Customer Reviews

Shadow Season: A Novel

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A former NYPD cop Finn teaches literature at the prestigious Upstate New York St. Valarian's Academy for Girls. Finn finds it ironic that his students wonder how he keeps his collection of books so brand new conceding how easy it is to maintain a pristine collection when you are blind. He has a relationship with Roz the nurse and muses over the crushes his students have on him except for Vi who he and the dean Judith worry about; he also wonders about his former wife Danielle.

Christmas empties the school leaving a few loners with no place to go behind. A blizzard further isolates those still at the academy including Finn. However, the nurse and a student seem to have vanished. Almost immediately afterward, two thugs arrive demanding Finn pay his debt or else. As he fears for those trapped inside the school, he thinks of his detective partner Ray and how many ways he would relish killing him, but for now must somehow deal with the "ill will" of a killer leaving dead students and faculty in his or her wake.

This is an exciting action-packed thriller that hooks the audience from the moment Finn begins his musing and never slows down as the readers wonders why someone is mass murdering those trapped at the school. The story line is fast-paced once the characters are set and never slows down until the anticipated final confrontation with the ill wind and the academy's champion, a sort of good vs. evil battle on a small scale. SHADOW SEASON is an engaging tense tale as Tom Piccirilli provides a superb suspenseful story.

Harriet Klausner

Finn is a former NY cop who is haunted by the incident that left him blind and his wife, Danielle, dead.

He works as a professor at an exclusive girl's school. St. Valarian's Academy for girls is located a half hour out of Manhattan.

The story centers on events during the Christmas vacation when the campus is mostly deserted. The only other male on the school grounds is an Irishman named Murphy, also called Murph. He has a bad shoulder and, to the blind Finn, Murph "...smells of shaving leather and whiskey." Murph serves as the groundskeeper at the school.

Although blinded, Finn's other senses are heightened and one night, during a heavy snow storm, he discovers a town girl who has been injured. Harley Moon had been moaning when Finn comes upon her at the grave yard. He brings her to his room to bandage her wounds. While being treated, Harley tells him not to call the police but at the same time warns him that he is in danger. Then she leaves.

The author uses flashbacks to allow the reader to learn of Finn and his former partner, Ray. When Finn was on the police force, there were a number of police offiers who were being paid off by a criminal named Carlyle. We find what part Ray had in this crime. We also come to know that Ray is jealous of Finn and is untrustworthy.

A number of the female students are having a Christmas party with some alcohol that has been smuggled into the school. Finn is considered to be a pal and is invited. As the party progresses, they notice that one of the girls isn't there and Finn goes after the missing student.

The suspense is well done and the author does a good job in describing how a person who cannot see might be able to defend himself.

The setting was well described and I enjoyed the story and the manner in which Finn overcame his handicap.

A suspenseful tale of a blind ex-cop turned professor at an all-girl's academy who struggles against his own demons and handicap to save his students when some violent offenders arrive during a snowstorm. Piccirilli is masterful in providing the reader with some sense of what it means to be blind; the hero here isn't a superman who easily conquers his adversity. Instead Finn is resentful, a little bitter, and in genuine pain as he's forced to rely on others more than he'd ever care admit to. He loses his way, physically and figuratively, more than once through the story. He's also distracted by seductive adolescents and his own powerful memories of his dead wife, his former partner, and the terrible event that blinded him and destroyed his life.

The novel is written in alternating chapters as Finn in the present struggles to solve the mystery of a strange townie girl who shows up during a blizzard and promises that evil will be visited on the school. Through clever and powerful flashbacks we witness Finn fall in love, begin his career on the force, partner up with his best friend Ray, slowly discover Ray is a dirty cop, and then do everything he can to protect his loved ones when a mob sting goes terribly wrong.

Soon the students and staff either go missing or are found dead as Finn does his best to protect them and defend himself from unknown assailants. This is far from your average mystery: Piccirilli presents us with realistic characters thrown into a world of dread, fear, suspense, thrills, chills, and darkness. That's not to say there isn't any lightness because there's plenty of wit, sardonic humor, and wisecracking. There's something here in SHADOW SEASON for every fan of dark, gripping literature.

4 AND 1/2 STARS.

Shadow Season is another brilliant novel by suspense and thriller author Tom Piccirilli. The insight and depth in which he writes about his characters are so raw that, at times, it is painful to read (in a good way, of course). I am constantly blown away by his poetic prose and the layers of psychology he uses to flesh out his characters.

While I became a fan of Piccirilli from his days writing horror, I've grown to appreciate his versatility as a writer of thrillers and crime fiction, particularly the crime noir genre. This guy has it down perfectly and you wonder at times who exactly he hangs around to get details this authentic. He's just that good.

Although nearly perfect, I thought Shadow Season had just a bit too much emphasis devoted to characterization and the lead character's inner thoughts and not enough on story and plot. Those elements of the book were not as nicely balanced as in some of the author's other stories, but that's a minor gripe. A 9.5 out of 10 is certainly nothing frown upon.

It is clear through his writing that Piccirilli is heads and tails better than 98% of other writers in the same genre. He is one of the few authors I read that consistently produce top levels of breathtaking fiction every time out. His distinct voice is like no one I've ever read. Like a scene from a Scorsese movie, you can read one paragraph from a Piccirilli novel and know exactly who wrote it. This book gets one of my highest recommendations.

Tom Piccirilli drags you out into the darkness, out into the cold, and then leaves you to find your way home with nothing more than courage. This tale is made for winter--made for a late night's reading. Chances are--you'll finish this slim book in a sitting (minus a trip to the teapot). Told entirely from the POV of a blind cop-turned-teacher, Pic shows that there are no limits to what he can do with words. It's cold. It's isolated. It's claustrophobic. Step into the darkness...

Shadow Season is a taut, slow-burning thriller that's been written for the pure enjoyment of the reader, and Tom Piccirilli is just the author who can do it and make the whole process look effortless.

The lead character in this novel is Finn, a former NYPD officer who discovered that his partner and best friend was on the take with the New York City mob. To make matters worse, the discovery of his partner's crime led to the murder of Finn's wife and to his own attempt at suicide, which leaves the honest cop blind and unable to continue with his career in law enforcement. Finn has now moved on to teaching and works at a private, upstate school for the daughters of extremely wealthy families. This Christmas, when most of the faculty and students have gone home for the holidays, Finn will find himself dealing with a blinding snowstorm (no pun intended)that cuts the school off from the rest of the world. There's no way out and no cell phone service. Through the falling snow are coming two vicious killers who think Finn has cheated them out of drug money. Finn, however, knows nothing about them or why they're so intent on getting to him. Before the ultimate confrontation with our blind school teacher, the two men will enjoy themselves with a little rape and murder of those closest to him, invoking within this soul-searching character a hate-filled rage he hasn't experienced in years. Needless to say, before the snowstorm is over, Finn will have to use his special skills with a knife to save himself and those still alive at the school, and this is something he's actually looking forward to!

Tom Piccirilli is always at his best when writing about the lone wolf who has to kill in order to survive against odds no Las Vegas bookie would even think of taking. In fact, I don't think there's another author out there who's capable of creating such stark, vivid, and compelling characters, not to mention the dark ambiance of imminent death and excitement of cut-throat survival that Mr. Piccirilli captures in each of his mesmerizing books. This is an author who cuts his sentences down to the bare bone and then feeds them to the reader, daring him to stop what he's doing even for a desperate bathroom break. Such precision in writing and clear understanding of humanity within his character development is the work of a master craftsman, and that's what Tom Piccirilli is. He's a pro at work, and you don't mess with a pro.

Shadow Season is certainly a first-hand example of writing at its best and displays the supreme talent of an author who's destined for great things. Buy it and read it, then get yourself copies of The Cold Spot and The Coldest Mile. You won't be disappointed!

It's not every author who can write a book in which 99% of it takes place in a single day, and still hold the reader's interest. Piccarilli has done just that with 'Shadow Season'. Meet Finn, a blind ex-cop now literature professor in a small town girl's school called St. Val's. Buried deep in rural hill country, the upper-echelon school girls mingle with the "Hollar folk" who populate the woods surrounding the tiny town. It's Christmas break, and most of the girl's have left the school for home vacations, but a few stay behind; including Violet, a young woman who has a rumored scandal with Finn. Finn has a thing with Roz, the school's nurse, who came with him to St. Vals and comes from his mysterious past with him.

Finn is blind, from a mysterious accident during his days on the force. 'Shadow Season' has you unfolding pages at a rapid pace just to find out Finn's past and why he's blind ... but that's only one reason for page turning.

As the day unfolds into a day of terror piled upon current events and past musings, the pieces will try to fall into place as Finn must put two and two together. How much of it is now and how much is the past? The catalyst is a strange, wounded hollar girl showing up in the snow as Finn makes his way through the raging blizzard. Her name is Harley Moon, and she issues dire warning to Finn, but her words are buried in riddles. Then the book really picks up the pace.

'Shadow Season' is a dark, mysterious read that has you turning pages rapidly, needing to find out more about Finn and the circumstances of the school, the girls, and the staff; and how all will correlate with his past. Chapters alternating between past and present tease you into continuing to read through the night. The ending is high octane and holds an unforgettable surprise. Piccarilli creates a languid tension in 'Shadow Season' that leaves a little lump in your throat as you read. His characters are fully fleshed and so likeable you can't stop reading about them.

The unique style of the book combined with Piccarilli's talent won't leave you disappointed. The style is a breath of fresh air and the content as gripping as a boa around your neck. Horror lovers and Suspense lovers alike should NOT miss out on this tasty treat. Piccarilli earns a solid 5 stars for this magnificent piece of literature. Enjoy!

Sometimes surrealistically silly.
I first discovered TomPic some years ago when he was writing literary cult horror. Was absolutely blown away by Hexes...you know, you expect cult horror to be puerile, fun but dumb. And here's this guy I had never heard of writing these amazing sentences in this over the top brilliant prose. Well, I was sold. Since then, I have read everything TomPic has written, and while he has segued from cult horror into noir thrillers with his own brand of black humour, the excellence of the writing and the stories has never wavered. In fact, I would not hesitate to say that he just keeps getting better.
Another thing that has not changed is the absolute focus on one individual, in all of the books. Always a guy, always beaten and bruised and damaged beyond human endurance. And yet, they not only keep on going, they are thrust into yet even more dire circumstances requiring yet more sacrifice and strength. But, because these guys are always intrinsically ethical and simply good, they fight the good fight and usually win, if not for themselves, at least for others. Oh, boy, I'll tell you, some of these stories have caused me to scream in frustration, or to weep in empathy. They are that compelling.
Okay. Onward. Do I have to tell you about this one? Our anti-hero is Finn. Within the first two pages, we learn that Finn is a teacher at a girls'private and rather upscale school. This is Finn: "He's got to keep himself busy, has to play these sorts of marginal games to constantly keep himself aware that he hasn't vanished."
I think that tells us a great deal about the man. He is also hyper aware of the smell of blood, which sends him into memory tunnels. Finn is blind. We don't know how or why, but it is recent. He has also lost his wife, the love of his life. The hows and whys are also unknown. All we know is that he's a blind guy working at this school as an English teacher. And, he must be pretty hunky since the girls really like him, and at least one has been somehow involved intimately with him. We learn this rather peripherally. We don't know exactly what went on, but he has to be careful. Has been warned.
Now, here is something very interesting. We learn about Finn's previous life through his vistas of the people he now knows. He sees them as characters from his life as a cop. As friends or perps or, whatever. So, while these are flashbacks, they don't just pop in there with no purpose. Finn is remembering. And as he remembers, we have two congruent stories going on which eventually collide. Something bad is going on at the school, something other than the really bad storm. People are disappearing and a strange girl from "the holler" tells Finn to "Get his house in order." He has no idea as to what she is talking about, but eventually puts it all together.

This is a brilliant book which I chewed up and swallowed in four or five hours. Then I reread it just in order to get it all. It just doesn't get much better than this. And, I'll tell you... if you read as much as I do, you may forget the story itself, but you never forget the characters. Tom Piccirilli's greatest strength, despite the terrific writing (which, I have to tell you, is never contrived nor fanciful, always from the gut) and the great stories, lies in his anti-heroes. They just tear you apart, take you to places you can hope you never have to go.

In an unforgiving setting, through circumstances where mercy means a slow, painful death - not only for himself but for those he is responsible for - Finn searches for everything he's ever lost. In spurting blood and driving snow he looks for forgiveness, power, love and vision. All of it still there. None of it for him.

The raw emotion of Shadow Season is enough to make it a must read. Piccirilli's brutal poetry is, once again, pitch perfect. His characters true, their wounds real. Careful friends, this one's going to leave a mark.

I've read all of Tom Piccirilli's books over the past 20-plus years, and every time I think I got him pegged, he pulls another rabbit out of his hat.

Blind ex-cop Finn, now a teacher at an all-girls' school, is forced to confront his past, present enemeies, sexual tensions and Mother Nature (in the form of a blizzard), while still coming to grips with his sightlessness. Hampering Finn as much as his blindness is the fact that not everyone is what he or she seems, and Finn is literally left groping in the dark as he tries to piece together the mystery before him. Flashback scenes showing how Finn got where he is today are entwined with his immediate confrontations and dangers, and are as powerful (and in some cases, maybe even more so) as what is happening to him in the present day.

SHADOW SEASON, while filled with much of the tension and noir elements we've come to associate with so many of Piccirilli's latest titles (THE MIDNIGHT ROAD, THE COLD SPOT, THE COLDEST MILE), is quite unlike anything this author has written before. Over the past few years, Piccirilli has had the pedal pressed all the way to the floor. I'd suggest you hop on, enjoy the hell out of SHADOW SEASON, and hang on to see where this fine author takes us next.