Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman

Synopsis

Inspired by the McMartin preschool trials and the Satanic Panic of the ‘80s, the critically acclaimed author of The Remaking delivers another pulse pounding, true-crime-based horror novel.

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Richard doesn’t have a past. For him, there is only the present: a new marriage to Tamara, a first chance at fatherhood to her son Elijah, and a quiet but pleasant life as an art teacher at Elijah’s elementary school in Danvers, Virginia. Then the body of a rabbit, ritualistically murdered, appears on the school grounds with a birthday card for Richard tucked beneath it. Richard doesn’t have a birthday—but Sean does . . .

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Sean is a five-year-old boy who has just moved to Greenfield, Virginia, with his mother. Like most mothers of the 1980s, she’s worried about bills, childcare, putting food on the table . . . and an encroaching threat to American life that can take the face of anyone: a politician, a friendly neighbor, or even a teacher. When Sean’s school sends a letter to the parents revealing that Sean’s favorite teacher is under investigation, a white lie from Sean lights a fire that engulfs the entire nation—and Sean and his mother are left holding the match.

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Now, thirty years later, someone is here to remind Richard that they remember what Sean did. And though Sean doesn’t exist anymore, someone needs to pay the price for his lies.

Overall Rating

4/5

Spooky Rating

2/5

Quick Take

Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman is a haunting and heartbreaking take on the Satanic Panic of the 80s. While it didn’t feel like a horror novel to me, I am very familiar with the true crime case it is based on, and I enjoyed the unique take on it.

Tell Me More

“What happens if you believe in a lie, believe it with every fiber of your body? Does it become real, somehow? Does the lie become the truth? Your truth?”

Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman

I admit that I picked this one up because of the cover. The image of the kids circling a pentagram was fantastic, and I was intrigued by the Satanic Panic concept of the story. I have studied the case that this book was inspired by extensively, and I found it intriguing how it was told from the perspective of Richard – one of the children who accused their teacher of abuse. But instead of focusing primarily on Richard as a child, it pinpointed his perspective as an adult. Alternating chapters revealed flashbacks to his experience as a kid, and the chapters changed perspectives from first person to third throughout. This may bother some readers, but I ultimately found it helpful because it separated Richard’s adult and childhood experiences.

This book was definitely more of a psychological thriller and faux true crime than outright horror, and it was ultimately heartbreaking. Without revealing too much, it focuses on how the Satanic Panic and influence of urging children to say certain things about their teacher ruined so many lives. There were quite a few twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, and I loved the suspense. McLeod Chapman has a quirky voice that made his writing fun to read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is my first book by him, and it certainly won’t be my last! If you like unreliable narrators and psychological thrillers that mirror real cases, then you simply must read this book. It was unexpectedly filled with true to life horror and heart.

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 ADDED BONUS: I appreciated the author’s note and reading/viewing list that were included in the back of the book. They provide more information on the Satanic Panic and the case that influenced this book. It was a great add on!

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