About This Book
A parent might reach for this book when they notice their teenager is retreating into themselves, perhaps harboring a secret or feeling overwhelmed by a past social mistake. Diane Hoh's classic thriller centers on Shea Fallon, a girl who believes she has successfully hidden a lapse in judgment until an anonymous caller begins whispering her secret back to her. While the plot moves with the tension of a 90s slasher film, the underlying emotional resonance lies in the suffocating weight of guilt and the paranoia that comes with losing one's privacy. It is an ideal pick for ages 12 and up, offering a safe, fictional space to discuss the very real consequences of secrets and the restorative power of honesty. Parents can use this story as a bridge to talk about how shame can distort our perception of safety and why coming clean, though difficult, is often the only way to silence the 'whisperer' of one's own conscience.
