The Whistling Paperback – October 13, 2022

I really enjoyed the pace and setting of this story. For me it was spooky but not scary. Th plot moved along smoothly, and really held my interest. A good, gothic horror story. I liked there ending. I really thought I knew what was going on! Ho ho ho. Really held my interest right up to the end.

A fairly engaging gothic Stle mystery. The setting is the best part.

Was not as good as I expected. I couldn't wait to be finished

Excellent book. I read at work during our down time. I went through this book in a week. If you like paranormal stories, this book will not disappoint. The author does a great job painting a picture of what is happening as you read. It's not something I feel will keep you up at night, but definitely outlines how a house with multiple spirits can be.

THE WHISTLING is the second novel I've read by author Rebecca Netley, although I believe it was the first she'd published. After enjoying her novel THE BLACK FEATHERS, I purchased this one as well. This was definitely a slow burn, Gothic atmospheric read, and I loved the way the unease just steadily built up.We have Elspeth, who is taking a position on a remote island as a nanny, after a tragic fire took the life of her younger sister. Mary, the nine year old girl she is to be a companion to, hasn't spoken a word since her twin brother's death. It had been a harsh year for her, as first their mother died, and after they moved in with their Aunt, their own nanny abruptly left. While Elsbeth is looking to heal, being with Mary may be the best thing for her.Except for the unexplained whistling, humming, and footsteps she keeps hearing in the areas used by the previous nanny. Of course, there's also the way Mary holds conversations with her dead twin, as if he were standing right there... and sometimes it may look as though someone is . . .The half used mansion they are staying in fits the mood perfectly, and the isolated island is as much a part of the story as any of the characters. Superstitions and rumors in that area are left to fester, as the larger city is so far removed from their lifestyles.Overall, a fantastic example of atmospheric, Gothic fiction. This novel had so many twists along the way that I felt as if I were discovering something new along with Elspeth.Recommended.

A wonderful first-time novel from Rebecca Netley. I look forward to reading any future releases from this author. THE WHISTLING is a smart, atmospheric, Gothic tale that grips you from the first page. For those looking for action, you might not find this book to your taste, but I found the dark, psychological twists and turns a heady substitute for raw action. I'd recommend this novel to anyone interested in this type of literature. It's rare to find a book this like in 2024 and I, for one, am happy I did.

I loved this story. Very gothic and spooky.

I don't read nearly as much horror as I used to, so when The Whistling by Rebecca Netley landed on my TBR pile, I really did look forward to sinking into a suitably unnerving bit of gothic horror. The story, however, could belong to nearly every other gothic horror novel or film released in the past hundred years or so, with a number of checkboxes that include: an isolated Scottish island; an orphaned nanny with a tragic past; a little girl whose twin brother has died under mysterious circumstances; surly locals; a spooky old house with strange goings-on ... You catch my drift, I'm sure.We follow the doings of Elspeth Swansome, who accepts a post in the fictional Scottish isle of Skelthsea. Her charge is the rather troubled little girl Mary, whose brother William (whom no one, apparently, liked much) died. Her parents are dead, too, and since her brother's passing, she has not spoken a word.Almost immediately, Elspeth runs afoul of some of the locals, and although she does not at first believe in the supernatural, the spooky phenomena eventually bring her around. She soon realises that nothing is what it seems, and with little else to do but care for a child she comes to love as though she were her own, Elspeth must also untangle the mysterious and tragic past that enshrouds the house and its inhabitants.I'm not going to go into too much detail for fear of spoilers, but I am going to critique the things that bugged me. Netley's writing is what I would term adequate, so she carries the story well, but the pacing lags considerably. She spends much time creating mood and atmosphere, for which I must give credit where it's due. But then the story gets bogged down in piles of red herrings. When I started reading, I called what the big bad was (possibly based on the fact that I've read and watched a pile of horror in my time) and guess what? I was right.While the use of horror tropes to build tension isn't necessarily bad, it's when they're the ones you can see coming from a mile away, including jump scares (which somehow don't quite work in fiction, let's be honest) I didn't find any of the devices used to build tension or terror at all terrifying or effective. I'd hazard to say that this book felt like an amalgamation of every Gothic horror or mystery already in existence, that has been cherry picked for suitable narrative elements. No fresh ground is covered, in other words.I'd say that if you are new to the horror or Gothic genres, you might find this work fresh and suitably chilling, but alas, I admit my jaded palate has already tasted many similar and better executed flavours over the years. At times I felt that this book would have been better served as a movie than the written word, where the mood and atmosphere could truly come into its own.