When Shadows Burn
Both eerie and lighthearted, the novel When Shadows Burn ties mysteries from the past into contemporary small-town disappearances.
A man investigates the haunted house from his childhood in Todd Brown’s supernatural thriller When Shadows Burn.
Adrift in his career, Tim, who hosts a true crime podcast, thinks that his hometown, Raven’s Cross, will inspire new work. While there, he clicks with Amanda, a local fan, and reconnects with an old teacher, Bob. When townsfolk begin to vanish, Tim draws a connection to a mysterious disappearance in the 1930s. It all connects back to the Martian House, vacant for almost a hundred years—until now.
The story begins with perfect normalcy. Its pacing is luxurious and slow, with paranormal occurrences increasing in frequency and intensity as the novel goes on. Numerous overlapping mysteries keep the story intriguing, including the disappearances that Tim investigates and the uncanny new owners of the Martian House, who speak in stiff tones and pay for the estate in cash. All of this combines to form an eerie mood, though Tim’s humor keeps the tone light overall.
Tim is an engaging narrator whose job as a podcaster is a solid pretense for investigating the town’s mysteries. Amanda, at his opposite, grows from a naive fan into an assertive advocate with her own strong voice. And Bob, who’s mourning the loss of his wife, rounds out the central cast by discovering the thrill of adventure after being stuck in the stagnancy of grief. The three cover each other’s weaknesses and have delightful banter.
Minor characters add additional depth: Teresa, a doctor, counters Tim, Bob, and Amanda’s supernatural proclivities with no-nonsense repudiations based on science. Hank, who sets the tone in the regret-soaked prologue, feels desperate enough to take his own life and haunts his home, the Martian House, throughout the novel. Paranormal occurrences also flicker throughout, causing Tim, Bob, and Amanda to question their sense of reality.
The prose includes strong sensory details that flesh out Raven’s Cross as a depressing and decaying place. The Martian House is described as odorous and foul, with creepy flashes of light that make Tim wonder if the house has a mind of its own. The mysteries surrounding the house are advanced at a solid pace, and new discoveries arise as other questions are answered. Although the central mystery is wrapped up in a moving manner, other threads start to unravel to set up the book’s sequel.
When Shadows Burn is an engrossing supernatural thriller about the cult of small towns and the lengths people go to in order to belong.
Reviewed by
Leah Block
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
