The Shadow Friend

About the book

The latest spine-chilling novel from Alex North, acclaimed author of the bestseller The Whisper Man, delves into the haunting tale of teenager Charlie Crabtree. With a twisted imagination and a sinister smile, Charlie always stood apart from the crowd. There was a nagging feeling that he was capable of something horrific, and that intuition proved true twenty-five years ago when Crabtree committed a shocking murder that sparked an online infamy and inspired sinister imitators.

The case hits close to home for Paul Adams, who once counted Crabtree and the murder victim as friends. After rebuilding his life, Paul is reluctantly drawn back to his hometown to care for his ailing mother, who is battling dementia. But trouble soon descends upon his return as Detective Amanda Beck investigates a new copycat crime in nearby Featherbank, his mother becomes increasingly paranoid about a presence in the house, and Paul senses he is being followed - a chilling reminder of the mysteries surrounding that fateful day long ago.

What haunts Paul the most about the tragic event is not just the gruesome murder, but the fact that Charlie Crabtree vanished without a trace, never to be seen again.