Shadow's Way

by Barbara Frances

Prepare to be spellbound. Barbara Frances' long-awaited third novel, “Shadow's Way,” takes you to the coastal, deep South, where the past and the present mingle in a gothic tale of insanity, murder, and sexual intrigue. You'll meet the beautiful Elaine Chauvier, former actress and proprietor of Shadow's Way, her family's antebellum home; the esteemed Archbishop Andre Figurant and his fallen identical twin, Bastien; newly arrived Ophelia and Rudy, here to explore their Chauvier roots and their ties to Shadow's Way; and the mysterious Madame Claudine. Under a veneer of piety and graciousness, i.e., the What is good? What is evil? What is reality?

Genres: Fiction

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 27, 2018

About the author

I love to tell stories and I come from a storytelling family. That was our chief entertainment in 1950s rural Texas. I grew up Catholic on a small farm and my girlhood ambition was to become a nun. I was very serious and from 9th to 12th grade even went to a boarding school in a convent. I changed my mind when I graduated and opted for college, but after I got my degree I became a stewardess, then a very glamorous occupation. After that I worked as a cocktail waitress in Reno, Nevada. Eventually, I settled down and got married, had kids and taught English and Theatre Arts for 22 years.

I never lost my taste for storytelling though and one summer, just for kicks, a friend and I co-wrote a screenplay. I loved it and the next summer wrote one on my own. Others followed and I entered them in contests, where they did well enough to get an agent. Three of my screenplays were optioned, which led to lots of flattery, high hopes, endless rewrites and deals that fell apart at the last minute. Finally, I said “enough” and walked away from a renewal offer to become an indie novelist. Like I Used to Dance is my second book.

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read this author so I wasn't really sure what to expect. While the premise of the book did sound intriguing to me, Southern, gothic,insanity and murder it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
There is a plot but it deviates from it greatly and starts rambling for pages on end making it hard to follow. I didn't connect with the main character, Elaine Chauvier, who really was flighty and talks to and gets advice from her dead grandfather.
Full of mystery and intrigue I just didn't make a connection with the story.

Published July 27th 2018 by Positive Imaging, LLC
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadow's Way is the first book that I have read by this author and when I saw the cover and read the blurb I was anticipating a really good novel to dive into. What I got wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I get a myriad of different characters, strange situations, and a storyline that seems meandering one minute and then focused the next. I enjoyed this story, but I honestly wanted more.
I enjoyed the variety of characters in the story and I absolutely liked the immediate tie-in of the title into the story. I like the ties in of the history of the South being brought in throughout the story for sure because I love stuff like that. We get some background on the characters history and their family. Elaine, for me, is a strange character. I can never quite place how old she is. I'm not sure if it is ever mentioned by the author but I find her both odd and interesting. You can tell that something isn't quite right with her. Her past definitely affects her and the things that she has been through, but I absolutely noticed that she has little to no love for her family. She is a touch obsessed with believing the best of her great-great-grandfather that's for sure and woo to anyone who dares speak ill of the man!
Each character in this story has their uniqueness and I feel that this helps to truly drive the story forward and kept me reading to see where each one of them would go. Rudy gets the itch for finding treasure, but he's also looking for a good time and he more than enjoys himself with the lovely Lanita. Of course, all of the characters are flawed, but I feel that for this book it adds to the overall charm of the story as a whole.
There isn't much that I don't like about this book. I would have preferred knowing the time period for this story from the beginning, but the author does throw it in there during a conversation. There are a couple of terminologies that are used that I didn't know what they meant, but I did gradually figure it out. Also, Lanita speaks in French a few times throughout the story. I would have appreciated it if the author had translated what she was saying because not everyone speaks French, but I'm sure readers would appreciate being able to know what the character is saying.
This is an interesting story, but as I said earlier, it doesn't seem to have any real direction for a good part of the story. Elaine wants to keep Shadow's Way, the others want to sell it and make some money. Change is coming, but it is something that Elaine intends to fight. The air of mystery pops up but it fades away before becoming something truly solid. I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. This story had a lot of potentials to be excellent, but I feel it falls a bit short this time around.

[Celtic's Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying a thorough, more organized review will be up on my blog, CelticsLibrary.com ,by the end of this week, because I am having trouble keeping my thoughts straight on this book.
First off: Elaine has serious mental health issues. I took many years of psychology for my Bachelor's degree and I was not ashamed of diagnosing her within the first few chapters. She is, for lack of a better word, cray-cray and needs some serious help. She talks to ghosts, specifically that of her Great-Great Grandfather (g-g-daddy) and acts seductive towards him at times. I won't give away the other (though obvious) mental health issues she has, but you will figure it out quickly! I know he's a ghost, but that is still a bit gross to me. Do not even get me started on how she plastered on a sweet smile and yet thought awful things of the guests in her bed and breakfast.
Second: I could not really bond with any of the characters except a little with Bastien, and only because of his love for abandoned and abused animals. They all had their faults, yes...but I couldn't really get along with them.
Third: This book had me wanting to rip my hair out. The characters were shallow for the most part, but there were redeeming moments when Andre is willing to risk everything to attempt to right the wrongs of his brother's past along with other children that suffered or are suffering the same abuse.
Now, it may look like I did not like this book. I did like this book. Was it my favorite? No...but if you need a book to really make you change up your reading style, give it a try. It was a quick read and the ending was neatly written without a cliffhanger.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elaine Chauvier ran a bed and breakfast from her Antebellum home.
Archbishop Andre Figurant had just finished Mass and was seeing his parishioners out.
Bastian Figurant is the identical twin of the Archbishop.
Ofelia was Elaine's half-sister and was the child of her father's second wife.
Rudy was both Ofelia and Elaine's cousin and he was coming to visit.
Elaine thought she had gotten rid of the family but Ofelia was here and Rudy was coming in a week or so. She did not want to share Shadow's Way and she wouldn't.
Lanita worked for the Archbishop for six years as his housekeeper
A mystery set in the south just before a big hurricane comes to land. I enjoyed it and it was complicated with surprises, twists, and turns. It was well writen and moved smoothly. The characters were well developed and interesting. The author did an excellent job keeping all the things together. It was coherent, laid out intelligently and kept your attention till the end. I don't usually read Mystery but this was a good one and I was glad I got the chance.
I received this ARC from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intense book! Shadow's Way is a suspenseful, amazing story that centers around an antebellum home on the Gulf Coast that is the life's blood of Elaine Chauvier, a woman of aristocracy that boasts of ties to Robert E. Lee. It's a multi-layered story that seems to be a history of the house and its inhabitants, who have many secrets and obsessions. It turns it to be a horror story of a crazy woman who is out to kill anyone who gets in her way or who tries to take her precious home, Shadow's Way. It's a story of ghosts and sordid pasts, and a shameful history of the local catholic church. The people in the town who are related to Elaine or acquaintances are unaware at first of all the twisted plans and goings-on of the main lady of the house, but they soon find out when unexpected things start happening. It's a vivid, startling tale that I highly recommend, because I just couldn't stop reading this one until the very last word.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like this book, and in fact, thought I might not finish it. In truth, I was put off by what I read in the first couple of chapters. Both the archbishop and Elaine are so condescending toward the other people that they interact with that I found it completely off-putting. A cleric thinking of a penitent as cow faced? A woman who talked condescendingly to the guests at her bed-and-breakfast while thinking them uncouth? These characters just rankled my every nerve. The language of the novel, in general, seemed to be puffed up with an exaggerated sense of self-importance that created a wall between me and the story. Oh, and I think the book needed a sensitivity reader.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

Read my other reviews at https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com.

[Linda Romer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first thought was "There is way to much stuff going on in this Novel" But as I continued reading I saw it all coming together. A clever story that leaves you guessing until you get, I would say to the middle then things become clearer and more disturbing. Elaine Chauvier is a complex character that will have you gasping for breath. Archbishop Andre is also a complex character with a demanding presence. I loved Ofelia and the headstrong Rudy. I thought Lanita and Damien my favorites. With more than one serious subject in this novel it does not disappoint. With a whip smart ending that will leave you satisfied. Looking forward to reading more from this Author.

I give Shadow's Way 4 stars for its complex characters.
I would recommend this book to Fiction Fans.
#ShadowsWay #NetGalley

[Marta Moran Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift from my niece, and cannot thank her enough.
Ms. Francis’ novel Shadow’s Way, had me enthralled from page one, it kept me reading until so late into the night that I used a flashlight in order not to wake my husband.
I’ve always enjoyed reading gothic tales, but this one went beyond most that I had read. The synopsis was correct, past and present mingled and left me on the edge of my seat. Was G – G – Daddy a real paranormal experience or a figment of Elaine Chauvier’s imagination, which got worse as she sunk deeper into insanity?
I loved the various characters that Ms. Francis brought into play as needed to heighten the story. They were well rounded and interconnected in ways that one has to keep reading to get the full picture.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a different type of read for me, and I wasn’t sure when I started reading if I would enjoy it, but very quickly I found myself getting pulled into the story. The cast of characters is very colorful, not just the ex-actress Elaine Chauvier. The author does such a good job with descriptions, you can see the characters in your mind, hear the southern drawl, and even smell and taste the coffee as you read. It doesn’t take long to find yourself wondering what’s really going on in each character’s mind the author isn’t giving you yet, and the suspense just builds through the book. If you love southern culture, this book is full of it, so that will be another thing to draw you in.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

The descriptions and suspense draw you into this story until you are entranced by it. This is one that will leave you guessing until the very end. The characters are intriguing, each in their own way. Enjoy this journey into the past as it entwines with the present.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, my feelings on this book are pretty much all over the place. I did not like the uppitiness of the characters, but they are very true to life. The story itself was really good and incredibly well written. There were some rather interesting turns in it that were awesome. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book in exchange for a free copy.

[Norma Jost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping tale of intrigue, torment and love!

This story had me going from the moment I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. I was so sad on some parts and especially pleased that vengeance was not worth it. So many interesting characters and the plot is so deep. I loved how it dealt with very difficult topics.

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of intrigue and mystery. It pulls you from the present to the past and takes you on an unexpected adventure. Very untraditional.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspenseful and interesting story. Set in the gulf coast, the story includes an antebellum home and a woman who claims to be a descendant of Robert E Lee. The house and it's residents have lots of secrets. Kept my interest throughout.

[Heather Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadows Way is the third in the series and the first I have read. I am excited to read the others in the series. Well written and interesting characters.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Shadow's Way. Though, it was a little slow at times, but picked back up where I wanted to keep reading. I am giving it three and a half stars.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow's Way is the third book in the series where we have the murder, of course, sexual intrigue, and insanity all bound together to make this an intriguing and captivating mystery.

[Candy Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elaine Chauvier ran a bed and breakfast from her Antebellum home.
Archbishop Andre Figurant had just finished Mass and was seeing his parishioners out.
Bastian Figurant is the identical twin of the Archbishop.
Ofelia was Elaine's half-sister and was the child of her father's second wife.
Rudy was both Ofelia and Elaine's cousin and he was coming to visit.
Elaine thought she had gotten rid of the family but Ofelia was here and Rudy was coming in a week or so. She did not want to share Shadow's Way and she wouldn't.
Lanita worked for the Archbishop for six years as his housekeeper
A mystery set in the south just before a big hurricane comes to land. I enjoyed it and it was complicated with surprises, twists, and turns. It was well writen and moved smoothly. The characters were well developed and interesting. The author did an excellent job keeping all the things together. It was coherent, laid out intelligently and kept your attention till the end. I don't usually read Mystery but this was a good one and I was glad I got the chance.
I received this ARC from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.