"Talk about twists and turns." The House Of Dark Shadows by @mysterydigger #thriller
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The House Of Dark Shadows
Written by Digger Cartwright
Genre(s): Mystery, suspense, thrillerGET YOUR COPY HERE!
The House of Dark Shadows won the USA REBA (Regional Excellence Book Awards) in the Adult Fiction category. The Book was a finalist in the Beverly Hills Book awards in the Suspense Category.
Alex Rommel, a debonair Charleston playboy, is skeptical about online dating. When he encounters an old college buddy by chance, he learns his friend has found love over the internet.
Tormented by demons from his past, a contentious land deal, the memories of the woman he loved, and his sexually insatiable secretary, Alex wades into the shadowy world of internet dating only to find the woman of his dreams--a French freelance journalist, Hope.
Just when he thinks he has found true happiness, Alex's relationship takes a mysterious turn, and he finds himself immersed in Hope's world--one plagued by a nagging mother, lies, and drama.
As pressures mount in the relationship and in his business dealings, Alex, torn between love and reality, finds himself questioning Hope's motivations. As the sinister web of deceit and danger slowly begins to envelop him, Alex frantically searches for the truth. Not knowing who to trust or believe, Alex finds himself trapped in a house of dark shadows.
With time running out, Alex must summon the courage to face the truth before the doors close behind him and he is locked in the house of dark shadows forever.
Alex Rommel, a debonair Charleston playboy, is skeptical about online dating. When he encounters an old college buddy by chance, he learns his friend has found love over the internet.
Tormented by demons from his past, a contentious land deal, the memories of the woman he loved, and his sexually insatiable secretary, Alex wades into the shadowy world of internet dating only to find the woman of his dreams--a French freelance journalist, Hope.
Just when he thinks he has found true happiness, Alex's relationship takes a mysterious turn, and he finds himself immersed in Hope's world--one plagued by a nagging mother, lies, and drama.
As pressures mount in the relationship and in his business dealings, Alex, torn between love and reality, finds himself questioning Hope's motivations. As the sinister web of deceit and danger slowly begins to envelop him, Alex frantically searches for the truth. Not knowing who to trust or believe, Alex finds himself trapped in a house of dark shadows.
With time running out, Alex must summon the courage to face the truth before the doors close behind him and he is locked in the house of dark shadows forever.
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The House Of Dark Shadows
Here's what
Fans are saying
Talk about twists and turns
Excellent read
I like psychological thrillers and this one definitely fit the bill when I read the book description.
Interestingly enough, I have several clients who operate dating/matchmaking services (I own an ad agency) and I have heard countless horror stories of online dating gone awry due to companies like the one I think our main character Alex used to find Hope.
Therefore, I wasn’t surprised that he did not investigate her further. He seemed a bit jaded about the idea of meeting someone online but once it occurred and he met hope, he didn’t look back to those feelings. I think like many people in real life situations, the rose colored glasses obscure second thoughts.
I did like the addition of a warning from his secretary as I thought that it gave us a nice hint that something may not bode well with this “love match”. I also found Marie (the secretary) to be an interesting character. I had to debate a bit about her and what her real intentions were regarding Alex.
When Alex meets Hope for the first time although there was absolutely nothing sinister or awry in the meeting, I still could feel an underlying tension and had to force myself to not skip ahead.
Later in the story, when some interesting things occur, Alex does start to re-think and question things to himself. The author plays this part nicely as Alex had also been having some strange dreams – so was he just overreacting and being paranoid? No spoilers given but the twists are brilliantly done.
The ending was excellent- the author threw a curve ball in – something I 100% had not expected.
If want a thrilling read where things are not what they seem – all the way to a finish I know you will not see coming- this book is for you.
Excellent read.
— Diana L
Excellent Psychological Thriller
The House of Dark Shadows is an intriguing psychological thriller with film noir elements that harken back to Hitchcock’s era of Norman Bates style mansions’ and tense unseen figures who linger behind closed curtains, unseen in the darkness.
Alex, the main character is a man looking for love - in all the wrong places. Deeply torn with pain over his lost love Shannon, he tries to move on and explores the venue of Internet dating – a venture which is sometimes successful, and at other times filled with horror stories. Despite the warnings, he dates a number of women whilst having a meaningless affair with his secretary, all of whom he is unable to commit to because he is haunted by the ghost of Shannon.
The surreal dream sequences within the book also add an ominous air of foreboding, as do Alex’s break-downs which become more and more frequent as the book progresses towards its climax.
Then he meets Hope – beautiful elegant, intelligent, charming –and perfectly unobtainable. In a game of sexual cat and mouse, the more she refuses him, the more he wants her. But who is the hunter and who is the prey? What begins as an innocent Internet meeting spirals into a complex descent into obsession, madness, and psychological torment. Is the beautiful Hope what she seems, or has Alex made a terrible mistake and become tangled in a cycle of madness from which there is no escape? Can he escape from The House of Dark Shadows?
This is neither the classic gothic thriller nor the classic dark romance, but something all-together different with a completely unexpected ending that throws a whole different light on everything you read earlier. The ending is so good, it makes you actually want to go back and read it again!
Author Bio
Digger Cartwright
Digger Cartwright is the author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, and The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West.
His latest book, Conversations on the Bench, is an inspirational/motivational novel. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, on-line booksellers and bookstores.
Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.
Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.
He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.
