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The Whispers cover art

The Whispers

Written by: Ashley Audrain
Narrated by: Jill Winternitz
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Publisher's Summary

INSTANT #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

“Expertly, subtly and powerfully rendered. . . . [The Whispers] delivers a sucker-punch ending you’ll have to read twice to believe.”—The New York Times Book Review

“[An] electrifying . . . razor-sharp page-turner.”—Carley Fortune, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After

On Harlow Street, the well-to-do neighbor­hood couples and their children gather for a barbecue as the summer winds down. Everything is fabulous until Whitney, the picture-perfect hostess, explodes in fury because her son disobeys her. Everyone at the party hears her exquisite veneer crack—loud and clear. Before long, that same young boy falls from his bedside window in the middle of the night. And then his mother can only sit by her son’s hospital bed, where his life hangs in the balance.

Over the course of a tense three days, the women of the neighborhood grapple with what led to that terrible night. People-pleasing Blair, Whitney’s best friend, suspects something isn’t as it seems. Rebecca, the ER doctor who helps treat Whit­ney’s son, has struggled to have a child of her own. And the all-knowing Mara, the older woman next door, watches everyone’s world unravel from her front porch.

Exploring envy, women’s friendships, desire, and the intuitions that we silence, The Whispers is a chilling novel that marks Ashley Audrain as a major fiction talent.

©2023 Ashley Audrain (P)2023 Viking

What the critics say

“[A] standout work of literary suspense. . . . The novel soars via Audrain’s clever revelations of the ways her protagonists’ lives are linked in ways they never suspected. Both artful and pulse pounding, this isn’t easily shaken.”Publishers Weekly

“An instant legend in Canadian publishing, The Push is a tough act to follow. . . . But Ashley needn’t worry—The Whispers lives up to the hype.”—Hello! Canada

“Rage unites [the women in The Whispers]—rage that is expertly, subtly and powerfully rendered by Audrain. They suffer quietly, buffeted by an undertow of anger at subtle accommodations to husbands and children. . . . Audrain is unwilling to court her readers’ sympathies, allowing her characters to be imperfect, vulnerable, furious and unrepentant. She examines their fury and presents their unvarnished emotions without passing judgment or apologizing. . . . [A]fter Audrain has lulled you into a sense of resignation over her characters’ fates, she delivers a sucker-punch ending you’ll have to read twice to believe.”The New York Times

What listeners say about The Whispers

Average Customer Ratings
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    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful story

I could not stop listening to this book. It was so wonderful listening to the stories of all these very different women’s lives and how they all became intertwined in this story. Was little disappointed with the ending. Wanted the story to continue.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Suspenseful but end left me disappointed.

The characters showcased the difference lives of motherhood but I felt disappointment with the abrupt end that left so many storylines open.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Meh story

Story was ok, a bit drawn out in my opinion. It’s giving Big Little Lies kinda vibe. Unfortunately for me the narrator was really hard to get into. Her cadence, rhythm etc was a little too sing song. At times it was high with dramatic intonation that i found cheesy. But people seem to like Jill, just a preference!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Another winner!!

I loved “The Push” and this follow up didn’t disappoint at all. Can’t wait to see ALL of Ashley’s future offerings!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Wanting more

The ending felt rushed, with many story lines left unfinished. I did think the last line if the book was fantastic though!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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loved it!

Kept me guessing until the very end! Lots of stories all intertwined. Was trying to find excuses to listen to it more!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Love this author

…but not the narrator. Unfortunately the narrator ruined the experience. The story was so good and I enjoyed the suspense. But I should’ve read the physical book instead.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good but not great

Lots of hype that did not live up to, in my opinion it was ok

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  • Kim
  • 2023-07-14

Compelling, deep, enjoyable

The story and how the 4 POVs play into each other is very compelling and enjoyable! I liked the ending. It was a slow build up but really good on audio!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Story keeps you guessing right to the end!

An entertaining “read”…..great twists and turns! Characters are well developed and you are dramatically pulled through the plot right to the last sentence.

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