. She never gave a convincing reason, just a barrage of emotion.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Also, I have serious problems with a character doing Something Stupid to advance the plot. There's a scene where a guy who makes Melody nervous comes calling while she's home alone taking a bath, and she runs downstairs wearing nothing but a towel and throws the door open without first asking who's there. Then she asks the guy to stay for refreshments. I cannot imagine a woman who's lived in NYC all her life doing anything of the sort and the scene brought me to a dead stop, suspension of disbelief gone. Couldn't pick the book back up until the next day, and the enjoyment factor never quite returned.
[END SPOILERS]
Author Bray has a good strong writing style, able to carry the story and build tension within scenes. I'm told he's best known for his horrific short stories and I'll have to check some of those out; the problems I had with this book would likely be avoided in a shorter work. As it stands, we'll call this one three stars and I'm going back for seconds.
Note that I won a copy of this book through the Library Thing Member Giveaway program, in exchange for an honest review.
Love the mixture of villains, both supernatural (the Gogoku and the cannibalized children) and -- well, you can't call Donovan either mundane or normal, so let's just say non-supernatural. Love the haunted house that messes with your mind, has you seeing and believing things that aren't, that can kill through hypnotizing its prey, or at least I'll call it that for lack of a better term; maybe mind control? Anyways, it's a great combo of imaginative ideas, and the way they're layered into the story is appealing.
There are at least two approaches to building horror and suspense: keeping the reader guessing through strange happenings without explanations; and giving the reader all info up front and letting her watch with horror as the various elements interact. Author Michael Bray chose the latter course, letting us know we're dealing with a curse in the prologue and showing it in operation with several early flashback chapters. I can't help thinking he'd have achieved more of his goal with the former option. Some guessing here could have been powerful.
As the book stands, being told the characters are feeling uneasy and listening to them argue about how they feel didn't engage me. Characters behaved inconsistently, one scene believing the house to be cursed, the next saying there had to be a rational explanation. The male lead, Steven, only bought the house because he loved his wife and would do anything for her, but as the book unfolded, he didn't do several things for her even when she begged, and these were much smaller actions than investing his last penny into a tumble-down historic house he didn't even like. And the female lead, Melody, claimed not to believe, but steadfastly refused to touch the Ouija board. If she didn't believe, why not? To her it should have been only a silly game. She never gave a convincing reason, just a barrage of emotion.
[SPOILER ALERT]
Also, I have serious problems with a character doing Something Stupid to advance the plot. There's a scene where a guy who makes Melody nervous comes calling while she's home alone taking a bath, and she runs downstairs wearing nothing but a towel and throws the door open without first asking who's there. Then she asks the guy to stay for refreshments. I cannot imagine a woman who's lived in NYC all her life doing anything of the sort and the scene brought me to a dead stop, suspension of disbelief gone. Couldn't pick the book back up until the next day, and the enjoyment factor never quite returned.
[END SPOILERS]
Author Bray has a good strong writing style, able to carry the story and build tension within scenes. I'm told he's best known for his horrific short stories and I'll have to check some of those out; the problems I had with this book would likely be avoided in a shorter work. As it stands, we'll call this one three stars and I'm going back for seconds.
Note that I won a copy of this book through the Library Thing Member Giveaway program, in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book as part of another Librarything Advance Readers Giveaway for Bray's second book in this trilogy. It is truly an awesome feeling to get a second book free when you win one book. :) This is still an honest review though.
Short review: The book was continuously spooky throughout (a good thing) and had a decent story.
Long review:
I was hoping to read a book that gave me chills and made me feel scared. I got what I wanted :) This book conveys a nicely oppressive atmosphere and more than once made me look up nervously to check that no one was watching me. I made sure to read this late at night, alone in my room to maximize any feelings of terror, and that really helped. I remember there was one night where every two minutes I kept glancing up from the book to make sure no one was standing in my doorway. It was scary. It was fun.
The story itself was pretty neat. The history of the place and what happened there was nicely explained and fairly well thought out. But one thing doesn't add up for me. One annoying thing was that I felt that Steve and Melody could've possibly had less issues and things would've been easier if they were more open with each other. I suppose that some couples are like the couple in the book and so that kind of relationship is believable, if annoying at times (several times at that).
Overall, I got what I wanted and am looking forward to seeing how the story plays out in the next book.
Short review: The book was continuously spooky throughout (a good thing) and had a decent story.
Long review:
I was hoping to read a book that gave me chills and made me feel scared. I got what I wanted :) This book conveys a nicely oppressive atmosphere and more than once made me look up nervously to check that no one was watching me. I made sure to read this late at night, alone in my room to maximize any feelings of terror, and that really helped. I remember there was one night where every two minutes I kept glancing up from the book to make sure no one was standing in my doorway. It was scary. It was fun.
The story itself was pretty neat. The history of the place and what happened there was nicely explained and fairly well thought out. But one thing doesn't add up for me. One annoying thing was that I felt that Steve and Melody could've possibly had less issues and things would've been easier if they were more open with each other. I suppose that some couples are like the couple in the book and so that kind of relationship is believable, if annoying at times (several times at that).
Overall, I got what I wanted and am looking forward to seeing how the story plays out in the next book.
November 20, 2013
What is it about city folk and forests? It seems they’re always a poor match. That’s the case with Steve and Melody Samson when they move into Hope House in the midst of the less-than-enchanted Oakwell forest. Oh, sure, Melody at first is taken with the charm of the place, although Steven is understandably skeptical. It’s those strange whispers he hears coming from the woods, and Michael Bray has an interesting backstory to explain what they’re about. I won’t tell, except to say that Hope House seemed doomed even while it was being built. Hell, even before that.
There’s a killer in the midst of all this, and unlike the ghost figures lurking in the woods, this guy is real. Again, no spoilers from me. Suffice to say that Melody comes around to her husband’s way of thinking as regards Hope House.
Michael Bray has concocted an interesting tale that goes beyond your typical cabin-in-the-woods ghost story. There’s the old woman who seems to know more than what she is telling, there’s the creepy real estate salesman, Donovan, who is taken with Melody Samson for all the wrong reasons. And then there’s Isaac...
To tell more would be to spoil the surprises Bray’s novel has in store for you, but I will say the ending is a wowzer. Here’s a five star shout-out for WHISPER.
There’s a killer in the midst of all this, and unlike the ghost figures lurking in the woods, this guy is real. Again, no spoilers from me. Suffice to say that Melody comes around to her husband’s way of thinking as regards Hope House.
Michael Bray has concocted an interesting tale that goes beyond your typical cabin-in-the-woods ghost story. There’s the old woman who seems to know more than what she is telling, there’s the creepy real estate salesman, Donovan, who is taken with Melody Samson for all the wrong reasons. And then there’s Isaac...
To tell more would be to spoil the surprises Bray’s novel has in store for you, but I will say the ending is a wowzer. Here’s a five star shout-out for WHISPER.
January 24, 2014
This is exactly the type of supernatural thriller that I love (and I read in one sitting)!
Throughout history a patch of land in the quaint village of Oakwell has been cursed.
1500's- A tribesman mysteriously kills all of his people and sets them, his village and himself aflame.
1800's- A stubborn business man insists on building a large house in the middle of the woods with the help of slave labor.
Present Day- Steve and Melody Samson are looking to escape from city life. They find a cheap fixer-upper in the middle of the woods that Melody is drawn to. Steve thinks it is plain old creepy. As soon as they move in, Steve begins to hear strange whispering and is having nightmares. The townsfolk are very reluctant to tell them anything about the house's history. Can you hear the woods whispering for you? If you can, it may already be too late...
I really enjoyed this ghostly thriller. I thought the pace of the build of suspense was just right. The plot was unique with the both fear of the supernatural and the natural. The characters were believable, but definitely were making some weird choices (isn't that always the case with horror stories?) The supporting character of Donovan gave me chills!
Whisper was received for free in return for an honest review.
Throughout history a patch of land in the quaint village of Oakwell has been cursed.
1500's- A tribesman mysteriously kills all of his people and sets them, his village and himself aflame.
1800's- A stubborn business man insists on building a large house in the middle of the woods with the help of slave labor.
Present Day- Steve and Melody Samson are looking to escape from city life. They find a cheap fixer-upper in the middle of the woods that Melody is drawn to. Steve thinks it is plain old creepy. As soon as they move in, Steve begins to hear strange whispering and is having nightmares. The townsfolk are very reluctant to tell them anything about the house's history. Can you hear the woods whispering for you? If you can, it may already be too late...
I really enjoyed this ghostly thriller. I thought the pace of the build of suspense was just right. The plot was unique with the both fear of the supernatural and the natural. The characters were believable, but definitely were making some weird choices (isn't that always the case with horror stories?) The supporting character of Donovan gave me chills!
Whisper was received for free in return for an honest review.
March 1, 2014
Whisper was a very interesting take on the old style horror story where you don't always see the ghosts or whatever but mainly feel, hear them around you; influencing your actions in certain instances and the old ghost story of falling in love with a haunted house. I love how the author kept various things a mystery but as events unfolded, he'd take you back to a previous moment in time to learn more about the property's past. I'll admit, t here were times when I honestly didn't like Steve or Melody and I thought that they'd end up killing each other, if not on purpose than by accident due to the spirits on the property or the second evil force that was in the form of a living, breathing, psychotic. There was a section in the story when I thought the spirits would actually get Steve to kill his wife because of the way Steve reacted in certain situations.
January 13, 2014
On the face of it the premise for Whisper, a newly married couple escape the city rat-race for a house in the country that turns out to be haunted, is rather run-of-the-mill. However it is in the execution that the book raises above any lack of originality in the basic plot. Bray weaves a rich history of the house and its construction into his narrative, which coupled with a selection of well-developed characters and excellent pacing provides an engrossing and tense read. A sequel is on the way and it will be interesting to see what direction the author takes the story in.
September 19, 2014
I listened to this on audio and it was very good, but I think that I should have read the physical version of this one. The cadence of the narrator slowed down the pacing a bit for me, but the story itself was very good and was able to hold my attention throughout. I enjoyed the backstory of Hope House and could feel the growing menace, as the story progressed and secrets were revealed. Well done and Recommended!
November 18, 2013
For a paranormal/horror novel, it was a fast light read for me. Which is good because it kept me wanting to know more about the house, and what dwelt there. I love a story that I cannot wait to get back to, to find out what happens next. This was one of those novels! Totally creepy and mind-tingling!
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