The Dead Whisper On (Hardcover)

by T. L. Hines (Author)
Key Phrases: zombie guy, blast crew, shadow spiders, The Mint, Berkeley Pit, Old Faithful (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A miner-turned-garbage collector is the refreshingly different protagonist of this sophomore horror outing by Hines (Waking Lazarus). Chubby redhead Candace "Canada Mac" MacHugh drives a '72 Dodge Charger, lives in a hand-me-down trailer full of junk in Butte, Montana, and hears the voice of her father who died 11 years ago. It turns out her dad wants her to join him and some mysterious shadows of the presumed dead in what seem to be do-good missions. As Canada begins her first mission working with the shadows, Hines uses multiple points of view to show a town where people are spontaneously combusting and discerning good from evil is surprisingly difficult. Hines writes with wry humor and imagination, although the plot elements don't always transition smoothly. Some of the scenes are creative and metaphorical (a dream about Old Faithful); others are less successful, as when Canada reunites a little girl with her father in the aftermath of a tornado. The spiritual themes are more of the "good vs. evil" variety than overtly Christian. As the story ends, the symbolic nature of the malady striking the inhabitants of Butte might have been more powerful if not so clearly explained. Although the novel frays a bit at the edges, in his best moments, Hines brings to mind W. G. Griffiths (Driven).
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Review
"The Dead Whisper On will appeal to anyone who likes a good mystery with fast-paced action." -- Leslie Granier, readerviews.com

"... Hines has once again crafted a contemporary supernatural fantasy that will ensnare readers from the very beginning...." -- Kevin Lucia, infuzemag.com

"...a delightful type of creepy, not a lot of gore.... However, there were certainly some breathless scenes." -- fantasybookspot.com

"...a fast-paced thriller that chilled my soul and kept me awake at night." -- Lindsey Freitas, bookloons.com

"Hines has given us another complex thriller with The Dead Whisper On, with flawed but admirable, three-dimensional characters." -- Chris McCallister, rambles.net

"T.L. Hines has returned with a vengeance with his second novel.... a true nail biter from start to finish." -- Michelle Steffy, 1340mag.com

"The Dead Whisper On blows away most Christian supernatural thrillers.... I highly recommend it." -- Randy Brandt, Contend4TheFaith.org

"This is fresh and unique storytelling that fans of supernatural thrillers will love." -- Jake Chism, christianreviewofbooks.com

"Tony Hines, author of the acclaimed Waking Lazarus, raises the bar in his second novel, The Dead Whisper On." -- Cheryl Russell, titletrakk.com

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764202057
• ISBN-13: 978-0764202056
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #850,264 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Are You Listening?, August 1, 2007

By	Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Hines burst on the scene with an imaginative, yet gritty, suspense thriller called "Waking Lazarus." It was hailed by readers and critics, rightfully so. Now, with a second book under his belt, we're assured of more great stories.

This time, his protagonist is a woman named Canada, a citizen of Butte, Montana, who begins hearing the voice of her deceased father in the shadows. Soon, she is called into a secretive network, unaware that her whole life will be turned upside down--including everything she's believed about her parents, her past, and the future. "The Whisper On" lacks some of the breakneck pacing of "Waking Lazarus," but only because it takes longer for us to connect with the main character. Canada is a memorable figure, though, and we gain sympathy with her as the story moves along, as it becomes more personal.

Hines is a master craftsman, using active sentences and tight storytelling to propel the plot forward. By the story's end, he pulls out a few surprises, and even more significantly, attaches practical and spiritual meaning to the events in Butte, Montana. He refuses to let readers be merely entertained--though he does a great job of entertaining us. Mixing elements of Dean Koontz and Ted Dekker, Hines tells a story that is neither frivolous or preachy. He asks us to move beyond ourselves, to look beyond the shadows, and discover deeper meaning and purpose.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This Surprised Me!, October 24, 2007

By	Jennifer Donovan "www.jennifersnapshot.blogsp... (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book really surprised me! I am a former Stephen King reader. I love his storytelling and imagination, but after reading one of his newer novels, I remembered why I stopped reading them--they're just too crude and the language is so offensive.

I wasn't sure I what I expected when I began The Dead Whisper On, but when the supernatural plot elements began emerging, I was quite surprised. However, he wrote it all within a moderately Christian Worldview (nothing completely inappropriate, although some evil was presented). There was also no crude plot elements or bad language.

For me this did not stunt the story at all, but instead added to it immensely. The story was suspenseful, the characters were well-developed, and the ending wrapped things up without seeming at all contrived.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hines does it again! , October 18, 2007

By	Brian Reaves (Anniston, AL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

TL Hines has done a great job with this novel. I really enjoyed his first book, Waking Lazarus, and while this one isn't as good as his first, it's definitely worth the time. Canada MacHugh isn't your typical hero (she's an overweight red-headed garbage collector...that's what I call original!), but she has her good points when the time comes. The premise is awesome. When the book started out, I didn't think Hines would be able to pull this off, but he brings all the pieces together. He even manages to give "the Shadows" a reasonable explanation. I love the way he included real sites from Butte (look up the Berkeley Pit on the internet) to give it an authentic feel.

Hines is able to bring together some genuinely creepy moments (shadow spiders crawling all over someone), great characters (a golem named Keros), and a plausible explanation for it all. All in all, this is a fabulous thriller sure to please readers of Dean Koontz or Stephen King.