“A creepy abduction drama”: The Whisper Man is the “superb” Netflix crime thriller with a “terrifying” twist
Imagine moving to a new town only to have your worst nightmare become a reality. In Netflix’s creepy new abduction drama, The Whisper Man, widowed crime writer Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott) experiences exactly that when his eight-year-old son, Jake, vanishes into thin air. Think Girl Taken meets Black Phone and add in a terrifying twist – and you’re getting warm.
You see, Tom is forced to reach out to his estranged dad and retired detective Peter Willis (Robert De Niro) for help, who discovers a link between Jake’s disappearance and a decades-old case of a convicted serial killer nicknamed “The Whisper Man”. The latter, however, was supposedly imprisoned years ago – so can it really be him?
While we wait for The Whisper Man to arrive on our screens, here’s everything you need to know about the crime thriller, including the plot, cast and release date.
What is The Whisper Man about?
Netflix
Based on Alex North’s 2019 best-selling novel of the same name, the upcoming crime thriller stars Oscar winner Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott tells the story of an eerie abduction case. It all starts whem, after the death of his wife, crime writer Tom Kennedy (Adam Scott) and his young son Jake move to a sleepy town in hopes of a fresh start.
But the town holds a dark secret. Two decades ago, a serial killer kidnapped and murdered five young boys. He was nicknamed “The Whisper Man” due to the way he lured his victims out of their windows at night. Although The Whisper Man has long been caught and imprisoned, children start disappearing not long after Tom and Jake move into their new home.
Netflix
When 8-year-old Jake becomes one of them, Tom turns to his estranged father Peter Willis (Robert De Niro), a retired police officer, for help and they soon discover a link between the disappearance and the decades-old murders committed by The Whisper Man. But can they catch him for a second time?
Speaking to USA Today, star Adam Scott explained: “I don’t think you have to have children to connect to the total emotional and physical nightmare of your child being abducted and not knowing where your kid is and whether or not your kid is safe. There’s this complete powerlessness when everything is up in the air and everything connected to your child is a total mystery.”
Who’s in the cast of The Whisper Man?
Netflix
The star-studded cast of The Whisper Man includes:
- Robert De Niro (Heat, The Irishman)
- Adam Scott (Severance, Big Little Lies)
- Michelle Monaghan (The White Lotus, Gone Baby Gone)
- Hamish Linklater (Nickel Boys, Midnight Mass)
- Owen Teague (It)
- Acston Luca Porto (Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado)
- Will Brill (The OA, The Eyes of My Moth)
Is Alex North’s book, The Whisper Man, any good?
Yes – if you’re a fan darl, twisty reads, you’ll enjoy The Whisper Man. Despite being author Alex North’s debut novel, it’s proved a huge hit with fans with readers saying they “blew through it at record speed”. It’s an unnerving tale of grief, fatherhood and murder that deserves plenty of praise.
How can I watch The Whisper Man?
The Whisper Man will be available to watch on Netflix on Friday 28th August.
What other crime thrillers can I watch now?
Ben Blackall
We can’t talk about crime thrillers without bringing up Harlan Coben’s collection. Hidden gem The Five is his first original TV drama and follows four childhood friends who, now all grown up, are forced to revisit a tragedy from their past and it’s as twisty as you’d expect. The Five is available to watch now on Sky. We’d also recommend The Ring, which follows lawyer, Anna (Hannah Hoekstra) who steals her client’s ring in a moment of weakness. Unfortunately for her, her victim, Simon (Benja Bruijning), saw it all unfold on camera. The Ring is available to watch on Channel 4.
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