Pretty good, definitely saw a good bit of it coming from the beginning. ( )

I enjoyed this book. The expressions of doubt made be these strong women are spot on and are applicable to all women. ( )

(I am using this book for my "Beach Read" Category of Extreme Book Nerd. Because I read it at the pool. Pool. Beach. Same thing. ;)

"Whisper Network" was Reese Witherspoon's July book club pick. I had hopes for it. It's four women who have their own #metoo battles on their hands. And then there is a murder mystery midway through the novel. It is a novel that advocates for better workplace treatment for ALL individuals--men and women, bigwigs and custodial staff.....It is very timely in the subject matter.

However, I did not feel any of the characters were likable. The story was all over the place. It was almost TOO in your face. I wouldn't reread it. ( )

A little transparent but there was one little bombshell that I didn't see coming. It did feel like the author saved all the good stuff until the end, and then dropped it all in quick succession. I would have like to see a little more thoughtfulness in tying up the loose ends. Also I think it would have been interesting to have had a little of Ames's perspective - he was kind of a one note character and I didn't really feel one way or the other about him until the very end, it wasn't a very convincing characterization of an evil man. Four stars for women standing up for themselves and for Sloane's daughter punching her bully in the face - TWICE! ( )

It all started in a bathroom stall and an overheard conversation about a list of men.

A group of women taking the “Good Ol’ Boys” network and flipping it to their advantage. Whisper Network is a book of the times we live in. A warning, an awareness, a standing together.

With so many possible suspects how can we ever pinpoint the killer? ( )

This was a decent read. There were multiple main characters which always takes me a bit to get into and figure out. There was also a lot of commentary about sexism, which is clearly the major plotline of the book jumping on the Me Too bandwagon, and I found all of that interesting but the book just felt somehow longer than it actually was. Still, I liked it and would recommend it but think it would make an even better movie. ( )

Interesting story but the pace was pretty slow in the beginning and the characters were not very sympathetic despite the subject matter (sexual harassment). It got better towards the end, but it did strain credulity as everything was wrapping up. ( )

We knew we shouldn’t be ashamed. We weren’t ashamed. We were grown-ass women—which is obviously why we paraded to the restrooms with tampons secretly stuffed into our cardigan sleeves as though we were spies delivering encrypted information.
....We pretended that all of this was a myth. That we had neither fallopian tubes, nor menstrual cycles, nor breasts, nor moods, nor children. And then we took it as a compliment when one of the men in the office told us we had balls. So, tell us again how this wasn’t a man’s world.”
― Chandler Baker, Whisper Network

My review:

This book sinks its teeth into you and does not take them out until your finished.

Whisper Network was a sensational read. It had been on my radar but not strongly. Now I do wish I'd read it sooner.

I agree with everything GR fans have said about how timely this book is in the age of the Me Too movement. But I also have to give props for how WELL she nails EVERYTHING. Everything about being a woman.

I am currently not working but I used to work in the corporate world. I do not mind admitting I LOATHED it. Everything about it. The "corporate culture", the office politics, the brown nosing. I am not made for that world and it never came easily to me.

I however was not sexually harassed at work. I actually had wonderful bosses for much of my career. I know people that have been though.

The atmosphere of SAMENESS and the repetitive aspect of office work are nailed down perfectly even without the harassment element. I love the quotes, the social commentary. I can relate to hating Sundays and the upcoming dread of the work week. And the misery.

But the power imbalance...and how effectively men utilize it...is just done flawlessly were. Ames could be the carbon copy of the Rich and spoiled Boss, the wealthy man who does not give a shit about anybody and is to world weary to even attempt to hide it.

Of the women, they all had good and bad aspects. I liked Ardie very much and related to her greatly. I was a bit touched by Grace and her obvious innocence. I could not stand Cathryn.

This is not for everybody. It is long and wordy and rather gloomy...but it is also so visceral in that any woman who has suffered the corporate world and looked around and thought "is this all there is"? will no doubt love this. It is a long read. I read it in one night.

I do not really give five's all that much but this is a well deserved five. Yet I get why some would not like i t.

I also like that the book showed the good and bad in most of its characters. All men are not portrayed as evil . Which is good. Although I love the movement I do sometimes wonder if it has gone to far. I remember many years ago when the North Carolina Duke University students were accused of gang rape and I was outraged and calling for their immediate arrest. Then we learned it was not true. It shook me up and I don't mind saying I have been a bit more cautious since. I know the majority of accusations are true but not all. I do hold the belief that not all men are evil and some are wrongly accused. We cannot forget that aspect.

But women are discriminated against in so many ways. I remember in one of my jobs I would make up excuses not to go tho the holiday parties because I was the only single person in that office....I have seen competent women who are also spectacular workers not get promotions....and I have seen women are ARE harassed and I have seen it destroy their lives. Whisper Network shows readers the good, the bad and the VERY ugly about the ins and outs of corporations.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is so compelling and shows more than almost any book I have read, what it is to be a woman....and sometimes it isn't pretty. Whisper Network may anger you, or sadden you or empower you but it will also make you feel KNOWN and any book that can do that is an easy five stars. ( )

Good premise but the writing and tone annoyed me. ( )

Ich fand dieses Buch sehr interessant und wirklich gut gemacht.
Es geht um eine Me-Too-Geschichtee in einem großen Sportunternehmen in Dallas, einer Branche, die die Autorin aufgrund ihrer eigenen Tätigkeit dort gut kennt.
Sie stellt viele subtile und weniger subtile Formen dar, wie Frauen klein gehalten oder auch missbraucht werden.
Ich fand das Buch zwar etwas lang, aber spannend und zum Teil fast unerträglich zu lesen. Aber es lohnt sich. ( )

FIRST OF ALL, TRIGGER WARNINGS: sexual abuse, abuse, manipulation, cheating, depression, post postpartum depression, etc.
Yes, I read this book because it was yet another Reese Witherspoon pick. And yes, I did that right after I swore I was done letting other people, including this person, pick my books for me. I will say, it was a pretty good mystery/thriller/true crime book. The last 100 pages or so had me at the edge of my seat. I guess I'm salty because the characters were all just terrible people. I wasn't invested in any of their stories and I honestly could not care less what happened to them. It WAS IMPORTANT that this book was about women empowerment and being able to speak up against abusers. I love that and I think it is important to keep the conversation about the subject open and supported. HOWEVER, the whole idea of women supporting women and women being heard WAS COMPLETELY ruined because the characters themselves were terrible people. TERRIBLE. Anyways, I recommend this book to people who love thrillers and who enjoy pretty shocking twists and turns. But please don't use this book as the number one example of feminism or women supporting women or anything like that. ( )

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook of Whisper Network by Chandler Baker.
First, I don't know why, but the audiobook left out words when listening at 2.5 or 3x speed in the NetGalley app. So, I had to listen at 2x speed which is slow for me.
Now, onto the book. The story, while important, was a miss for me. Whispers around the office of sexual harrassment, yet no one comes forward. Everyone knows what is going on, but fearful for their jobs, they don't speak out.
This book tries to address too many issues: Postpartum depression, cyberbullying, sexual harrassment, rape, revenge, women supporting/not supporting women, work/life balance, wives making more than their husbands, affairs, women not being paid similar to their male counterparts. and more, it was exhausting.
I thought the best part of the book was the author's note at the end when she relates her own experience. ( )

I picked this up because it's the July pick for "Reese's Book Club" and I absolutely see why - it's "Big Little Lies" in the #metoo era. Part murder mystery, part social commentary, part manifesto on what it means to be a woman in the workplace, "The Whisper Network" will go down as a timely, sharp thriller. I expect to see it optioned for television sometime soon (with Reese playing Sloane!). ( )

Há anos, Sloane, Ardie e Gracie trabalham juntas em uma empresa de roupas esportivas. As três sempre se ajudaram, passando por promoções empolgantes, reuniões intermináveis, casamento, maternidade, divórcio e os desafios impostos pela política no escritório. Elas também têm seus segredos e cada uma fez algo de que se arrepende.

Com a morte repentina do presidente da empresa, tudo indica que Ames, o chefe delas, será alçado à liderança da companhia. Ames é um homem complicado, que as três conhecem há muito tempo e que sempre esteve cercado por sussurros a respeito do tratamento que dispensa às subordinadas. Esses sussurros vinham sendo ignorados, varridos para debaixo do tapete e acobertados por aqueles que estão no poder.

Depois de descobrirem que Ames adotou uma conduta inaceitável em relação a uma nova funcionária, elas decidem falar. E essa decisão provoca uma mudança catastrófica no escritório. Mentiras serão reveladas. Segredos serão expostos. E nem todo mundo sobreviverá. Suas vidas — como mulheres, colegas, mães, esposas, amigas e até adversárias — estão prestes a mudar drasticamente.

Reads like post- #MeToo, "Lean In," Chick-Lit Don't get me wrong. The message and details about how women wind up doing twice the work for half the pay is very real and important.

The plot seems more like the framework for a polemic than a narrative arc while the male characters seem to be depicted as either Disney villains or feminist-leaning princes.

Fair narration. ( )

Review to come. Audiobook. ( )

If this were not about lawyers I would have enjoyed it more. Some of it was a bit dry for my taste. ( )

I was very excited to read this book as it seemed focused around such an important and timely topic especially during the #metoo movement...office politics, the expectations, the way women are treated differently in professional situations and sexual harassment.

I initially struggled through the beginning of this book and felt many of the characters and plot line were hard to differentiate between. This was definitely a slow burn and although there is a mystery element to this story, where it shined the most was through the personal stories of these strong women.

I would have loved for the author to go a bit deeper in some of these situations because some of it was glossed over in order to keep the story flowing. I do appreciate that Baker was able to take on such a powerful and important topic with her engaging storytelling. This would be a great pick for a summer beach read or a great book club conversation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Iron books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. ( )

This is more like 4.5 stars. Fresh, original, unpredictable, timely, and excellently plotted. ( )

It took me a while to get through this one but that is because I am a new mother and having to make time to read. ( )

The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker is a 2019 Flatiron Books publication.

A scathing, darkly humorous novel of suspense-

When the CEO of Truviv, Inc. dies suddenly, his probable replacement, Ames, is a man who has been the subject of whispers amongst female employees about his dubious treatment of women. His possible promotion has placed four women, in particular, on edge.

Sloane, Ardie, Grace, and Rosalita have each had a relationship of sorts with Ames over the years. Knowing his proclivities, they decide to prevent him from adding another notch on his belt by protecting the newest female hired at the company from his advances. However, their plans seem to have gone awry...

I've had this book on my TBR list for over a year. I'm still trying to find books that will take my mind off the headlines, which means I'm not always grabbing the newest releases anymore. This book had an interesting premise, so I plucked it out of the middle of the pile, and thankfully it was a good choice. This book challenged me enough to hold my attention from start to finish.

One reason why the story was able to distract me so thoroughly, was the author's unusual presentation, which, apart from using traditional dialogue- depositions, interviews, and other devices are employed to further the story along. This approach kept me guessing and on my toes.

One small downside is that while the book is a mystery and can be suspenseful at times, it's not a thriller in the traditional sense. The pacing in not overly brisk, and there is very little action. It's more of a story that delves into various issues women cope with, in and out of the workplace- both in the past and the present.

While acknowledging some progress, the challenges women face is a constant battle, with lots of room for improvement. It is also a lesson on how to recognize the signs of harassment and bullying to prevent future generations from experiencing the same treatment.

An added bonus for me was the setting- Dallas, Texas- which is within driving distance from my location and so I am pretty familiar with some of the landmarks mentioned.

The book is spot-on in many ways, and definitely depicts the need for a #MeToo movement. It is certainly thought-provoking and I think many women can relate to these characters in one way or another, understanding the pressure to look and behave in a certain way, as well as the subtle and not so subtle forms of harassment that cause so many conflicted emotions and even guilt.

The dialogue is witty, sharp, snarky, and occasionally laugh out loud funny. The characters develop nicely, and the format is fresh and unique.

Overall, this is a timely and relevant story that tackles heavier issues in a stylish and entertaining format.

4 stars ( )

A compelling story

The concept for Whisper Network is not a new one, and it works well for the story that Whisper Network tells. If you like contemporary thrillers, you should check out Whisper Network! ( )

Yes and no, but mostly no. Yes it was a pretty accurate commentary on the stresses of balancing demanding careers and family life. Yes it was an interesting portrayal of the contemporary white collar work environment for women. And yes it a sharp account of sexual harassment pervasion in the workplace. No for those self-important philosophical musings introducing most chapters that I found annoying --reminded me of whats her face narrating on Greys Anatomy). No for the again self-important length of it all. The author did not have to do so much description of their daily life just to develop their personalities. I found it a real slug to get through. No to the sloppiness of the structure which waffled between the mystery on the one hand, which was kept alive by the interjections of the interviews and depositions, and on the other, the lengthy narrative of the friends interactions and personal difficulties. The book picked up at the end as the legal problems came to a suspenseful head, and I stayed up to find out how it all turned out. But no I can't say the solution to the mystery made complete sense (making x's betrayal far riskier than group solidarity) ( )

Pretty good story of four corporate female attorneys, their lives and history....three are long time buds and the fourth is hired. They all have history with the upper echelon, one way or another. They have put up with the sexual harrassment, until pushed a bit too far. Pretty good story. If I didn't have the distraction of the pandemic, I may have rated it higher as I would have not read so frangmented. ( )

This was fantastic, I was hooked from the first page. I loved the characters and the portrayal of sexual harassment and what it's like to be a woman in the workplace. Everything felt very real and I really enjoyed all the twists in the plot. ( )