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Dr. Samantha Willerby Mystery #1
Inside The Whispers
Where the most dangerous place – is inside your own head…
Following a London Tube disaster, three traumatised survivors turn to clinical psychologist, Dr Samantha Willerby, for help – but she’s mystified when their stories don’t add up. Her confusion turns to horror when one by one, instead of recovering, they start committing suicide.
When her partner, Conrad, begins to suffer the same terrifying flashbacks, Sam is desperate to find out what is causing them and a mysterious and chilling crime begins to unravel.
Then the flashbacks begin for Sam…
The first book in the Dr Samantha Willerby Series, INSIDE THE WHISPERS is a tense, haunting Psychological Thriller that will leave your nerves in shreds.
A Samantha Willerby Mystery, Perfect Bones is a tense and creepy psychological thriller that will send your pulse racing. It can easily be read as a stand-alone novel and will appeal to fans of authors like Nicci French, Mark Edwards and Lisa Gardner.
Following a London Tube disaster, three traumatised survivors turn to clinical psychologist, Dr Samantha Willerby, for help – but she’s mystified when their stories don’t add up. Her confusion turns to horror when one by one, instead of recovering, they start committing suicide.
When her partner, Conrad, begins to suffer the same terrifying flashbacks, Sam is desperate to find out what is causing them and a mysterious and chilling crime begins to unravel.
Then the flashbacks begin for Sam…
The first book in the Dr Samantha Willerby Series, INSIDE THE WHISPERS is a tense, haunting Psychological Thriller that will leave your nerves in shreds.
A Samantha Willerby Mystery, Perfect Bones is a tense and creepy psychological thriller that will send your pulse racing. It can easily be read as a stand-alone novel and will appeal to fans of authors like Nicci French, Mark Edwards and Lisa Gardner.
298 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2016
1264 people are currently reading
1735 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Waines
11 books481 followersAJ Waines writes Psychological Thrillers with *over half-a-million* copies sold worldwide. She's a #1 International Bestselling Author: GIRL ON A TRAIN topped the full UK and Australian Kindle Charts in 2015 & 2016.
Follow on Facebook, Instagram or AJ's Blog
All her books can be read in any order:
The Evil Beneath, Girl on a Train, Dark Place to Hide, No Longer Safe, Inside the Whispers, Lost in the Lake, Don't you Dare, Perfect Bones, Enemy at the Window, Cut you Dead Find them all at: AJ Waines' Books
Formerly a Psychotherapist for fifteen years, she has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her a rare insight into abnormal psychology. She is fascinated by secrets and lies, crimes of passion, devious motives and anything hidden under floorboards.
*A Kindle (KDP) TOP 10 'MOST-READ AUTHOR' in UK (2016)*
AJ has book deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic and Canada (audiobooks). She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband.
Follow on Facebook, Instagram or AJ's Blog
All her books can be read in any order:
The Evil Beneath, Girl on a Train, Dark Place to Hide, No Longer Safe, Inside the Whispers, Lost in the Lake, Don't you Dare, Perfect Bones, Enemy at the Window, Cut you Dead Find them all at: AJ Waines' Books
Formerly a Psychotherapist for fifteen years, she has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her a rare insight into abnormal psychology. She is fascinated by secrets and lies, crimes of passion, devious motives and anything hidden under floorboards.
*A Kindle (KDP) TOP 10 'MOST-READ AUTHOR' in UK (2016)*
AJ has book deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic and Canada (audiobooks). She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
November 16, 2017
I downloaded this book as I loved the book blurb, it had the right amount of intrigue, right amount of suspense and a hint of paranormal to pull me in. I had to read about Dr Samantha Willerby.
The story started with a clinical psychologist finding three of her patients talking about a nightmare, about an underground Tube fire, using the same exact words. On further investigation, Sam finds no such evidence of fire, and soon her boyfriend also has the same nightmare. All the four of them are riddled with survivor’s guilt, of not helping others. Then three of her patients commit suicide as the guilt gets overbearing. And Sam finds herself having the same nightmare as her patients….
From here the book becomes a race against time, to get to the bottom of these nightmares, to find a solution and to save both herself and her boyfriend.
I loved the way the author, A J Waines, has written the book. She has made Sam a strong woman and a great doctor, someone who helps patients even when she doesn’t have to. There is so much empathy in her; I see a reflection of myself in her in some scenes…
I liked the fact that the author has written Sam as a complete character who has a professional life along with a personal one, and Sam manages both beautifully, most of the times. I liked Sam’s quick wit and determination.
A book is always interesting when there is a mysterious negative incident or a villain causing havoc in people’s lives, it makes the book all the more alive. Though I had guessed parts of the story, the last few pages took me by surprise. The why and how of the situation were well thought of and crafted in detail. I give full credit to the author for this novel approach to a story which otherwise could have been a run in the mill kinda book.
The author being a psychotherapist herself has explored the human psyche, the darker bits in all of us and brought it out to the forefront without shying about it. Bad things happen and it is high time, we stopped hiding it. I applaud the author Alison J Waines to have the guts to write about it and deal with its horrors with great sensitivity.
There are a few niggles, I didn’t like Sam initially. Being a doctor, I should have liked her but I couldn’t. Her attitude towards her sister wasn’t great, and sometimes I felt she still reacted in the same way as she used to as a child. Being a psychologist, she couldn’t see what was right in front of her when her sister’s pain was evident even to me. Samantha seemed to want to escape the situation with her sister, rather than face it head-on.
I also didn’t like that she excused her boyfriend’s suspicious attitude and his ill treatment of her. It took her to the some time to stand up for herself.
All this was in the initial parts of the story, in the latter half when the story becomes gripping, Samantha becomes a helluva main character, a strong intelligent doctor, whose investigation skills and caring for patients goes over and beyond.
I loved this book, it had everything from suspense to mystery to investigation to dark human psyche to family issues to social issues with a big dose of reality thrown in. A J Waines could literally take me away from my real life and pull me into the story till I just had to finish it. It was highly gripping, unputdownable and shocking…
What more could I want from a suspense thriller.
P. S. I have downloaded the second book in this series and I hope it is as exciting as this one.
The story started with a clinical psychologist finding three of her patients talking about a nightmare, about an underground Tube fire, using the same exact words. On further investigation, Sam finds no such evidence of fire, and soon her boyfriend also has the same nightmare. All the four of them are riddled with survivor’s guilt, of not helping others. Then three of her patients commit suicide as the guilt gets overbearing. And Sam finds herself having the same nightmare as her patients….
From here the book becomes a race against time, to get to the bottom of these nightmares, to find a solution and to save both herself and her boyfriend.
I loved the way the author, A J Waines, has written the book. She has made Sam a strong woman and a great doctor, someone who helps patients even when she doesn’t have to. There is so much empathy in her; I see a reflection of myself in her in some scenes…
I liked the fact that the author has written Sam as a complete character who has a professional life along with a personal one, and Sam manages both beautifully, most of the times. I liked Sam’s quick wit and determination.
A book is always interesting when there is a mysterious negative incident or a villain causing havoc in people’s lives, it makes the book all the more alive. Though I had guessed parts of the story, the last few pages took me by surprise. The why and how of the situation were well thought of and crafted in detail. I give full credit to the author for this novel approach to a story which otherwise could have been a run in the mill kinda book.
The author being a psychotherapist herself has explored the human psyche, the darker bits in all of us and brought it out to the forefront without shying about it. Bad things happen and it is high time, we stopped hiding it. I applaud the author Alison J Waines to have the guts to write about it and deal with its horrors with great sensitivity.
There are a few niggles, I didn’t like Sam initially. Being a doctor, I should have liked her but I couldn’t. Her attitude towards her sister wasn’t great, and sometimes I felt she still reacted in the same way as she used to as a child. Being a psychologist, she couldn’t see what was right in front of her when her sister’s pain was evident even to me. Samantha seemed to want to escape the situation with her sister, rather than face it head-on.
I also didn’t like that she excused her boyfriend’s suspicious attitude and his ill treatment of her. It took her to the some time to stand up for herself.
All this was in the initial parts of the story, in the latter half when the story becomes gripping, Samantha becomes a helluva main character, a strong intelligent doctor, whose investigation skills and caring for patients goes over and beyond.
I loved this book, it had everything from suspense to mystery to investigation to dark human psyche to family issues to social issues with a big dose of reality thrown in. A J Waines could literally take me away from my real life and pull me into the story till I just had to finish it. It was highly gripping, unputdownable and shocking…
What more could I want from a suspense thriller.
P. S. I have downloaded the second book in this series and I hope it is as exciting as this one.
May 1, 2017
Samantha Willerby is a clinical psychologist in a London hospital and helps people who have suffered traumatic experiences. Soon three of her patients commit suicide within a very short time frame with all three previously suffering flasbacks of a horrendous underground tube fire. Next her partner is experiencing the same flashbacks, this must be real as how could these people along with her partner be making this up. This is an exciting psychological thriller with many twists and turns that will keep you captivated throughout. Another great read from A J Waines.
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October 10, 2018From an interview with Shelley-Anne Fox (an avid crime reader from Las Vegas):
Where did the inspiration for Inside the Whispers come from?
When I lived in Brixton, south London, in the 1990s, the shop below the flat where I was fast asleep was fire-bombed during the night and we had to get out pronto! Even though the fire didn’t cause any real damage for us, I remember how swiftly the smoke filled the bedroom and how long the smell lasted in our carpets and clothes, afterwards. The scare left a lasting impact and many years later, it became a spark (pardon the pun!) for a book. I liked the plot idea of people reporting they’d been involved in some kind of incident, in this case a fire on the London Underground, but bit by bit, it becomes clear that their stories don’t add up. After terrible disasters, there really are people who go to extreme lengths to pretend they were involved. It happened after 9/11. As a former psychotherapist, I’m intriqued by this. I'm interested in the different degrees involved in lying: white lies, withholding information, exaggerating the truth, pretence, denial, self-delusion - all the ways we deceive others (and ourselves). In Inside the Whispers, however, everything is not as it first appears: instead there’s a complex and devious mystery behind the choking smokescreen…
How did you go about writing the book?
The plot centres around a mysterious series of events, starting with a fire on the Tube and a handful of survivors who present for trauma therapy at a London hospital. My starting point was to draw on my own experiences working with traumatised and suicidal individuals to build a story involving my favourite subjects: secrets, deception and hidden motives! In fact, for most of the main characters in Inside the Whispers, things are not all they seem. Most of them are hiding or running away from something.
A number of questions arise for Dr Samantha Willerby, the diligent and compassionate therapist, when she starts to see that her patients’ accounts of the fire are very similar, but don’t ring true. Are they faking it? Why are they lying? When one of them commits suicide, Sam feels personally responsible. She should have seen the warning signs, shouldn't she? She should have done more. But before long, it dawns on her that she’s caught up in a horrific web of manipulation and foul-play.
A big twist at the end is pretty much de rigueur in psych thrillers, although my book is also a 'why' and 'how'-dun-it, as much as a 'who-dun-it'. There are twists and turns along the way, blindsiding the reader with revelations, shocks and red-herrings, as Sam gradually peels away the layers to get to the truth. I love to knock my readers sideways and there’s one final bombshell - right on the final pages!
The story is based around patients with PTSD. How much of it is based on fact?
As a psychotherapist for fifteen years, I’ve worked with people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, so I wanted to reflect a little of this intriguing ‘behind the scenes’ side. Therapy is confidential and confessional with such a 'cloak-and-dagger' aura of secrecy - I think a lot of people are curious about what actually happens! One aspect that people are perhaps not aware of is ‘secondary trauma’ – when patients’ accounts are so distressing that it has a knock-on effect on the therapist, who can then internalise the details and, in turn, experience similar symptoms themselves, such as nightmares and anxiety. On one occasion, I worked with a professional fire officer who suffered PTSD after his involvement in a fatal, horrific blaze and the images he described have always stayed with me. They’ve also filtered through into the story, in a fictional way, which is one creative and therapeutic way of dealing with them.
Where did the inspiration for Inside the Whispers come from?
When I lived in Brixton, south London, in the 1990s, the shop below the flat where I was fast asleep was fire-bombed during the night and we had to get out pronto! Even though the fire didn’t cause any real damage for us, I remember how swiftly the smoke filled the bedroom and how long the smell lasted in our carpets and clothes, afterwards. The scare left a lasting impact and many years later, it became a spark (pardon the pun!) for a book. I liked the plot idea of people reporting they’d been involved in some kind of incident, in this case a fire on the London Underground, but bit by bit, it becomes clear that their stories don’t add up. After terrible disasters, there really are people who go to extreme lengths to pretend they were involved. It happened after 9/11. As a former psychotherapist, I’m intriqued by this. I'm interested in the different degrees involved in lying: white lies, withholding information, exaggerating the truth, pretence, denial, self-delusion - all the ways we deceive others (and ourselves). In Inside the Whispers, however, everything is not as it first appears: instead there’s a complex and devious mystery behind the choking smokescreen…
How did you go about writing the book?
The plot centres around a mysterious series of events, starting with a fire on the Tube and a handful of survivors who present for trauma therapy at a London hospital. My starting point was to draw on my own experiences working with traumatised and suicidal individuals to build a story involving my favourite subjects: secrets, deception and hidden motives! In fact, for most of the main characters in Inside the Whispers, things are not all they seem. Most of them are hiding or running away from something.
A number of questions arise for Dr Samantha Willerby, the diligent and compassionate therapist, when she starts to see that her patients’ accounts of the fire are very similar, but don’t ring true. Are they faking it? Why are they lying? When one of them commits suicide, Sam feels personally responsible. She should have seen the warning signs, shouldn't she? She should have done more. But before long, it dawns on her that she’s caught up in a horrific web of manipulation and foul-play.
A big twist at the end is pretty much de rigueur in psych thrillers, although my book is also a 'why' and 'how'-dun-it, as much as a 'who-dun-it'. There are twists and turns along the way, blindsiding the reader with revelations, shocks and red-herrings, as Sam gradually peels away the layers to get to the truth. I love to knock my readers sideways and there’s one final bombshell - right on the final pages!
The story is based around patients with PTSD. How much of it is based on fact?
As a psychotherapist for fifteen years, I’ve worked with people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, so I wanted to reflect a little of this intriguing ‘behind the scenes’ side. Therapy is confidential and confessional with such a 'cloak-and-dagger' aura of secrecy - I think a lot of people are curious about what actually happens! One aspect that people are perhaps not aware of is ‘secondary trauma’ – when patients’ accounts are so distressing that it has a knock-on effect on the therapist, who can then internalise the details and, in turn, experience similar symptoms themselves, such as nightmares and anxiety. On one occasion, I worked with a professional fire officer who suffered PTSD after his involvement in a fatal, horrific blaze and the images he described have always stayed with me. They’ve also filtered through into the story, in a fictional way, which is one creative and therapeutic way of dealing with them.
February 17, 2017
Where do I even start? I dislike this book. I dislike it with a passion. Looking though the Goodreads ratings and reviews I do realise that I'm practically the odd one out but I can not understand how this got such a high rating. I read Girl on a Train by Waines and I loved it. Maybe this made the disappointment even worse.
The overall idea was awesome. The story had such a huge potential but the lack of well written characters and a totally messed up pacing ruined it for me. I feel like this book took me forever to read. Why? Because nothing was really happening, everything took so long. If this was an Anime I would say this felt like watching hundrets of fillers just to finally get to the important episodes (Anime fans will understand).
The worst part about it was, that I knew how it would end very early. Like not even 50% through I could have told you exactly what was going on. But Sam, our main character, failed to comprehend even the easiest connections and to pick up the most obvious hints.
This brings me to the main reason why I disliked this book so much: The freaking characters. Not ONE character was likable for me. Not one. Sam was driving me mad. She never spoke up for herself, everyone treated her in a bad way, she had no real personality: “I felt like storming off, but I didn't want a row hanging over us.“ This was her reaction to everything. She knows she should be mad, she knows she should react, but DOESN'T. She never does anything to defend herself. She never stands her ground. She is supposed to be a professional psychiatrist but her lack of empathy and her even bigger lack of insight into human nature was shocking. Don't even get me started on her jerk-boyfriend.
The amount of me rolling my eyes during this read was too damn high. The ending was not really realistic and in comparison to how long the whole story was built up the climax was a joke.
Sorry, A. J. Waines. I will definitely pick up another one of your books to give you another chance but this was just a huge disappointment.
The overall idea was awesome. The story had such a huge potential but the lack of well written characters and a totally messed up pacing ruined it for me. I feel like this book took me forever to read. Why? Because nothing was really happening, everything took so long. If this was an Anime I would say this felt like watching hundrets of fillers just to finally get to the important episodes (Anime fans will understand).
The worst part about it was, that I knew how it would end very early. Like not even 50% through I could have told you exactly what was going on. But Sam, our main character, failed to comprehend even the easiest connections and to pick up the most obvious hints.
This brings me to the main reason why I disliked this book so much: The freaking characters. Not ONE character was likable for me. Not one. Sam was driving me mad. She never spoke up for herself, everyone treated her in a bad way, she had no real personality: “I felt like storming off, but I didn't want a row hanging over us.“ This was her reaction to everything. She knows she should be mad, she knows she should react, but DOESN'T. She never does anything to defend herself. She never stands her ground. She is supposed to be a professional psychiatrist but her lack of empathy and her even bigger lack of insight into human nature was shocking. Don't even get me started on her jerk-boyfriend.
The amount of me rolling my eyes during this read was too damn high. The ending was not really realistic and in comparison to how long the whole story was built up the climax was a joke.
Sorry, A. J. Waines. I will definitely pick up another one of your books to give you another chance but this was just a huge disappointment.
October 23, 2016
A.J. Waines' 'Inside the Whispers' is the first in a new series. It is a psychological thriller so different from many others I've read before. For one thing it's refreshing not to have a detective as the lead character. Dr Samantha (Sam) Willerby is a clinical psychologist.
This is a book that literally makes you afraid of your own mind and aware of the power your mind has on you.
Sam helps people deal with the after effects of traumatic experiences. She's horrified when three of her patients commit suicide within a short period, just after visiting her. All three had turned up in her office relating pretty much the same story. That they were having terrifying flashbacks of a horrific underground tube fire in which people died, but which they survived. Samantha is dumbfounded and begins to dig deep for answers. How come all three recounted the same story? Did they know each other? Were they just confused? Were they lying? Or was there something sinister at play?
Apart from this baffling case, Sam has to deal with a jealous boyfriend and an estranged sister. Her sister, Miranda, unexpectedly turns up one day on Sam's doorstep, having been released from a mental institution, saying she needs temporary lodging. But as soon as she settles in, havoc returns in Samantha's life...
This book's plot is very unusual and well written. Apart from a few chapters from the pov of a mysterious, deeply depressed person (who is this person??), the plot is divided into two main parts, one focusing on Sam's professional life and the other on her personal one. Both parts are cleverly balanced, both gripping and disturbing in their own way. Sam's family's reality was quite tough to read about.
At times I found the book's plot not as pacey as I would have liked, but very suspenseful and it kept me on edge throughout, with questions accumulating in my mind. I have to say that through her vivid descriptions, the author has succeeded in making me feel and experience the chaos, the claustrophobia, the terror of those horrific underground scenes, visualised and described by Sam's patients.
All characters are well portrayed and realistic. I liked Sam. She's a very intelligent woman, with her head well screwed on her shoulders, but maybe somewhat naive at times. I found my opinion on Miranda changing all the time and was never expecting her story to develop the way it did. At times I wanted to slap her hard but at others I wished I could give her a tight bear hug.
With a unique, tense plot that made me practically tear my hair out at times, interesting characters, various possible suspects, twists and turns, and a jaw-dropping, totally unexpected ending, this book is certainly not short of surprises and I really enjoyed it. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!! It's a fabulous start to a great new series. Now I'm already looking forward to meeting Dr Sam Willerby (and yes Miranda too!) again in the next book.
With many thanks to the author for an ARC of this fab book.
This is a book that literally makes you afraid of your own mind and aware of the power your mind has on you.
Sam helps people deal with the after effects of traumatic experiences. She's horrified when three of her patients commit suicide within a short period, just after visiting her. All three had turned up in her office relating pretty much the same story. That they were having terrifying flashbacks of a horrific underground tube fire in which people died, but which they survived. Samantha is dumbfounded and begins to dig deep for answers. How come all three recounted the same story? Did they know each other? Were they just confused? Were they lying? Or was there something sinister at play?
Apart from this baffling case, Sam has to deal with a jealous boyfriend and an estranged sister. Her sister, Miranda, unexpectedly turns up one day on Sam's doorstep, having been released from a mental institution, saying she needs temporary lodging. But as soon as she settles in, havoc returns in Samantha's life...
This book's plot is very unusual and well written. Apart from a few chapters from the pov of a mysterious, deeply depressed person (who is this person??), the plot is divided into two main parts, one focusing on Sam's professional life and the other on her personal one. Both parts are cleverly balanced, both gripping and disturbing in their own way. Sam's family's reality was quite tough to read about.
At times I found the book's plot not as pacey as I would have liked, but very suspenseful and it kept me on edge throughout, with questions accumulating in my mind. I have to say that through her vivid descriptions, the author has succeeded in making me feel and experience the chaos, the claustrophobia, the terror of those horrific underground scenes, visualised and described by Sam's patients.
All characters are well portrayed and realistic. I liked Sam. She's a very intelligent woman, with her head well screwed on her shoulders, but maybe somewhat naive at times. I found my opinion on Miranda changing all the time and was never expecting her story to develop the way it did. At times I wanted to slap her hard but at others I wished I could give her a tight bear hug.
With a unique, tense plot that made me practically tear my hair out at times, interesting characters, various possible suspects, twists and turns, and a jaw-dropping, totally unexpected ending, this book is certainly not short of surprises and I really enjoyed it. Do I recommend this book? Absolutely!! It's a fabulous start to a great new series. Now I'm already looking forward to meeting Dr Sam Willerby (and yes Miranda too!) again in the next book.
With many thanks to the author for an ARC of this fab book.
October 24, 2016
Ever since I read No Longer Safe by A. J. Waines I’ve been eager to see what the author would come up with next, and she doesn’t disappoint with this tense psychological thriller. The book description alone makes for an intriguing premises, and considering I’ve always been intrigued by the workings of the human mind this book sounded like my kind of read.
This is the first book in a series featuring Dr Samantha Willerby a clinical psychologist who specialises in helping trauma victims, when Sam realises three of her patients are experiencing the same flashbacks and their stories don’t add up, she comes to the conclusion something sinister is happening to her patients.
This is a really hard book to review as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it’s safe to say A. J. Waines has plotted a tangled web steeped in mystery and intrigue. The authors characters are well developed, but if I’m honest I found it difficult to take to Samantha in my opinion she came across as cold and clinical, but as the story enfolds you learn more about her dysfunctional family, which help to explain her character better. Don’t get me wrong although I couldn’t warm to Samantha this in no way spoilt my enjoyment of this compelling read. If anything I really wanted to learn more about Samantha’s sister Mimi who I found intriguing yet mystifying, suffering from mental health problems she has her own demons to deal with. As this is a first book in the series I’m hoping the author will explore Mimi’s life in more detail as the series develops.
What I found intriguing about Inside The Whispers was the psychological aspects of this book, and its obvious the author has a great understanding of the subject through working as a psychotherapist herself, for me this added credibility to a chilling tale.To add a sense of mystery and unease to the plot there are short chapters narrated by an unknown voice, I found myself questioning their mental state as the narrator seems to become more detached as the plot progresses, this certainly added a sense of unease to the plot.
If I’m honest I love a book that is relentless in pace, I wouldn’t consider Inside The Whispers to be fast paced by any means, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, it’s just a slower pace than what I’m used to. What the author does well is build on the mystery and intrigue, almost drip feeding the reader the threads of the plot, and then brings them all together for the shocking and unexpected conclusion. Although I did guess the person involved in events fairly early in the book I would never in a million years have guessed their motives. I’m sure Inside The Whispers will be loved by fans of a psychological thriller, and I will certainly be looking forward to the next book to see how the series evolves.
This is the first book in a series featuring Dr Samantha Willerby a clinical psychologist who specialises in helping trauma victims, when Sam realises three of her patients are experiencing the same flashbacks and their stories don’t add up, she comes to the conclusion something sinister is happening to her patients.
This is a really hard book to review as I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but it’s safe to say A. J. Waines has plotted a tangled web steeped in mystery and intrigue. The authors characters are well developed, but if I’m honest I found it difficult to take to Samantha in my opinion she came across as cold and clinical, but as the story enfolds you learn more about her dysfunctional family, which help to explain her character better. Don’t get me wrong although I couldn’t warm to Samantha this in no way spoilt my enjoyment of this compelling read. If anything I really wanted to learn more about Samantha’s sister Mimi who I found intriguing yet mystifying, suffering from mental health problems she has her own demons to deal with. As this is a first book in the series I’m hoping the author will explore Mimi’s life in more detail as the series develops.
What I found intriguing about Inside The Whispers was the psychological aspects of this book, and its obvious the author has a great understanding of the subject through working as a psychotherapist herself, for me this added credibility to a chilling tale.To add a sense of mystery and unease to the plot there are short chapters narrated by an unknown voice, I found myself questioning their mental state as the narrator seems to become more detached as the plot progresses, this certainly added a sense of unease to the plot.
If I’m honest I love a book that is relentless in pace, I wouldn’t consider Inside The Whispers to be fast paced by any means, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it, it’s just a slower pace than what I’m used to. What the author does well is build on the mystery and intrigue, almost drip feeding the reader the threads of the plot, and then brings them all together for the shocking and unexpected conclusion. Although I did guess the person involved in events fairly early in the book I would never in a million years have guessed their motives. I’m sure Inside The Whispers will be loved by fans of a psychological thriller, and I will certainly be looking forward to the next book to see how the series evolves.
June 2, 2021
Wow
Now that was different! A murder mystery of sorts. But instead of being investigated by a detective, it is done by a Clinical Psychologist.
Love the way bits of the information were fed in, and lead me down one train of thought. Only to have my theories dashed. I certainly didn't see that ending coming.
Would have been nice to know a bit more about what happens with her sister. Hopefully developed more in second book. Which I already have, hopefully read it in time for the third books release.
Now that was different! A murder mystery of sorts. But instead of being investigated by a detective, it is done by a Clinical Psychologist.
Love the way bits of the information were fed in, and lead me down one train of thought. Only to have my theories dashed. I certainly didn't see that ending coming.
Would have been nice to know a bit more about what happens with her sister. Hopefully developed more in second book. Which I already have, hopefully read it in time for the third books release.
November 1, 2016
Inside the Whispers was published on 20th October 2016 and is written by the very talented A.J. Waines who has created a different yet brilliant protagonist in the form of Dr. Samantha Willerby.
Hospital based clinical psychologist, Dr Samantha Willberby is starting to feel alarmed. Sam helps patients after they suffer trauma, talking through their experiences and helping them learn to cope with what has happened to them. Three of her patients suddenly recall a traumatic escape from an underground fire, but that was not the reason they were initially referred to Sam. Being the consummate professional she does all she can to help them come to terms with the harrowing events, but things aren’t adding up. Samantha takes it upon herself to do a little investigating in her spare time, only to confirm her suspicions. No matter what her patients say, they couldn’t have been in the tube fire. Then, one by one, her three tube patients commit suicide. What could Sam have done differently? Full of remorse, she starts to notice similar signs in her boyfriend. Then he starts to recount memories from a tube station fire which Sam knows he didn’t experience. Can Dr Willberby work out what is going on before her boyfriend becomes the next victim…?
Before I say anything else, I have to shout from the rooftops that I loved this book! Now, I’m no expert in clinical psychology (or any psychology for that matter!) but if the theories in this book are real then crikey, that’s seriously scary stuff. If they are not real, then I am more than happy to suspend my belief and you should do the same. An absolutely brilliant read!
Dr Samantha Willerby is now one of my favourite fictional characters. And how refreshing to have a clinical psychologist as the lead character. The budding new relationship between Samantha and her sister, Miranda was wonderful to read. Although having not seen each other for many years things start out quite strained and I did feel a little uncomfortable at times. Miranda is also a brilliant, well written character who I hope will make a return in any Dr Willerby sequels. There were several other brilliant characters featured who I either loved, or loved to hate!
The plot was twisty and it grabbed my attention with both hands. When I was busy doing other things (like feeding my children) I was thinking about this book. I didn’t want to put it down, it was so good. I’m fascinated by psychology so this book was a real treat for me. It was my first A.J. Waines read but it certainly won’t be my last.
Five out of five stars.
Many thanks to A.J. Waines for providing me with a copy of Inside the Whispers in exchange for an honest review.
Hospital based clinical psychologist, Dr Samantha Willberby is starting to feel alarmed. Sam helps patients after they suffer trauma, talking through their experiences and helping them learn to cope with what has happened to them. Three of her patients suddenly recall a traumatic escape from an underground fire, but that was not the reason they were initially referred to Sam. Being the consummate professional she does all she can to help them come to terms with the harrowing events, but things aren’t adding up. Samantha takes it upon herself to do a little investigating in her spare time, only to confirm her suspicions. No matter what her patients say, they couldn’t have been in the tube fire. Then, one by one, her three tube patients commit suicide. What could Sam have done differently? Full of remorse, she starts to notice similar signs in her boyfriend. Then he starts to recount memories from a tube station fire which Sam knows he didn’t experience. Can Dr Willberby work out what is going on before her boyfriend becomes the next victim…?
Before I say anything else, I have to shout from the rooftops that I loved this book! Now, I’m no expert in clinical psychology (or any psychology for that matter!) but if the theories in this book are real then crikey, that’s seriously scary stuff. If they are not real, then I am more than happy to suspend my belief and you should do the same. An absolutely brilliant read!
Dr Samantha Willerby is now one of my favourite fictional characters. And how refreshing to have a clinical psychologist as the lead character. The budding new relationship between Samantha and her sister, Miranda was wonderful to read. Although having not seen each other for many years things start out quite strained and I did feel a little uncomfortable at times. Miranda is also a brilliant, well written character who I hope will make a return in any Dr Willerby sequels. There were several other brilliant characters featured who I either loved, or loved to hate!
The plot was twisty and it grabbed my attention with both hands. When I was busy doing other things (like feeding my children) I was thinking about this book. I didn’t want to put it down, it was so good. I’m fascinated by psychology so this book was a real treat for me. It was my first A.J. Waines read but it certainly won’t be my last.
Five out of five stars.
Many thanks to A.J. Waines for providing me with a copy of Inside the Whispers in exchange for an honest review.
October 20, 2018
Since reading Don’t You Dare by this author I was looking forward to reading some more.
This is a fabulous start to the series. Dr. Samantha Willerby is our main character. She’s a clinical psychologist who tries to help three survivors from a London Tube disaster. Everything isn’t as it seems as we delve into the story.
I absolutely loved this storyline. The storyline is unique. I found myself reading ‘just another few pages’ as I couldn’t put it down. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author.
This is a fabulous start to the series. Dr. Samantha Willerby is our main character. She’s a clinical psychologist who tries to help three survivors from a London Tube disaster. Everything isn’t as it seems as we delve into the story.
I absolutely loved this storyline. The storyline is unique. I found myself reading ‘just another few pages’ as I couldn’t put it down. I’m so looking forward to reading more from this author.
October 25, 2016
I have to say I absolutely loved the story line in Inside The Whispers. It’s not one you come across very often so it had me well and truly hooked right from the start.
Sam (Samantha) has recently just started a new job in a hospital helping patients that are suffering with PTSD. The reader can’t help but be as shocked and confused as Sam when her patients start committing suicide. I think it’s the final straw for Sam when her boyfriend Con starts experiencing the same flashbacks and she knows she has to get to the bottom of it before it’s too late and Con ends up with the same fate as her other patients.
I had so much empathy for Sam. There are a lot of issues in her family life, caused mainly by her older sister ‘Miranda’. Her life seems to be getting on the right track with her new job and her new boyfriend Con and she is as happy as she can be. Unfortunately when her sister turns up at her door unexpectedly and then her patients turning up dead, Sam’s life is suddenly spiralling out of control.
There are so many red herrings in this story that I didn’t know who to like or trust. It’s a novel that will certainly keep it’s readers on it’s toes and have them second guessing everything.
Inside The Whispers is a dark and tense read that is full of suspense. A guaranteed page turner that will certainly mess with the readers mind and is an absolute must read for psychological thrillers. Can not wait for more in this series.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Sam (Samantha) has recently just started a new job in a hospital helping patients that are suffering with PTSD. The reader can’t help but be as shocked and confused as Sam when her patients start committing suicide. I think it’s the final straw for Sam when her boyfriend Con starts experiencing the same flashbacks and she knows she has to get to the bottom of it before it’s too late and Con ends up with the same fate as her other patients.
I had so much empathy for Sam. There are a lot of issues in her family life, caused mainly by her older sister ‘Miranda’. Her life seems to be getting on the right track with her new job and her new boyfriend Con and she is as happy as she can be. Unfortunately when her sister turns up at her door unexpectedly and then her patients turning up dead, Sam’s life is suddenly spiralling out of control.
There are so many red herrings in this story that I didn’t know who to like or trust. It’s a novel that will certainly keep it’s readers on it’s toes and have them second guessing everything.
Inside The Whispers is a dark and tense read that is full of suspense. A guaranteed page turner that will certainly mess with the readers mind and is an absolute must read for psychological thrillers. Can not wait for more in this series.
My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
November 18, 2018
Found this book a slow read at first,was dithering either give this book a 3.5 rating or 4.why cause the story was far fetched but I kept wanting to see what happens.the book about Sam her sister visits out of the blue she has lots of problems mostly to do with her past.a boyfriend con who I wasn't keen on.she works at a hospital helping people with trauma in there past.but she seen people with similar stories that she found out wasn't true.and they started to commit suicide.but who's behind it all.her boyfriend con starts getting the same story can she save him from suicide.looking forward to book two.
October 20, 2018
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I really enjoyed this one, it was great that the lead character was a clinical psychologist as it gave the story a different slant and approach for me that I thoroughly enjoyed!
I thought Sam was a great character and I loved how her background came out, especially her relationship with her sister as the book progressed – Sam is a very believable, well developed character.
I thought how the story gradually unfolded was excellent and I was hooked and wanted to know more. The plot was gripping too and I was trying to second guess how it would end.
A solid four stars from me and I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!
I really enjoyed this one, it was great that the lead character was a clinical psychologist as it gave the story a different slant and approach for me that I thoroughly enjoyed!
I thought Sam was a great character and I loved how her background came out, especially her relationship with her sister as the book progressed – Sam is a very believable, well developed character.
I thought how the story gradually unfolded was excellent and I was hooked and wanted to know more. The plot was gripping too and I was trying to second guess how it would end.
A solid four stars from me and I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series!
August 15, 2017
I was looking forward to reading this as it had some great reviews and was an author I hadn't read before. I have to admit it was a bit of a slow burner for me as I wondered and scratched my head in the beginning. Dr Samantha Willerby seems like a relatively normal woman, however it's pretty apparent that she is in an extremely dysfunctional relationship. Added to this, she is a psychologist dealing with trauma patients. When 3 of her patients turn up and seem to have trauma relating to an incident that didn't happen things get rather dark all round. However, they turn almost sinister when it appears her boyfriend is experiencing the same sort of flashbacks relating to this supposed incident when she starts to become alarmed.
The story centres around this element of the story and in all honesty to say any more would make it so much less enjoyable for other readers. What I will say is that by the halfway mark I actually began to question myself. AJ Waines has weaved an incredibly clever tale which certainly gets the mind working overtime. What I loved about this book was that I totally thought I had it all sussed and I was so far off the mark it was unreal. There were parts of the story where Sam grated on my nerves a little, but that aside a cracking start to what will hopefully be a great series. I can't wait to get started on book 2!
The story centres around this element of the story and in all honesty to say any more would make it so much less enjoyable for other readers. What I will say is that by the halfway mark I actually began to question myself. AJ Waines has weaved an incredibly clever tale which certainly gets the mind working overtime. What I loved about this book was that I totally thought I had it all sussed and I was so far off the mark it was unreal. There were parts of the story where Sam grated on my nerves a little, but that aside a cracking start to what will hopefully be a great series. I can't wait to get started on book 2!
May 10, 2021
Good, but way too obvious as well. Intrigued to see where this series goes
September 28, 2018
Dr Samantha Willerby is a clinical psychologist specialising in Post Traumatic Stress disorder. Her sister suffers from schizophrenia and has been in various homes for most of her life.When she arrives on the doorstep “between” homes, Sam is pleased to see her but rather put out at the same time. She is in the fledgling stages of a romance with an actor and doesn’t want anything to come between them. That said there is something about Con that she can’t quite put her finger on. She bumps into a surgeon- quite literally- and finds that she is able to talk to him about life more than anyone. His wife is in the last stages of leukaemia and they build a friendship. When two of her patients tell of a horrendous fire on the underground and things don’t add up, Sam investigates. I liked Sam from the outset, and understanding PTSD myself this drew me in and I wasn’t disappointed. For anyone not in the know, PTSD is not just for those returning from battle (as I once thought). It is replaying any scenario that has caused trauma. The “what if’s” and “should have’s” we all go through play out in the mind and horrors are re-lived or new ones created by sometimes the slightest apparently insignificant trigger. This is described well and sympathetically written. I loved the concept of this and found it very engaging. I really couldn’t see where it was going. If you like a bit of psychology/medicine and rather more than “just” a story I would highly recommend this. A truly wonderful, brilliant read.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibook
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibook
December 2, 2016
Inside the whispers is the exciting and tense new novel by AJ Waines and is also the harbinger of a brand new series by this author which I am now immensely looking forward to - featuring clinical psychologist Samantha Willerby.
Ms Waines is ideally placed to write authoritatively on this subject, as a qualified psychotherapist herself and her expertise glows through the pages.
In her first novel in the new series we meet Samantha as she tries to settle in to her new role, working in a hospital helping survivors of disasters suffering post-traumatic stress. When several patients come to see her, all suffering greatly with memories of being involved in a recent tube train fire, it’s hardly surprising that their traumas and memories are all very similar. Until Samantha undertakes her own investigation and discovers that their memories don’t match up with what really happened, and then the suicides begin – and to her horror the people deliberately taking their own lives are the very same people she has been treating.
Sam really struggles to come to terms with this, feeling she should have been able to do something to help them. Her own life isn’t too straightforward and I really grew to know and like Sam making me want to read more about her. She has recently been reunited with her difficult sister Mimi, now calling herself Miranda, who has her own demons to fight. Sam is in a fledgling relationship with the sexy but possessive Con and as we get to know her and her colleagues at the hospital including the enigmatic Leo, it became no clearer to me who she could trust than she finds it herself.
Switching off when she leaves work soon becomes impossible when it begins to infiltrate her own life and affect those around her. She needs to find out why and how people are suffering at the hands of memories of an event which seems not to have happened as it is recollected and before someone else dies.
We are treated to a series of flashbacks of someone seemingly contemplating suicide but it’s not clear who these memories belong to and alongside the main events Sam’s own background is unravelled piece by piece as she and her sister come to terms with their own turbulent pasts which also reveal themselves to be not quite how she remembered things.
This is a book about memories and the after effects of being a witness to trauma. It’s about family and friendship and self-doubt. Oh and did I mention …. It is FIENDISHLY twisted and complex and very clever. The Authors innate skill with words and ability to use her knowledge of the human mind in all its guises lifts this book from the everyday to the exceptional.
The author tackles some dark and disturbing subjects extremely well including mental health, child abuse and toxic relationships and one big reveal, part way through the book had me literally reeling with shock and in floods of tears – you have been warned, tissues and compassion needed.
We will meet Sam again in book 2 in this series Lost in The Lake.
Ms Waines is ideally placed to write authoritatively on this subject, as a qualified psychotherapist herself and her expertise glows through the pages.
In her first novel in the new series we meet Samantha as she tries to settle in to her new role, working in a hospital helping survivors of disasters suffering post-traumatic stress. When several patients come to see her, all suffering greatly with memories of being involved in a recent tube train fire, it’s hardly surprising that their traumas and memories are all very similar. Until Samantha undertakes her own investigation and discovers that their memories don’t match up with what really happened, and then the suicides begin – and to her horror the people deliberately taking their own lives are the very same people she has been treating.
Sam really struggles to come to terms with this, feeling she should have been able to do something to help them. Her own life isn’t too straightforward and I really grew to know and like Sam making me want to read more about her. She has recently been reunited with her difficult sister Mimi, now calling herself Miranda, who has her own demons to fight. Sam is in a fledgling relationship with the sexy but possessive Con and as we get to know her and her colleagues at the hospital including the enigmatic Leo, it became no clearer to me who she could trust than she finds it herself.
Switching off when she leaves work soon becomes impossible when it begins to infiltrate her own life and affect those around her. She needs to find out why and how people are suffering at the hands of memories of an event which seems not to have happened as it is recollected and before someone else dies.
We are treated to a series of flashbacks of someone seemingly contemplating suicide but it’s not clear who these memories belong to and alongside the main events Sam’s own background is unravelled piece by piece as she and her sister come to terms with their own turbulent pasts which also reveal themselves to be not quite how she remembered things.
This is a book about memories and the after effects of being a witness to trauma. It’s about family and friendship and self-doubt. Oh and did I mention …. It is FIENDISHLY twisted and complex and very clever. The Authors innate skill with words and ability to use her knowledge of the human mind in all its guises lifts this book from the everyday to the exceptional.
The author tackles some dark and disturbing subjects extremely well including mental health, child abuse and toxic relationships and one big reveal, part way through the book had me literally reeling with shock and in floods of tears – you have been warned, tissues and compassion needed.
We will meet Sam again in book 2 in this series Lost in The Lake.
October 31, 2016
My thanks to the author for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review. My review rating is actually 4.5 ⭐️'s so I rounded it up rather than dropping down a star!
No Longer Safe has been one of my all time favourite, blow your mind kind of reads for 2016! You can read my review here. So when the author approached me to read Inside The Whispers, well OMFG there was NO WAY I was going to say no!
Set in London, the main theme within this book is manipulation of the mind and how past trauma, broken trust, loss, relationships and distorting reality can be used to literally mess with a persons mind.
The storyline intrigued me from the start. Although I would not describe this as a fast-paced novel, it was gripping enough to keep me turning the pages and wanting more! There were a few strands placed within the main story that tied up just nicely at the end and added to the shockers revealed as the story unravelled.
This novel was rich with characters, each one bringing something original to the main storyline. A few stood out more than others and some of my faves included: Sam (the main character) because my feelings about her were mixed! At times she came across as strong and determined but then she kind of changed into an annoying and somewhat desperate individual who I wanted to scream “Just Say It!” at, for example, with her boyfriend Con. Maybe it was just me!
Mimi/Miranda: even at her worst, this character is likeable! She came across as lost but courageous; vicious but vulnerable and dishonest but trustworthy. How could that be!? I was desperate to know more about her story and although my suspicions were finally confirmed – it was still a moment that left me reeling. I mean, WTAF?
Con & Leo: Both of these characters, frankly, annoyed me! There was a desperation/clinginess to them both that left me with mixed feelings. Yet, their purpose within the pages made sense…so I tolerated them! Ha ha!
What I liked about this book was the way it held my interest and really showed me how easy it can be to mess with someone’s mind. And THAT #bookjunkies – is pretty damn scary! The story left me questioning people’s motives and intentions and seriously made me wonder about how easy people can be sucked into situations almost without their express consent. Yes…AJ Waines has blown my mind for a second time, thankfully not as badly as No Longer Safe….I still am recovering from that 10 months later but I am beginning to worry about this author and her background in Psychotherapy! Is she using it for good or evil!?
Do I recommend this book? Hell Yeah, I do! If you are looking for a psychological thriller that will disturb you, make you question people’s intentions and is full of pretty twisted OMFG moments, head to amazon and grab yourself a copy!
No Longer Safe has been one of my all time favourite, blow your mind kind of reads for 2016! You can read my review here. So when the author approached me to read Inside The Whispers, well OMFG there was NO WAY I was going to say no!
Set in London, the main theme within this book is manipulation of the mind and how past trauma, broken trust, loss, relationships and distorting reality can be used to literally mess with a persons mind.
The storyline intrigued me from the start. Although I would not describe this as a fast-paced novel, it was gripping enough to keep me turning the pages and wanting more! There were a few strands placed within the main story that tied up just nicely at the end and added to the shockers revealed as the story unravelled.
This novel was rich with characters, each one bringing something original to the main storyline. A few stood out more than others and some of my faves included: Sam (the main character) because my feelings about her were mixed! At times she came across as strong and determined but then she kind of changed into an annoying and somewhat desperate individual who I wanted to scream “Just Say It!” at, for example, with her boyfriend Con. Maybe it was just me!
Mimi/Miranda: even at her worst, this character is likeable! She came across as lost but courageous; vicious but vulnerable and dishonest but trustworthy. How could that be!? I was desperate to know more about her story and although my suspicions were finally confirmed – it was still a moment that left me reeling. I mean, WTAF?
Con & Leo: Both of these characters, frankly, annoyed me! There was a desperation/clinginess to them both that left me with mixed feelings. Yet, their purpose within the pages made sense…so I tolerated them! Ha ha!
What I liked about this book was the way it held my interest and really showed me how easy it can be to mess with someone’s mind. And THAT #bookjunkies – is pretty damn scary! The story left me questioning people’s motives and intentions and seriously made me wonder about how easy people can be sucked into situations almost without their express consent. Yes…AJ Waines has blown my mind for a second time, thankfully not as badly as No Longer Safe….I still am recovering from that 10 months later but I am beginning to worry about this author and her background in Psychotherapy! Is she using it for good or evil!?
Do I recommend this book? Hell Yeah, I do! If you are looking for a psychological thriller that will disturb you, make you question people’s intentions and is full of pretty twisted OMFG moments, head to amazon and grab yourself a copy!
November 14, 2018
You are a psychologist and the patients you are seeing not only suffer from nightmares about getting caught in an underground fire but, they all suffer the same nightmare and have committed suicide over it....only to find out that they were never involved in this event. Dr. Willerby is trying to figure out how this happened and now realizes her boyfriend Conrad is suffering from the same thing.
The story centers around who is involved in these mind altering experiments and how to reverse it before another suicide happens. An intense and suspenseful story all the way to the end.
The story centers around who is involved in these mind altering experiments and how to reverse it before another suicide happens. An intense and suspenseful story all the way to the end.
August 21, 2018
Hello, friends, fellow bloggers, and avid readers! Today I have another review for you. It is part of D-r Samantha Willerby Series and I am sure you’ll enjoy it. It is one of a hell psychological thriller.
This is the first book in the series. The main character, D-r Samantha Willerby is a clinical psychologist. She works with people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Not so long time ago, there was an accident in the Tube and now she treats three survivors who have flashbacks of the accident. Each one of them has a same story. Exactly same story. She decides to check and finds out that nothing of that actually happened. Then one of them commits suicide, not being able to live with the quilt for not helping the other people in the Tube. She checks the facts again, only to find out that all those details mentioned in the patient’s story never happened. Then another of her patients, a Tube survivor, also commits suicide. That cannot be! Two suicides are not accidental. Something more is going on.
In the very same time, Samantha has to deal with her younger sister who shows up at her door uninvited. She suffers from schizophrenia and is possible runaway from the mental hospital. But she is her little sister and Samantha can’t turn her back again.
When her boyfriend, Conrad, begins to suffer the same terrifying flashbacks as her patients, Sam is desperate to find out what is causing them. After all, Conrad was never near the Tube that time.
Then the flashbacks begin for Samantha herself…
I’ve found the story very easy to read. The plot is very intriguing and the pace is very fast. What starts as one story, soon turns into another one, and another one. I’ve found the ending little bit sloppy, but that didn’t spoil the whole impression. There were moments when my jaw dropped and moments when I said: “What, no way!”. Some things were hard to swallow, some were suspiciously plausible. Full of ups and downs, this story is so tense till the very last page. Overall, I liked it. I haven’t read anything else from this author, but I liked her writing style and will be in the search of other of her books.
This is the first book in the series. The main character, D-r Samantha Willerby is a clinical psychologist. She works with people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Not so long time ago, there was an accident in the Tube and now she treats three survivors who have flashbacks of the accident. Each one of them has a same story. Exactly same story. She decides to check and finds out that nothing of that actually happened. Then one of them commits suicide, not being able to live with the quilt for not helping the other people in the Tube. She checks the facts again, only to find out that all those details mentioned in the patient’s story never happened. Then another of her patients, a Tube survivor, also commits suicide. That cannot be! Two suicides are not accidental. Something more is going on.
In the very same time, Samantha has to deal with her younger sister who shows up at her door uninvited. She suffers from schizophrenia and is possible runaway from the mental hospital. But she is her little sister and Samantha can’t turn her back again.
When her boyfriend, Conrad, begins to suffer the same terrifying flashbacks as her patients, Sam is desperate to find out what is causing them. After all, Conrad was never near the Tube that time.
Then the flashbacks begin for Samantha herself…
I’ve found the story very easy to read. The plot is very intriguing and the pace is very fast. What starts as one story, soon turns into another one, and another one. I’ve found the ending little bit sloppy, but that didn’t spoil the whole impression. There were moments when my jaw dropped and moments when I said: “What, no way!”. Some things were hard to swallow, some were suspiciously plausible. Full of ups and downs, this story is so tense till the very last page. Overall, I liked it. I haven’t read anything else from this author, but I liked her writing style and will be in the search of other of her books.
October 6, 2016
I’m sure any thriller fan will agree that there’s nothing quite like the anticipation that comes with diving into a new book by one of their favourite authors. So it was when I started A.J. Waines’ latest release, INSIDE THE WHISPERS. It has an intriguing premise. Clinical psychologist Dr Samantha Willerby is treating traumatised survivors of a London Tube disaster but their stories don’t add up. Worse, instead of Sam helping them to heal, her patients start committing suicide. Before long, someone close to her starts to exhibit the same terrified behaviours and desire to end their life. Sam has to find out what’s happening, before it’s too late for them—and for her.
Anticipation by the bucket load, then. And when I read the line ‘I left her in peace…knowing that she’d brought with her a can of worms and it was only a matter of time before something unpleasant crawled out across the carpet.’ and my Kindle showed I was only 5% in, I was not only hooked but I knew Waines was totally on form yet again.
It’s a gripping read and the plot takes several twists and turns as we share Sam’s increasing desperation to find out what’s going on. As for the ending? No spoilers, of course, but brilliantly unexpected. A superb psychological thriller.
Note: I received an ARC of this book. This is my independent opinion.
Anticipation by the bucket load, then. And when I read the line ‘I left her in peace…knowing that she’d brought with her a can of worms and it was only a matter of time before something unpleasant crawled out across the carpet.’ and my Kindle showed I was only 5% in, I was not only hooked but I knew Waines was totally on form yet again.
It’s a gripping read and the plot takes several twists and turns as we share Sam’s increasing desperation to find out what’s going on. As for the ending? No spoilers, of course, but brilliantly unexpected. A superb psychological thriller.
Note: I received an ARC of this book. This is my independent opinion.
January 31, 2017
This book was a exactly what I was looking for these days: a likable and clever main protagonist, intriguing and compelling plot and plenty of twists and turns created by the psychological analysis psychiatrist Dr Sam has to work her way through in order to uncover her patients' and sister's unpredictable and strange behaviour. The only part of the story I wasn't quite sure about was the plausibility of the ending ... but thought it may well be intentional (no spoilers here :-) ) for future books in this brilliant new series!
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December 8, 2017💝 FREE on Amazon today (12/08/2017)! 💝
December 9, 2018
An entertaining read and a good thriller.
September 23, 2018
I have found a new author to read. This is a well written psychological mystery. Dr. Sam Willerby, a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma, is overwhelmed when she learns 3 of her patients are experiencing the same trauma, a fire on the subway, using the same words and phrases to describe it. She begins investigating and learns things aren’t as they seem.
In her personal life, her older sister has been discharged from a mental health hospital and has come to stay with her, bringing with her many unresolved issues.
Then, her actor boy friend, Con, is beginning to exhibit the same behavior as her suicidal patients. Twists and turns, who do you trust? I am looking forward to the next Dr. Willerby novel, as well as exploring the other books Ms. Waines has written.
In her personal life, her older sister has been discharged from a mental health hospital and has come to stay with her, bringing with her many unresolved issues.
Then, her actor boy friend, Con, is beginning to exhibit the same behavior as her suicidal patients. Twists and turns, who do you trust? I am looking forward to the next Dr. Willerby novel, as well as exploring the other books Ms. Waines has written.
November 2, 2016
Having read and loved No Longer Safe by A.J. Waines I was really excited to be able to read Inside The Whispers, which is the first in the new Sam Willerby series. I had read the blurb so needless to say I was suitably intrigued to see what direction A. J. Waines was going to go in this new series.
While I enjoyed Inside The Whispers, I found that at times it fell just a little flat for me. I loved the premise and I really liked Sam. I found her empathy and caring nature very endearing. I’m not used to books where the main character isn’t in mortal danger so this was quite an interesting departure for me.
Inside The Whispers is a slow-burner as regards a psychological thriller. This is by no means a bad thing. The author has paid great attention to her characters and she builds them up nicely throughout the novel. Some, like Sam, will play to the readers empathy, and others will be on the other end of the spectrum.
I don’t like discussing the plot in-depth, and here is no different. Inside The Whispers is, at times, a tense read. I enjoyed how A. J. Waines has created a foundation for the series. While it didn’t fully grab me, it is nonetheless a good start to what could be a promising series featuring Sam Willerby and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next novel.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, and books that make you ask why as opposed to who, then I would definitely recommend Inside The Whispers!
While I enjoyed Inside The Whispers, I found that at times it fell just a little flat for me. I loved the premise and I really liked Sam. I found her empathy and caring nature very endearing. I’m not used to books where the main character isn’t in mortal danger so this was quite an interesting departure for me.
Inside The Whispers is a slow-burner as regards a psychological thriller. This is by no means a bad thing. The author has paid great attention to her characters and she builds them up nicely throughout the novel. Some, like Sam, will play to the readers empathy, and others will be on the other end of the spectrum.
I don’t like discussing the plot in-depth, and here is no different. Inside The Whispers is, at times, a tense read. I enjoyed how A. J. Waines has created a foundation for the series. While it didn’t fully grab me, it is nonetheless a good start to what could be a promising series featuring Sam Willerby and I look forward to seeing what happens in the next novel.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers, and books that make you ask why as opposed to who, then I would definitely recommend Inside The Whispers!
January 1, 2018
Although I've read some of her other books and thought they were OK, this did not hit the spot for me. I'm not going to bother with a synopsis, that's easy to find. I just found the plot a bit silly and the characters implausible. For a psychologist Sam seemed a bit clueless. Her boyfriend (why was she even with him) was a waste of space yet she was besotted with him. And the doctor, Leo Noble, was just a mess of contradictions. How they let him continue to operate with the stress he was under is beyond me.
The book dragged for most of the time and don't get me started on the ending. That was just rubbish, I hated it. The only thing that I liked was Sam's dogged pursuit of the origin of the horrific memories her patients were reporting. Although how an otherwise rational person could continue to believe their delusion in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary is also beyond me. Next.
The book dragged for most of the time and don't get me started on the ending. That was just rubbish, I hated it. The only thing that I liked was Sam's dogged pursuit of the origin of the horrific memories her patients were reporting. Although how an otherwise rational person could continue to believe their delusion in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary is also beyond me. Next.
October 18, 2018
Samantha Willerby is a psychologist that specializes in trauma victims. She has three clients that are suffering from the same event, a fire in the tubes below London. But there was no fire and the stories are not adding up. But then one of her clients can’t live with the survivor’s guilt and commits suicide, then another and the other. Sam feels guilty that she didn’t see the warning signs of suicide but doesn’t have time to explore this when her boyfriend starts having the same visions of the tube fire. Then she does.
I was instantly curious about this book after reading that description. I loved how easy it is to get sucked into this story. I mean I was so curious about how three people can be traumatized by an event that didn’t happen. The mind is a very interesting thing in how it can behave. Then there is the mystery/thriller twist that kept me on the edge of my seat. And just went you think you know what is happening, BAM! Surprise twist on the last page.
This is an amazing start to a new series. I come to love Sam as the story went along. I am very excited to read the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
I was instantly curious about this book after reading that description. I loved how easy it is to get sucked into this story. I mean I was so curious about how three people can be traumatized by an event that didn’t happen. The mind is a very interesting thing in how it can behave. Then there is the mystery/thriller twist that kept me on the edge of my seat. And just went you think you know what is happening, BAM! Surprise twist on the last page.
This is an amazing start to a new series. I come to love Sam as the story went along. I am very excited to read the next book in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
October 29, 2016
Dr Samantha Willerby is a clinical psychologist working in a London hospital when several patients come to her after being caught up in a traumatic incident on the tube, but she soon notices that despite all claiming to have been in the same place at the same time, their stories are inconsistent. It's only when Sam takes it upon herself to visit the scene that she realises that all of them are lying but she has no idea why. So imagine her horror when these victims start committing suicide. When her new boyfriend, Con, starts displaying similar symptoms of survivor guilt to her patients, Sam begins her search for the truth in the hope that she will be saving their lives.
When Sam's estranged sister, Mim, unexpectedly arrives on the scene this only adds to Sam's problems, so she turns to her colleague Dr Leo Hansson for help, unaware that he has some complex issues of his own to deal with.
This is an intricately spun story that pulled me in right from the beginning. What reason could all these people have for lying about such a horrific event, I simply had to read on to find out. AJ Waines has a real talent for giving her characters depth so that they become real people and not just words on a page. Following the two parallel stories of Sam's professional and private life makes for compelling reading and the author's own experience of psychotherapy shone through in this book to make it extremely believable. It's full of twists and turns that had me thinking on more than one occasion that I knew who was behind it all, only to have my theories totally squashed in the next chapter. Sam is an appealing character and I'm looking forward to finding out more about her and her family over the course of this new series.
When Sam's estranged sister, Mim, unexpectedly arrives on the scene this only adds to Sam's problems, so she turns to her colleague Dr Leo Hansson for help, unaware that he has some complex issues of his own to deal with.
This is an intricately spun story that pulled me in right from the beginning. What reason could all these people have for lying about such a horrific event, I simply had to read on to find out. AJ Waines has a real talent for giving her characters depth so that they become real people and not just words on a page. Following the two parallel stories of Sam's professional and private life makes for compelling reading and the author's own experience of psychotherapy shone through in this book to make it extremely believable. It's full of twists and turns that had me thinking on more than one occasion that I knew who was behind it all, only to have my theories totally squashed in the next chapter. Sam is an appealing character and I'm looking forward to finding out more about her and her family over the course of this new series.
October 11, 2018
3.5 stars. I do love a story about a psychologist and this sounded intriguing. A good start to the series and I shall be picking up book two.
November 2, 2016
I pre-ordered Inside the Whispers after getting hooked on AJ Waines earlier books. Needless to say I was looking forward to starting the book as soon as it hit the virtual shelves. To compound my interest I found out shortly afterwards that I had won a paperback copy as well!!!! (This good luck and the fact that's Christmas is on us gives me the perfect instrument to shares AJ Waines work to someone near and dear;)).
Another great novel to add to the collection. The plot was brilliant and there were definitely enough rich characters around to keep one constantly analysing motives and relationships. Really enjoyed that the setting was around my daily commuting area as well.
Another great novel to add to the collection. The plot was brilliant and there were definitely enough rich characters around to keep one constantly analysing motives and relationships. Really enjoyed that the setting was around my daily commuting area as well.
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