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The Shadow of a Shadow
After her mother’s funeral, Dracula-obsessed Catherine Hall goes to stay at her Aunt Lyrica’s B&B in Whitby, a place she used to visit often as a child. She thinks some sea air and time spent with her mother’s eccentric sister is just what she needs. Catherine’s past is marred by a terrible secret, however. A secret shrouded in folklore. And it’s not long till Catherine finds herself immersed in a hellish nightmare in which a familiar dark presence unveils itself and preys on her every fear. Memories of Aunt Lyrica’s daughter, the popular and outgoing teenage-runaway Calanthe Black, come crashing back, and Catherine realises she must piece together the terrifying truth of what really happened to her cousin in the summer of 2003. Because when Catherine’s teenage sister, the family’s blue-eyed girl, unexpectedly turns up at the B&B, Catherine – now haunted by ghostly visions – can’t help but is history about to repeat itself?
214 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2020
About the author
R.H. Dixon
13 books16 followersR. H. Dixon is a horror enthusiast who, when not escaping into the fantastical realms of fiction, lives in the northeast of England with her husband and two whippets. She is an active member of the Horror Writers Association.
When reading and writing she enjoys exploring the darknesses and weaknesses within the human psyche, and she loves good strong characters that are flawed and put through their paces. Her favourite authors include: Shirley Jackson, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Joe Hill, Ramsey Campbell, Paul Tremblay, Michelle Paver and Stephen King.
As well as reading and writing, she enjoys travelling (particularly wildlife-spotting jaunts involving bears, wolves and corvids), visiting spooky places, collecting animal skulls and drinking full-bodied red wine.
When reading and writing she enjoys exploring the darknesses and weaknesses within the human psyche, and she loves good strong characters that are flawed and put through their paces. Her favourite authors include: Shirley Jackson, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Joe Hill, Ramsey Campbell, Paul Tremblay, Michelle Paver and Stephen King.
As well as reading and writing, she enjoys travelling (particularly wildlife-spotting jaunts involving bears, wolves and corvids), visiting spooky places, collecting animal skulls and drinking full-bodied red wine.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 20, 2020
4.5 stars!
THE SHADOW OF A SHADOW, by R.H. Dixon, is a psychological horror novel that will have your mind whirling in multiple directions at once. There are mysteries upon mysteries, horror both physical and mental, and more than a hint of the supernatural. Throughout it all, however there's a certain beauty to the words--at times, almost a lyrical prose--that deceives the reader on the surface.
". . . anything can exist in the dark, even things that are unimaginable . . . "
The beginning shows us a horrible "orphanage" run by a sadistic nun. Through the eyes of two sisters, the terror here was palpable. It was all too easy to feel the heavy atmosphere of despair and realize how easily a crippling fear could take hold.
". . . She had no option but to think they were all bitter and twisted psychopaths who hid their evilness behind the black shrouds of godliness they wore . . . "
Fast forward into the future. After the death of her estranged mother, Catherine goes to the Bed and Breakfast that her Aunt--who she'd always felt more at home with than her own mom--owned. However, dark mystery abounds here as well. Whether it always did, or whether it began with the disappearance of Cat's cousin, Calanthe, sixteen years prior, is the question.
". . . you don't know what it is to doubt everything, even yourself . . . "
The characterization is phenomenal here. In Catherine, we have a troubled young adult who never really felt that she fit in anywhere. Her thoughts may seem unreliable, but is that because of her own mental trauma, or a sinister presence that may have attached itself to her family?
As we travel back and forth with her memories, we are given glimpses into the pertinent issues that have shaped the present.
"Or was the darkness a consequence of my own fear?"
The atmosphere varies from light-hearted--with Aunt Lyrica's accepting and loving demeanor--to uncertain, fearful, and even terror-inducing on occasion. The novel reminded me of a puzzle, in that we would get individual pieces to mentally put together, trying to make out the full story in our minds.
". . . It's not the bogeyman you should fear . . . There's worse evil among the living . . . "
Overall, I feel that Dixon did a great job in creating a story that brings us sympathetic characters, mysteries that cover generations, and a supernatural touch in the form of a shadow--with teeth.
Catherine's emotions are so vivd that I felt like I was experiencing them myself. When she reminisced about past events, the pull was so strong that I could have been standing beside her at the time.
Dixon examines the depth of fear--both experienced first hand, and by nightmares passed down as absolute certainty.
"I wasn't even a shadow . . . I was the shadow of a shadow . . . "
Even reading this in the safety of your own home, you may begin to notice the shadows in a whole new way . . .
Recommended.
THE SHADOW OF A SHADOW, by R.H. Dixon, is a psychological horror novel that will have your mind whirling in multiple directions at once. There are mysteries upon mysteries, horror both physical and mental, and more than a hint of the supernatural. Throughout it all, however there's a certain beauty to the words--at times, almost a lyrical prose--that deceives the reader on the surface.
". . . anything can exist in the dark, even things that are unimaginable . . . "
The beginning shows us a horrible "orphanage" run by a sadistic nun. Through the eyes of two sisters, the terror here was palpable. It was all too easy to feel the heavy atmosphere of despair and realize how easily a crippling fear could take hold.
". . . She had no option but to think they were all bitter and twisted psychopaths who hid their evilness behind the black shrouds of godliness they wore . . . "
Fast forward into the future. After the death of her estranged mother, Catherine goes to the Bed and Breakfast that her Aunt--who she'd always felt more at home with than her own mom--owned. However, dark mystery abounds here as well. Whether it always did, or whether it began with the disappearance of Cat's cousin, Calanthe, sixteen years prior, is the question.
". . . you don't know what it is to doubt everything, even yourself . . . "
The characterization is phenomenal here. In Catherine, we have a troubled young adult who never really felt that she fit in anywhere. Her thoughts may seem unreliable, but is that because of her own mental trauma, or a sinister presence that may have attached itself to her family?
As we travel back and forth with her memories, we are given glimpses into the pertinent issues that have shaped the present.
"Or was the darkness a consequence of my own fear?"
The atmosphere varies from light-hearted--with Aunt Lyrica's accepting and loving demeanor--to uncertain, fearful, and even terror-inducing on occasion. The novel reminded me of a puzzle, in that we would get individual pieces to mentally put together, trying to make out the full story in our minds.
". . . It's not the bogeyman you should fear . . . There's worse evil among the living . . . "
Overall, I feel that Dixon did a great job in creating a story that brings us sympathetic characters, mysteries that cover generations, and a supernatural touch in the form of a shadow--with teeth.
Catherine's emotions are so vivd that I felt like I was experiencing them myself. When she reminisced about past events, the pull was so strong that I could have been standing beside her at the time.
Dixon examines the depth of fear--both experienced first hand, and by nightmares passed down as absolute certainty.
"I wasn't even a shadow . . . I was the shadow of a shadow . . . "
Even reading this in the safety of your own home, you may begin to notice the shadows in a whole new way . . .
Recommended.
July 20, 2020
Preface: I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
This rating is a real bummer. This novel is strong in a lot of aspects, and lets you know right out of the gate. The language and imagery is beautiful. The sprinklings of Dracula quotes are appropriate and really help set the tone. The characters are likable enough. The atmosphere is spooky, haunting, and overall just kinda grimy and gross. Mysterious abound to lure you in.
However, in the end, this book simply doesn't deliver. A lot of it is confusing and disorienting - I'd guess at least 50% of this novel is straight-up hallucinations or nightmares. It sets up a ton of questions, but doesn't really answer any of them, and the ending is an outright whimper. Not only does nothing really conclude, but the epilogue dives into a completely different character's mind and tries to bait the reader with new questions and mysteries, rather than actually wrapping up any that were proposed in this volume. What happened with Calanthe? Did Cat kill her? Did the bogeyman? Is he actually even real? What happened to Cat in the end? What was the purpose of Summer and Lyrica in this story? What's going to happen with Summer and her dad? We don't get satisfactory answers to literally any of these questions, and it's a huge let-down.
If you just want a spooky, atmospheric read, this might do it for you, but don't go into this expecting anything substantial or satisfying.
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
This rating is a real bummer. This novel is strong in a lot of aspects, and lets you know right out of the gate. The language and imagery is beautiful. The sprinklings of Dracula quotes are appropriate and really help set the tone. The characters are likable enough. The atmosphere is spooky, haunting, and overall just kinda grimy and gross. Mysterious abound to lure you in.
However, in the end, this book simply doesn't deliver. A lot of it is confusing and disorienting - I'd guess at least 50% of this novel is straight-up hallucinations or nightmares. It sets up a ton of questions, but doesn't really answer any of them, and the ending is an outright whimper. Not only does nothing really conclude, but the epilogue dives into a completely different character's mind and tries to bait the reader with new questions and mysteries, rather than actually wrapping up any that were proposed in this volume. What happened with Calanthe? Did Cat kill her? Did the bogeyman? Is he actually even real? What happened to Cat in the end? What was the purpose of Summer and Lyrica in this story? What's going to happen with Summer and her dad? We don't get satisfactory answers to literally any of these questions, and it's a huge let-down.
If you just want a spooky, atmospheric read, this might do it for you, but don't go into this expecting anything substantial or satisfying.
September 15, 2021
Amazingly heart-pumping, terrifying glory!
Dixon has a magic pen, accompanied by imagination, that delves deep into the terrifying horror stories. I have read work from this author before, and I really enjoyed it, goosebumps and midnight screams and all. The characters were real, eccentric, and magnificently depicted. This author brings the story to life. Hmm, a horror with secrets, darkness and nightmares, is something that just draws the reader in (if you love a good horror story). It's not cheesy horror, it's detailed and believable horror, set off by darkness and fears. Yes, the shadow that is in the shadow, and only lingers when you least need it, when you're already vulnerable. Catherine and Lyrica are unforgettable characters, but the shadow will stay with the reader for quite some time. And when you read it, every shadow around you makes you jump! That's how good the writer is at setting the scene and bringing the story into the believable. I mean, who doesn't believe in spirits and evil? The Shadow of a Shadow is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
Dixon has a magic pen, accompanied by imagination, that delves deep into the terrifying horror stories. I have read work from this author before, and I really enjoyed it, goosebumps and midnight screams and all. The characters were real, eccentric, and magnificently depicted. This author brings the story to life. Hmm, a horror with secrets, darkness and nightmares, is something that just draws the reader in (if you love a good horror story). It's not cheesy horror, it's detailed and believable horror, set off by darkness and fears. Yes, the shadow that is in the shadow, and only lingers when you least need it, when you're already vulnerable. Catherine and Lyrica are unforgettable characters, but the shadow will stay with the reader for quite some time. And when you read it, every shadow around you makes you jump! That's how good the writer is at setting the scene and bringing the story into the believable. I mean, who doesn't believe in spirits and evil? The Shadow of a Shadow is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
July 15, 2020
Gloriously subtle and imagery-laden, this horror novel is a paean to Bram Stoker's DRACULA and to his adopted village of Whitby, England. Focusing on a terrifying Dickensian orphanage possibly targeted by a supposedly mythical Bogeyman named Tom Dockin, this is read-with-lyrical-pleasure but Never Read At Night Alone horror!
August 3, 2020
Overall this was an okay supernatural suspense story. It took me a bit to get into and was confusing at parts. I was left with more questions than answers.
September 27, 2022
Cracking little spooky read, hope there is a follow up!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews