Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Nick Barrett #1

Out of the Shadows

Rate this book
This blockbuster contemporary mystery novel by best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer is now available in softcover. Nick Barrett is lured back to Charleston by a mysterious note to search for answers about why his mother abandoned him. Past secrets slowly begin to emerge, threatening to destroy the present. Sharply defined characters and vivid settings will engage and appeal to both men and women.

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

64 people are currently reading
255 people want to read

About the author

Sigmund Brouwer

259 books407 followers
Sigmund loves going to schools to get kids excited about reading, reaching roughly 80,000 students a year through his Rock&Roll Literacy Show.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
152 (36%)
4 stars
134 (32%)
3 stars
108 (26%)
2 stars
15 (3%)
1 star
6 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Profile Image for Karen.
2,584 reviews1,159 followers
December 24, 2023
A young man is contacted by a mystery person to come home again and find the truth about what happened to his mother 20 years ago.

Did she abandon him as he believed or was it something more sinister?

Did you really think I was going to tell you?
Profile Image for Amber Fuller.
106 reviews18 followers
August 2, 2011
This book was not easy for me to get into. I almost stopped reading it several times but, lacking another good book to read, I plodded along right to the end. It was a slow and trudging process, wading through the convoluted plot. The premise was implausible to me and the main character, Nick Barrett, was not endearing. Was I supposed to feel sorry for him because he had been in a tragic accident and ended up with a prosthetic leg? Or perhaps because he is wrongfully blamed for that accident which also killed his new wife's brother? Maybe because he was mysteriously abandoned by his mother as a child and then mistreated by his extended family, never allowed to really belong? Or perhaps I should feel sorry for him because finally they succeed in pushing him out of their genteel, albeit corrupt, southern society when he is forced to leave and never return all in an attempt to hide deep, dark family secrets. Well, Nick does return but only at the bidding of an unknown letter writer who insists he should come back to learn the truth many years later. Thus, the tale begins.



This story was too drawn out. By the time I got to just one more "juicy detail" of the twisting and turning plot line, I was disappointed. Each new revelation from Nick Barrett's past, surely designed to surprise and intrigue the reader, left me shaking my head while rolling my eyes. To me, it was rather predictable and overblown. All that fighting to find out what's on the end of the fishing line, and lo and behold, I was disappointed with my catch. I should add that, in general, I'm not a big fan of a novel that jumps from the past to the present and back again as this one did.



What can I say? Many people clearly liked this book and enjoy this author and series much more than I did. Some like chocolate, some vanilla. This was not my flavor. Will I read the sequel? Maybe, if only to give the author another chance. But not because I fell in love with Nick Barrett as a character or because I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Profile Image for David Herndon.
32 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The details in the setting were very well done; one felt like they were walking down the same streets, entering the same rooms as the character. The story line was compelling and hooked me from the very beginning. I liked the twists and turns - usually I figure out plot quickly in books of this genre, but this one had just enough to keep me off-balance and eagerly anticipating the next chapter.
A very good read, well worth your time
Profile Image for Lois.
63 reviews
September 28, 2009
not my style of writing-recommended by a friend; could NOT get thru it! Didn't finish the book; all I could think was, "okay...come on, get to the point, too much fluff!"
Profile Image for Jane.
374 reviews82 followers
March 26, 2016
4.00 stars - rated pg

I'm very slowly going through all my bookshelves and trying to catalogue books bought and read in years gone by. Stars and ratings are mere guesses at this point.
Profile Image for Barbara Harper.
841 reviews43 followers
August 2, 2021
In Sigmund Brouwer’s Out of the Shadows, Nick Barrett’s life has been shaped by two abandonments. His mother left with his trust fund before his tenth birthday, and there had been no word from her since. And as an adult, his wife of four days betrayed him.

Nick’s mother had been a waitress when a war hero from one of Charleston’s elite families saw her and fell in love. They married, but Nick and his mother were considered outsiders, especially after his father died. When his mother left, he was begrudgingly taken in by his father’s relatives. But he was still always on the outside. Just four days after he married the girl he loved, an accident cost him his leg, his marriage, and his Charleston residency. He signed an agreement to leave and never return.

Nick has been away from his native Charleston, SC, for fifteen years. He’s bitter against his mother, his relatives, and God. But a mysterious unsigned note has brought him back, promising information about his mother. Looking not only for information, but also revenge, Nick is led through a winding path of revelations. But what will they cost him in the end?

In defense of the stubbornness of my soul’s early flight from God, there were all the events before I left Charleston—events that seemed totally bereft of the touch of a God of love. God, however, as I was about to discover, is a patient hunter. I can now examine my years of exile and see earmarked on the pages of my personal history the times he beckoned, times that I resolutely turned aside to my own path. I imagine that in a way, I was like Jonah, determined to head in the opposite direction of God’s calling. For Jonah, the city he desperately wanted to avoid was Nineveh. For me, it was Charleston.


I picked up this book on a Kindle sale partly because I love Charleston and partly because I had read something of Brouwer’s in the past. I remembered enjoying it, though I couldn’t remember what it was.

This book was fascinating. There were several jaw-dropping surprises or twists, but not too many to seem realistic. I love the Charleston history and setting. I loved the irony of the Old South incongruity of using the most polite language while doing the most awful things. A couple of my favorite characters were a gossipy pair of elderly twin antique owners.
Profile Image for Big Game James.
101 reviews
March 22, 2024
Not on par with Double Helix but still a good read

I'm a big fan of Sigmund Brouwer and thoroughly enjoy his crisp, masterfully written novels, such as Double Helix and even his Accidental Detective middle-grade books. But Out of the Shadows was somewhat clunky and tedious. Some of the scenarios were a bit far-fetched. And our protagonist, Nick Barrett, comes off as borderline idiotic, making poor decisions throughout the novel.

Sure, the story is meant to be one of redemption, and there is none without sin, no not one. And Nick eventually shakes his agnostic ways and comes to Christ.

But his constant evasiveness and inability to set the record straight became tiresome and frustrating. Also, there wasn't a full resolution at the end. Even so, despite these shortcomings, I still enjoyed the book. Be advised that as Christian books go, this one was darker and grittier than your typical Christian fiction book—not in a foul language sort of way, but due to the foul behavior of the characters—just like real people.
Profile Image for Lee Rubsam.
Author 22 books9 followers
May 18, 2023
Sigmund Brouwer is a master storyteller. This is an intense, dark tale of greed, lust for power, and deeply-hidden secrets of the "old money" aristocracy in the South. The plot is complex, with many twists and turns, a page-turner from beginning to end. Woven throughout is the message of God's redeeming power to use the traumatic events of a young man's life to bring him to Jesus.

Although it is part of a series, there isn't a cliff hanger. The story ends peacefully and with hope for the future.
19 reviews
July 13, 2023
Speaks to the soul

Sigmund Brouwer’s writing speaks to my soul second only to the Bible. He to writes living words that I ponder days after reading his books. His books are like love letters from God and they inspire me to forgive myself and others and just rest in Jesus love and forgiveness. Thank you for letting God use you to reach broken people through your works of fiction.
Profile Image for Karen Strumlak.
303 reviews1 follower
June 30, 2018
Suspenseful story. Makes one realize whatever you are searching for in life to find happiness doesn’t always give you peace. Nick was truly a victim of deceit and searched for answers and maybe revenge. This author gently reveals that there is no peace without knowing Jesus. Good story. Life lesson.
Profile Image for Lynette.
166 reviews
January 27, 2019
Not my usual genre of choice but I did like the read. In some ways it reads like a memoir. The story of a man trying to get to the truth about his mother’s disappearance, with some twists and turns. A predictable resolution about his mother, but some not so obvious endings to other parts of the plot.
Profile Image for Linda.
2,173 reviews
June 14, 2021
After many years, Nick Barrett has returned to Charleston to find out the truth of what happened to his mother the night she left, when he was ten years old.

What he discovers is an elaborate tapestry of lies, secrets, adultery, blackmail, and murder that stretches from that long-ago night to the current day.
Profile Image for Charlie.
45 reviews
July 25, 2017
We made our not-unusual mistake of reading the second book of a series (Nick Barret) "Crown of Thorns" and were so intrigued with the rich view of Charleston, we spent our 50th anniversary there. Have gone back now and read the first book of the series (this one) and were not disappointed.
Profile Image for Dorry Lou.
862 reviews
October 16, 2017
Nick returns to the city he was raised in but not by his mother. So now he wants answers and also revenge. He wants what was taken from him and he wants the truth. A lot of dark secrets are revealed. Some twists and turns. Not a book I usually read, but I found it interesting.
49 reviews
March 22, 2022
recommend

This author can powerfully set a background and pull the reader in. I didn’t know what to expect as story progressed, but I wasn’t disappointed. To follow Nick was to follow a man through his pain until revelation set him free. Highly recommend.
975 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2022
4 Stars

4 stars for Out of the Shadows. Nick Barrett is back in Charleston trying to find what happened to his mother and maybe his wife whom he was only married to for four days. The trail leads to long held secrets and murder.
Profile Image for Louise Robinson.
20 reviews2 followers
January 27, 2025
This book has been in our shelves since 2002 when my husband read it. We were just clearing out books we wouldn’t read again when I mentioned I wanted to read this one. It is well written, great story line and I had to wait until the end for the mystery to be resolved! Definitely worth reading!
171 reviews
March 15, 2018
Excellent book! Great writing. So many surprises. Mystery, suspense and a tab bit of romance mixed together. And above all - a message of forgiveness.
Profile Image for Hannah.
426 reviews32 followers
March 1, 2021
Obsessed with Claire, we love a morally complicated emotionally damaged queen. Also love Nick.
456 reviews
May 31, 2021
I was captivated by the story and the characters --- it kept me intrigued as new information was revealed step by step until the very end.
Profile Image for Whitney Stearns.
39 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2024
Overall, this book was okay. The plot was somewhat monotone. It did get a little interesting near the end. But I hardly ever felt as if it was a "page turner".
Profile Image for Beckie.
73 reviews
October 13, 2011
I received "Out of the Shadows" by Sigmund Brouwer (e-book) for free from www.familyfiction.com. This is the second Brouwer book I have read and I am thinking his usual style is mystery with a ton of twists and turns. In this story Nick, a southerner, is growing up in his uncle's house with his awful cousin and his cute neighbor. Nick's mother disapears when he is 10. Fast forward 8 years to a car wreck involving Nick; Claire, the cute neighbor; Pennington, the cousin from hell, and Claire's little brother. This wreck starts another turning point in Nick's life as this is when he loses his leg and Claire's brother loses his life. Fast forward again 20 years and the reunion is a bit sticky. Nick is out to find out what happened to his mother and why Claire is no longer in his life.



To start off with I found it hard to stick with the book, but once it got going, I was captivated. It has plenty of mystery(or should I say mysteries) and some information is held back till the end to keep you guessing. The problem is Nick might be the most gullible man in the fictional world. I was always one step ahead of him. And not because of my intelligence. Nick is a little slow to catch on. But I still liked him. He was a cool guy.
Profile Image for Adrienna.
Author 18 books242 followers
December 26, 2016
This book went through spurts to whereas it caught my attention early on, then got a bit bored and slightly confused, then gathered my curiosity, and skimmed through some passages to finally midway get to the nitty-gritty. He did have the who-done-it throughout the book and whether or not the mother lived or was dead, then who was her murderer or suspects, with the why factor. There were some wow factors, but again, this did not happen until over a 100 pages in and closer to the end.

I am glad that I continued and read; otherwise, I would have not gotten the wow's and the whoa's until nearly the end.

I also like the touch of adding aspects of Christ, faith, and how many of us live in the shadows or darkness and to experience His precious light/salvation at the very end of the novel.

*I see this is a series and may continue in the near future.

Leisure read 2016
Profile Image for Rocky Henriques.
Author 29 books1 follower
July 4, 2019
Five stars for a very good story...

...even though the formatting of this ebook seemed to be off, almost as if this version was rushed to market without a final run-through. Sometimes that distracted, but after awhile it was simply annoying. That said, the plot was exceptional, and I found myself unable to put it down once I started. Browser's writing style appeals to me, and the main character is not only believable but it seemed as if he were an extension of myself, though I have not experienced any of the things described. This book definitely makes me want to read more of the series!
Author 1 book2 followers
April 15, 2016
This particular book . . . though everything I've read of Mr. Brouwer's is compelling . . . had a certain lure I couldn't escape. It was one of those books I couldn't put down because I was so wrapped in the MC's story. Mr. Brouwer guarded his story piously in this book and doled out only the smallest tidbits at every turn, and each morsel became as my own struggle, demanding that I find the solution.
It follows a man who is broken and he is either looking for answers, or revenge.
Whatever he looks for gets him in deeper until he is swimming in an impossible mess.
Profile Image for John.
1,458 reviews36 followers
August 3, 2017
A wimpy detective starring in a tepid thriller. Joy. Brouwer attempts to give the story a film noir-type feel, but it's like a Hallmark version of film noir. He also beats you over the head so hard with his obvious and simplistic themes that you run the risk of literally being knocked unconscious while reading. That's what happened to me, at least. Or maybe I was just so bored that I fell asleep. On a positive note, though, some of Brouwer's other books are good.
3 reviews
February 8, 2014
This book is the first in a series but I accidentally read the second one first. I actually enjoyed the second one more but this one was good as well. I'm looking forward to reading the next one. It's hard to write a fair review because I was reading it more to fill in the holes and knowing how it was going to turn out in the end.
Profile Image for Mark Baker.
2,367 reviews200 followers
May 29, 2018
The first in a Christian mystery trilogy, Nick returns to Charleston to face the mysteries of his past, specifically his mother's disappearance when he was a pre-teen. A gripping story that dragged just slightly in the middle.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
253 reviews2 followers
February 2, 2008
I really enjoy Sigmund Brouwer books they are always well writen and thoughtful. However this book is too dark for me. I have a tough time thinking or believing that people are so wicked or uncaring.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.