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Middle Falls Time Travel #23
The Collected Lives of Chuck Burke: A Middle Falls Time Travel story
Some lives are too heavy to carry, until you learn what to set down.
Chuck Burke dies surrounded by clutter, isolation, and the remains of a life that never found its way—but Middle Falls, Oregon, offers the rarest gift of a do-over.
Waking in his nineteen-year-old body with all his memories intact, Chuck sets out to break the cycle of hoarding that has destroyed him. But as the weight of old patterns bears down, it’s not just his life at stake—it’s his chance to love, to connect, and to truly live.
In this quietly powerful tale of recovery and renewal, Chuck must learn that real change isn’t about what he can keep—it’s about what he’s willing to release.
The Collected Lives of Chuck Burke is the 23rd book in The Middle Falls Time Travel Series. It can be read as a standalone novel, or as part of the series. The audio book will be released simultaneously from Podium Entertainment.
Chuck Burke dies surrounded by clutter, isolation, and the remains of a life that never found its way—but Middle Falls, Oregon, offers the rarest gift of a do-over.
Waking in his nineteen-year-old body with all his memories intact, Chuck sets out to break the cycle of hoarding that has destroyed him. But as the weight of old patterns bears down, it’s not just his life at stake—it’s his chance to love, to connect, and to truly live.
In this quietly powerful tale of recovery and renewal, Chuck must learn that real change isn’t about what he can keep—it’s about what he’s willing to release.
The Collected Lives of Chuck Burke is the 23rd book in The Middle Falls Time Travel Series. It can be read as a standalone novel, or as part of the series. The audio book will be released simultaneously from Podium Entertainment.
- GenresFantasy
382 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 18, 2025
98 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 19, 2025
another fabulous, heartfelt trip to Middle Falls!
Wow! This one really hit home in many ways. Charles Burke is a man suffering from hoarding disorder and luckily since he’s from Middle Falls, he gets quite a few chances to overcome it. My dad suffered from hoarding disorder. It wasn’t quite as bad as Charles’s but it was significant. I learned so much from this book about the ways the hoarders view their items. Ways that I didn’t understand despite many viewings of the show Hoarders. A lot to reflect on.
Another winner from Shawn Inmon! I love all the Middle Falls books! I highly recommend this book and the series!
Wow! This one really hit home in many ways. Charles Burke is a man suffering from hoarding disorder and luckily since he’s from Middle Falls, he gets quite a few chances to overcome it. My dad suffered from hoarding disorder. It wasn’t quite as bad as Charles’s but it was significant. I learned so much from this book about the ways the hoarders view their items. Ways that I didn’t understand despite many viewings of the show Hoarders. A lot to reflect on.
Another winner from Shawn Inmon! I love all the Middle Falls books! I highly recommend this book and the series!
December 5, 2025
Another sterling effort from Shawn Inmon. A rather brutal opening! Not so brutal if you've ever watched the show 'Hoarders'. It did make me want to clean out my cupboards!
December 30, 2025
Another fine Middle Falls story. Shawn is a great storyteller. But….
The story is not as polished as it should have been. Many examples of poor grammar. Wrong person’s name. Anachronism. Wrong place name in the author’s note.
The story is not as polished as it should have been. Many examples of poor grammar. Wrong person’s name. Anachronism. Wrong place name in the author’s note.
February 8, 2026
It’s been a while since I read one of the books in this series, and decided it was time I dove into one. The premise of each book is an interesting one. The protagonist typically makes some questionable decisions or choices in life that eventually lead to his or her death. Then they wake up, but rather than being dead they’re at some earlier point in their life before it headed down that route with a bad ending. On the positive side, they remember that first life and given a second chance can hopefully do better this time around. But being human, the same impulses and tendencies have a way of making a different route a struggle even when you know how bad the repercussions might be. The result is often some improvement the second time around, but eventually the character falls into the bad habits and dies again. And again. And … continues to do so until they finally get things right.
As a reader we can often sympathize with the protagonist and while hopefully things work out better for us than for them, we might see ourselves in them and experiencing their lives will get us thinking about our own. In Chuck Burke’s case, he’s an obsessive collector. A little of this is okay. I tell myself it doesn’t matter how many books and CDs I have, but at some point I’ll run out of space. Chuck’s numerous collections do exactly that leading to fatal consequences. I really enjoyed watching him as he fought these urges and figured out eventually how to control them. As with the other books in the series, this was a fun, yet thought-provoking read.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
As a reader we can often sympathize with the protagonist and while hopefully things work out better for us than for them, we might see ourselves in them and experiencing their lives will get us thinking about our own. In Chuck Burke’s case, he’s an obsessive collector. A little of this is okay. I tell myself it doesn’t matter how many books and CDs I have, but at some point I’ll run out of space. Chuck’s numerous collections do exactly that leading to fatal consequences. I really enjoyed watching him as he fought these urges and figured out eventually how to control them. As with the other books in the series, this was a fun, yet thought-provoking read.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
November 24, 2025
Letting go in more ways than one
The beautiful thing about this series premise and the author’s writing is how beautifully it illustrates the fluidity of life along with the powerful cause-and-effects of our choices. This holds true even as the protagonist lives their life with their own particular sense of rigidity.
In Chuck Burke’s case, he gets five different resets back into a version of his younger body—with full memories intact—to get his addiction to his hoarding under control. Rigidity in thinking is no small thing to unravel and reframe when he has literally buried himself under it time and again.
But he does make his way as they all eventually do in the Middle Falls universe. In the process, the reader picks up the jewel of gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to be human with an untapped power that we’ve been taught to ignore, but don’t have to if we’re willing to let go. That, too, is a matter of choice.
Then…
As an incredible and highly unexpected BONUS, the author gifts us the backstory death of Chuck’s uncle Robert, the one who helped Chuck learn what family can be. I had to reread the parts of it where tears blurred the words on the screen.
The beautiful thing about this series premise and the author’s writing is how beautifully it illustrates the fluidity of life along with the powerful cause-and-effects of our choices. This holds true even as the protagonist lives their life with their own particular sense of rigidity.
In Chuck Burke’s case, he gets five different resets back into a version of his younger body—with full memories intact—to get his addiction to his hoarding under control. Rigidity in thinking is no small thing to unravel and reframe when he has literally buried himself under it time and again.
But he does make his way as they all eventually do in the Middle Falls universe. In the process, the reader picks up the jewel of gaining a deeper understanding of what it means to be human with an untapped power that we’ve been taught to ignore, but don’t have to if we’re willing to let go. That, too, is a matter of choice.
Then…
As an incredible and highly unexpected BONUS, the author gifts us the backstory death of Chuck’s uncle Robert, the one who helped Chuck learn what family can be. I had to reread the parts of it where tears blurred the words on the screen.
December 11, 2025
Best one so far and I love them all!
The pages of this book resonated deeply with my personal history, reflecting the intricate patterns of compulsive behaviors that permeated my family's narrative. Growing up, I witnessed a complex tapestry of struggles—from alcohol dependency and gambling addiction to compulsive overeating—each family member grappling with their own unique manifestation of these challenging behavioral patterns. The book's insights seemed to illuminate the unspoken dynamics and generational challenges that had long defined our familial experience, offering a profound sense of understanding and connection to my own personal journey. i truly loved Chuck story and wanted more.
The pages of this book resonated deeply with my personal history, reflecting the intricate patterns of compulsive behaviors that permeated my family's narrative. Growing up, I witnessed a complex tapestry of struggles—from alcohol dependency and gambling addiction to compulsive overeating—each family member grappling with their own unique manifestation of these challenging behavioral patterns. The book's insights seemed to illuminate the unspoken dynamics and generational challenges that had long defined our familial experience, offering a profound sense of understanding and connection to my own personal journey. i truly loved Chuck story and wanted more.
January 21, 2026
One of the best Middle Falls stories in a while, especially after a couple of disappointments. I've learned a lot about hoarding disorder in the last few years, and I have to say, the way it's presented here isn't 100% accurate, but accurate enough for a conventional length book. I really enjoyed how his subsequent replays took place in different times and places - as a young adult in his first apartment working as a landscaper, a teen runaway in southern California, a young man working on a family farm in Idaho, a middle aged man working as an insurance agent. Gave the story a nice texture. I would love to see more of that in future stories. Only took a star off because the ending was a little boring.
November 20, 2025
Another great addition to the Middle Falls series. These can be read in any order or as stand alones.
Chuckle Burke is a hoarder. His problem is so extreme that he is crushed under a pile of things he has collected over his 60 plus years of living. So ends his first life. Much to his surprise he awakens from his ignominious death to being his 19 year old self. Will he be able to escape the compulsion to collect or can he begin again and change his life path? If so, can he redeem himself in his second life or how many lifetimes will it take to make the changes he desires?
Also included is the heartwarming short story, “Robert Burke’s Last Christmas.”
Chuckle Burke is a hoarder. His problem is so extreme that he is crushed under a pile of things he has collected over his 60 plus years of living. So ends his first life. Much to his surprise he awakens from his ignominious death to being his 19 year old self. Will he be able to escape the compulsion to collect or can he begin again and change his life path? If so, can he redeem himself in his second life or how many lifetimes will it take to make the changes he desires?
Also included is the heartwarming short story, “Robert Burke’s Last Christmas.”
December 11, 2025
Another fantastic well laid out treasure from Shawn. I never miss one of The Middle Falls Time Travel Stories and boy am I glad I didnt this time. Chuck Burke has a few lives to live before he gets it right. You'll get so frustrated with him when the collections he hoards wont stop growing because of his compulsion which drags him deeper into depression. Sets of baseball cards, bottle caps in their hundreds, old magazines. If its collectable he'll collect it. And it all takes up space. Theres so much more to this story than that though, including pathos, joy, and light hearted fun. Great story, great writer, and another winner from the very tallented Mr Inmon.
December 18, 2025
I read most of your Middle Falls books. This one I found most interesting / intriguing by the integration of past storied individuals! What a most pleasant surprise, especially after so many years of living these "lives" with you. Your writing still flows so well and keeps me (at my age of 73 and battling Alzheimer) captivated! THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication. I have been blessed with a strong faith in my Savior Jesus but can still appreciate your "machine" with needs to be fed as well as the new center. I am eager to read "The Deadly Life of Diana Penn: The Cheviot Hills Time Travel Series" and hope to discover maybe a new 'fork' in your story telling! THANKS again!
December 9, 2025
I related to Chuck more than I wanted to and then enjoyed his transitions. Inmon wrote a short story about Richard Burke earlier and the eventual tie in was delightful. The only criticism, although I wouldn't call it a criticism exactly, more my thinking process, is that I think it would have taken Chuck more lifetimes than it did for him to understand and resolve his issues. It could be that's just a reflection of me being a slower learner than I used to be. Wonderful addition to the series collection! Pun intended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2025
Another great story!
I was a bit hesitant at first with this story. The first few pages were a bit difficult to read (the 'ick' factor was real), and I didn't believe I would ever be able to have understanding or empathy for this character. But, as is usual for this author, the writing was brilliant, and I gradually warmed to Chuck and his issues.
Consistently good writing and stories. Recommend!
I was a bit hesitant at first with this story. The first few pages were a bit difficult to read (the 'ick' factor was real), and I didn't believe I would ever be able to have understanding or empathy for this character. But, as is usual for this author, the writing was brilliant, and I gradually warmed to Chuck and his issues.
Consistently good writing and stories. Recommend!
November 28, 2025
4 1/2 stars
This was not my favorite Middle Falls story, but it was still a good one. I love the way Shawn Inman writes. He brings his characters to life and makes you feel something for them.
There was this touching scene when Chuck went to visit his uncle Robert once again to thank him for all that he had done for him in a previous life, even though Robert had no memory of it. I got a bit misty eyed.
I also appreciated the follow up story of Robert’s first life.
This was not my favorite Middle Falls story, but it was still a good one. I love the way Shawn Inman writes. He brings his characters to life and makes you feel something for them.
There was this touching scene when Chuck went to visit his uncle Robert once again to thank him for all that he had done for him in a previous life, even though Robert had no memory of it. I got a bit misty eyed.
I also appreciated the follow up story of Robert’s first life.
December 6, 2025
This was one of the better installments for me; I was so impressed by Chuck’s willingness to work on his issues and make the best of each life! I appreciated all of the detail about hoarding disorder and the related treatments—I learned a lot! I also found the way this story connected to another in the Middle Falls universe very interesting. My only complaint was that the ending felt a bit rushed.
January 19, 2026
I related more to this than all the others in this great series as I tend to hoard stuff, mostly books, cds and band t-shirts. Granted I do have the occasional clear out, selling the stuff worth something, recycling the decrepit paraphernalia and donating the rest to charity. Now our abode is nowhere near as bad as Chucks but I do need to be more brutal about getting rid.
Yes, I really enjoyed this and was delighted with the additional unexpected short story at the end.
Yes, I really enjoyed this and was delighted with the additional unexpected short story at the end.
November 23, 2025
I loved Chuck’s story, particularly his multiple interactions with his fellow time-traveling Uncle Robert. This story gave me insights into hoarding disorder, which I appreciated—I’ve known hoarders but could never understand the “why” behind it.
Great story, one of my favorites of the last few I’ve read. Bravo, Shawn Inmon!
Great story, one of my favorites of the last few I’ve read. Bravo, Shawn Inmon!
December 13, 2025
I was disappointed with the Tuesday West story. I didn't really like Tuesday and felt there was nothing especially different about the book from a lot of the others However I really enjoyed this Chuck Burke story and maybe it is because Chuck Burke is a likeable character whom you want things to work out for. In fact maybe there is a bit of Chick Burke in all of us.
December 27, 2025
Fantastic!
Fantastic choice of topic. I know I truly enjoyed it and the fact that Chuck tried as many times as he did, to find his way, shows it can be done. Of course he got stuck several times along the way, which is why it's such a great book. I recommend it highly and hope the other readers get as much from it as I did. Many Thanks to Shawn Inmon for his book.
Fantastic choice of topic. I know I truly enjoyed it and the fact that Chuck tried as many times as he did, to find his way, shows it can be done. Of course he got stuck several times along the way, which is why it's such a great book. I recommend it highly and hope the other readers get as much from it as I did. Many Thanks to Shawn Inmon for his book.
January 10, 2026
a view into an addition I didn’t understand
Hoarding, crazy people, right. Well only partially I never realized what drives this addition. Fell in love with the story, couldn’t put it down.
I love it when Shawn does a short tie in at the end. Keep it up my friend, you make my life more enjoyable.
Hoarding, crazy people, right. Well only partially I never realized what drives this addition. Fell in love with the story, couldn’t put it down.
I love it when Shawn does a short tie in at the end. Keep it up my friend, you make my life more enjoyable.
May 31, 2025
It’s the Characters! The story is wonderful, but the characters are fantastic!
November 22, 2025
My favourite middle falls book so far
I have read this series multiple times and this is genuinely my favourite so far. Shawn is one of my favourite authors
I have read this series multiple times and this is genuinely my favourite so far. Shawn is one of my favourite authors
November 29, 2025
Another good one
This one brought tears. So good. All Mr. Inmon's books are deep, but this one makes me want to clean out closets.
This one brought tears. So good. All Mr. Inmon's books are deep, but this one makes me want to clean out closets.
December 1, 2025
I think that I might just be getting worn out from these books. This one was very tedious to get through.
December 18, 2025
Thought provoking
An interesting idea for a story and I enjoyed reading it. A bit fanciful but the story did hold together. Worth reading I think.
An interesting idea for a story and I enjoyed reading it. A bit fanciful but the story did hold together. Worth reading I think.
January 7, 2026
He did it again! The last few Middle Falls books haven’t fully resonated with me, but this one knocked it out of the park again. Well done. And thank you.
January 22, 2026
Initially quite frustrated with this character. Ended up being very satisfying.
December 27, 2025
For most of this book I did not like Chuck. What a waste of a life. Dude refused to get a grip on his issues. Didn't even try. Until he did. And he tried so hard. I was happy for him. I really hope everyone with issues gets an opportunity for help and a happier life. Chuck's story had me empathizing with people who really can't help who they are, and I wish them all the best. If you know someone struggling, please reach out.
December 30, 2025
I've read and loved every one of Shawn Inmon's Middle Falls series! This was no exception. Whenever I read one of his books I tend to consistently finish them faster than most other authors.
Shawn Inmon is, in my opinion, a very under-rated author. Book Tube (on YouTube) really needs to pick up some of his books and start talking about them!
Shawn Inmon is, in my opinion, a very under-rated author. Book Tube (on YouTube) really needs to pick up some of his books and start talking about them!
November 30, 2025
I’m catching up on reviews as a longtime fan of Shawn Inmon. I read this as a Patreon advance and what stuck with me was just how well he got inside the head of Chuck Burke, gave us an internal focus on his mental health, an understanding of what seems inexplicable on the outside, and as a Middle Falls veteran, how he was able to move us from one lifetime to another, make us mourn for the wonderful setting we lost, and then double down and give us something we never expected but appreciated just as much. Shawn is a master, and this is just one more example of it.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews