The Voice in the Wind Phone

by William Michael Davidson

The first Kaze no Denwa, also known as the Wind Phone, was an unconnected telephone booth located in Otsuchi, Japan, where grieving family members could come to mourn and speak in one-way conversations to departed loved ones. When Zoe Luna visits a Wind Phone on the Arroyo Park Trail, the impossible happens. She hears her deceased mother’s voice on the other end of the ‘dead’ line pleading with her daughter to help solve her murder.

Afraid to go to the police, she enlists the help of her former English professor, Noah Winter, who reluctantly agrees. As Noah begins to uncover lurid secrets surrounding the murder, he must come to terms with the question that has plagued him from the start: Did the ghost of Zoe’s mother really speak to her daughter from beyond the grave, or was something far more sinister on the other end of that connection?

365 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Jason Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at Wind Phone.

This was my first time hearing about Kaze no Denwa (Wind Phone) so when I Googled it and learnt that it was a real thing, I was immediately intrigued by the concept of this book.

A young woman hears her mother’s voice in a Wind Phone asking her to solve her murder. The young woman, Zoe Luna, asks her former teacher, Noah Winter, who wrote a bestseller about a past local murder, to help. At first, Noah was reluctant to take the case but eventually he does and he enlists the help from a private detective, Serena Grimm.

This was a great read from start to finish. The concept was original and executed perfectly. It was fast-paced and read like a short story that you could finish in one sitting.

The relationship amongst the siblings was warm touch to the story. It reminds me of the old saying: Be kind to your siblings. They’re your closest link to the past and the ones most likely to be there for you in the future. Nothing could be further from the truth as it relates to Noah and his younger sister, Tova, and with Zoe and her brother, Mack.

Any disappointment that I have would be superficial. Noah Winter strikes me as the type of character that you could build a series around. So my disappointment would be that this is not the second book in the series as I’d absolutely love to read his best-selling novel: The Jesse Rue Murders.

Thank you BookSirens and William Michael Davidson for the opportunity to read and review The Voice in the Wind Phone. This novel is to be published on April 7, 2026.

[Sabrina Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voice in the Wind Phone is a beautifully crafted mystery with an emotional core that stays with you long after the final page. Davidson blends grief, hope, and suspense into a story that feels both intimate and thrilling.

At the heart of the novel is the wind phone itself—a real, unconnected telephone that people visit to speak to loved ones they’ve lost. Davidson uses this concept brilliantly. It becomes a place of healing, confession, and unexpected revelation, giving the book a haunting atmosphere that feels both magical and deeply human.

The MMC and MFC form a compelling investigative duo. Their personalities contrast in ways that create sharp, engaging dialogue, and their cooperation grows naturally as the story unfolds. Together, they unravel clues surrounding a murder that initially appears straightforward but quickly becomes far more complex.

The murder case begins with a shocking discovery that ripples through a small community. As the investigators dig deeper, they uncover hidden connections, buried motives, and long‑kept secrets. Davidson keeps the tension tight with well‑timed twists that never feel forced, each one pushing the characters, and the reader, closer to an unexpected truth.

This book is a rare blend of emotional depth and gripping mystery. Davidson’s storytelling is immersive, the pacing is excellent, and the wind phone adds a unique, unforgettable layer to the narrative. A standout read that absolutely deserves five stars.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as a review copy from Booksirens, this is an honest review.

Author William Michael Davidson has written, truly a breathtaking emotional story with his latest book The Voice In The Wind Phone.

For Zoe Luna and her brother their world was shattered the day their mom was ruthlessly murdered; when Zoe turns to a local Wind Phone to find solace... the experience turns into a journey for justice no one truly expected. English professor Noah Winter remembers Zoe and her writing but never imagined she would confide in him her experience at the Wind Phone, desperate Noah can help find the person who murdered her mother- Amberly. And while Noah is struggling to raise a young sister, find job security and hope to the universe he Jas more than a single published book in him; he doesn't abandon Zoe when she fears if people she heard her dad mom they'd think she's lost a hold onto reality. The unexpected partnership of Detective Serena Grimm brings Amberly case out into the open as they and local police unravel the insane complexity of twisted relationships that have come to define the Luna family. The truth of it all makes one woman's death all the more sad... destroyed by the consequences.


Highly recommended.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC copy from Netgalley.
This book was suspenseful, interesting, well written, and kept me guessing until the end. I was hoping it would end up being some type of supernatural force at work, but the ending was still very good. The characters were very well developed, sometimes a little too well developed. It put me in mind of how Stephen King gives lengthy descriptions that I sometimes get frustrated with, but they didn’t make me want to skip parts or put the book down. Davidson is a talented author and I look forward to reading more of his work.
Summary: Zoe and Mack have lost their mother. She was murdered in the kitchen of their house. As a way to cope with the tragedy, Zoe hears about wind-phones, unconnected phones set out in nature where people can call and talk to lost loved ones, offering a chance to get some closure and come to terms with their loss. During this call, Zoe hears a broken voice which she is sure is her dead mother, asking her to find her murderer. Determined to solve the cold case, Zoe turns to her former college professor, author Noah Winter, to help solve the murder. What follows is a parade of suspects, dead ends and twists that keep you guessing till the end.

[Dlfeul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: A Touching Mystery with Heart
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of Voice in the Wind Phone. This was my first time reading this author, and I was initially drawn in by the title. Having read the history behind the original "Wind Phone" in Japan, I was curious to see how it would be used here.
While I was initially a bit disappointed that the Wind Phone wasn't more central to the early plot, I quickly found myself absorbed in the characters. The relationship between Noah and his sister, Tova, was incredibly engaging and felt very authentic. I also really enjoyed Serena and I truly hope to see her and Noah continue their journey together in future installments.
The book has a great pace and kept me guessing. Although I was a little skeptical about how solving the crime unfolded, the final chapters tied everything together perfectly—and I was so happy to see the Wind Phone return to the spotlight at the end.
As someone who rarely gives 5-star ratings, a 4.5 is a high recommendation from me. I look forward to hopefully reading more about Noah, Tova, and Serena!

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of William Michael Davidson’s Otto Haines and Serena Grimm series. The pace of this book is a little slower compared to that series, but the ending made up for it. Also, Serena returns, and she’s a great character.

One minor complaint: Serena, who is a private investigator, and Noah Winter, an adjunct community college professor and writer, meet the spouse of one of Serena’s clients. This seemed unnecessary and it took attention away from the main story, a murder investigation that Noah is asked to help with by one of his former students because the police haven’t found any suspects.

I liked that Otto Haines, Serena’s mentor and former partner in the Long Beach police department, was mentioned and I enjoyed the relationship between Serena and Tova, Noah’s sister. I work at a community college, so I appreciated Noah’s descriptions of being an adjunct and of some of the students in his writing class. I hope Davidson will write at least one more book with Serena and Noah.

I received an advance review copy for free from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jacqueline]

I am an ARC reader for Book Sirens and this is my honest opinion. I enjoyed this book. It was one I got into from the start. I'd never heard of Wind phones but apparently they are a real thing in some parts of the US. It's simply an old dial phone not connected to anything, with no working parts inside, fixed on to a tree or something, somewhere with relative privacy. The idea is that anyone can pick up the phone and "speak" to someone who has died and say whatever they wish to say . A young student picks up a wind phone to speak to her murdered mother - and hears her mother speak back. Obviously impossible, so she asks her former English teacher, who has written a best selling book about a murder, to help her find out what happened to her mother. What happens next is a is an interesting, twisty investigation with a hint of slow burn romance in the background. The denouement is not what I expected, although there were hints. The book ended quite suddenly with the hero thinking that life was going to get more interesting. I think it this was a lead in to a series, I'd like to read it.

[Sariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this novel with the complete wrong expectations. I thought this would be more about the supernatural aspect of what comes from a Kaze no Denwa; there's one call. The phone call is mentioned a few times (obviously important) and visited once. That's it. There is no actual discussion or mention in the actual story of examples or stories from others who have used it or even lore surrounding the phone itself. Noah was an ok pov, the story could have happened without him after meeting Serena though. I also wish the part when they are eating tacos and referencing the Mexican food and ingredients was edited by a native speaker/ Mexican. There were many things that made no sense or were grammatically incorrect. The ending was meh, they tried to wrap up the ending with a supernatural type ending.

I received this ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first got this book, I didn't know what to expect. I for one have never heard of a wind phone and so when a voice appears in a disconnected phone it seemed a little creepy. Thankfully, Zoe, heeded the advice on the other end of the phone and sought help locating the killer of her mother.

I really enjoyed reading this story, from Zoe and her brother, Noah and the PI he hires to help him. Even Kellogg. This was a great investigative story, with some little bit of a showdown at the end. I hope there is more to come…

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Katrina Freckleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was immediatlye interested about wind phones! I had never heard of them before and after eading this, I thinkthey should be installed in every botanic garden.

The entire story is such a different concept and I had my suspucions but I was completly wrong. It is refreshing to read a story such as this and I hope tha this author produces more oif high quality.

The characters were well written, the idea, novel and kept the reader engaged throughout.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Calista Wielgos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I was lured in by the wind phone, but I stayed because of the amazing characters and relationships. Noah Winter was such a relatable and likable character. The way he interacted with his sister, Tova, Serena, and his students all helped the story develop. The mystery was intriguing and I was on the edge of my seat at the end. I would definitely read another book by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Voice in the Wind Phone is a thrilling mystery by William Michael Davidson. I thought that this mystery was unique for a non fantasy book. Zoe went to the tree phone in the forest to "talk" to her dead mother. What Zoe was not expecting was her dead mother talking back to her. I enjoyed the characters and I felt that the action and emotions kept me turning the pages. I thought that this author wrote an excellent book. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Giggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg this book 😮
i loved it so much that i couldn't put it down.
I loved Noah & Serena they worked together so well 🩵
I was drawn to the book as i've never heard of Wind phones before & it sounded really interesting. I'm so thankful that they approved my request on netgalley as this seriously is one of my top favourite reads 🩵