Dark Room

by Alex North

For DI Andrew Hicks, solving a murder is your first suspicions are usually right.
So when the brutally beaten body of a young woman is found, Hicks immediately turns his attention to the most likely culprit – her possessive ex-husband.
But when a second body is found, similarly beaten, Hicks is forced to think again about his suspect.
As the death toll starts rising, Hicks realises he’s dealing with something much darker – and deadlier – than he’d imagined.
A serial killer is at large – one who revels in chaos.
To stop the senseless murders, Hicks must bring the killer to justice.
But will his own demons stand in the way?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2025

About the author

Alex North was born in Leeds, England, where he now lives with his wife and son. The Whisper Man was inspired by North's own little boy, who mentioned one day that he was playing with "the boy in the floor." Alex North is a British crime writer who has previously published under another name.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex North has often impressed me with his dark and psychological thrillers and this latest novel is no exception. A murderer who stymies a police detective fuels a hunt for someone who has little concern for being caught, as they hide in the darkest of shadows, waiting to strike again.

When DI Andrew Hicks is called to investigate the murder of a young woman, his first instinct is that the ex-husband is likely involved. Call it intuition, but DI Hicks hand a history with these types of cases. However, a second body soon emerges and DI Hicks is forced to revisit his assumptions. When a note emerges, addressed to him, DI Hicks realises that a dark and sadistic serial killer is on the loose, playing mind games with the seasoned detective. While chasing down leads and leaning on his partner for advice, DI Hicks is triggered by an event in his past that could derail things before long. North delivers a gripping thriller that seeks to push the reader to their limits.

I particularly enjoy psychological thrillers that move briskly, only to deliver a well-timed twist. Alex North has repeatedly done so with his novels and copies that once more with this piece. With a narrative that develops swiftly, fueled by strong ideas and propelled by short chapters that create a steady rhythm, North sets the tone for a dark and highly troubling thriller. Truths emerge on each page, while a sub-plot fuels the reader’s curiosity in which a young DI Hicks could have secrets haunting him. North does well splitting the narrative and presenting subtle truths for all to ponder.

The characters are well crafted and serve the story beautifully. North shapes DI Hicks throughout the story, making his backstory a mystery that does not surface until the final chapters. Readers may form strong allegiance to the detective or steer clear of his skeletons as a serial killer lurks in the shadows. As the story unfolds, the killer becomes bolder and reveals much, while keeping a composure that is both calculated and sadistic. The reader remains front and centre with the action and can judge how they feel about all who grade the pages of this book.

A successful psychological thriller demands momentum, and Alex North delivers on all fronts. He spins a story that seems to be moving confidently in one direction, only to reveal that everything has been unfolding along a very different path, particularly once rooted in the past. Just when the reader believes they have the answers, another revelation upends those assumptions. Discovering Hicks’ fate—and the secret that derailed things—requires careful attention, but the payoff is more than worth it. This is a masterful read, and I will keep an eye open for more Alex North novels before long.

Kudos, Mr. North, for a dark and alluring thriller.

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[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite book by a long shot by Alex North. Glad it was a library book and I didn’t buy it.

[what.karli.reads · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.75/5 stars

𝙰 𝚜𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚢 𝚋𝚞𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏𝚏 𝚞𝚗𝚟𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚟𝚘𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚍.

𝙵𝚕𝚒𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚜, 𝚖𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙿𝙾𝚅’𝚜, 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚏 𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚎.

𝙸𝚏 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚙 𝚟𝚒𝚋𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚓𝚊𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜!

𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: 𝐈 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 ’𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞’ & 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭.

[Christine Rennie · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Dark Room by Alex North is a deeply disturbing, psychological police thriller, which involves Detective Andrew Hicks and his partner, Detective Laura Fellowes trying to solve a series of murders that have no obvious pattern or reason as to why the victims were selected.
There are other issues that come to lIght throughout the book, that could be coincidental or similar events between characters in the storyline, that all add to the tension and foreboding in the story.
It was a fascinating read that at times was relentless in its horror of events.
Highly recommended

[Sivvy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another decent crime thriller from Alex North. Be warned that the crimes in question are described pretty graphically and I’ve deducted a couple of stars for the use of some of my bugbear murder mystery tropes (the renegade cop never waiting for backup, and the implausible motive of the perpetrator) but on balance a solid 3.5 stars.

[Juhi Bansal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a rereleased book by Alex North when he used to publish under his real name. It is quite engaging and the twists keep you hooked. However, the ending is not very convincing. The "who" maybe but definitely not the "why". Would have liked a better premise. But, definitely worth a read.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending was okay-ish. The killer and reason behind the crimes wasn't what I expected. There was also a bit of animal cruelty in which I could have done without but it was at least relative to the story and not just pointless shock value.

[Famine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cliche City. DNF after one chapter.

Rebellious, disillusioned cop. Constant narration about how the police handles and solves cases like a lazy podcast trying to be a deep dive. MC irritating, repetitive inner monologues, and the other cons sealed the deal.

[Jack_99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me engaged from the very beginning and I enjoyed it a lot .
There were lots of interesting twists that I didn't see coming .

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it. He’s a good author

[Sharon Lunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down. Another brilliant read from Alex North

[Jackie Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dark, but good.

[Russell Barratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read.

I enjoyed the entwinement of the characters stories. It was only slightly predictable.

I will read more of this author.