Book Review – The Shadow Friend by Alex North

Pages: 357
Published: 7th July 2020
Genre: Mystery
Content warnings: Injury detail, coercive control, gaslighting

Twenty-five years ago, Paul’s friend Charlie Crabtree brutally killed their classmate – and then vanished without a trace.

Paul’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened. He’s never gone back home.

Until his elderly mother has a fall. It’s finally time to stop running.

It’s not long before things start to go wrong. His mother claims there’s someone in the house. Paul realises someone is following him. And, in a town many miles away, a copycat killer has struck.

Which makes him wonder – what really happened to Charlie the day of the murder?

And can anyone stop it happening again?

This is a dark and haunting psychological mystery that at its most intriguing moments, completely takes over your mind and leaves you obsessively turning the pages in search of answers. With a plot that combines the subtle brush strokes of sensitive reflection with some seriously menacing undertones, it is a slow burn that captivates with its sombre atmosphere and dual perspectives.

Though set in the real world, there are elements which give it the hint of the supernatural, partly due to having an unreliable narrator whose memories of past events cannot be taken at face value. It is full of suspense and has an atmosphere befitting of the title, with shadowy vibes and a foreboding feeling that ghosts are lurking around every corner – which in a metaphorical way they do.

The plot fluctuates from being slow and slightly uneventful, to intense and gripping. It does not carry the momentum all the way through and at times you want things to happen more quickly, but equally it is really well developed and the best parts are worth waiting for. The author clearly pays a lot of attention to exploring the two main characters and that provides the reader with that little extra connection to the story as it unfurls.

Paul is an interesting choice of narrator, but a very compelling one at the same time. He is mentally scarred by the incidents he witnessed as a child and has hidden away from them for his entire adult life, only returning now to the town he grew up in with his mother slowly deteriorating in a hospice. A part of him still exists in the past, but the murders taking place in the present day and the lack of closure he feels ensure that his problems are still very current.

The beginning is deliberately misleading as it makes you wonder if Paul committed some kind of crime in his childhood, but instead you soon realise that he is an innocent victim, numb with the trauma of loss and his mother the only one who can fight his cause. The lingering grief he feels in the present timeline is well handled, and he is a character you can fully empathise with.

DS Amanda Beck is the other main protagonist and is also very likeable, leading her investigation into the murders. She is compassionate and open-minded, with a strong level of common sense and a wistful streak, with occasional mini flashbacks recalling the relationship she had with her father. Her interactions with Paul are also pleasingly understated, yet have considerable meaning.

What gives this book its fear factor is the memorable character of Charlie Crabtree, who is almost like a spectral, grim reaper type figure. When we see him as a teenager in the past timeline he is influential and charismatic in a similar way to a cult leader with all his preaching about dream sharing, while his elusiveness in the present gives him an elevated status, as though a myth has been created around him by others. It is all rather eerie, and his presence looms large.

Another of the more poignant aspects later on is the relationship between Paul and Jenny. At first it seems like they are two people who were together and grew apart, only now reuniting with a hint of polite detachment, but later on you find that it runs much deeper than that. Jenny is a wonderful character too, with a great deal of conviction in knowing what she wants, but also possessing a very good heart.

We only see most of it in flashbacks, but arguably the most important dynamic here is that of Paul and his mother. It is a significant moment when we learn how much she sacrifices to keep him safe, and how the legacy of Charlie Crabtree extends much further than just another brutal death. That though is nothing compared to the twist that turns this story upside down, both absolutely brilliant and tragic at the same time.

This twist is disarming, but the sad thing is that it does not lead to the most satisfying of endings. Of course, it is tense and it provides an impending sense of danger, however the outcome of the mystery – specifically the identity of the killer – was underwhelming and just a bit random. The way it was revealed takes away some the emotional investment, which is a shame after the plot seemed to building towards a crescendo.

The atmosphere of the case is also reflected in the setting. Through Paul’s eyes it seems suspended in time from when the killings occurred, and it is full of reminders from the past. Just like in Alex North’s debut novel The Whisper Man, there is a fearsome presence lurking throughout, but it never loses sight of the human stories involved.

Overall, this book conjures a range of emotions, from sadness at the characters’ plight to fervent anticipation at what the plot may have in store next. The action is not always free-flowing, but the occasional thrills are worth waiting for, and some of the concepts such as dream sharing and Charlie’s implied powers are enough to keep you awake at night. Aside from a somewhat below-par ending and some questionable dialogue, it is a well crafted story.

There were moments where this book had me absolutely hooked, but others where I was not quite so engaged. But the story overall was great, just wish the ending was better.

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5