Whispers: An American Legend

by Bonné Bartron

If M.T.T. is just a myth, why are there so many missing children?An epic family vacation spirals into a conspiracy filled nightmare when Stacy Cooper's niece is stolen and the only clue left behind points to a monster that dates back to the foundation of the United States.As Stacy and her family use all their power and privilege to track down their eight year old, it becomes clear that the creature they hunt is ancient, sinister and all too real.

Get your copy of the satirical thriller that's been called "Prophetic" and "A Future Classic" - Producer Valerie McGowan Bestseller in four categories, Satire, Fiction Satire, Thriller and #1 Bestseller in Sociology of Abuse for six weeks. This is filmmaker Bonné Bartron's debut novel.“Whispers is a unique story of social and family danger that reaches into disparate lives” - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review“Indelible female characters enhance this dense but engaging abduction tale” Verdict? Get it! — Kirkus “A storyline that draws you down a rabbit hole, while moving you forward, that's hard to put down and might leave you questioning everything you think you know.” — Reedsy/Jennie Louwes“Step aside Slenderman & Momo, Mr. Tasty Treats is here, and he’s coming for your babies.” - The Literary Wife"Wound up like a top; This child - kidnapped thriller spins the reader into unraveling the twisted Internet, police department, and government agencies to find a missing child. An honest outrage, intertwined to unmask the reader to take responsibility towards the apathy that cloaks our awareness." - DonnaM Goodreads"This is a really good read. The suspense is awesome, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The author does a really good job of building the characters and the world and really making you care about the characters. You will have a hard time honestly not caring about Tilly. Read on, you will not be disappointed." - Justin GoodreadsIt's Bartron's truest wish that this book makes you feel seen, or gives you a chance to see from another perspective.

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2020

About the author

Award winning Screenwriter and Director Bonné Bartron has always loved books but it took the world shutting down for her to finally write one.

WHISPERS is a spine-tingling thriller with a sharp satirical perspective, the perfect genre for her to cozy up to in these unprecedented times.

The most humorous moments live in the tension of fear, and Bartron serves both up in her debut novel.

Whispers dropped Oct. 6, 2020 and shot to #13 on the satire best seller list, on Oct. 8, 2020 it rose to #1 and #2 spot on the charts, for the paperback and e-book respectively, in the sociology of abuse category.

It remains a best seller in three genres at the time of this writing.

Reviews

[Donna M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wound up like a top; This child - kidnapped thriller spins the reader into unraveling the twisted Internet, police department, and government agencies to find a missing child.
An honest outrage, intertwined to unmask the reader to take responsibility towards the apathy that cloaks our awareness.

[Lindsay (TheLiteraryWife) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stacey is the coolest aunt EVER hands-down!
When she organizes a trip for her two sisters and their kids to the happiest place on earth, none of them could have ever prepared for the nightmare that awaited them!
.
This debut thriller by @bonnebartron is everything I never knew I needed! It was a perfect spooky season read, and although I’m not a gal that is easily creeped out, as a mom, this one did me in.
If you know me at all, you know that I LOVE a strong female protagonist, and this book has three soooooo-I was sold on the first chapter.
This book deals with subject matter that is SO RELEVANT RIGHT NOW and that is one of the things I absolutely loved about it. I like a good twisty mystery that feels relevant, fresh, and scary all the while delivering those twisty blows I live for! This book is a slow burn that I devoured happily-with the lights on, and definitely not before bed.
Without giving too much away because I really want y’all to read this book, I will say this- step aside Slenderman & Momo, Mr. Tasty Treats is here, and he’s coming for your babies. 💀
.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn’t what I expected but it was great!

Can’t really say much without spoiling a lot here. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I can definitely say it did t end where I thought it would, and I really enjoyed the journey. And I’m the end that’s what reading a novel is about—enjoying the journey.

It’s not a character-heavy story, in the sense that we meet characters who feel fully developed and we grow With them through the story. I think the characters tend more toward stand ins, representing different viewpoints and roles in society that are very important to the overall plot.

I started the book this morning. I finished it 10 hours later in between small bursts of work and life. It’s great.

[Belinda Skinner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a lover of anything that keeps me on the edge of my seat and keeps me wondering what's going to happen next. I love it when an author's writing is so good that they make you feel like are apart of the story. From A thru Z, I was that proverbial fly on the damn wall.

Two of my favorite author's are Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson and now I can add my dear friend Ms. Bonne' Bartron. This is a book that will take you to the heights of suspense and will make you go hmmm, What.... all while exploring the depths of the mindset of what's truly going on in the world today.

Bravo Bonne' Bravo!

Ms B

[Johannaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me on a thrilling ride with some unexpected twists at the end. I found myself staying up too late, just to read a few more pages.
I had difficulty turning away from the story of three women, sisters by blood and marriage, search desperately to find their kidnapped child. I normally would have avoided the subject, but the book came highly recommended and was surprisingly good.
The author manages to weave cultural insights and real-world observation into the thriller. Definitely worth the read.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good read. The suspense is awesome, and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. The author does a really good job of building the characters and the world and really making you care about the characters. You will have a hard time honestly not caring about Tilly. Read on, you will not be disappointed.

[Cara Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved it. I couldn’t put it down. I never saw the twist coming! I loved the relevancy of current issues with the break from real politics. It really jump started my desire to get back into reading. My only complaint is that it is over and I can read more!!!

[Niki Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started the book, I was unsure-not my typical read-but after the first pages, I was totally hooked...kept delaying other things to read it. And the ending??? So not what I expected or was thinking it would be...Good Job Bonne! Great Book-highly recommend it.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roller coaster of emotions

This is a thought provoking page turning mystery. It kept me hooked for hours. The first time I looked up from the book I was 25% of the way through it. It stayed a great page turner right up to the very end.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a quick reader by any stretch, and I BINGED this book. Relatable and interesting characters, relevant and thoughtful societal commentary, and humor all weave together to make Whispers an absolute page-turner. I stayed up far too late a few nights in a row because I just had to know how it ended.

Congratulations to Bonné Bartron who wrote a thoroughly compelling and addicting first novel. I look forward to reading many more stories from this talented writer!

[Scott Hartnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a trip to Orlando Florida’s fun parks Contract Lawyer Stacey Cooper, her four young nieces, Sister Emily and Sister in-law Amalia become embroiled in a hunt for Emily’s eight year old daughter Tilly after she is taken from there Airbnb. The sisters find evidence that a legend dating back to Colonial America is to blame for the abduction,
Mister Tasty Treats.
It is up to the three sisters to sift through the internet’s darkest corners to decipher fact from fiction to unravel the truth behind Tilly’s abduction.


Bartron’s first novel Whispers is a fast paced well thought out journey that is gripping and keeps you guessing from the first to the last page. Bartron has created a trio of strong lead characters and a plot that is full of twists and turns, With themes that range from political and social corruption, corporate media monopolies and racial inequality, Whispers is a entertaining and intelligent read.
I highly recommend Whispers to anyone who is willing too take a good look at modern society and them selves warts and all.

[Valerie Bartron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captured my attention immediately. The more I read the more I couldn’t put the book down. I found myself getting up in the middle of the night checking my doors and windows when my granddaughters were staying the night. The end was completely unexpected and riveting. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Jennie Louwes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a myth, legend that won't die, or is Mister Tasty Treats real and far more sinister than any ghost story could ever portray him to be?

A storyline that draws you down a rabbit hole, while moving you forward, that's hard to put down and might leave you questioning everything you think you know. Some of your fears will be realized while others are relieved. How much of this book reflects our present age and will you agree with the author's perspective and opinions as reflected in the material shared or formulate your own?

I appreciated that this book covered a wide berth of subject matter in a manner that didn't weigh anything down or have one get stuck within the muck and the mire of hot button issues. Instead, everything was presented within non-threatening fiction that made it all relatable, tangible, thought-provoking, and in some cases, all too real in ways your favorite newscaster's mouthpiece just isn't capable of conveying based upon a Network's bent and our perceived notions regarding their political leanings and ulterior motives.

A breath of fresh air when an author is able to present two sides of a coin. You might interpret a distaste for the Trump administration, with much of the focus being on Roger Stone, but there's a nod to the Clinton's as well that lends itself towards determining they aren't much better.

Keep in mind, this is a fictional tale but within fiction, just like a myth, it began somewhere, and often within the lies there are kernels of truth just waiting to be discovered. So much unpacked and yet we have so far to go!

Mister Tasty Treats, oh my, can you hardly stand it! What a catchy, awful name that is for a monster hiding in plain sight! That name alone intrigues and causes you to want to read this book. It's like a must. You can't turn back. You can't shield your eyes. You must know!

Just when you think this book has ripped off an episode of Netflix's 2019 show, "Evil", that involved kids playing a certain virtual reality, verboten game, think again! It's the twists you don't see coming that will get you every time and are the sign of a true artist at work.

Many kudos to this author but I felt the need to knock off a star from my rating due to Chapter Thirty-Seven. By this point, I had grown attached to the characters and would have appreciated an ending that incorporated more than just soundbites but a fuller scope of how everyone moved on, how it changed them, maybe a "where are they now" segment. What Chapter Thirty-Seven lacked was made up for a bit within the Epilogue but in the end, there was still something missing for me. I loved it but it wasn't a life-changing, life-altering, can't ever unsee what I just read, kind of book for me.

Ultimately, this is a with-it, in-the-now, modern marvel I rate as a solid four-stars.

*Note: I received an ARC, via Reedsy Discovery, in exchange for my honest review.

[Teresa Collins · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this book begins great and plays on every parent's fear - their child disappearing for one reason or another, it heads downhill pretty quickly. I continued reading long after I should have because I thought surely this isn't going to be a horror book portraying itself as a psychological thriller. It isn't. It is a political/societal commentary portraying itself as a thriller. The first third of the book is very good as the author sets up the premise of the family dynamics. I should have known before the first chapter ended that I was in trouble and quit while I was ahead, but I can be stubborn. (The first chapter had not concluded and the reader is already having their face rubbed into black/white conflict. I don't read to be preached to. I read to escape all the drama that is the current political/social atmosphere. Which doesn't mean I hide my head and ignore it. I'd just like a break from it once in a while.)
Then we enter the second third of the book and it now becomes a possible horror story or a vast conspiracy story. Who knows? By this time I was having serious thoughts about putting it down, but remember I said I'm stubborn? I had to see how this crazy roller coaster was going to end. I can't imagine the torment a mother goes through when her child has been taken. I know how terrified I've been when one of mine has been missing for more than a couple of minutes, so I tried to give Emily (the missing child's mother) a break, but man, I can't tell you how many times I wanted to jack-slap her!! She gives "hysterical females" a bad name. And the language got to be more than enough. There were enough f-bombs and every other expletive you can think of to choke a horse! Much more than was ever necessary.
Then we come to the last third of the book which is when I really knew I had made a grievous error in judgment in reading this. Ms. Bartron began an attack on anything and everything conservative, the current President (how she avoided being sued for libel is beyond me other than by claiming she didn't call his name even though she did everything but, even using some actual names in her craziness.), and women's position in the world. By the time I finished all I wanted was to find out if they found the little girl and put the rest of this madness behind me.
So, if you are looking for a totally one-sided treatise on the state of the world (all liberals are right and good, all conservatives are wrong and evil, women are pawns to be used by men, etc) this is the book for you. If you are looking for a good thriller/mystery, avoid this book at ALL costs. I wish I had!!!!

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you begin Whispers it seems as if it will be a typical thriller mystery, surrounding the abduction of children, but it ends up being a genre twist mixing satirical and political commentary with a supernatural thriller. This read was definitely one out of my comfort zone but I appreciated the way it was balancing the spooky urban legend vibe with Mr Tasty and the social commentary. I did not expect the story to go THAT dark.
Content warning: this story deals with experiences of racism, sexism, and child sexual abuse which did make it a bit hard to get through personally for me. At times I felt the revelations and hot takes Stacy has about race seemed obvious, like yeah we realized that years ago lady. But then I remembered the narrator (Stacy) is a white woman in America and I’m glad that she herself as the voice of the story admits her ignorance and privilege in having to learn about racism rather than experience it. The message was a little on the nose and it felt more like I was being told a lesson rather then getting to understand characters and explore all the layers of the story through them as people. The concept of this story though was really cool and intriguing. I was wondering half the time, like the sisters what was real and who could be trusted. Stacy’s voice makes this political thriller an easy fast read despite how dark the story gets.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I don’t usually read many mystery/thriller books but this was one heck of a start! I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but this book definitely took me on a roller coaster of emotions. I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how this kidnapping was going to pan out. I really like books where it has an unexpected ending, and this one did not disappoint! The author did a great job at building up the suspense and writing three strong female characters who each individually struggles with their own problems. This books deals with a lot of current problems facing our society that I felt like needed to be talked about. The only thing that was a little confusing was toward the end, where the conspiracy theories were getting piled on and I got a tad bit lost, but overall this book was really interesting to check out. I loved the family dynamic that was created and would definitely read more from this author!!

[Deborah J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in two days. After I begun the story , I found myself immersed in the characters, the storyline and I had a hard time putting it down so I could get some sleep. The characters were realistic and the book thrilling and I felt like I had jumped into the story and was experiencing the feelings of the characters and wanted to help them figure it out, This author has got it... a style of her own , a way of writing that pulls you into the book and she doesn’t mind addressing issues. Can’t wait for her next book.

[Ray Mikus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible first book by this author. My wife wife I agree, this was easy to keep reading and hard to out down. I won't spoil anything here, but there was definitely some incredible suspense built throughout this story. The one thing I really liked beyond just a good, solid story, was the moral told along the way. This book is getting passed on to our daughter and we will encourage her to read it.

[Priscilla Kennedy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a cozy mystery

This story was well written. At the beginning I thought it was a supernatural story. There were a lot of twists and turns that I had a hard time keeping up with. Then it went into politics. The usual Trump bashing only weaved into a child sex ring. Put it down and didn’t finish it. I can read nasty fictionalizations of Trump anywhere.

[Ken Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grounded characters who make realistic decisions!
This thriller took me on a journey. This is not your average thriller/mystery. It has a real point and message. The political satire elements were unexpected yet so relevant to our nations current events. The scare factor was cranked to 11.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book. It took me though all the proper emotions I’d want to have when reading a good novel. Bonne even keenly integrated relatable events into the book that helps self reflect on societal view points. It was a solid read for sure.

[aaron s mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent YA and up fiction. New approach to fiction and a new story to tell. I love this new authors first foray into the world of print. Looking forward to more.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t like the political innuendos that were in the book. Never called the president out by name, but called everyone else out by name.