Review of The Hidden Whisper

The Hidden Whisper is an interesting, fast-paced detective story with a paranormal twist. The author, JJ Lumsden, is a professional parapsychologist and full member of the Parapsychogical Association, giving his story the depth, realism and unique perspective from his own experience in the field. The setting and the characters are well established, with a dash of humor in just the right spots. The story starts off a little uneven, with scenes and characters flashing by as the author sets the stage for all the characters from several different angles and settings, but as the story progresses, the characters and settings take on a cohesive life of their own.

The main character is a parapsychologist, who is asked to investigate an apparent haunting while visiting his grandmother deep in the Arizona desert. This favor is asked of him right as a close relative of his has died. The investigation pulls him from his family, creating friction that adds a depth of character and history to the story beyond a mere detective story.

The investigation itself is a clever detective story, with the parapsychologist scrutinizing every angle and following the branching pathways of a true mystery, from strange haunting sounds in the night to engaging in fisticuffs and frightening encounters in dark parking lots. The overarching feel of the paranormal, combined with an underlying menace that the reader is drawn into, is complimented nicely with the shoe-leather detective style of the parapsychologist investigator.

Beyond an interesting and captivating story, the author also successfully adds an extra dimension that provides his readers with an excellent education in the basics of real life parapsychology. Footnotes during the story lead the reader to a broad and satisfying glossary of relevant information from the field of parapsychology. The glossary is full of interesting information, stories, and details about parapsychology and its critics, as well as supplying a large number of further reading references.

Skeptics and believers in the paranormal alike will enjoy JJ Lumsden’s The Hidden Whisper; it contains elements that will appeal to everyone.

Mark Wilson

*Mark Wilson is an avid reader of fiction and science, and is a writer of short stories. He is an information technology professional with an interest in the paranormal.