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Smoke And Mirrors
The approaching execution of Adam Genblade brings closure to the men and women of Coral Beach… until people start showing up dead in the same manor they did when he was at large. Now his victims are forced to keep him alive in order to get their answers… or accept that it may not have been him to begin with.
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“[Smoke and Mirrors] is a mature and complex tale with many twists and turns that is sure to please fans of action, drama, horror and mystery.”
Jay Paulin, Ink’d Well Comics, June 2011
“LeDrew’s work is horror that emerges from the urban fantasy tradition — the introduction of a fantastical element into a true-to-life, modern setting.”
The Telegram, Aug 13, 2010
“Matthew LeDrew has taken an intriguing concept and appears to know where it’s going.”
The Northeast Avalon Times, May 2009
“This is the coalescence of what Black Womb is about… the best of the series so far and leaves me wanting more.”
Steve Lake, Sci-Fi on the Rock TV
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“[Smoke and Mirrors] is a mature and complex tale with many twists and turns that is sure to please fans of action, drama, horror and mystery.”
Jay Paulin, Ink’d Well Comics, June 2011
“LeDrew’s work is horror that emerges from the urban fantasy tradition — the introduction of a fantastical element into a true-to-life, modern setting.”
The Telegram, Aug 13, 2010
“Matthew LeDrew has taken an intriguing concept and appears to know where it’s going.”
The Northeast Avalon Times, May 2009
“This is the coalescence of what Black Womb is about… the best of the series so far and leaves me wanting more.”
Steve Lake, Sci-Fi on the Rock TV
- GenresScience Fiction
337 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2009
2 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Ledrew
72 books62 followersMatthew LeDrew has written over twenty novels, some of which have gone on to become Canadian and international bestsellers.
Since 2007 he has traveled all over Canada promoting his work as well as teaching seminars on writing and publishing.
He currently holds a Canada Council for the Arts Research and Creation Grant and an ArtsNL Professional Projects Grant for the completion of his first two Newfoundland-set novels, a treasure-hunt novel and a literary fiction novel exploring toxicity within the Newfoundland arts scene, respectively.
He holds an Honours Degree in English from the Memorial University of Newfoundland with a minor in Anthropology. He studied Journalism at College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville, Newfoundland. He has worked with Transcontinental Publishing as well as student-youth magazine The Troubadour.
He has been called "the face of Newfoundland Genre writing" and is one of the most successful authors working and living in his province today.
Since 2007 he has traveled all over Canada promoting his work as well as teaching seminars on writing and publishing.
He currently holds a Canada Council for the Arts Research and Creation Grant and an ArtsNL Professional Projects Grant for the completion of his first two Newfoundland-set novels, a treasure-hunt novel and a literary fiction novel exploring toxicity within the Newfoundland arts scene, respectively.
He holds an Honours Degree in English from the Memorial University of Newfoundland with a minor in Anthropology. He studied Journalism at College of the North Atlantic in Stephenville, Newfoundland. He has worked with Transcontinental Publishing as well as student-youth magazine The Troubadour.
He has been called "the face of Newfoundland Genre writing" and is one of the most successful authors working and living in his province today.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 14, 2017
The Black Womb lives, thanks to Smoke and Mirrors, Matthew LeDrew’s third novel in his saga. Released by Engen Books in 2009, it is a mature and complex tale with many twists and turns that is sure to please fans of action, drama, horror and mystery. If not for a dip in the middle portion, this would easily be the best book – thus far – in the series. As it stands, it may be the most entertaining.
Alexander ‘Xander’ Drew has almost completely collapsed under the existence of his (literal) inner demons. Mike Harris and Cathy Kennessy, the two lovebirds, have mixed feelings over Xander’s secret identity as the monster known only as the Black Womb. To make matters worse, Coral Beach has another problem on its hands. You see, its residents have a nasty habit of getting themselves abducted or murdered. This time, these crimes may not be caused by Xander’s alter ego or the incarcerated Adam Genblade, currently serving time on death row.
We’re teased right off the bat. In the Prologue, a group of teens are hanging out before one boy is chased off. Catching up with him, a girl soon experiences her first kiss and sweetly swoons and bobs along. That is, until her head is slammed against the wall by an unseen assailant. LeDrew is an excellent writer of tense sequences and teenage dialogue so, as with the others in the series, his strengths are on display immediately.
This continues when Mike and Cathy, on their way home from the local teen hangout, hear a familiar, terrifying sound. We’re soon treated to a delicious game of sabre-toothed tiger and mouse.
LeDrew introduces the rest of his cast early, including Derek Smith who has really come into his own these last two books. Surprisingly, Smoke and Mirrors features as many adults as perhaps the first two books combined, for better or for worse – more on this later. We also (finally) learn more about the enigma that is Genblade, through some entertaining prison scenes and visitations, as well as... well, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed!
As much as I enjoyed the first third, I had some issues with the middle. There are quite a few dialogue-heavy scenes, which is fine for the most part but some sections slowed things down too much. Perhaps I’m missing something, perhaps there are future plans but the morgue scenes seem unnecessary. This particular book casts a brighter spotlight on the world of journalism but outside of appearances by poor Don Smith – a whipping-boy of sorts at the local paper – these segments don’t accomplish much.
On the bright side, the book really picks up momentum again in the final 100 pages. LeDrew begins to pull the strings tighter and tighter, drawing everything together multiple times before causing his characters to crash together in an explosive climax.
At this point, I think the Black Womb itself can stop looking to the past and focus on the future. With LeDrew at the helm, I suspect things won’t get any easier and that’s good news for us fans of the series.
Alexander ‘Xander’ Drew has almost completely collapsed under the existence of his (literal) inner demons. Mike Harris and Cathy Kennessy, the two lovebirds, have mixed feelings over Xander’s secret identity as the monster known only as the Black Womb. To make matters worse, Coral Beach has another problem on its hands. You see, its residents have a nasty habit of getting themselves abducted or murdered. This time, these crimes may not be caused by Xander’s alter ego or the incarcerated Adam Genblade, currently serving time on death row.
We’re teased right off the bat. In the Prologue, a group of teens are hanging out before one boy is chased off. Catching up with him, a girl soon experiences her first kiss and sweetly swoons and bobs along. That is, until her head is slammed against the wall by an unseen assailant. LeDrew is an excellent writer of tense sequences and teenage dialogue so, as with the others in the series, his strengths are on display immediately.
This continues when Mike and Cathy, on their way home from the local teen hangout, hear a familiar, terrifying sound. We’re soon treated to a delicious game of sabre-toothed tiger and mouse.
LeDrew introduces the rest of his cast early, including Derek Smith who has really come into his own these last two books. Surprisingly, Smoke and Mirrors features as many adults as perhaps the first two books combined, for better or for worse – more on this later. We also (finally) learn more about the enigma that is Genblade, through some entertaining prison scenes and visitations, as well as... well, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed!
As much as I enjoyed the first third, I had some issues with the middle. There are quite a few dialogue-heavy scenes, which is fine for the most part but some sections slowed things down too much. Perhaps I’m missing something, perhaps there are future plans but the morgue scenes seem unnecessary. This particular book casts a brighter spotlight on the world of journalism but outside of appearances by poor Don Smith – a whipping-boy of sorts at the local paper – these segments don’t accomplish much.
On the bright side, the book really picks up momentum again in the final 100 pages. LeDrew begins to pull the strings tighter and tighter, drawing everything together multiple times before causing his characters to crash together in an explosive climax.
At this point, I think the Black Womb itself can stop looking to the past and focus on the future. With LeDrew at the helm, I suspect things won’t get any easier and that’s good news for us fans of the series.
May 30, 2015
The trial of Genblade. This book was a roller coaster of a story with plenty of twists and turns that keep you wondering how things are going to change and surprise you next. With fresh murders to keep you guessing who's the cause of it all and the high emotions of the trial, it's the kind of book that keeps you on the edge and makes you wonder if you actually know what's going on, or if you're falling prey to the tricks of a psychopath.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews