Burning Reflection

The Hollowhills Cycle

by Tim Mendees

As a child, Aiden Conley thought that his eccentric uncle was a vampire. Now that he is older, he realises that the truth behind the man's aversion to mirrors is far stranger. Madness and death dog Aiden's footsteps as he attempts to uncover the riddle behind the mirrors in this tale of cosmic horror. "Burning Reflection" by Tim Mendees is a Mannison Minibook published by Mannison Press, LLC.

94 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2020

About the author

Tim Mendees is a horror writer from Macclesfield in the North-West of England that specialises in cosmic horror and weird fiction. A lifelong fan of classic weird tales, Tim set out to bring the pulp horror of yesteryear into the 21st Century and give it a distinctly British flavour. His work has been described as the love-child of H.P. Lovecraft and P.G. Wodehouse and is often peppered with a wry sense of humour that acts as a counterpoint to the unnerving, and often disturbing, narratives.
Tim has had over eighty published short stories and novelettes in anthologies and magazines with publishers all over the world. He also has five novellas and a short story collection on sale with more coming soon.
When he is not arguing with the spellchecker, Tim is a goth DJ, crustacean and cephalopod enthusiast, and the presenter of a popular web series of live video readings of his material and interviews with fellow authors. Tim is also a co-host of the Innsmouth Book Club podcast. He currently lives in Brighton & Hove with his pet crab, Gerald, and an army of stuffed octopods.
https://timmendeeswriter.wordpress.com/
https://tinyurl.com/timmendeesyoutube

Reviews

[Kristina Gallo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Twilight zone. This book reminds me of horror stories in the Twilight zone and Hitchock movies. The main character, Aiden, wishes to discover what happened to his uncle. Mirrors in the house are covered, and Aiden remembers a line of numbers from his childhood that uncle repeated like a mantra. He had phobias and a kind of evil possessed him. Through the story, we meet different characters, Mr. Gittings, that reminds me of the housekeeper in "Rebecca" movie, dr. Lester took care of his uncle before he died, and maid Kirsten. The story is made with scales of fear and creeps, I wonder with every chapter what will happen and what is indeed the secret.
This is complex horror, the content is about myths, numerology, paranormal, and metaphysic, but it leads the reader through unknown mysteries and unpredictable end.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovecraft would be proud
Tim Mendees does it again. This novella landed in my inbox just as I was calling it a night. Once I saw what it was I grabbed a cup of cocoa and settled in for a good read. It did not disappoint. If you are a fan of H.P. Lovecraft this story ticks all the boxes. I love that he stayed true to the feel and settings of a great Gothic horror. The story stayed in the pocket the entire time.
Whether Mr. Mendees is writing about Wendigos, plays that induce madness or compatriots of Cthulu, he is fast becoming a rising star in horror/fantasy/paranormal story telling. I have never met him but his brain must be a fascinating landscape. He is definitely a writer to watch and is fast becoming one of my favourite authors in this genre. I recommend this novella.

[David Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an ARC copy for an honest review*

I've read Mendees in anthologies so far, and am delighted to get my hands on his debut solo work.

He's a true Lovecraft master, a unique voice and incentive. Burning Reflection is full of personality AND tension. There are high stakes but the tale is told with a wink as well as a firm hand.

Tim Mendees is a Lovecraftian voice to watch out for.

[Neen Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the start to the end you are pulled into the world of the old ones. Tim Mendees creates the perfect atmosphere with every word building to the tension in a natural rhythm that won’t let you stop thinking about it, even if you have the strength to close the book. A brilliant read, highly recommended for the gothic horror enthusiast.

[J.W. Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a Lovecraftian master in the making, Burning Reflection is a quick read, but one you won’t soon forget. The story keeps you engaged, mired in with the characters and reflecting, long after the last page is turned.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this, it certainly gave me the heebie jeebies! Really well written and descriptive, I may have nightmares 👾

[Luke Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, a must for any fan of Lovecraft. The characters are rich and engaging, and the plot had me hooked from start to finish.

[Jennifer Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

While listening to a podcast recorded by the author, I was given an opportunity to enter a drawing for a signed copy of the book. I eagerly entered. When the drawing happened, I was shocked that I won. Thank you Tim, for my “fhtagn” book.

When I received my copy of Burning Reflection I was ecstatic and sat right down to look at it. The cover is decorated with an attractive shade of brown with a black curtain and a very appropriate graphic to draw in a reader.

Originally, I wrote a review after finishing this story. However, at that point in time, I had not written many book reviews that could truly give a potential reader a peek between the covers. This is my attempt to do better because the book is definitely worth the time to repeat it with a better review.

Let’s take a look at the characters we meet in this short read.

Aiden Conley, the main character. He receives an inheritance from his uncle. The inheritance was so large, staff came with it as part of the will. Aiden had always thought, while growing up, that his uncle was a vampire. He must be a vampire if every mirror in the mansion was covered with something, or hidden in some other way.

Mrs Gittings, a bitter old woman, the head of staff and keeper of the house, the female version of a butler. Mrs Gittings gave Kirsten, the housemaid, her responsibilities from day to day. Kirsten was a hard worker and did whatever was asked, from cleaning to collecting water. They of course had a cook to prepare the meals.

Kenneth, Aiden’s uncle, was thought to be a grumpy, crazy old man to the best of Aiden’s memory.

One intriguing tidbit was, ‘Kenneth stretched out his smoking hands for Aiden’s face, sparks dancing between his trembling fingers. The heat was unbearable.’

Tim has intertwined other secondary characters that become so very important to the story. They make the story come up off the page.

22-33-55-11. Why am I mentioning those numbers? They are very important, read the book and find out why.

The ending of this book came as a sad surprise for me but was definitely worth the time
I highly recommend this short read. 5/5 stars

[Elizabeth Nettleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully suspenseful story. There is mystery, numerology, mythology, and plenty of action. Tim Mendees has carefully curated the atmosphere and tension, and I found myself completely invested in what would happen next.

One of my favourite things about Mendees's work is the personality he injects into his writing. He creates vivid (and often playful) descriptions that bring the plot and characters to life. Each character has such a distinctive voice, and each drives the story forward.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think other fans of horror and mythos will too.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Honest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong Lovecraftian vibes, a unique voice. Look forward to more from this author.