★★★★★
Was it strange to think of the dead as friends?
25 years ago, Paul Adams experienced the worst day of his life.
One of his friends was ritualistically murdered by two other “friends” – Charlie Crabtree and Hague. The police pick up Hague and he goes to jail but Charlie was never found. Some say he’s been living out in the woods ever since.
Now, 25 years later, Paul’s mother is suffering from dementia and takes a spill down the stairs in Gritten (the hometown where the murder happened). She’s in hospice care and (reluctantly) Paul comes back to the town that haunted him so long ago.
The sky above was dark blue and speckled with a faint prickling of stars. No answers to be found.
Meanwhile, Detective Amanda from Featherbank stumbled upon a grisly/ritualistic murder – committed by two teens against a classmate. She ends up tracing it back to Charlie Crabtree – and Paul.
Through flashbacks, we learn that Charlie believed in lucid dreaming and that physical manifestations (and murders) are possible.
With Paul’s nightmare’s coming in faster and faster, he begins to wonder if Charlie was right all along.
What are you dreaming?
Just when I think the author couldn’t top the Whisper Man, this absolutely GORGEOUS gem shows up.
Stunning.
I loved how Alex North teeters on the edge of supernatural vs natural for his books – it’s so fun (and a lil bit spooky) to watch the characters navigate the world.
I enjoyed how the two storylines came together – with Detective Amanda and Paul circling each other and the events until they come together to solve the murder.
The flashbacks worked really well. Each time we went back in time, another kernel of truth was released. The pacing was perfect for this.
All in all, this was QUITE a fabulous book and I’m so excited to have read it.
I received a free physical copy of THE SHADOWS by Alex North from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Interested in this one from Alex North? Buy it here: Amazon
Miranda Reads 