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Old Flames, Burned Hands
Struggling to balance an unstable career in music with her obligations as a wife and mom, Tilda Parish’s life becomes even more complicated by the mysterious return of an old boyfriend. One who died almost twenty years ago...
At 24, Tilda Parish had it all; her own band and a man she knew was ‘the one’ but fate had other plans. A fatal car crash took her boyfriend’s life and sent Tilda into a spiral of grief.
Seventeen years later, Tilda is married with a 13-year old daughter but her career as a singer-songwriter has been turbulent and unstable. Unable to balance her volatile career with her obligations to her family, Tilda makes a life-changing decision to walk away from music forever. Yet, after burning her guitar in a ritual bonfire, Tilda discovers that the past isn’t done with her. Hints of her old life pop up mysteriously and ghosts of her past haunt her present.
Alone one night, Tilda confronts an intruder she believes to be a stalker but the figure that steps from the shadows almost stops her heart. Her old beau appears, the one who died all those years ago.
He hasn’t aged a day. He says that he never stopped loving her and that he wants her back. Despite his death and the intervening seventeen years, Tilda realizes that she never stopped loving him either.
And now Tilda Parish is caught between two worlds; the everyday world of her husband and family and this new spooky world of an old lover who has returned from the shadow of death to find her.
What’s an ex-musician to do?
At 24, Tilda Parish had it all; her own band and a man she knew was ‘the one’ but fate had other plans. A fatal car crash took her boyfriend’s life and sent Tilda into a spiral of grief.
Seventeen years later, Tilda is married with a 13-year old daughter but her career as a singer-songwriter has been turbulent and unstable. Unable to balance her volatile career with her obligations to her family, Tilda makes a life-changing decision to walk away from music forever. Yet, after burning her guitar in a ritual bonfire, Tilda discovers that the past isn’t done with her. Hints of her old life pop up mysteriously and ghosts of her past haunt her present.
Alone one night, Tilda confronts an intruder she believes to be a stalker but the figure that steps from the shadows almost stops her heart. Her old beau appears, the one who died all those years ago.
He hasn’t aged a day. He says that he never stopped loving her and that he wants her back. Despite his death and the intervening seventeen years, Tilda realizes that she never stopped loving him either.
And now Tilda Parish is caught between two worlds; the everyday world of her husband and family and this new spooky world of an old lover who has returned from the shadow of death to find her.
What’s an ex-musician to do?
476 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
15 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Tim McGregor
40 books405 followersTim McGregor is an author living in Toronto with his wife and children. And a ghost. A really spiteful ghost.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 23, 2013
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
I greatly enjoyed reading this extraordinarily well-written book. McGregor's use of (very clever) descriptive language draws the reader into his story where we meet the main character, Tilda, a forty-one-year-old wife and mother going through a bit of a mid-life crisis as she contemplates the end of a quasi-successful music career. Her husband, Shane (a most likable character), is supportive and loving and her thirteen-year-old daughter is quite rude, nasty and selfish (yep, a typical teen girl). McGregor does an exceptional job creating characters that are relatable--characters that readers can identify with.
I thought the storyline was unique and compelling. Tilda's former boyfriend, who has been dead for nearly twenty years, suddenly reappears leaving Tilda torn between her unresolved feelings for him and her love for her family. As Tilda discovers the truth about him, she becomes entangled in the madness, to her family's detriment. I never reveal spoilers, so I'll leave it at that...! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal fiction. I wanted to savor this book while at the same time I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
One last thing: I absolutely loved how McGregor incorporated humor throughout the story in just the right areas so that his readers can better experience what his characters are feeling. For instance, I laughed out loud when Shane wonders wherefrom his teen-aged daughter, Molly, inherited her "hateful scorn and hair-trigger rage." He suspects if not Satan himself, then some lesser demon, like Baalzebub! Come on, now that was just too funny. I guarantee anyone with a pre-adolescent or adolescent child will appreciate that one!
I will certainly be reading more of McGregor's books in the near future.
I greatly enjoyed reading this extraordinarily well-written book. McGregor's use of (very clever) descriptive language draws the reader into his story where we meet the main character, Tilda, a forty-one-year-old wife and mother going through a bit of a mid-life crisis as she contemplates the end of a quasi-successful music career. Her husband, Shane (a most likable character), is supportive and loving and her thirteen-year-old daughter is quite rude, nasty and selfish (yep, a typical teen girl). McGregor does an exceptional job creating characters that are relatable--characters that readers can identify with.
I thought the storyline was unique and compelling. Tilda's former boyfriend, who has been dead for nearly twenty years, suddenly reappears leaving Tilda torn between her unresolved feelings for him and her love for her family. As Tilda discovers the truth about him, she becomes entangled in the madness, to her family's detriment. I never reveal spoilers, so I'll leave it at that...! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal fiction. I wanted to savor this book while at the same time I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next.
One last thing: I absolutely loved how McGregor incorporated humor throughout the story in just the right areas so that his readers can better experience what his characters are feeling. For instance, I laughed out loud when Shane wonders wherefrom his teen-aged daughter, Molly, inherited her "hateful scorn and hair-trigger rage." He suspects if not Satan himself, then some lesser demon, like Baalzebub! Come on, now that was just too funny. I guarantee anyone with a pre-adolescent or adolescent child will appreciate that one!
I will certainly be reading more of McGregor's books in the near future.
December 3, 2013
2 1/2 Stars
Tilda and Gil were madly in love. On one fateful night Tilda's life is wrecked when a car accident leaves Gil dead and Tilda with broken bones and a shattered wrist. She descends into a depression that takes her a while to come out of, mourning the loss of her other half.
Years later, Tilda's gotten married to Shane and they have a teenage daughter. Tilda's still working on her music in her spare time and attending gigs when she can. After a less than spectacular show Tilda realizes she's not as current as the up-and-comers and the chance of her making a comeback at 40 years old is slim to none.
To help pay the bills and get out of debt, Tilda decides to sell off her guitars and equipment, but before she gets rid of everything she plays a special song written for her first love, awakening a connection that should have stayed dead.
The read started out a little slow for me with the day-to-day dealings and Tilda's moodiness. I didn't connect with Tilda on a womanly or motherly level which made it hard for me to understand her actions and genuinely care about her outcome.
I felt bad for Shane. He was a supportive husband and I could feel his love for her with his actions. The same could not be said of Tilda. It was almost as if she just accepted her lot in life and whether she was happy mattered not.
I'm not a fan of cheating and the circumstances which led to this and the person it was done with was inconceivable to me after she found out who and what he was.
The paranormal element was interesting and I wish it had consumed more of the book.
This is a dark, almost despairingly sad affair, and I think that made the read not as hard-hitting as it should have been. There was no light at the end of the tunnel and the characters really had no hope. There was nothing to root for and the ending was bittersweet. the writing was good, the characters and I just didn't mesh. My thoughts are conflicted.
A semi-solid tale.
Tilda and Gil were madly in love. On one fateful night Tilda's life is wrecked when a car accident leaves Gil dead and Tilda with broken bones and a shattered wrist. She descends into a depression that takes her a while to come out of, mourning the loss of her other half.
Years later, Tilda's gotten married to Shane and they have a teenage daughter. Tilda's still working on her music in her spare time and attending gigs when she can. After a less than spectacular show Tilda realizes she's not as current as the up-and-comers and the chance of her making a comeback at 40 years old is slim to none.
To help pay the bills and get out of debt, Tilda decides to sell off her guitars and equipment, but before she gets rid of everything she plays a special song written for her first love, awakening a connection that should have stayed dead.
The read started out a little slow for me with the day-to-day dealings and Tilda's moodiness. I didn't connect with Tilda on a womanly or motherly level which made it hard for me to understand her actions and genuinely care about her outcome.
I felt bad for Shane. He was a supportive husband and I could feel his love for her with his actions. The same could not be said of Tilda. It was almost as if she just accepted her lot in life and whether she was happy mattered not.
I'm not a fan of cheating and the circumstances which led to this and the person it was done with was inconceivable to me after she found out who and what he was.
The paranormal element was interesting and I wish it had consumed more of the book.
This is a dark, almost despairingly sad affair, and I think that made the read not as hard-hitting as it should have been. There was no light at the end of the tunnel and the characters really had no hope. There was nothing to root for and the ending was bittersweet. the writing was good, the characters and I just didn't mesh. My thoughts are conflicted.
A semi-solid tale.
May 1, 2014
Old Flames, Burned Hands begins with the short history of Tilda and Gil. Two twenty-something people who are deeply in love with one another. While out for a drive one night, Tilda and Gil's car flips, throwing Gil from the car. His body is never found and Tilda spirals into deep depression until she meets her husband, Shane. Tilda has minor success with her music career in her 30s, but after a gig doesn't go as well as she hoped, Tilda decides she is done with music. After playing a song she'd wrote for Gil, and has never played since, her life goes from normal to anything but.
Gil shows up looking exactly as he had the night he died. He apologizes to Tilda, stating he shouldn't have come but couldn't help himself when he heard his song. Despite this, they meet each night her garage/music studio. As reader's we soon learn Gil is a vampire. But not the vampires we are used to. Tim takes the lore of vampires and turns them into something truly evil and sinister. These vampires aren't beautiful, lurking in the shadows for their next victim/love, and they certainly do not sparkle in the sun.
It is an interesting change as well that the paranormal aspect isn't the main motivation behind the novel. It's more about the relationship between Tilda and Gil; however, I am unable to connect with her relationship to Gil. Aside from their relationship being cut short and being her first love (or so I assume), I was don't understand why she was so drawn to him. I wish that as readers we could have spent more tome with their relationship prior to the accident and were not so focused on Tilda's day-to-day activities.
Tim's writing is beyond superb. His descriptive and vivid writing truly insert you into the story. You're standing in the kitchen and feeling Tilda's frustration as she cooks breakfast and prepares lunches while her husband and daughter sit casually at the table. You feel her pain as she sells off her music equipment to help pay their bills. His characters have a feeling of reality to them, even vampire Gil (if you remove the vampire aspect and the whole being dead for 20 years). Aside from the paranormal aspect, these characters could be anybody.
Endings carry a lot of weight for me. While they aren't all encompassing, in my eyes they can either make or break a novel. The ending is spot on. It is fitting not only to the characters and their plights, but to the story as a whole.
With detailed writing and lifelike characters, Old Flames, Burned Hands has the perfect mixture of paranormal and contemporary features that will keep you entertained until that last page.
Gil shows up looking exactly as he had the night he died. He apologizes to Tilda, stating he shouldn't have come but couldn't help himself when he heard his song. Despite this, they meet each night her garage/music studio. As reader's we soon learn Gil is a vampire. But not the vampires we are used to. Tim takes the lore of vampires and turns them into something truly evil and sinister. These vampires aren't beautiful, lurking in the shadows for their next victim/love, and they certainly do not sparkle in the sun.
It is an interesting change as well that the paranormal aspect isn't the main motivation behind the novel. It's more about the relationship between Tilda and Gil; however, I am unable to connect with her relationship to Gil. Aside from their relationship being cut short and being her first love (or so I assume), I was don't understand why she was so drawn to him. I wish that as readers we could have spent more tome with their relationship prior to the accident and were not so focused on Tilda's day-to-day activities.
Tim's writing is beyond superb. His descriptive and vivid writing truly insert you into the story. You're standing in the kitchen and feeling Tilda's frustration as she cooks breakfast and prepares lunches while her husband and daughter sit casually at the table. You feel her pain as she sells off her music equipment to help pay their bills. His characters have a feeling of reality to them, even vampire Gil (if you remove the vampire aspect and the whole being dead for 20 years). Aside from the paranormal aspect, these characters could be anybody.
Endings carry a lot of weight for me. While they aren't all encompassing, in my eyes they can either make or break a novel. The ending is spot on. It is fitting not only to the characters and their plights, but to the story as a whole.
With detailed writing and lifelike characters, Old Flames, Burned Hands has the perfect mixture of paranormal and contemporary features that will keep you entertained until that last page.
November 18, 2013
I won a copy of "Old Flames, Burned Hands" by Tim McGregor through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest. This book was well written and I couldn't put it down.
Tilda Parish was twenty four, and had her own band, played guitar, and had her whole life ahead of her. But suddenly her life fell apart, when a fatal car crash took her boyfriend's life, and left Tilda in despair. But her boyfriend, Gil Dorsey, a painter had disappeared from the scene of the accident. They were in love, and she had written him a song.
Seventeen years later, Tilda is married to Shane, with a thirteen year old daughter, Molly. Tilda had a studio in the garage, but with a child and family, her music was put aside. The only way for a solo musician to earn a living was with constant touring and this wasn't possible with commitments at home. Also, both Shane and her were having financial difficulties, and the creditors were bothering her. She decided to work full time.
After a flop performance, at one of the clubs, she decided to end this part of her life. She emptied the garage, sold what she could, and burned her guitar.
One night when Tilda was in the house alone, she heard noises outside, and senses she is being watched. She went outside and approached the open door of the garage, and she saw GIL...but he was dead!
He had come back...he had died, he was still twenty six...and he told her he loved her, and wanted her back. She was caught between two worlds.
This was a terrific read, believable characters and a story where the tension keeps building. Couldn't put it down.
Tilda Parish was twenty four, and had her own band, played guitar, and had her whole life ahead of her. But suddenly her life fell apart, when a fatal car crash took her boyfriend's life, and left Tilda in despair. But her boyfriend, Gil Dorsey, a painter had disappeared from the scene of the accident. They were in love, and she had written him a song.
Seventeen years later, Tilda is married to Shane, with a thirteen year old daughter, Molly. Tilda had a studio in the garage, but with a child and family, her music was put aside. The only way for a solo musician to earn a living was with constant touring and this wasn't possible with commitments at home. Also, both Shane and her were having financial difficulties, and the creditors were bothering her. She decided to work full time.
After a flop performance, at one of the clubs, she decided to end this part of her life. She emptied the garage, sold what she could, and burned her guitar.
One night when Tilda was in the house alone, she heard noises outside, and senses she is being watched. She went outside and approached the open door of the garage, and she saw GIL...but he was dead!
He had come back...he had died, he was still twenty six...and he told her he loved her, and wanted her back. She was caught between two worlds.
This was a terrific read, believable characters and a story where the tension keeps building. Couldn't put it down.
October 30, 2013
WOW! Kudo's for Tim McGregor's - Old Flames, Burned Hands.
I fell into this book from the first to the last page of this read.
Non stop flow of pen and twisted thoughts thanks to Tim's awesome story writing. I love when I walk into a story without any forethought of what this is about or how this read should go. And just get blown out of the water.
There were so many clever whims and thought pelted in this story that they are still shifting in my brain.
McGregor nails teenagers for me or at least one of mine as being "ninja assasins" with their words... and then being able to go deeply with explainations of music..."music doesn't go through your brain, it goes for the guts first...no other art form does that." there is so much more to these words with the context of the story that blends into these.
What a wonderful surprise the read was, the characters were all strong and solid with their own person paths and trying to link together.
I'm not going to spoil this book as I want others to fall into it as well.
I love an ending of enough, but yet a whole hell of a lot of unsaid possibilities... I can think only of walking down a path deep in thought of where else these threads can lead. But not leaving me desparate of not knowing..... Kind of a Joan Jett & Eddy & The Crusers movie ending.
I look forward to future reads of Tim McGregor's..
I fell into this book from the first to the last page of this read.
Non stop flow of pen and twisted thoughts thanks to Tim's awesome story writing. I love when I walk into a story without any forethought of what this is about or how this read should go. And just get blown out of the water.
There were so many clever whims and thought pelted in this story that they are still shifting in my brain.
McGregor nails teenagers for me or at least one of mine as being "ninja assasins" with their words... and then being able to go deeply with explainations of music..."music doesn't go through your brain, it goes for the guts first...no other art form does that." there is so much more to these words with the context of the story that blends into these.
What a wonderful surprise the read was, the characters were all strong and solid with their own person paths and trying to link together.
I'm not going to spoil this book as I want others to fall into it as well.
I love an ending of enough, but yet a whole hell of a lot of unsaid possibilities... I can think only of walking down a path deep in thought of where else these threads can lead. But not leaving me desparate of not knowing..... Kind of a Joan Jett & Eddy & The Crusers movie ending.
I look forward to future reads of Tim McGregor's..
November 15, 2013
I've read the Twilight books. I've read the Sookie Stackhouse series of books. I watched more than my fair share of vampire movies. This book was not what you would expect from one with a vampire theme.
Molly is your typical teenager who does nothing but give her parents a hard time. Tilda and Shane are her parents. Tilda is a musician and does massage therapy on the side. Shane works outside the home. Tilda and Shane have been together almost 20 years. They met shortly after the accident that hospitalized her and killed her then boyfriend Gil. The book takes you inside their seemingly normal family life until one evening Tilda meets someone in the shadows of their yard that she hasn't seen since the accident.
I have to admit I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the book. Without giving away too much of the plot, there were times in the book when I was screaming at Tilda to just do the right thing. The book begins to get exciting when Tilda discovers this person from her past is more changed than she realizes and puts her in danger that she never expected to find herself in.
I can say that the book has somewhat of a bittersweet ending for the family.
Molly is your typical teenager who does nothing but give her parents a hard time. Tilda and Shane are her parents. Tilda is a musician and does massage therapy on the side. Shane works outside the home. Tilda and Shane have been together almost 20 years. They met shortly after the accident that hospitalized her and killed her then boyfriend Gil. The book takes you inside their seemingly normal family life until one evening Tilda meets someone in the shadows of their yard that she hasn't seen since the accident.
I have to admit I'm not exactly sure how I feel about the book. Without giving away too much of the plot, there were times in the book when I was screaming at Tilda to just do the right thing. The book begins to get exciting when Tilda discovers this person from her past is more changed than she realizes and puts her in danger that she never expected to find herself in.
I can say that the book has somewhat of a bittersweet ending for the family.
October 15, 2013
Nothing out of the ordinary for Tilda and her family,
Not until her ex boyfriend comes back
and did I forget to mention he’s been dead for nearly twenty years.
I’ll warn you.
You might want to order a pizza and settle down for a while, because once you start you won’t be able to take your eyes away until the end. Old Flames, Burned Hands is full of suspense and most important, it’s not predictable. I had no idea how it was going to end, and I can usually figure it out. I really enjoyed this book, and will be recommending it to all my friends:)
Not until her ex boyfriend comes back
and did I forget to mention he’s been dead for nearly twenty years.
I’ll warn you.
You might want to order a pizza and settle down for a while, because once you start you won’t be able to take your eyes away until the end. Old Flames, Burned Hands is full of suspense and most important, it’s not predictable. I had no idea how it was going to end, and I can usually figure it out. I really enjoyed this book, and will be recommending it to all my friends:)
September 10, 2013
I have enjoyed every book that I have read by Mr. McGregor. There is a decency and compassion in the story-telling, the characters are vibrant and nuanced, and familiar monsters are given a depth of character usually lacking in the horror genre.
I received Old Flames as an ARC. The story and writing did not disappoint. And although I read the book several weeks ago, it is still very much in my mind.
Highly recommend.
I received Old Flames as an ARC. The story and writing did not disappoint. And although I read the book several weeks ago, it is still very much in my mind.
Highly recommend.
October 18, 2013
Absolutley loved this book ,,, Tildas life has many twistes n turns , love how it all came about with the old flame,, dont want to give anything away,,, to the author Tim , wonderful book cant wait to read another 1 from you....definitley worth reading:)
December 29, 2013
I love a great read, unfortunately the pleasure only lasted 2 days, I couldn't put it down. If you have a passion for the undead, this is a must read!
June 9, 2019
Vampires!
And not the ones that sparkle so even better. This is a look at the ugly side of human nature but also the better parts of it as well with a supernatural twist. The vamps are raw, violent, and harsh...just the way I like them! McGregor is one of those authors that I just can't help but love their work.
And not the ones that sparkle so even better. This is a look at the ugly side of human nature but also the better parts of it as well with a supernatural twist. The vamps are raw, violent, and harsh...just the way I like them! McGregor is one of those authors that I just can't help but love their work.
October 12, 2022
Past Screws Present
She thought he died or rather disappeared almost 20 years ago but why is he here now? Is she losing her mind? Or is this just some sort of PTSD from the accident or her decision to quit music? Read & find out
She thought he died or rather disappeared almost 20 years ago but why is he here now? Is she losing her mind? Or is this just some sort of PTSD from the accident or her decision to quit music? Read & find out
April 3, 2019
An okay read
I didn't like this nearly as much as the Spookshow series. The heroine seemed obnoxious and I had no sympathy for her. An engrossing read though.
I didn't like this nearly as much as the Spookshow series. The heroine seemed obnoxious and I had no sympathy for her. An engrossing read though.
December 21, 2013
OLD FLAMES, BURNED HANDS by Tim McGregor
I won this novel through the Goodreads contest and looked forward to reading it. And, wow, what an emotional roller coaster of a book!
It was very well written with beautifully real characters and scene descriptions. No, I'm not going to give any spoilers here!
Most impressive was McGregor's amazing new take on a genre that has been done so many times that it almost seems old hat. That's definitely NOT the case with this book! I was immediately caught up in the story and was riveted through the twists and turns of the plot.
I actually just went back and re-read this book so that I could revise this review - it was that good.
Kudos, Tim! And thank you for such an entertaining read!
I won this novel through the Goodreads contest and looked forward to reading it. And, wow, what an emotional roller coaster of a book!
It was very well written with beautifully real characters and scene descriptions. No, I'm not going to give any spoilers here!
Most impressive was McGregor's amazing new take on a genre that has been done so many times that it almost seems old hat. That's definitely NOT the case with this book! I was immediately caught up in the story and was riveted through the twists and turns of the plot.
I actually just went back and re-read this book so that I could revise this review - it was that good.
Kudos, Tim! And thank you for such an entertaining read!
July 16, 2014
Very good wordmanship
Very good wordmanship
read smoothly main charter believable not to smart but believable like most of us. there is the issue of obsession and creative talent very interesting.
Very good wordmanship
read smoothly main charter believable not to smart but believable like most of us. there is the issue of obsession and creative talent very interesting.
November 22, 2013
Not your usual vampire love story at all, this is quite lovely in it's own right. I highly recommend it!
December 30, 2016
Another well written book with good description in it. I love all your books and fail to be able to put them down...Don't ever stop writing as it would be a tragedy.
May 9, 2017
Wow what a powerful book loved it
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews