The Whistler - by Nick Medina (Hardcover)

About the Book

"For fear of summoning evil spirits, Native superstition says you should never, ever whistle at night. Henry Hotard was on the verge of fame, gaining a following and traction with his eerie ghost-hunting videos. Then his dreams came to a screeching halt. Now, he's learning to navigate a new life in a wheelchair, back on the reservation where he grew up, relying on his grandparents' care while he recovers. And he's being haunted. His girlfriend, Jade, insists he just needs time to adjust to his new reality as a quadriplegic, that it's his traumatized mind playing tricks on him, but Henry knows better. As the specter haunting him creeps closer each night, Henry battles to find a way to endure, to rid himself of the horror stalking him. Worried that this dread might plague him forever, he realizes the only way to exile his phantom is by confronting his troubled past and going back to the events that led to his injury. It all started when he whistled at night..."--

Book Synopsis

A young man is haunted by a mythological specter bent on stealing everything he loves in this unsettling horror from the author of Indian Burial Ground and Sisters of the Lost Nation.

As featured in People ∙ Men's Health ∙ Chicago Tribune ∙ Paste Magazine ∙ and more!

For fear of summoning evil spirits, Native superstition says you should never, ever whistle at night.

Henry Hotard was on the verge of fame, gaining a following and traction with his eerie ghost-hunting videos. Then his dreams came to a screeching halt. Now, he's learning to navigate a new life in a wheelchair, back on the reservation where he grew up, relying on his grandparents' care while he recovers.

And he's being haunted.

His girlfriend, Jade, insists he just needs time to adjust to his new reality as a quadriplegic, that it's his traumatized mind playing tricks on him, but Henry knows better. As the specter haunting him creeps closer each night, Henry battles to find a way to endure, to rid himself of the horror stalking him. Worried that this dread might plague him forever, he realizes the only way to exile his phantom is by confronting his troubled past and going back to the events that led to his injury.

It all started when he whistled at night....

Review Quotes

"Truly spooky, with a gasp-inducing twist."
--People

"In Nick Medina's chilling novel, a man's quest for fame takes a dark turn, exacting a price far greater than he ever anticipated. The Whistler deftly blends mythology and horror while offering a stark reminder that the worst fates are often born of our own actions. Terrifying, thrilling, and thought-provoking all at once."
--Monika Kim, international bestselling author of The Eyes are the Best Part

"If you whistle in the dark, something might just whistle back....With it comes Native American folklore given a dark and contemporary twist, characters that are painfully human, and an unflinching look at living with life-altering disabilities. The Whistler will sink its claws in you and refuse to let you go."
--Daphne Fama, author of House of Monstrous Women

"One of the best writers of Indigenous horror working right now, Nick Medina takes on what might be his most conceptually challenging book yet with The Whistler . . . Whether you're new to Medina or looking for another banger from the author, don't miss it."
--Paste Magazine

"The Whistler is an ambitious spooky, sweat drenching horror-mystery. Medina has crafted heart-stopping prose that will have you imagining weird whistles and terror induced nightmares sure to disrupt a good night's sleep. Fans of Medina will enjoy characters from Medina's past novels as they make appearances in The Whistler throughout the story. As he does in all his novels, Medina explores social issues unique to Native Americans in addition to the challenges people with disabilities face."
--The Gloss

"This isn't your standard haunted--The Whistler is slower-burning, psychologically jagged horror grounded in Native beliefs and modern dread. Medina, author of Sisters of the Lost Nation, knows how to craft folklore into something frighteningly personal. And trust: after this one, you'll think twice before whistling at anything after dark."
--Daily Mom

About the Author

Born in Chicago, Illinois, and a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, Nick Medina writes horror, crime, and mystery fiction that pairs social issues with local and Native American folklore. In addition to writing, he enjoys live music, ghost stories, and spending time with family. The Whistler is his third novel.