The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

 

Author: Rebecca Netley

Title: The Whistling 

Publisher: Michael Joseph 

Published: 2021

Pages: 384

Genre: Gothic Mystery 

     Alone in the world, Elspeth Swansome has taken the position of nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her charge, Mary, is a troubled child. Distracted and secretive, she hasn't uttered a word since the sudden death of her twin, William - just days after their former nanny disappeared. With Mary defiantly silent, Elspeth turns to the islanders. But no one will speak of what happened to William. Just as no one can explain the hypnotic lullabies sung in empty corridors. Nor the strange dolls that appear in abandoned rooms. Nor the faint whistling that comes in the night... As winter draws in and passage to the mainland becomes impossible, Elspeth finds herself trapped.

     This was a little bit of a weird one for me as I ordered a copy without knowing anything about it at all. I remember a few months back seeing pictures of the proofs all over my socials. It looked like such a beautiful book that I ordered it on impulse. I know this could have gone either way but I'm lucky enough that I can afford a few wrong steps with books and it not be the end of things. But this is not where I'm going with this one. The point is sometimes you luck out and come across something you were not really expecting. Now I love a good ghost story those old-fashioned ones that creep and scutter around the edges of our peripheral vision and you are left wondering if what just happened really did in fact happen. This has been spurred on of late by the shows of Mike Flanagan and his Haunting series.  Those tales that walk the line between what we know is real and that cold shiver out of know where that says beware. So when I finally got around to reading the blurb it was pretty much a win-win. Just the book I didn't realize I need to be reading. 

     We are guided into this world that Netley has created so very gently. Elspeth seems to be going for a job that is well within her means. Having found herself alone in the world and in need of a job a nannying job on a remote island would seem like a very safe bet for her. An escape from her past and a fresh start looking after someone who is in great need of it.  She is our port of safety throughout this tale. The one person we can trust to tell us the truth. Despite all she has been through, she has a kind heart. And the author has done a remarkable job of contrasting this against the island's inhabitants. She shines like a beacon in the dark guiding us onwards to the conclusion. But with each revelation, we start to dismantle these treacherous rocks. And whilst we may never know every corner of this wild island, we can at least feel safer on our footing.  I loved getting to know each of the players in this period piece. Netley never wastes one of her characters, each of them is a building block to help us delve deeper into the collective suspension and mistrust of the islanders. 

     This is definitely one of those books that builds layers upon layers. She is really good at mixing up what we know to be real. So the treachery and secrets that these people are trying too hard to keep buried. And that which let's be honest steps one foot into tales of the strange and peculiar. But it's within this blending of worlds that we find our footing and it makes her tale really come alive. At no point did that more ghostly elements pull me out of the story. You become so engrossed in the tale that if you listen closely enough you could swear you can hear someone moving about just behind you. But that is what a good ghost story does for us. It lurks about in that area just between real and complete disbelief. It plays on our primordial fears. And for me, that's what this author gets, she knows what she is aiming for and hits it dead on. 

     Now I must confess it is not often that I pick up books such as this but when  I do I often find that I love them. And whilst this may not be rewriting the wheel she did give me what I was looking for. After all, at the heart of every good ghost story is heartbreak and a mystery. For me without these two elements, they fall flat. We need the longing and just a smidge of hope for them to work. And when the final curtain is drawn we might get a few of the answers we were looking for but there is still that thing in the dark of the night that you can't quite shake.