BOOK NOOK; The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

"And then, through the silence, the widows' whistle began to whine and a shape emerged, one that seemed cut out of something blacker than the night itself."

The Whistling has been on my TBR list for almost a year now, but I wanted to save it for the spooky season.  It is a wonderful novel, full of mystery and suspense.  Even better, this book is set in the 1800's, on a fictional Scottish island called Skelthsea, in a tumbling old manor house called Iskar.  It has all the wild weather of the Highlands and Islands, being very atmospheric in its descriptive passages, successfully transporting me from Yorkshire, to the wilds of Scotland as I read.

It tells the story of Elspeth, a young women recently bereaved of her father and sister and now all alone in the world. She moves to Iskar from Edinburgh, to take up the position of nanny to Mary, a nine year old girl who's twin brother has recently died. Their former nanny has disappeared, seemingly running off into the night, leaving the children to the care of their neglectful aunt. So Elspeth is eager to offer comfort to her sad young charge. 

She views Iskar and Skelthsea as a fresh start, perhaps even the possibility of a new adopted family, so she is keen to fit in and make friends on the island.  However, as with most parts of the Highlands and Islands, the locals do not take kindly to strangers, not even the new nanny.  The maid, Greer, is openly hostile and the islanders are full of gossip, claiming that young Mary is in league with the devil and that no nanny can save her from her wicked ways. Furthermore, Mary hasn't spoken a word since the death of her brother, so Elspeth has her work cut out trying to win her trust and build a bond with her. 

This is a novel full of wild storms and howling winds rattling Victorian window panes; of malevolent witchcraft and sinister haunting; of superstitions and isolation.  It explores the damage malicious gossip can do within the small community of a tiny island, because where people suspect witchcraft, surely there must be a witch to hold accountable, even if the suspected witch is just a child? Elspeth has to protect Mary from these rumors and superstitions, and get her to talk or else she is likely to be sent to an asylum on the mainland. 

At it's heart, this is a novel about grief and loss and being haunted by the past.  Who is the lady who stalks the corridors of Iskar at night, singing lullabies? What is the meaning of the high, fluting whistling that wings its way to the house on the wind from the stone circle of Fiaclach? As both Espeth and Mary deal with their personal griefs in different ways, the mystery unfolds around them and the various secrets of Skethsea Island begin to come to light.  

The Whistling is a glorious Gothic novel, part mystery-thriller, part ghost story, it rattles along at a good pace. If you like the novels of Laura Purcell, or you enjoy reading books such as The Haunting Season, or The Lighthouse Witches, then I think you will like The Whistling.  It is the perfect Scottish ghostly tale to snuggle under the covers with this Halloween night! Whatever you are doing this evening, have a blessed Samhain 🎃

BB Marie x

AD: This book was sent to me by the publisher for the purposes of review. It is available now in both hard cover, audio and digital formats.