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The Shadow Friend

The gripping new psychological thriller from the Richard & Judy bestselling author of The Whisper Man

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.


If it had happened to you, you would have run away too.

Twenty-five years ago, Paul's friend Charlie Crabtree brutally killed their classmate - and then vanished without a trace.

Paul's never forgiven himself for his part in what happened. He's never gone back home.

Until his elderly mother has a fall. It's finally time to stop running.

It's not long before things start to go wrong. His mother claims there's someone in the house. Paul realises someone is following him. And, in a town many miles away, a copycat killer has struck.

Which makes him wonder - what really happened to Charlie the day of the murder?

And can anyone stop it happening again?

Praise for Alex North
The best crime novel of the decade - Steve Cavanagh, bestselling author of Thirteen

First it's spooky. Then it's scary. Then it's terrifying. And then... well, dear reader, proceed at your own risk. An ambitious, deeply satisfying thriller - a seamless blend of Harlan Coben, Stephen King, and Thomas Harris. My flesh is still crawling - A. J. Finn, no.1 bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

Alex North has achieved the seemingly impossible. The Whisper Man is a thriller that is both terrifying and utterly heartbreaking. Mesmerising and masterful - Mark Billingham

A dark, creepy, thriller with a huge amount of heart. Damn, but Alex North can write! - Stuart MacBride

© Alex North 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

 Genre Fiction Horror Mystery Psychological Small Town & Rural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Scary Fiction Crime

Critic reviews

Alex North has outdone himself. As terrifying as a great horror novel, as unpredictable as the best type of crime novel and above all beautifully written, The Shadow Friend is the work of a writer who is an absolute master of his craft. I couldn't begin to guess how the story was going to end but I enjoyed every second of the journey (Jane Casey)
If you liked The Whisper Man, you'll love this. Alex North has crafted a second novel which is just as gripping as his first and even scarier. Hugely atmospheric and deliciously creepy, it's about how the past encroaches on the present, and how dreaming influences reality, until in the frightening world of The Shadow Friend, it becomes harder and harder to tell one from the other... and the nightmare takes over (Alex Michaelides)
This is absorbing, headlong reading, a play on classic horror with an inventiveness of its own... As with all the best illusions, you are left feeling not tricked, but full of wonder (New York Times)
North has returned with another creepy, atmospheric tale exploring the devastating effects of childhood traumas on communities . . . Builds to a surprising and moving finale that will live long in the memory
With echoes of the chilling Slender Man myth, this thriller ultimately feels like a ghost story conjured out of guilt and loss
North follows up his sensational debut, 2019's The Whisper Man, with another terrifying spine-tingler... The complex plot shifts smoothly between past and present with numerous unexpected twists. An overwhelming atmosphere of doom and disaster hovers over the perennial darkness of the nearby woods. This heart-pounding page-turner is impossible to put down
The layers of deception make for a chilling read
A chilling read
Included in 'The Week's Best Books - The Creepy One'
A chilling and deeply psychological read
All stars
Most relevant
This is one of the best thrillers I have ever listened to, and I've listened to hundreds. The twists and turns are completely unpredictable......I didn't see them coming at all, one particular reveal my jaw hit the floor !!!! it also deals with sensitive topics such as death and grief so beautifully. I didn't want the book to finish

Brilliant, just brilliant

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This was my first book by Alex North and it didn’t disappoint. Full of twists and turns, and kept me hooked right up until the end. I loved it!

Fabulous Twisty Thriller

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Too atmospheric in places which I found hard to follow; I liked the concept of the story however, thought the narration was very good.

Intriguing Read

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When I first started the novel and the lucid dreaming I was skeptical thinking it was silly and uninteresting.
I actually started reading this myself from the library and ended up taking it back, the rest of the book unread.

I got the book again from Audible, having it read to me beautifully by two narrators and found it more engaging than I had before, and this time I stuck with it deeper into the novel, and so glad I did.
The lucid dreaming aside, it’s an interesting book, with a hint of the supernatural that manifests itself in your mind making you feel a tingling of unsettling atmosphere as you listen.
There are so many secrets, unanswered questions from the past and the power of that mystery has over people.
The idea of lucid dreaming as, of course, been done before, but the way this story is told is certainly unique.
What really happened 25 years ago and where is Charlie Crabtree?
Did he truly just disappear, or is he out there still, playing his twisted game.
Looking forward to Alex’s next novel.

Lucid dreams

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A great book, I didn’t think the Whisper Man could be beaten but this one narrowly has it . Brilliant author and brilliantly narrated. Thoroughly recommend.

Best book I’ve listened to in a long time.

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