Shadow’s Keep: A Gritty Psychological Crime Thriller

Meghan O'Flynn

May 2018 · Killer Thrillers Book 1 · Pygmalion Publishing

About this ebook

A compulsively readable thriller in the vein of Rachel Abbott, Lucinda Berry, and Gillian Flynn, Shadow’s Keep is a mind-bending exploration of obsession, desperation, and how far we’ll go to protect those we love. Get this suspenseful standalone ebook today!

"Dark, intense, and addictively twisted.” ~Bestselling Author Kristen Mae

WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE CAN KILL.

Deputy Sheriff William Shannahan doesn’t feel like a detective, at least not like the ones he admires on TV. Not that he needs to be; the small town of Graybel, Mississippi, is a peaceful place, with acres of farmland, neighbors who always take care of their own, and noise from the outside world muted by a hundred miles of forest.

That silence is about to be broken.

When a child is found dead in the woods, the medical examiner deems it a dog attack. But the paw prints belong to something far larger than any creature in the Mississippi forests, and what animal would remove the victim’s eyes? Though no one believes him, William can’t shake the feeling that a human killer lurks in the shadowed woods.

And his girlfriend, Cassie, has a son the same age as the victim.

Cassie Parker was raised amid horrors she’s long pushed from her mind, but her scars won’t let her forget. Nor do the hallucinations, dreams so vivid she can feel and smell and taste them. And no one is more terrified than Cassie when another victim is found mauled to death—because this body has been drained of blood. She knows exactly what type of person would sacrifice a child, and why they’re after hers. But how can she explain it to William?

This is William’s chance to act like a detective, to protect the woman and child he’s desperate to save. Pushing back against prejudice and presumption, he uncovers a trail of cruelty that spans decades, but each clue brings him closer to a truth more horrifying than killer beasts in the forest. For concealed beneath small-town politics is knowledge that will shatter everything he knows to be true about his town—and the people in it.

“O’Flynn weaves elements of the procedural and the occult into a masterful psychological thriller replete with staggering, unpredictable twists. Readers should beware any notion that they can predict the ending of Shadow’s Keep. Believe me, reader, you cannot.” ~Bestselling Author Wendy Heard

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Ratings and reviews

Shadow's Keep is even more dark and twisted than I expected. Our protagonist, Deputy Sheriff William Shannahan is likable enough, but seemed somewhat juvenile at times. He tends to rely a little too much on fictional detectives from television and books when thinking about how to act and what to do next. The murders are quite gruesome and the author does go into some graphic details, which may be upsetting to some. I was impressed with the building tension of the story. The chapters alternate between characters with little to no warning, but once you have the characters figured out, it's easy enough to follow. We do get some interesting and jarring twists and of course, there's a big reveal - some of which I had figured out and some, I didn't. There are a few lags in the story but overall, it did hold my interest and the chapters that give us the killer's viewpoint are cringe-worthy and at times, spine-tingling. All in all, a solid thriller where everyone isn't exactly what they seem and the hits just keep coming.

We read all these small town romances and happily ever afters all sweetness and lollipops and then you have this author who just knocks all of those stereotypes all to hell and back with a book like this. As with the books this authors has provided us in the past it's never simple. This author can't just give us a serial killer she has to do this. I do love Will, the Deputy-Sheriff struggling to do his job without the experience needed to do it well, constantly gauging his actions by the detectives on TV. He is doing the best he has to come up with all of the answers as others write it off as frivolous and a waste of time and energy. Something sinister is going on in his safe, beautiful, perfect town and it's going to take everything in him to save the ones he loves. All he has to do is keep the shadow's at bay long enough to survive. Man what a twisted tale from such a sweet author. She can't possibly be as twisted as her tales. I love her stories. They are never black and white, always multi-layered with secrets and twisted minds and souls. It always takes your whole mind. paying close attention to details to even get close to knowing what she will do next. I love her style and always come back for more.

Shadow’s Keep: A Novel was a 5 star must read. Wow, where to start with my review. I was pulled in right from the beginning. William, who is the sheriff of Graybel happens to come across a body of a child while out in the woods. What appears to be a dog attack, quickly changes into something more sinister. Now that there are more murders in the area, he suspects it may be a serial killer. Will he be able to solve the mystery before anyone else is hurt? I don’t want to say anything else to give this great read away. You have to read this for yourself. There were several twists, turns and shocking moments that added great elements to this dark and gritty read. All of the characters were great. Meghan O’Flynn does a great job of pulling you right in with her writing, you feel like your right there with the characters. The ending as left me confused and shocked.I am reeling after this read, my emotions were all over the place.

About the author

With books deemed “visceral, haunting, and fully immersive” (New York Times bestseller, Andra Watkins), Meghan O’Flynn has made her mark on the thriller genre. Meghan is a clinical therapist who draws her character inspiration from her knowledge of the human psyche. She is the bestselling author of gritty crime novels and serial killer thrillers, all of which take readers on the dark, gripping, and unputdownable journey for which Meghan is notorious. Learn more at https://meghanoflynn.com! While you’re there, join Meghan’s reader group, and get a FREE SHORT STORY just for signing up.