ARC REVIEW: The Shadow Friend

The Blurb:

The victim was his friend. So was the murderer.

Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder.

For Paul Adams, it’s a day he’ll never forget. He’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened to his friend and classmate. He’s never gone back home. But when his elderly mother has a fall, it’s finally time to stop running.

It’s not long before things start to go wrong. A copycat killer has struck, bringing back painful memories. Paul’s mother insists there’s something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.

It wasn’t just the murder. It was the fact that afterwards, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again…

What Did I Think?

I read Alex North’s debut novel earlier this year and was completely gripped and terrified by the story and the way North writes. So when the opportunity arose for me to read an advanced copy of his latest book, The Shadow Friend, I couldn’t wait to be taken on another terrifying journey.

The way North writes is completely compelling. Whilst reading, the real world ceases to exist and all you can think/worry about it the story you’re reading. Even when you put the book down, the story continues to play on your mind. So much so, I couldn’t read this book whilst home alone and I definitely could not read this book before going to bed.

The story of The Shadow Friend is magnificently written, but it also explores this idea of lucid dreaming. I had a vague idea of what lucid dreaming was before reading this book, but never understood the dangers of it when its used by children. These children were obsessed with the uneasiness and uncanniness of the woods and therefore used lucid dreaming to create a whole narrative about Red Hands.

As always, I was completely hooked on every single page of this book and the story twists and turns seamlessly to keep you craving more detail and answers. Yet again a brilliant crime novel by Alex North and he is definitely becoming one of my favourite authors. I cannot wait for his next book, that is for sure!

If you want to see what all the hype is about, The Shadow Friend (or The Shadows) is available to buy on Amazon here, and I would like to thank Alex North himself and Michael Joseph publishers for my advanced copy.

The Shadow Friend

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.