Shadows Remain

by Tim McWhorter

1987. Broken Tree, MN. A scream erupts from the old cemetery, shattering the innocence of three young boys and sending a family fleeing from a once-quiet small town. Now, twenty-five years later, Adam Bishop has returned with his wife and young son in tow, confident that what happened in the past will stay there. But when his son comes home from school one day talking about the ghost of a boy who resides in the very cemetery where the unspeakable tragedy took place, Adam discovers that, although you can indeed go home again, it’s not always a good idea...

Genres: Horror

119 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 21, 2013

About the author

Tim McWhorter was born under a waning crescent moon, and while he has no idea what the significance is, he thinks it sounds really cool to say. A graduate of Otterbein College, he is the author of the novella SHADOWS REMAIN, the horror-thrillers, THE OPENING, BONE WHITE, its sequel, BLACKENED, a collection of short stories titled LET THERE BE DARK. Described as "an intelligent thrill ride that presents itself as a love letter to slasher stories," BONE WHITE came in at #11 on HorrorUnderground's Top Books of 2015.

He lives the suburban life just outside of Columbus, OH, with his wife, a handful of children and a few 'family' pets that have somehow become solely his responsibility. He is currently hard at work on another thriller with just enough horror to keep you up at night. He is available for conversation through Twitter (@Tim_McWhorter), Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Tim-Mcwhorter-...) or his website (www.timmcwhorter.com).

Reviews

[Wayne Fenlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

With an effortless style, Tim just gets it right. There is that immediate sense of character from their thoughts and actions that keep them all very relatable here. From the beginning as a scared boy to when he is a man dealing with said past, and his family sensing something isn't quite right. The hatred and dread-like feeling from the other side of the cemetery gates. Not knowing where the story is actually heading, but also unraveling without too much mystery either. Probably contradicting myself here, but everything unfolds at just the right pace. Creepy at times and also a little hint of sadness. It's got a lot going for it.
Anyway... This is my first book by Tim McWhorter. It certainly won't be my last.
Great stuff. Truly.

Five stars.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I downloaded it during the free promotion and was sold on the synopsis. The writing was great, the narrative flowed really well. There's no disputing that this is a very talented writer. I could 'feel' the characters and empathised well with them.

However, I was disappointed with the ending. I felt that there were lots of loose ends. There was no explanation for Connor's feelings. Why did he hold these friends responsible for what happened to him when he murderer had already been brought to justice. I was expecting some huge revelation about something that has occurred that night which the boys had suppressed. What was the significance of the miscarriage and the subsequent decision to have a child... What became of Adam's wife?

I feel that the book left the reader hanging. However, I still enjoyed it for what it was. I hope to read more from this writer in the future.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hooks you from the start! I loved that the ending was unpredictable and that the author did such a great job setting the tone of the story that I wouldn't read it before going to bed...too spooky for me! It's a quick and easy read. Looking forward to the next book from this author.

[Tracy DiPaolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down!! The story line drew me in and I had to know the ending. Heart pounding, adrenaline rushing, page turner. I will recommend to everyone.

[Michael Ruger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book never should have ended. I wanted more.

[Elizabeth Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It was a perfect short haunting story. So glad I got the opportunity to read this!

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three boys, Adam, Nick, and Connor always played hide and seek in the old cemetery at night in Broken Tree Minnesota. A scream came from the cemetery and two of the boys ran. They found Connor's body in the old cemetery the next day. He was brute tally murder. This would changes the life's of Adam and Nick forever. The next day the Bishop family left Broken Tree in a hurry. It was 25 years later and Adam Bishop and his wife and son were returning to Broken Tree. Adam was going to work for a small architectural firm in Broken Tree. Adam ask his son Ben what he had learned from the kids at school? One of the kids said that there was a ghost in the old cemetery. They said he was a little boy who died there many years ago. The kids also said that the ghost was still waiting for his friends to come and save him. Could this be Connor haunting the cemetery or was this just a rumor that a bunch of kids started?

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd give this closer to 2.5.

I liked the writing, and the glimpses of Adam's day to day life with his family. The small scenes with him and his family were sweet and fun, and they feel pretty fleshed out.

What would have made it even better was more background into what happened to Connor. Maybe I missed something, but I feel like we don't learn who Connor's murderer was? Adam tells us someone was tried and convicted, but I feel like Adam, Nick, and Connor got tangled up in some paranormal stuff that night in the cemetery when they were kids that Adam really doesn't want to remember, to the point of never even telling the reader. Am I wrong in thinking that Connor was not killed by a human and for thinking that a spirit of some kind was responsible for his death?

Overall, this book was okay. McWhorter's writing is good and I had no problems following the narrative or picturing everything, but I would've liked more details.

[Ed Gosney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy well-written ghost stories, you really can’t go wrong with Shadows Remain, by Tim McWhorter. This haunting novella may remind you of some of the adventures you took as a kid, but in this case, things definitely take a turn for the worse.

It starts off with some young boys playing in a cemetery late at night. Now I don’t condone kids sneaking out of the house, especially at night to play in a cemetery, but I can’t say I never played a little Tom and Huck with my friends when everyone else was sleeping. Yet for all the bravado of the kids, tragedy strikes, which sets the tone for everything to follow.

McWhorter is a very capable writer with an engaging style, and I definitely look forward to reading his other two published works. He’s obviously smart and stylistic, and if I’m not mistaken, even throws in an ode to Thomas Wolfe’s “Look Homeward, Angel.” Readers, keep your eye on Tim McWhorter.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was just not as enamored with the book as the other reviewers. I really wanted to give it 2.5 stars. It was definitely well written and I liked the short length, but something about it felt undone. I didn't feel like I really fully understood the crime; the story mentions an arrest but somehow I felt like it wasn't the real story so I kept expecting an alternate answer - but I didn't get one. Also I didn't really understand the ending - why would everyone be able to communicate? Shouldn't there have been an explanation for that? Maybe the story didn't provide the answers/depth that I was looking for because of it's short length?? But, I did love the survivor's stories; how they grew up to be completely different people given the reactions and subsequent actions after the initial crime, but both ended up with the same demons.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish we could do half stars as I would have rated this a 3.5. It was a good story the writing was well done. I could see the family in my head clearly going through the daily things.

What I craved however was more detail to the main story. What was the background to the cometary to start with. Clearly it seemed that there was some more to Connor and what happened. I wanted to see more of Nick with Adam, with Connor, just more.

There was so much potential to expand this story and I would have loved to seen it.

As for the ending though it was the style I hate and argue another writer over all the time it worked for this story.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The characters feel like real people. The interactions between the family is sweet.

I would have liked more detail of what happened to Connor or what happened between the three boys after the final elementary scene. Nick was an interesting character and I wish he was in the story more.

I am not generally a fan of these kind of endings. I always root for happy endings, but I liked the last scene with Ben and his son. It gave the sense of peace at the end that I really liked.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!
Anyway, this was ok. Lots of potential but ultimately I was disappointed. First off, I know this was published by an indie house but that is not an excuse for the abundant grammatical and typographical errors. The main reason for my disappointment was never finding out exactly what happened to Connor. Did the cemetery murder him? Was it the dude who was convicted? I'm going with the cemetery and that's what I wanted the story to be about, not the main character and his rookie mistakes that ultimately cost him his life.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool novella-length ghost story that moves back and forth between past and present, from kids playing hide and seek in a cemetery, to the adult returning to his home town where his dead friend haunts the cemetery. Good character development, good tension, and the ghost sections where he uses his powers are powerful. This would make a good movie.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those short story chapter book. I don't have any insight on this novel at all. Hey try it you never know you might like it.

[Consetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good for a short story, just felt it ended abruptly.