Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Avon (September 2, 2021)
From Goodreads.com: How well do you know the woman next door?
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?
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My Rating: 1 star out of 5
When I first started reading this novel, I thought to myself "this is going to be the perfect novel for the start of fall". Mysterious with a slight touch of the supernatural. However, what I found? Was a tedious mess that tried to set a slightly sinister tone, but ended up ultimately falling flat.
Part of the problem is that none of the characters are likable in the least. Mrs. Barley runs hot and cold throughout the entire novel (even with Jack and Stina). Sometimes she's open and warm, and other times she's glaring and being openly hostile for no apparent reason. Jack seems a good man, however when his wife desperately needs him to believe her, he pushes her concerns off. But then again, Stina herself is an interesting mix. At one point, she breaks into her neighbor's house in the middle of the night.
Part of the problem is that none of the characters are likable in the least. Mrs. Barley runs hot and cold throughout the entire novel (even with Jack and Stina). Sometimes she's open and warm, and other times she's glaring and being openly hostile for no apparent reason. Jack seems a good man, however when his wife desperately needs him to believe her, he pushes her concerns off. But then again, Stina herself is an interesting mix. At one point, she breaks into her neighbor's house in the middle of the night.
Another problem I had with this one is that there were pages and pages of things that added nothing to the overall plot; such as the whole story-line regarding her friend Reggie and the secret reason why Reggie disliked Jack. It accomplished nothing by way of moving the plot along, as it seemed for the most part Reggie was forgotten nearly as quickly as she arrived.
The final nail in the coffin for this one, is the flippant way the truth is handed once it finally comes to light. There is no disgust, really there was no reaction at all from either Stina or Jack. I felt like they were just kind of like oh okay, so this happened and it was very sad, but now we are going to benefit from this so whatever.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
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Whisper Cottage is available from Amazon.com
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