Caffeinated Reviewer | Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan
23rd Jun
Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan shares a suspenseful thriller set in Cooke County, Texas during the raining season. Ellen McKenna is trying to keep her family farm after the death of her husband and is being pressured by a wealthy investor. Suspense, danger, storms, and more kept me riveted.
Whisper Creek
by Allison Brennan
Genres: Thriller
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible | Libro.fm *affiliate
Rating: 
Allison Brennan delivers a pulse-pounding thriller about one family fighting for their land against both human enemies and Mother Nature.
After the sudden death of her husband, Ellen McKenna is doing everything she can to keep her Texas farm afloat. She and her family hope to expand their operation, but times are tough and making ends meet is more expensive than she imagined, much less trying to grow. Many of their neighbors in Cooke County have thrown in the towel and agreed to sell their farms to a local businessman, but despite similar pressure, Ellen refuses to let her dreams die.
On top of the usual hardships, a series of recent storms has left the region partly flooded, and as the heavy rain begins again one morning, all the members of the McKenna family jump into action to protect their land and animals. Ellen’s oldest son discovers an injured dog—and the dog leads him to a man barely clinging to life, the apparent victim of a brutal home invasion. Then, Ellen’s younger kids go to check on a nearby neighbor and walk into a threat none of them saw coming.
Before anyone can figure out what’s really going on in their idyllic rural valley, the storm picks up again in intensity, and the McKenna kids find themselves in over their heads with no way to call for help. To protect her farm–and her family—Ellen must face down all the forces trying to tear them apart.
Allison Brennan’s talent for twisty, tense pacing combines with a deeply drawn family drama and the unforgiving power of nature in this compelling standalone thriller.
If you are looking for a good standalone suspense thriller, you can’t go wrong with Whisper Creek. Allison Brennan lives on her family farm with her children and their grandmother. She is determined to keep the family farm despite outside pressure. It’s storm season in Cooke County, Texas, and flooding has been an issue. A series of events, beginning with vandalism and ending with a threat that could harm her family, the author delivered as the suspense built.
Each of the McKenna children finds trouble: Ellen is called out to check on a pregnant woman, a man is shot in his home during a home invasion, and a barn cat is missing. I loved not only the mystery and troubles surrounding the small county but also the part mother nature played in building the suspense and danger. It was atmospheric and got my heart racing as I became fully invested in the outcome.
I liked the McKenna family. Ellen is tough, but also looks out for her neighbors. We got to know most of the children and interacted with them as they became caught up in events. The grandmother was cantankerous but caring.
Aside from the mystery/suspense angle, the story focuses on family drama. It hits on loss, neighbors, coming of age, romance, and the struggles of farm life. I loved the different points of view, the twists, and the reveals. While the reader is aware of the villain learning, the why was intriguing.
If you are looking for an engaging thriller, I recommend Whisper Creek; it’s perfect for the beach or a rainy Sunday. I will definitely read more from this author.
About Allison Brennan
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Allison Brennan believes that life is too short to be bored, so she had five children and writes three books a year. 40 books and numerous short stories later, Allison relocated in 2019 from Northern California to Arizona with her husband and two youngest children. RT Book Reviews called Allison “a master of suspense” and her books “haunting,” “mesmerizing,” “pulse-pounding” and “emotionally complex.” She’s been nominated for many awards, and is a three time winner of the Reviewer’s Choice award winner for RT Book Reviews as well as the Daphne du Maurier award. Most recently, she was nominated for Best Paperback Original by International Thriller Writers.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat.
