"...one of horror's rising stars..." -Signal Horizon
Harry Potter meets The Exorcist in this supernatural thriller duology about a malevolent ghost, a greedy shapeshifter, a boy with memories he has no right to possess-and the mysterious painting that has the power to change their destinies forever.
Dear Jack,
It's been another terrifying night. I'm bloody, exhausted, and scarred. But there's nothing more important than writing this letter to you. I don't know how old you'll be when it finds you. I hope you read this pre-fall, pre-Kasper, pre-Mr. Phillips. That would save you-us-a lot of pain. But even if you don't, maybe especially if you don't...hold on, Jack. Fight.
They'll tell you Katherine isn't real, and that the kids you had together aren't, either. They'll say the shadow people, demons, and ghosts are figments of your imagination. That you should forget. Don't listen to them, Jack. You're not crazy. And that man you see across the way, in Apartment 3C...he's not a man. Not anymore. If you don't know what I'm talking about yet, you will.
I'll tell you a secret: Time isn't linear. You can fold it, dipping into the past, present, and future. You can find your way back to Katherine, I promise. I'll tell you another: you can see and hear dead people. You can help ghosts move on from the in between. Some people call it a gift; the jury's still out on that one. Whatever you want to call it, don't be frightened of it, Jack. Use it. You'll need to, if you want us to survive. Never lose sight or possession of the painting; it is our reason for reason; it holds time, power, and evil in its mystery. Know this: it also holds the secret to neutralizing the darkness. The painting is our ruby slippers! It will always be our portal home.
How do I know all this? Because I am you, Jack-an older version, anyway. You are me. And our future...Katherine's future...it all depends on the choice you make. You're the only one who can control the shadows. You're the only one who can defeat him.
With love and hope,
Yourself
"An eerie tone permeates the entire story, with even mundane events feeling off-kilter. The whole cast seems to have multiple personas, all tinged with darkness." -Foreword Clarion Review
"At times an intriguing mystery, at others a chilling thriller...Jack's development throughout is an adventurous, if spooky, coming of age story that will thrill and at times scare readers of classic urban fantasy and YA series." -Booklife Reviews