The Whistling by Rebecca Netley (Penguin Michael Joseph UK)

Elspeth Swansome starts to work as a nanny to a family on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. 

Her charge, Mary, is a secretive child, who became silent after the sudden death of her twin William. He died days after the previous nanny disappeared. 

Elspeth tries to find out more about events and turns to the islanders. But no one will speak of what happened to William.

And no one can explain strange whistling in the night, nor little dolls that start to appear in rooms or the lullabie sung in the evening.

Elspeth, full of personal grief and used of total different lifestyle finds herself paranoid and isolated.

Is this house haunted by the ghosts, spells or just evil living?

The Whistling is twisty, gripping and dark. Elspeth's disunity between rationality and belief in a supernatural is so relatable and all the other characters are completely developed. The atmosphere is perfect, almost gothic.

Unputdownable reading.

4/5