I'm determined to keep an open book—pun intended—when it comes to discovering new authors and their work. In the past, there lurked a demon within me that compelled me to judge a book by its cover or title before even glancing at the blurb. A nasty, unnecessary habit that I’m trying to shake. There's an undeniable charm in the hand-drawn and hand-painted covers of yesteryears, a soulfulness that the sleek, polished designs of today—often crafted by computer algorithms—just can’t replicate. Because of this penchant for aesthetics, I almost let Nick Medina’s The Whistler slip through the cracks while browsing for upcoming titles, dismissing it due to its generic cover. But luckily, I paused and delved into the blurb, which intrigued me enough to pick it up. Little did I know, I was getting both a prequel and a sequel to his previous work, Indian Burial Ground, [*] which has now shot to the top of my reading list.
The story revolves around Henry Hotard, a man on the brink of fame, known for his spooky ghost-hunting videos. He seemed to be on the cusp of something extraordinary—until everything came crashing down. Now, confined to a wheelchair in the very reservation where he grew up, he's learning to navigate life anew, depending on his grandparents for care as he recuperates. But there's more than just physical recovery at play; he’s haunted, quite literally. His girlfriend, Jade, tries to be understanding, attributing the eerie happenings to his traumatized psyche adjusting to his new reality as a quadriplegic. Yet Henry knows the truth; the specter stalking him grows bolder with each passing night, compelling him to confront the harrowing events that led him to this point. Somewhere along the way, it all began with a whistle in the darkness….
BY: Charlaine Harris
