In 1924, Sarah O’Connell, a socialite and spiritualist, is brutally murdered. The local authorities do not have a single suspect. After receiving an anonymous letter, Jarek Videni, a young intuitive from New York City, travels to the American Midwest to help solve the case. However, Jarek learns quickly that there is no single suspect in the case because everyone in the house is a suspect… even the spirits.
This unsolved case is surrounded with mystery, horror, and a dark presence that fills the family’s home and calls out to Jarek. This presence is watching… waiting… and listening.
Jarek must use his gifts to read the cards, reach beyond the veil, uncover the many secrets that haunt the O’Connell mansion, and find the killer before they strike again. But will he be able to solve this case before it’s too late?
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: The paranormal plot establishes itself fairly quickly and will readily engage ghost story fans. The work, however, struggles to maintain itself due to uneven pacing and a passive voice that may make it difficult for readers to retain their interest.
Prose: Though the prose delivers some effective and evocative imagery, much of the word flow is thwarted by a repetitive delivery that decreases the piece's momentum.
Originality: While Chasing Shadows pays homage to works from the past and doesn't deliver strikingly new material, the story offers an intriguing historical mystery with nicely executed supernatural elements.
Character Development/Execution: The characters are clear and show a degree of depth, but their lives are somewhat more explained than experienced, and it results in a rather sedate view of the players, stripping them of fully emotive values.
Date Submitted: July 15, 2022
In this debut mystery, a man tries to find the killer of a socialite, but his search may take him down darker paths than he could ever have imagined.
In Jones’ story, which opens in 1924, New Yorker Jarek Videni has come to Minnesota to investigate the vicious murder of socialite Sarah O’Connell. She was found stabbed to death in her home library in St. Paul with her heart ripped out. The police have no suspects, and her heart is still missing. Jarek, “an intuitive,” journeyed to the Midwest of “his own accord. However, the travel was significantly prodded” by the anonymous “letters he received requesting help.” Sarah left behind her husband, Martin, an amiable and cheerful man who appears normal but has recently been sleepwalking and acting strangely. Also grieving for Sarah is her college-age daughter, Annie, who has responded by becoming reclusive, delving into as many books as she can find and becoming angry at her father. Finally, there is Rose Smith, the governess who oversees the housekeeping and cooking and has been with the family so long she is practically a member. All three have deep, dark secrets that Jarek slowly begins to uncover. But doing so puts him in danger of a horrible darkness that could overtake them all. Jarek discovers that while Sarah was a woman of great standing in the city, she was involved with the local spiritualist community. There is more at play in this great house than earthly schemes. Jones interweaves intense thrills with the supernatural to create a superb mystery that is surprising as well as rewarding. Jarek is a remarkable sleuth with a calm and kind disposition whose knowledge helps drive the plot as he faces realistic limitations. Martin, Annie, and Rose have believable personal dynamics and conflicts that support the mystery elements. Annie has an apparent animosity toward her father but still cares for him and shows concern for his weird behavior. Rose is protective of the family that gave her a chance and welcomed her, but she knows more about the O’Connells than she lets on. The twists and turns of the plot as well as unexpected character revelations make for a carefully constructed thriller that is a gripping addition to the horror genre.
A wonderfully suspenseful and engrossing thriller. (Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal)
(Willmar MN-) Willmar native Zack Thelen-Liebl has written a book called Chasing Shadows: Genesis. It's a paranormal thriller set in St. Paul in 1924...
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...Thelen-Liebl ran for mayor of Willmar 8 years ago, and now lives in Stillwater and works full time for The Minnesota National Guard. He says he's always loved books and during the COVID-19 pandemic with people staying at home, he took the opportunity to write...
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...Thelen-Liebl goes under the pen name of Zachariah Jones, and you can get a copy of Chasing Shadows: Genesis by pre-ordering through local bookstores, Bookshop.com, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon.
