Book Review: Whispers In The Dark by Laurel Hightower

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical that I would enjoy Laurel Hightower’s Whispers In The Dark. I’m certainly not the right audience for police procedural stories and the fact that Rose’s career as SWAT team member was emphasized in the blurb, and that the book opens with a scene of her at work, made me wonder if that’s where this book was going. I am very happy to say I was wrong!

There’s no denying that Rose’s job is very much a part of her life and who she is, and who she is is TOUGH (yes, the caps are necessary). She’s a survivor through and through, from her time as the child of abusive parents to her adulthood spent behind a scope, and there’s nothing that she’s afraid of. Except the Whispers. Dark, mysterious, and the cause of so much of her strife, Rose has been battling against these shadowy voices her entire life, and just when it seems she might have gotten things under control, they appear again, and they bring much worse with them.

I really enjoyed Rose for her complexities. On the surface, she’s hard as nails, but there’s an underlying vulnerability to her that makes her likeable and relatable. Instead of being the badass who does it all without so much as a stumble, she relies on an entire support group made up of family members past and present, and we see her struggle to balance her work as a sniper with being a parent. We see how complicated her relationships are without ever feeling like they’re contrived. We see her as a person. And the Whispers? Some seriously creepy creatures that never quite materialize. They’re what goes bump in the night, and the vagueness of what exactly they are keeps the story engaging and frightening.

I could go on and on about how much I loved this book, but I don’t want this review to become an essay. Suffice it to say, it hit all the right notes with me: Strong, but believably so, female lead, human connection that felt genuine, a nice balance between the real world and supernatural. If you’re a fan of kick ass ladies squaring off against darkness, I definitely recommend reading this. Looking forward to more from Hightower!