I am delighted to share my thoughts on The Tear Collector by Shawn Burgess. This is a fabulous book for those that like spine-tingling reads. My huge thanks to Sarah at BOTBSPubicity for my spot on the Blog Tour and for arranging my e-copy of this terrific book.

Now, lt me show you what it is all about…

The misdeeds of our ancestors are debts passed from generation to generation. They lurk, hidden in the shadows, waiting for the right time to be collected. For the residents of Harper Pass—their debt is due.

* * *

MISSING PERSON:
Have you seen Margo Combs?
Contact Detective Holt (918) 555-0155
You may choose to remain anonymous.

* * *

When a young autistic girl goes missing from a small Appalachian community, the residents of Harper Pass descend into chaos. Brooks Raker and his friends stumble across the police investigation, and as they dig deeper into the mysterious events, the boys realize the fate of their missing classmate pales in comparison with the evil lurking in the shadows of the quiet little town.

With four boys who believe something sinister is at work, and an ambitious reporter breathing down his neck, Detective Holt of the Harper Pass Police Department must confront his doubts and follow the evidence. A chain of disappearances and suspicious deaths, leads Holt to the doorstep of the mysterious and reclusive Professor Wadlow who may know exactly what has come to collect in Harper Pass.

Can the detective and the boys work together to unravel the dark secrets of Harper Pass before those secrets devour them all?

It has been a while since I picked up a horror story to read and The Tear Collector was such a great read. It has a wonderful supernatural air to it and it has been wonderfully mixed in with a crime thriller vibe. The book reminded me of a blend of Stephen King’s book, It and the film Stand by Me.

The story is of a community that is in the midst of some supernatural phenomenon that only a small group are becoming aware of. What this phenomenon actually is, is slowly revealed further in the book. A group of boys start to put things together and gradually start to work things out and they discover that they are not alone in realising something is wrong, but the adults seem to be unaware of events and come up with more rational ideas and theories.

It is when the boys start to experience strange dreams and discuss within their group that links are made, it adds a great coming of age feel to the story as friendships are brought closer and they stick by their motto of never leaving one of their group behind.

The community that the story is set in has the feel of a town holding on, by this I mean that people work hard and often have more than one job. But when a girl goes missing they pull together, on the flip side however, it is a community that is full of gossip and when suspicion.

The author has done such a fabulous job of creating a story that has a spine-tingling and ominous presence as I read it. There was a definite feeling of something malevolent looming and I really enjoyed the journey to get to the root cause of the mystery.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was such an atmospheric and sinister feel to it, a well written story that had me hooked from those very first paragraphs right through till the end. A mystery with a good horror feel that I would definitely recommend.

Shawn Burgess has a BA in English from the University of Florida, and he focused on literature for his postgraduate studies at the University of North Florida. His travels have taken him to most parts of the country, where he often drew inspiration for his stories through meeting interesting people and experiencing unique places. Beware! If you find yourself behaving curiously within the crosshairs of his vision you might end up on one of his pages. In his spare time, Shawn enjoys travelling, attending concerts, reading, and playing golf. He typically makes year-round preparations for Halloween by building props and elaborate sets. Shawn claims Jacksonville, Florida as his home, but he has lived all over the southeastern United States. Many of his stories are set in those towns he once called home, or in fictional places inspired by them. He says, “I enjoy building upon the natural mysteries surrounding those areas I’ve personally experienced.” The Tear Collector is Shawn’s debut novel, but he’s currently working on a YA Fantasy novel, as well as The Tear Collector’s sequel. He is active on social media, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Facebook: shawnburgessauthor

Twitter: ShawnBinJax

Instagram: ShawnBinJax

Goodreads Author Page: Shawn Burgess

Website: http://www.shawnburgessauthor.com

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