The House of Whispers by Anna Kent Blog Tour

 Sometimes a book really gets under your skin, you know the ones that give you goosebumps with just how creepy they are through description alone.

That is exactly what Anna Kent has managed to do with her latest novel House of Whispers. I felt the hairs raising on my arms as I read.

Spine-chilling.

When Grace returns to Abi’s life, years after they fell out at university, Abi can’t help but feel uneasy. Years ago, Grace’s friendship was all-consuming and exhausting.

Now happily married, Abi’s built a new life for herself and put those days behind her. And yet as Grace slips back into her life with all the lethal charm she had before, Abi finds herself falling back under her spell…

Abi’s husband, Rohan, can’t help but be concerned as his wife’s behaviour changes. As their happy home threatens to fall apart, he realises that there’s something deeply unnerving about Grace. Just what influence does this woman have over his wife, and why has she come back now?

The story begins with transcripts from an interview with Rohan Allerton, who is the husband of Abigail (our main protagonist).

This was a clever way to start the novel because it begins with an instant mystery... just what has happened to Abigail?

I was instantly captivated.

Between excerpts from these transcripts, Abi is our storyteller. She is seemingly happily married to Rohan and after moving into a house which they have renovated together, the pair come across as I guess normal but even from the initial chapters I got the sense that Abi wasn't necessarily completely settled.

Once you let her in, she’ll never leave...

Her unease becomes more apparent when her husband has to take a job in New York, leaving her in this big house, alone with her thoughts.

That is until she gets an email out of the blue from her old university friend Grace, after living in Australia for many years she's coming back home and is hoping to re-connect. But Abi's already nervous personality seems to instantly increase at this news. 

So why does she end up agreeing to her staying at her house?

Some secrets aren’t meant to be kept…

There's a sort of atmospheric shadow that covers this tale.

Slow burning, it remained haunting throughout.

Abi and Grace are completely different. I know that they say opposites attract, but this was a friendship that came across as toxic. And as we get glimpses of their past life together as well as their situation in present day, Grace is always extremely controlling, taking advantage of Abi's inability to stand up for herself.

More than a psychological thriller, as there was a real focus on mental health too.

Without wanting to give away too much, at times I questioned whether there was a paranormal element to this story.

A chilling story of guilt and obsession from Anna Kent.

Cleverly plotted, I really felt for Abi, the inner turmoil she seemed to be suffering from felt impossibly raw. 

And something that I found the most effective was the fact the author seems to use the house itself as a character. This gave the story an added layer, making it even more terrifying.

Obsession, guilt and destructive behaviours make The House of Whispers a dark and compelling read.

Check out the rest of the blog tour for more reviews and insights into this