Bookseller Reviews
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If you hear it, its already too late.....
Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome has taken the position of nanny to a family on a remote and somewhat overlooked Scottish island which seems like the i... READ MORE
Great read for dark stormy nights
This is an extremely atmospheric, disturbing and spooky gothic novel. It kept me awake I have to say. What's not to love about an old house, in the middle ... READ MORE
Atmospheric and Creepy
A brilliant disturbing gothic ghost story. Set on a Scottish island in an old house it's the ideal place for ghosts to appear. This did keep me awake at n... READ MORE
Grab A Blanket, Make A Warm Drink & Settle Down For A Chilling Ghost Story
Oh I loved the atmosphere on the Island off Scotland, 1860, as Elspeth departs the ferry onto her new life as a nanny.
But all is not as it seems at the o... READ MORE
Synopsis
Feel shivers down your spine with this chilling and gripping ghost story set on a far-flung Scottish island...
When Elspeth arrives on a remote Scottish island to become nanny to a young child, she hopes to bond with her. Until she learns that, for reasons no one will explain, Mary has not spoken for months. And the girl's silence is not the only mystery.
Hypnotic lullabies drift down empty corridors. Strange dolls appear in abandoned rooms. And as the nights draw in, darker questions arise...
What happened to Mary's late twin, William? Why did their previous nanny disappear so suddenly? And is the whistling Elspeth hears at night just the storm outside? Or is something else out there...?
Publisher information
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- ISBN: 9781405950244
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 198 x 130 x 23 mm
- Weight: 267g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allA haunting tale
The Whistling is a haunting tale set on an isolated Scottish island. It follows the story of Elspeth, a young woman sent from the mainland to take up a pos... READ MORE
A classic gothic tale that both pays homage to and surpasses some of the greats!
The Whistling is a perfect example of the gothic horror genre being done well. It’s a story that is very much about unsettling, chilling experiences, but i... READ MORE
Ghostly chiller beautifully done.
Really enjoyed this read. I'm all about the chilly reading in the lead up to spooky month and this ticked a lot of boxes for me.
A wild, isolated setting,... READ MORE
Goosebumps
A menacing, spooky story with enough rope to guide the reader through the past and the present.
With the past coming to light gradually this lead me to wo... READ MORE
Small Scottish island, isolation ghost story
An atmospheric ghost story with so much more intrigue. Witchcraft, small town, gossip and mystery all ravelled in.
Elspeth answers the call to be a live i... READ MORE
A Brilliant Ghost Story
Set in the 1860's on the remote Scottish Island of Skelthsea ,The Whistling is everything you would want in a creepy ghost story ,a possibly haunted house,... READ MORE
Victorian-set Gothic thriller on Scottish island delivers spooky chills and thrills
A beautifully written atmospheric gothic thriller set on a tiny isolated island in 1860. This is a slow burn read filled with damaged characters with secre... READ MORE
Beautifully written and deeply unsettling!
The Whistling is a suspenseful and chilling ghost story that had me reading late into the night!
It follows the story of Elsbeth, a young woman escaping ... READ MORE
Gothic mystery set on a remote Scottish island
The year is 1860. Elspeth has suffered considerable personal loss and death, and alights upon the job of nanny to young Mary, who lives with her aunt on th... READ MORE
Not quite convinced
Elspeth is newly arrived on the Scottish island of Skelthsea, ready to be a nanny for the strangely silent bereaved twin Mary. The house is brooding and s... READ MORE
Creepy Gothic Ghost Story
The choice of books available in October/November always excites me. Summer reads often seem to steal the show with their shoutouts about being a must-read... READ MORE
Excellent compelling gothic mystery, draws you in and spooks you right out!
Fantastic read! I absolutely loved this, it was spooky and scary with so much tension and a great plot. Set on a remote Scottish island, with a big crumbli... READ MORE
Gothic spooky fun
If you love a good gothic spooky tale then this book is definitely for you. Well-written, a likeable and relatable protagonist and a satisfying conclusion ... READ MORE
An atmospheric spooky tale!
The Whistling is a wonderfully spooky gothic horror story. I enjoyed reading this book immensely, and fell into the story from the very first page. Rebec... READ MORE
A classic ghost story with a twist
I came across The Whistling on bookstagram and after reading the synopsis I just had to add it to my to read list. I love a classic ghost story. And a clas... READ MORE
Enjoyable read
An enjoyable read. It's not scary and a bit slow at times but I enjoyed reading it and got through it quite quickly wanting to find out what happens. .Set... READ MORE
I recommend The Whistling to lovers of ghost stories and all things Gothic.
The Whistling by Rebecca Netley is a chilling Gothic tale set in 1860 on a beautiful, remote Scottish island. A lonely young woman arrives from Edinburgh t... READ MORE
Slow-burning and thoroughly spooky
This is a great slow-burner of a ghost story, ideal for this time of year as the evenings draw in and Halloween approaches. The book is set on a remote Sco... READ MORE
An entrancing, beguiling spooky read that will really hook you in!
The Whistling - Rebecca Netley
On arrival on Skelthsea, Elspeth discovers that Mary has not spoken since Williams death and no one will speak of him. Stra... READ MORE
An entrancing beguiling spooky read that will really hook you in!
The Whistling - Rebecca Netley
On arrival on Skelthsea, Elspeth discovers that Mary has not spoken since Williams death and no one will speak of him. Stra... READ MORE
Gothic
The Whistling by Rebecca Netley is a dark gothic tale set on the Scottish island of Skelthsea.
After the tragic death of her sister Clara, Elspeth Swansome... READ MORE
Haunting, atmospheric mystery
I did not really know what to expect from this book, the author's debut novel. But I absolutely loved this beautifully written atmospheric haunting story.
... READ MORE
Eerie and Gothic
Eerie, atmospheric, scary, can be said of many ghost stories. In this case the author catches all three plus added mystery. When Elspeth arrives at Iskar... READ MORE
Creepy
Really spooky and brilliant located on a Scottish Island where Elspeth is a nanny to a very disturbed little girl having lost her brother in tragic circums... READ MORE
A well written gothic tale
As a rule I don’t read ghost stories but the cover & blurb grabbed my attention for this one.
Elspeth Swansome is the new nanny for Mary, on the remote ... READ MORE
Completely chilling
If you want a read that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and your spine tingle The Whistling is definitely for you. Completely chilling, g... READ MORE
Deliciously creepy!
I loved this. Very ‘Turn of the Screw’ with additional ‘The Woman in Black’ influences. It kept me on edge to the very end, with new secrets coming to ligh... READ MORE
Perfect for Hallowe'en
Very atmospheric, perfect for Hallowe'en. "The Whistling" by Rebecca Netley is a perfectly crafted old-fashioned ghost story reminiscent of M.R. James, Th... READ MORE
Spooky & atmospheric
It is 1860. Elsbeth is alone in the world after the death of her sister. In an attempt to escape from Edinburgh & its memories she applies to be nanny to a... READ MORE
Beautifully written and engaging
This a beautifully written debut novel. I just love the way Rebecca Netley writes in a highly descriptive, 19th century gothic novel style, evocatively bri... READ MORE
Terrifying!
I absolutely loved this book, it frightened them life out of me…perfect for this time of year.
I was genuinely scared and creeped out many many times whil... READ MORE
A slow burn of a read, unworldly, spooky and full of creepy characters, both seen and unseen
Following the deaths of both her father and her beloved sister Clara, 24-year-old Elspeth Swansome leaves her life in Edinburgh to take up a position as na... READ MORE
An intricate gothic tale with an atmospheric setting
A book set on a remote Scottish island, you say? Count me in! The Whistling is set on the island of Skelthsea where Elspeth travels from Edinburgh in 1860 ... READ MORE
A Brilliant Read
Something a bit different from what I would normally read but I really enjoyed it. When Elspeth Swansome takes on the job of nanny to Mary a young girl who... READ MORE
An atmospheric work of historical Gothic fiction
“Beyond the sounds of the island, another made itself heard: the faintest of whistles, like wind trapped in tiles or chimneys. I stopped. Darkness bled int... READ MORE
Hugely Enjoyable Gothic Chiller
Winner of the 2018 Exeter Novel prize, Rebecca Netley’s The Whistling is at once an atmospheric ghost story that takes its cue from the gothic tradition, a... READ MORE
Gothic Chiller
A wonderful atmospheric Gothic chiller - just about sums up this tale !
Elspeth -still grieving from the loss of her sister -takes up a position as nann... READ MORE
A very creepy book, great for winter evenings
This is a great book, very creepy and mysterious. Well written and enjoyable plot.
It really keeps you guessing until the end , which comes as a surprise.... READ MORE
Excellent
On the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea, Elspeth Swansome takes on a position as a nanny.
Her charge, Mary, hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death... READ MORE
Eerie
Beautiful use of prose!
A classic, Gothic tale, just beautifully written. Through gorgeous use of prose, Ms. Netley creates a haunted atmosphere from the first page to the last. A... READ MORE
Hauntingly brilliant!
Many thanks to Netgalley, Penguin Random House UK for the advanced reading copy of The Whistling. And to Rebecca Netley who wrote a book that actually made... READ MORE
Haunting and atmospheric
Haunting and atmospheric, this is a brilliant character led story for the spooky season. A true ghost story with chills along every corridor. A wonderfully... READ MORE
Spooky
A menacing, spooky story with enough rope to guide the reader through the past and the present.
With the past coming to light gradually this lead me to wo... READ MORE
Spooky
Very eerie gothic tale. If you love that genre this is for you. The scary haunted house mystery. #TheWhistling #NetGalley.
The Whistling
This well-written, character driven story is creepy and atmospheric. Set on a remote Scottish island, the description of which adds weight to the general f... READ MORE
Gothic
Very gothic and atmospheric. As the book evolves it becomes more than a horror story, with tragedy and deception in the mix. It is multi layered and on t... READ MORE
Deliciously creepy
I loved this. Very ‘Turn of the Screw’ with additional ‘The Woman in Black’ influences. It kept me on edge to the very end, with new secrets coming to ligh... READ MORE
Beautifully written
The Whistling by Rebecca Netley is a dark gothic tale set on the Scottish island of Skelthsea.
After the tragic death of her sister Clara, Elspeth Swansome... READ MORE
Enjoyable read
An enjoyable read. It's not scary and a bit slow at times but I enjoyed reading it and got through it quite quickly wanting to find out what happens. .Set... READ MORE
OMG!! A FANTASTIC DEBUT, SCARY, ATMOSPHERIC, BRILLIANT, HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
You always know when you have read a good book, because you are devastated it had to end, this is one of those books. It's atmospheric, creepy, haunting an... READ MORE
The Perfect Halloween read
It is that time of the year, the ghosts, the ghoulies, the phantoms, and all that is evil coming out of the woods and having a feast on us poor souls! Rebe... READ MORE
Gothically ghostly tale set on a remote Scottish Island...
If it’s a spooky story you are after, then this is the one for you! Whispers in corridors, whistling winds, unexplained sightings and a sense of foreboding... READ MORE
Evocatively written debut
This a beautifully written debut novel. I just love the way Rebecca Netley writes in a highly descriptive, 19th century gothic novel style, evocatively bri... READ MORE
Perfect ghost story for Halloween
Having lost all that’s dear to her, Elspeth Swansome hopes to escape her troubled past with a fresh start as a nanny on a remote Scottish island. When she ... READ MORE
Excellent gothic tale
4+ star
It’s 1860 and Elspeth Swansome is on board a boat taking her to the Scottish island of Skelthsea as she escapes her past in Edinburgh. She’s to ta... READ MORE
Eerie
Eerie, atmospheric, scary, can be said of many ghost stories. In this case the author catches all three plus added mystery. When Elspeth arrives at Iskar... READ MORE
Spine tingling and eerie, with depth and emotion. A chilling mystery.
This story reminded me in some ways of The Lost Ones by Anita Frank so if you’ve read that and enjoyed it you will probably love this equally.
It is certa... READ MORE
Gripping
If you want a read that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and your spine tingle The Whistling is definitely for you. Completely chilling, g... READ MORE
Slow-burn gothic horror perfect for winter reading
With Halloween around the corner (well, kind of!), I like to enjoy dark evenings with the rain beating at my windows curled up inside with a spooky book. T... READ MORE
Eerie and mesmerising
The Whistling
.
A wild isolated setting in Scotland, a village that whispers the house is haunted, a little girl with mutism after the mysterious death ... READ MORE
Keep reading
When I first started to read "the whistling" all I could think is this is so similar to the "Turning of the Screw" and I almost gave up but I persevered an... READ MORE
Well written but not scary
I had heard great things about this book but I am afraid I didn’t rate it as high as others have done. I did not find it that scary.
It tells the stor... READ MORE
A brilliant historical ghost story set against a wild Scottish landscape of sea and sky
The Whistling by Rebecca Netley is a chilling Gothic tale set in 1860 on a beautiful, remote Scottish island. A lonely young woman arrives from Edinburgh t... READ MORE
Proper ghost story
This has all the ingredients of a proper classic ghost story and doesn’t disappoint.
The young slightly naive protagonist far away from home in a strange... READ MORE
All The Elements Of A Gothic Hit But It Didn't Quite Click For Me
Actual Rating: 3.5
'I shivered - it was as if the photo itself foreshadowed the coming tragedy.'
Whispers of witchcraft, ghostly shadows and an eerie... READ MORE
Spooky
Really spooky and brilliant located on a Scottish Island where Elspeth is a nanny to a very disturbed little girl having lost her brother in tragic circums... READ MORE
A Great Read and Something A Bit Different
Something a bit different from what I would normally read but I really enjoyed it. When Elspeth Swansome takes on the job of nanny to Mary a young girl who... READ MORE
Very spooky!
This was a very spooky story. Some very good characters and a compulsive storyline. Weird ancient beliefs and practices which stretch your imagination. Sa... READ MORE
The Whistling
I'm not really a one for reading within seasons... I like to pick what I fancy by mood rather than time or weather... but I do love a spooky read on the ru... READ MORE
Creepy & unsettling story
Following the deaths of her father & younger sister, Elspeth Swansome arrives on the island of Skelthsea to take up a new job. Elspeth is to work as a nann... READ MORE
A Superb Read
I think it's incorrect to label this within the horror genre, as there is more depth & panache here. For me, it read like a love story but on many layers.... READ MORE
Atmospheric, creepy and original
It’s 1860 and Elspeth Swansome is on the boat to the island of Skelthsea. Due to a family tragedy, she’s left her old life in Edinburgh behind and taken a... READ MORE
Spooky gothic
Moving to the remote island of Skelthsea, Elspeth Swansome takes on the position of nanny to a young girl, Mary, who hasn’t spoken a word since the tragic ... READ MORE
Wonderfully atmospheric gothic ghost story
Horror is one of my favourite genres, and this book did not disappoint! Creepy and ambient right from the off, this gothic ghost story has characters, both... READ MORE
Deliciously spooky
Elspeth Swansome is escaping her past in Edinburgh and taking up a post as a nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea (it’s fictional, but I would ... READ MORE
A chilling gothic thriller
As it's spooky season I decided to finally read The Whistling. It follows Elspeth who has taken up the position of nanny on the remote Scottish island of S... READ MORE
A brilliant atmospheric story
“I remembered that first afternoon, the way I had sat in the hall, balancing the weights of expectation and loss – how I had anticipated Mary. Never for a ... READ MORE
Atmospheric and heartfelt
I was looking for a chilling ghost story and this one really drew me in. I was emotionally invested in the characters and felt connected to the island on w... READ MORE
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