The Whispers (A Novel)

I’m not sure why this would be considered a thriller in any way. It read more like a twisted season of The Real Housewives drama (from what I would imagine, I’ve never actually seen any). We follow 4 very different women, who live on the same street, and whose lives are intertwined in ways they have to confront when an awful accident happens late one night: Whitney, the woman who “has it all” but enjoys her career much more than she enjoys her children; Blair, who devotes her whole self to motherhood but is discontent and feeling under appreciated in her life and marriage; Rebecca, the doctor who wants children more than anything and is losing part of herself and her husband miscarriage after miscarriage; and Mara, the old lady who watches them and the neighborhood around her changing as she clings to her house and the memory of her son. This story is very character driven and while it’s powerful in the very raw, differing emotions voiced by each character’s very different struggles with motherhood (both relatable and very NOT relatable), the lack of any real plot was unsatisfying. After a lot of lead up and secrets, there isn’t any sort of real resolution. The epilogue gives NO CLOSURE whatsoever and is one of the worst endings to a book I’ve read in awhile! *Trigger warnings: descriptive depiction of infertility and miscarriage “…the whispers- the moments that are trying to tell you something isn’t right here. The problem is that some women aren’t listening to what their lives are trying to tell them. They don’t hear the whispers until they’re looking back with hindsight. Feeling blindsided. Desperate to see the truth for what it is.”

Okay, Ashley Audrain is my new favorite writer.  I read her first book The Push and couldn't put it down. I pushed that recommendation on anyone who was looking for something to read. Her second novel The Whispers had that same hold on me the entire time. Ashley writes such deeply flawed characters and builds tension not only between all the characters but for the reader as well.  The Whispers takes place in modern-day suburbia and it all starts on the night of a neighborhood birthday party celebration.  Whitney the beautiful put together respected mom is overhead reprimanding her oldest son for the whole party to hear. Fast forward and now that same child has had a major accident and with it, brings up shocking exposed secrets.  Told over three days and alternating between perspectives of the female neighbors, The Whispers will have your heart racing and your jaw will drop at the last sentence. Absolutely enjoyed 5his book and I look forward to her future publications.