Nick Medina Has a New Horror on the Horizon — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

“The Whistler,” Nick Medina author photo.Photo:Penguin Random House; Ashley Suttor

Penguin Random House; Ashley Suttor

Nick Medinais returning to his roots once more with his latest thrilling novel,The Whistler.

Penguin Random House

The Whistlerhits shelves on Sept. 23 and PEOPLE can exclusively reveal both the creepy cover as well as an early excerpt.

Turn on all of the lights and read an exclusive excerpt below.

Nick Medina.Ashley Suttor

Ashley Suttor

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His eyes snap open and all he knows is fear.

Whether the distress Henry feels manifested before he woke in response to a nightmare he can’t remember or if it only flooded his body the instant his eyelids went up isn’t clear, nor is it important for him to figure out. What is important is how he’ll escape. If he ever can.

He tries to move his arms, but they’re buried beneath the blanket, a thousand pounds heavier than when he went to bed, pinning his arms to his sides. Even if he could move them, they’d do little good because his legs aren’t moving either and without them, he’s stuck, as if the mattress were made of quicksand, as if the sheet beneath him were one large piece of flypaper.

The figure standing at the foot of Henry’s bed, however, has no problem moving at all.

A canvas of black, it’s long, lean and silent. It might not even have a mouth. Its arms dangle from shoulders that look sturdy and strong.

He tries to swallow, but still he’s rendered silent, as if he and the shadow man have become reflections of each other. Except the figure can move. It takes another step closer, pressing its thighs against the foot of the bed.

Just breathe, Henry tells himself. Because he won’t last long if he doesn’t do that. But maybe that would be better, he thinks. To let himself asphyxiate before the shadow man can inflict a fate much worse. It’s not the first time he’s had thoughts like that. Sometimes he wishes he would have winked out before he got to know the meaning of hell on earth. He’s often wondered if the Reaper’s hand would be gentler than the impact of a fiery car crash or a freefall from the top of a tall building.

Henry breathes. He gasps. The blanket pulls tighter. They told him to close his eyes and count during moments like this, when the panic becomes so overwhelming that doom seems certain and inescapable. But he can’t close his eyes now. Not with the specter looming over him.

source: people.com