Chasing Shadows

by A.C. Adams

When renowned professor Dr. Aidan Ryan vanishes without explanation, he leaves behind a haunting message revealing he has a new life and can never return. His devastated daughter Sofia embarks on a global search to uncover the truth behind her father’s disappearance. What she finds is more shocking than she could have imagined—a web of family secrets and lies that challenges everything she thought she knew.

After clues lead her to Italy, Sofia reconnects with her estranged mother, Ella, who reveals a hidden past of trauma and deceit. When they discover Aidan’s ties to The Brotherhood, an elusive, powerful society that operates in the shadows of world affairs, Sofia and Ella become ensnared in a deadly conspiracy. Trapped in ancient catacombs beneath the Roman countryside, they must confront their mysterious captors and fight for their lives. But as they edge closer to escape, one question Will Aidan choose his family or The Brotherhood?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller

324 pages, Paperback

Published April 4, 2025

About the author

see: Adam Gaffen

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to receive an advance copy of Chasing Shadows. I loved it!

Chasing Shadows is a fast paced and engaging read. What starts as a sheltered college graduate’s entry into a complacent life, quickly turns into a series of unexpected twists and turns that keeps the reader riveted. I loved how things just kept coming. It kept me glued to the page. The character of Sophia is well defined as a recent college graduate who is curious and intelligent but also emotionally driven. She peels back layers (and years) of false information and assumptions. The settings are great and add depth to the plot. After traveling through several countries and complications, the novel arrives at a conclusion that is satisfying and realistic. It’s a romp of a story that entertains throughout. This should be on every summer reading list!

[L Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Shadows co-authors, A. C. Adams, have unlocked one secret of crafting a good story - mastery of 'the twist.' Upfront, the Author's Notes divulge that the integral starting point of the story is an unsettling, incomprehensible side of Sofia's father. Soon after the set up of initial characters, I found myself wanting to dig for “what the hell happened to this young girls dad?!” The authors are successful with the introduction of additional characters to build the plot, which takes the reader on clue-gaining tangents as the main character, Sophia searches for answers. By jumping from character to character, the story develops as we get to know Sophia in a way compelling every reader to keep turning pages. The authors toggle back n forth between cities, time frames and characters seamlessly and without confusion, keeping the reader on track and engaged. Anyone in “Sophia's” position would ask the same questions presented in the novel... “hoping to make sense of the chaos that had become her life... Did [her] father go insane?... Does he have a fatal illness?... Did someone force him to leave?” The characters are relatable, and you will want to hate or root for them. Sophia's life unfolds with each chapter, shifting her status from a typical to extraordinary young woman, inciting the reader to live vicariously through her. Chasing Shadows is not a coming of age story, but rather a great piece of fiction that leans on underlying concepts like 'question everything,' know yourself by knowing your heritage and roots, and rethinking judgments regarding what one believes they know and perceive. I looked forward to my reading time... I believe you will too!

[Karen Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing from start to finish. This book has it all. Love, loss, betrayal and survival. Also has some history to it too. Many secrets and lies!
World renowned professor Dr. Aidan Ryan has just celebrated his daughter Sofia’s graduation and she’s also been gifted a property so she can stand on her own two feet. The next thing we know is that Dr. Ryan has written a note and left it for a devastated Sofia to read. Her Mum hasn’t been in the picture, so she’s always been a Daddy’s girl. Sofia is tormented as to why her precious Father would just up and leave without any explanation.
Her journey to find him involves digging back into her own and family past and rekindling the relationship she never had with her Mum. It takes her from America, to Italy (Rome) and Ireland. She meets some wonderful family members along the way, but also people from her Father’s past she can only hope to forget.
This novel really is a tale of secrets, lies, but ultimately betrayal and revenge. It also eludes to ‘The Troubles’. This part was a hard read at times as I grew up during this period of Irish History.
Why did Dr. Ryan leave so suddenly? Or was it?… and more importantly just what skeletons are in his closet?

[Laurie Heatherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many families have secrets, but few families have secrets like those in Chasing Shadows, or, for that matter, like those in the author’s own family of origin. I binge-read Chasing Shadows in a day and a half -- couldn’t put it down! It is gripping fiction told in vivid prose of loving daughter Sofia’s quest to uncover the story of her father’s disappearance and secret life as a priest. The quest takes her on a journey from California to Boston, Ireland and Italy, as well as on an emotional journey of betrayal and anger to understanding and eventually, reconciliation. In places, it reads like a Dan Brown thriller. Beyond that, however, the narrative garners unusual depth from the echoes of the author’s actual family mystery – still unsolved --that lie just beneath the fictional story. Heartbreak, confusion, loss, a driving “need to know” resonate from her voice throughout the book. As Sofia was a brave explorer of her family’s secrets, so is Adams an intrepid explorer of her own. This is a book that you won’t want to miss!

[Steve Alterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books that stay with me after I am reading and take me on a journey while I am "in it". "Chasing Shadows" served that up like a delicious buffet of intrigue, emotion and excitement. The trip was completely satisfying and continued to take me to places (both physically and emotionally) that I did not except to go. From the first page to the last, I felt like I was on this incredible voyage with Sofia. The author clearly researched the locations carefully and I was drawn deeper and deeper into the story with each new location and each wonderful new character and plot twist. I highly recommend "Chasing Shadows" for a whirlwind ride.

[Tricia Zacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoy Sophia’s journey through Ireland and Italy as she discovers her family’s secrets. This is a fast paced read with exceptional plotting that keeps the reader guessing throughout the story and finishes with a satisfying ending.

[Yvette Salmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a good book. A great book about families and their secrets. All families have secrets and it seems these families have more than most. Great characters and story line . Would recommend a read.

[Michael Doane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.C. Adams delivers a gripping and atmospheric thriller in Chasing Shadows, a story that masterfully intertwines mystery, family drama, and psychological suspense.

The novel opens with the haunting disappearance of Dr. Aidan Ryan, a respected professor whose sudden vanishing act and cryptic message send shockwaves through his family. His daughter, Sofia, becomes the emotional anchor of the story as she embarks on a perilous global quest to uncover the truth behind her father’s disappearance, a journey that leads her deep into a labyrinth of secrets, lies, and a shadowy organization known as The Brotherhood.

Adams’s prose is sharp and cinematic, painting vivid scenes that pulse with tension, from sun-drenched Italian landscapes to chilling catacombs beneath the Roman countryside. Yet beneath the suspense, Chasing Shadows is also a story about legacy, identity, and the lengths we’ll go to understand those we love. The relationship between Sofia and her estranged mother, Ella, adds emotional depth and complexity, transforming the novel from a high-stakes thriller into a deeply human story of reconciliation and revelation.

Fans of Dan Brown, Stieg Larsson, and Kate Morton will find themselves captivated by Adams’s elegant blend of history, mystery, and psychological intrigue. Chasing Shadows doesn’t just keep you turning pages, it lingers, inviting you to question how well we truly know the people closest to us.

[PJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, easy read that I found interested me but did not fully absorb me.

I enjoyed the journey (physical and emotional) as the lead character, Sofia Ryan, seeks to understand the truth of her father’s very sudden and absolute disappearance. A father she had grown up with after her mother had allegedly abandoned her as a child. A Father who was a renowned success in his profession as a professor and who pushed his daughter to achieve her own accomplishments, sometimes to the point of being over-zealous.

Yet suddenly he disappears, turning Sofia’s world upside down until she starts to dig into why, and where has her father gone. And this digging takes her from her comfortable west coast US world to her first international travel experience – destination Ireland and then Italy. It forces her to fully reunite with her Mother. And it forces her to accept the impossible.

Chasing Shadows is good but, for me, a little too far-fetched. But the joy of books is, there is always some positive ‘take away’ from finishing a book and for me, I loved the wonderfully described characters Sofia met on her journeys in Ireland and Italy.

One to pack for her a summer beach holiday .

[Annetta Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is based on a true story. Wow. I’m so very impressed.

Call it a mystery, call it a thriller… It’s also a deep family origin story that had me out of the gate. Well-meaning characters in impossible circumstances with seemingly no way out. The emotional stakes are high all around, and increasingly layered as the story unfolds. I read the entire novel in one sitting because I could not put it down.

Do people get what they deserve? Or not? Or the maddening truth far from that straightforward?

The clip at which the story unfolds, the shocking twists and turns and the abundance of global locations made me feel like I was watching a movie. No - I meant I felt like I was watching a premium limited series that is dying to get made.

Can we ever really know our parents as individuals? And honestly - do they ever really know us? Those ideas have fascinated me all my life, and CHASING SHADOWS delivers.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Shadows is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that masterfully blends personal loss with global conspiracy. A.C. Adams delivers a fast-paced narrative rooted in grief, identity, and the unsettling realization that the people we love most may be the ones we know least. The disappearance of Dr. Aidan Ryan immediately pulls readers into a mystery that feels both intimate and dangerously expansive.

What elevates this novel is its layered emotional depth. Sofia’s relentless search for truth, paired with the gradual unraveling of her mother Ella’s buried past, gives the story a powerful human core. The shadowy presence of The Brotherhood adds tension and menace, while the international setting and claustrophobic catacombs amplify the stakes. Adams skillfully explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and choice, leaving readers questioning the narratives they’ve accepted, and whether truth is ever as simple as it seems.

[Angela Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 ⭐️

My star rating kept changing as I read it. It started as a 3-star at the beginning because it was a bit wordy but still caught my attention.

As the story continued, I found myself immersed in the story, my heart hurting for Sofia because of how her father and his family treated her. Then my heart was hurting for Ella, Sofia's mother.

Some things seemed improbable and the climax, especially when they find her father, felt rushed. The climax and ending could have been another 25-50 pages.

On the same note, the last few pages were "Good. Sofia and Ella will be okay and happy."

Only 3 1/2 stars for the wordy beginning, rushed climax, and improbability of some scenes.

But that's just my opinion. Will I ever recommend it? Absolutely! It was a good thriller! Will I ever reread it? Probably not.

[Claire Curcio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is almost unbelievable that one family could contain so much drama, despair, and hope. The book is very well-written and is so suspenseful that it was almost impossible to put it down once I began reading. The characters are well-drawn and each challenges the reader to see things from their particular point of view. The authors are very skillful in toggling between decades, yet keeping the reader involved and not losing the sense of the story in the time shifts. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys emotional suspense, as well as those with an interest in the history and mystery of the Roman Catholic faith. I eagerly anticipate the Adams' next novel!

Dr. CCC

[Julia McCay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely blown away by this book! It pulled me in from the first page and never let go. The story was fast-paced, full of twists and turns I never saw coming, and completely different from any thriller I’ve ever read. It wasn’t just suspenseful, it had so much depth, weaving real pieces of history into the story. It kept me guessing and fully invested until the very last second! The book was based off of the authors lifelong quest to figure out the mystery of her dad’s double life after he left a message that he is gone and can never return. I couldn’t put it down. If you like thrillers you HAVE to read this! I can’t recommend it enough!

[Sue Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sophie's father a well known Professor disappears, without any clues as to why! Sophie decides to go look for him with the help of her estranged mum Ella, who advises her not to get involved because she won't like what she finds, but Sophie needs answers and has to come out of her comfort zone to travel to Ireland and Rome. Her father Aiden is hiding a dangerous secret and it puts all their lives at risk nothing is as it seems. There are loads of twist and turns that keep you turning the pages. A brilliant read and one that I will be recommending to family and friends. Looking forward to more from these authors.

[Annette Ward · Rating 5 out of 5]

A father who disappears, and a young girl’s search to find him. This story grabbed me from the very beginning. The story follows Sofia Ryan as she crosses the globe in search of the mystery of why her caring and nurturing father leaves without a trace. Her quest takes her from San Diego to Boston to Ireland to Rome. Along the way she discovers unknown family, Catholic secret societies, and reignites her relationship with her mother. Historically the authors did their research. They intertwined WWII and the Irish rebellion to create a truly compelling debut novel. It was a great read and I look forward to their next novel.

[BA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started reading Chasing Shadows, I literally couldn't put it down. Sophia's search for her missing father is full of twists, turns and surprises as she was truly chasing shadows.
Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, you discover that nothing is as it seems. Even the ending was a total surprise to me.
I have already recommended Chasing Shadows to several friends for their Book Clubs as I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Fingers crossed for a sequel as I'm wondering what will happen to the characters in the future.....

[Linda Spuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after reading an article in the local paper about the authors’ personal connection to the story and was so intrigued I immediately went out and got the book. While I enjoyed it, I felt the same way about the novel that I did about their “Sideways” musical - it needs some editing to winnow out the authors’ love for sentiment that leaves them with too many heartfelt ballads, or in this case too many dreamy descriptions of things like clothing, campuses and food. Either way you end up turning a great story into something that feels just a bit overwrought.

[julie young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this intriguing , slightly chilling mystery. When her father Aiden suddenly disappears from her life Sofia is devastated but after discovering some shocking confirmation from her estranged mother she is doggedly determined to track him down and find the truth. A story that takes Sofia from state to American state, Ireland and on to Rome. Fast paced , action packed, shocking discoveries and reuniting with her mother. Absolutely brilliant.

[Charles Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing Shadows by A.C.Adams is an unusual book. I suppose it might be called a mystery novel, but it is also filled with adventure, introspection, and wit. I enjoyed the different directions the book took me in. It was an easy read. It was like watching a movie. Sofia's search for her missing dad becomes more interesting as his hidden nature is slowly revealed. The book made me think, "How well do we know our parents?"
and "Do we know the Truth when we see it?" This book was definitely a worthwhile read.

Charles Payne

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

A breath taking ride!

I really enjoyed the content and thought that the authors collectively do a wonderful job of setting the scenes and characters.

This is a great “hard to put down” read …. A lot of ups and downs lead to a gripping story with deeper themes than you expect and high stakes.

There are so many questions along the way and the author and novel takes time to uncover them making for an extremely satisfying read.

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had some great characters and a lot of mystery.

It had high suspense, intrigue, action packed, secrets mystery, a few who done it, great sleuthing skills, and some crazy twists and turns.

Armed with his quick wit, A.C. Adams bring us a book that just resonates.

Really there wasn't anything I didn't like about it, fast paced, with a plot that really keeps the reader engaged throughout the book.

[Katie Ludlow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of the book. University lecturer leaves his daughter and disappears.

I couldn’t take to the character of Sofia. She read as a shy, timid young woman, though when she attacked her aunty and uncle, I found it unbelievable.
I felt the character of the opera singer didn’t really serve a purpose.

I liked hearing Ella’s back story and I’d have liked to have heard more.

[HJ Bramma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read following Sofia trying to track down her father with the help of her estranged mum.

I just found a few parts of the plot frustrating and maybe not plausible.


Sofia’s mum Ella had a great back story and I really enjoyed her retelling the story of her life before children.

It was nice to read about familiar places I’ve visited over the years.

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

A.C. Adams write likable characters with layers and depth, and perhaps most importantly, with secrets.

I enjoyed the writing style. There’s great characterization, a fascinating story, with enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most picky reader.

Interesting, complex, and ultimately a highly readable book.

[Samantha Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure and mystery with characters that you want to know more about.

The tension between the different characters is very believable. And the aftermath is realistic as well.

This well written and engrossing story will keep you reading to the end.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the better suspense novels that I read this year. I would have given it a 4.5 if I could have. Some of the best parts with historical type info don't show up until later in the book. It is a clean read with historical violence.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a roller coaster ride of a book. Family secrets filled with many twists and turns. Thrilling read