The Whispers: The new impossible-to-put-down thriller from the bestselling author

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The writing in this novel starts out strong, but midway goes into subplots that do not add much to the story. The plot has high school "tit for tat" type jealousy between the characters which becomes the central focus for a considerable amount of time. There are enjoyable high points in the writing such as Grace's mom making warm childhood memories for the girls. I look forward to reading more books from the very talented Heidi Perks. This is the third Heidi Perks book that I have read, and while both "Her One Mistake" and "Three Perfect Liars," were 4-star reads for me, this one just fell a bit short. This is the story of a toxic friendship. It’s not clear at the start that this is the case. And when you do realise it, it is not clear who the toxic friend is. Of course it slowly dawns and that’s pretty much the story. Em has no idea who Laila is, or that she has been watching her and her teenage sons and husband so intently. When Anna goes missing, Grace steps up and wants answers. Why won’t her so-called friends or her husband go to the police? Why is no-one out there looking for her?

I really loved it. The Whispers is a big-hearted psychological thriller about the dark corners that lurk in even the closest of friendships. Heidi Perks reads like Liane Moriarty at her Big Little Lies best as she brilliantly mines the jealously, spite and rage that lurk behind the polite smiles at every school gates. Highly recommended' TONY PARSONS Read more Look Inside Details Have you ever had a jealous friend when you were younger? Someone who just wanted you all to themselves and didn’t want you to have any other friends?In their town the woman are very cliquish and Anna seems to have her own small trio of friends who aren't very welcoming or friendly to Grace. Anna also appears distant and seems to avoid Grace as much as possible which is surprising and uncomfortable and difficult for Grace to understand. Although she has noticed one of the women is overbearing and controlling especially of all the ladies' conversations particularly of Anna's. One night shortly before Christmas Anna finally invites Grace out for a ladies's night with her friends. Grace has mixed feelings about the invitation yet she's happy to be with Anna for the evening. The prologue reeled me in with its eerie tone and promise of a dead body. A date, a place, and so many questions. What was I supposed to do??? I turned off my phone, settled down on the couch, and read as if my life depended on it. It had been a couple of weeks since I’d felt the urge to cut myself from the world to fully dive into a story, and I relished every minute of it. Simmering tensions and double crossings will have you racing to the dramatic finale '' SUNDAY MIRROR

The Whispers" by Heidi Perks, is about Anna and Grace who are childhood best friends. Grace has a picture perfect family and they take Anna under their wing due to her tough home situation. Eventually, Grace and her family move to Australia. They lose touch with Anna. Years later, Anna and Grace reconnect, but soon after Anna goes missing. Grace suspects someone close to Anna may be responsible and will stop at nothing to find out the truth about the disappearance. This is a complex tale about women’s friendships and how the closeness of them can lead to toxicity, jealousy and even obsession. The first part of the novel is mostly seen through Grace’s eyes, but is she a reliable narrator? Could she be seeing her old friendship through rose coloured glasses and Anna’s friends as controlling rather than merely supporting Anna? Heidi Perks'' new novel takes ''sinisterness at the school gates'' to a scary new level. You''ll be watching your step'' JANE CORRY On one particularly frenzied mum’s night out at a local bar, the women have a series of confrontations following which, Anna goes missing. Each of the women then has her own approach to dealing with Anna’s disappearance, which subsequently brings to the fore their interpersonal relationships mired in dominance, manipulation and even revenge. This was an enjoyable and entertaining story although it was a slow-burn up to a certain point and then the fun really starts! Some unpredictable twists came into play and they were well received. Anna and Grace were both complicated characters and I thought I understood them but I was delighted to realize I was wrong. When the book finally let loose the real history was told about both women and it was a doozy! Most of the characters are not likeable which was fine but I just didn't feel real emotions coming from them so I was a little disappointed with a lot of their dialogue and actions although it didn't keep me from enjoying the story. I really enjoy reading books by Heidi Perks and hope to read more in the future.Heidi Perks is a Bournemouth based English author of mystery and contemporary books who possess a unique way of telling stories in papers. A graduate of Bournemouth University, Perks enjoyed a successful career in marketing before she decided to leave it all behind and concentrate on writing and raising a family. Heidi applied for an online creative writing course to sharpen her skills and get some tips to help her in her newfound career. Perks enjoys writing about relationships, and she doesn’t mind turning slightly dysfunctional characters into heroes. As Grace searches desperately for answers, everyone seems to have a different version of the truth. Laila thinks she knows the truth of what happened. But in telling Em what she's seen, she stands to lose everything she holds dear. DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Whispers by Heidi Perks for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions. The thriller flirts with a psychological condition but doesn’t delve deep thus ensuring the plot does not turn any murkier. Perks tactfully leaves the question hanging: Is this character struggling with an inherent, clinical condition and if so, do such people ever change?