Mr. Whisper

Combining protagonists from multiple series, Andrew Mayne has created a spin-off series that will delight his followers. Mr. Whisper brings together Investigator Sloan McPherson with the Underwater Investigation Unit, former FBI Agent Jessica Blackwood, scientist Dr. Theo Cray, and corporate security expert and former counterintelligence operative Brad Trasker in a riveting thriller.

Sloan finds a vagrant suffering from amnesia living in a Florida swamp. After some investigation, she learns he disappeared thirty years ago from Oregon when he was a teenager. Meanwhile, Jessica and Theo have made a connection to another teenager who disappeared from the same town around the same time. Both kept journals and referred to a figure they called Mr. Whisper. The case is also getting attention from Brad, whose research is leading him to a manipulator of one of his company’s employees. Can the four identify and find this adversary or will they come under his control?

Sloan has good reflexes, amazing instincts, and doesn’t shirk responsibility. She also has a discerning sense of justice and determination that makes it easy for readers to get behind. She’s impulsive, blunt, and improvises which can lead to taking risks. Jessica has a charismatic intensity, but tries to stay out of the spotlight. She’s curious and empathetic, making her a good interviewer. Theo cares deeply, but has a reputation for being aloof. He has a clinical inquisitiveness and is practical, but tends to either be blunt and overshare or obtuse and withholding everything. Brad is proactive, a skilled liar, and has a great memory.

The first chapter hooked me and kept me in suspense. The story leaves readers hanging for details of the aftermath each time it shifts focus and locale. The plot is multi-layered and has twists and turns to keep a reader guessing. While the story moves from location to location and investigator to investigator, they finally join forces to track down Mr. Whisper. This serpentine approach may slow the pace for some readers. Most of this book is about the investigation with the main action scenes at the end of the novel. Mayne is an exceptional storyteller who provides readers with gripping scenes, even without the usual action throughout the book. My biggest quibble is one part of the final scene that I wanted more closure on, but that may be the thread for the beginning of the next novel.

Some of the plot twists were harder to see than others and made for a more intense novel. However, I did guess who the antagonist was relatively early in the story. The book is moving and suspenseful. Additional themes woven into the story include protecting the vulnerable, science at all costs, and much more.

Overall, this entertaining and engaging book has great characterization, a thought-provoking premise, and an intriguing mystery. Those who enjoy the author’s other series will likely enjoy this start to a spin-off series. I am looking forward to the next book.

All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 1, 2025.