About the Book:
You knew a teenager like Charlie Crabtree. A dark imagination, a sinister smile–always on the outside of the group. Some part of you suspected he might be capable of doing something awful. Twenty-five years ago, Crabtree did just that, committing a murder so shocking that it’s attracted that strange kind of infamy that only exists on the darkest corners of the internet–and inspired more than one copycat.
Paul Adams remembers the case all too well: Crabtree–and his victim–were Paul’s friends. Paul has slowly put his life back together. But now his mother, old and senile, has taken a turn for the worse. Though every inch of him resists, it is time to come home.
It’s not long before things start to go wrong. Reading the news, Paul learns another copycat has struck. His mother is distressed, insistent that there’s something in the house. And someone is following him. Which reminds him of the most unsettling thing about that awful day twenty-five years ago.
It wasn’t just the murder.
It was the fact that afterward, Charlie Crabtree was never seen again…
My Review:
I can very rarely read a book in one day but once I started ‘The Shadows’, I was swept up into the spooky novel and could not put it down! More of a thriller than a horror story, this book is perfect for fans of true crime as well as suspense novels.
Paul Adams has returned to his small hometown due to the sudden illness of his mother. He has not been back in many years, determined to put the past firmly behind him. A horrific murder shocked the town as well as Paul, who was scarred by his friendships with the accused killers.
The author really turns up the chills for this story and creates a wonderfully atmospheric and suspenseful story. Told in multiple timelines, the story begins with the shocking murder many years before and weaves together present-day crimes, as well as the perspectives of the detective racing to solve the crimes and Paul’s increasing fears. Is he imagining someone following him or could it really be the evil figure imagined by his friend Charlie all those years ago?
“You might have removed yourself from the game, he seemed to be saying. But the game isn’t finished with you yet.”
Paul and his friends had kept “dream journals” at the urging of Charlie, the sinister ringleader of the small group of friends. Paul breaks free of his spell but Charlie disappeared suddenly years ago and Paul fears he is back, taunting him. Detective Amanda Beck suspects the same thing. As painful as it might be, Paul knows he must re-live many traumatic memories in order to get at the truth.
The suspense and mystery is non-stop. The author slowly reveals the truth about Paul, his past and the creepy Charlie. There are lots of shockers in ‘The Shadows’ and I loved every twist and turn! This is a dark book, but the story is so creative and atmospheric that I wold love to see this made into a movie. The concept of “lucid dreaming” was fascinating! Highly recommend this one to all fans of mystery and suspense.
(ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
