Things Half in Shadow

Alan Finn

Dec 2014 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

Postbellum America makes for a haunting backdrop in this historical and supernatural tale of moonlit cemeteries, masked balls, cunning mediums, and terrifying secrets waiting to be unearthed by an intrepid crime reporter.

Edward Clark is a successful young crime reporter in comfortable circumstances with a lovely, well-connected fiancée. Then an assignment to write a series of exposés on the city’s mediums places all that in jeopardy.

In the Philadelphia of 1869, photographs of Civil War dead adorn dim sitting rooms, and grieving families attempt to contact their lost loved ones. Edward’s investigation of the beautiful young medium Lucy Collins has unintended consequences, however. He uncovers her tricks, but realizes to his dismay that Lucy is more talented at blackmail than she is at a medium’s sleights of hand. And since Edward has a hidden past, he reluctantly agrees that they should collaborate in exposing only her rivals.

The mysterious murder of noted medium Lenora Grimes Pastor as Lucy and Edward attend her séance results in a plum story for Edward—and a great deal more. The pair want to clear themselves from suspicion, but a search spanning the houses of the wealthy to the underside of nineteenth-century Philadelphia unearths a buzzing beehive of past murder, current danger, and supernatural occurrences that cannot be explained…

Ratings and reviews

I was really pulled into this story. This time period in America makes supernatural occurrences seem completely rational and acceptable. Mysticism, magic, mystery and chicanery combine to create a story full of action and excitement. I didn't want to put this one down. What I loved most of all where the main plot points that coalesced into the final conclusion. So many arcs, in fact, that there could be any number of spin off storylines. The main ending itself is so wide open for a sequel that just begs to be written. Capturing perfectly an America recovering from Civil War and the peoples looking to connect with those that are lost to the afterlife, the story centers itself on Mediums and their craft. Incorporating secret societies and some true supernatural elements lends an eeriness to this suspenseful tale. Carriage chases and deadly fights offer enough action to make the pages fly by too quickly. From the flowing dialog and well researched background to the inclusion of historical figures everything goes right with this story. This is a definite great read and shouldn't be missed.

About the author

Alan Finn is the pen name of an acclaimed author of mysteries and thrillers. He has worked as an editor, journalist, and ghostwriter. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.