Whisper Cottage

Written by Anne Wyn Clark

Narrated by Lauren Moakes

‘I couldn't put it down, read it cover to cover in a day… A fabulous chilling thriller.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A mysterious figure. A whispering community. A deadly secret… 

When Stina and Jack move to an old rural cottage, they’re hoping for a fresh start. Their new home is run-down compared to their neighbour’s, but generous Mrs Barley quickly becomes a friend.

Until Stina sees a mysterious figure in the widow’s garden, and her happy new life begins to unravel. And when she hears strange noises in the night, she is forced to question if Mrs Barley is what she seems.

Why do the other villagers whisper about her? Why is she so eager to help the couple? And what is she hiding in her picture-perfect home?

A haunting, twisty story about the power of secrets and rumours, perfect for fans of Ruth Ware’s The Turn of the Key and Lucy Atkins’s Magpie Lane.

Readers are gripped by Whisper Cottage:

‘Unputdownable. I loved it!… Had me hooked… Great, fast paced mystery.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Full of twists and turns you just don’t see coming… Read it in one sitting.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Super suspenseful book with lots of twists and “could it be you moments”… Keeps the reader guessing until the end.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Excellent… Gripping… I raced through it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Brilliant!… Suspenseful, gripping, compulsive… It would make an amazeballs Netflix film (hint, hint)!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘I was shocked to the core… and that doesn’t happen often! It’s one of those stories that you’re dying to figure out (but can’t!)… 5/5, loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Creepy, claustrophobic and compelling! A beautifully written thriller that kept me glued to my Kindle’ Miranda Rijks

‘I devoured this book in a couple of sittings because I needed to find out what was going on!… Twists and turn to keep the reader enthralled!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Release date: Sep 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9780008459994

Anne Wyn Clark

Anne Wyn Clark was born and raised in the Midlands, where she continues to live with her husband, a sweet-natured cat, plus a chinchilla with attitude. She has three now grown-up children and six grandchildren. Much of her formative existence was spent with her head in a book, and from an early age, she grew to relish the sheer escapism afforded by both reading and writing fiction. She has a love of antiquity and a penchant for visiting old graveyards.

Reviews for Whisper Cottage

[RichardKevinWilson · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

And the purpose of this ending was? Why? Cannot recommend this 'just okay wanna be ghost story'.

[Paula Michelle · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was easy to listen to, but really lacked the twist and turns the reviews promised

[Jenni Hoover · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Please yes calories and put in a claim that the book is possible to put down at full of twists and turns. There’s a list was not one time. It’s fine to put the salad and what did you do to it nothing special. Do not waste your time it’s very well written but it’s incredibly simplistic and without again with out! Any twists or turns!

[irenecole · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Newly married, pregnant, and slightly neurotic, Stina moves into a rural cottage with her husband, where they plan to raise their child. In case you are confused that this cottage shares a wall and an attic with their elderly neighbor it's what would be a duplex in America, but a semi detached cottage in England. Stina is home alone most of the time while her husband is working as a veterinarian. She strikes up a friendship with her neighbor Mrs. Barley, an elderly widow who seems to be disliked by most of the other people in town. At first Jack and Stina can't believe anyone could be hateful towards such a sweet old lady, but after hearing some rumors that she might be a witch and seeing how quickly her moods can change Stina starts to wonder if perhaps people have good reason to avoid her. That along with some strange night time noises and a visitor only Stina seems to see, put her on edge and make her question whether this is a safe place to bring up a new baby.

I was expecting a psychological thriller but this reads more like a slow paced mystery. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters. The villagers were quite fond of gossip, and Stina seemed too easily swayed by it. Some people may be shocked at the possibility that a person could be a witch, but in this day and age when religious persecution is supposed to be long past I don't think most people would begrudge someone their beliefs or practices.
Jack and Stina have their own secrets which are very slow to be revealed. The end was surprising but I think this book could have been shortened by about 60 pages. It did mostly hold my interest but I did not need or care for the flashbacks to how Stina met her only friend, or how she fell in love with Jack.
I received an advance copy for review.

[nicx27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A new start in the country for Stina and Jack takes them to Avoncote and Wisteria Cottage. Their only neighbour is Mrs Barley at Rose Cottage and naturally they become friends. As time goes on, however, Stina, being at home all day, starts to hear things and see things that make her wonder if Mrs Barley is all she seems to be and the rumours in the local village about her don't help.Stina is an unreliable narrator. It's clear her past has been a bit troubled and I was constantly wondering if she could be trusted. The same goes for Mrs Barley who seemed very nice but was there something malevolent lurking under the surface? Anne Wyn Clark does a great job at keeping the reader guessing and all the way through I had no idea how it was all going to turn out in the end.The setting is strong and although the book is largely character-driven, I felt like the setting was almost another character in its own right. The two cottages are quite remote and I could absolutely picture them in my mind's eye. The whole small village feel and mentality is captured really well.The pacing is very good too and I found myself looking forward to picking it up and reading a bit more. I found the story to be engaging and well thought out with a couple of nice surprises near the end. In short, I thought Whisper Cottage was an excellent psychological thriller debut, eerie and twisty. I shall look forward to Anne Wyn Clark's next book.