Edward Clark has a secret; he was once Columbus Holmes, son of The Amazing Magellan Holmes a famous magician. But then, his father committed a crime, when Columbus was ten, so horrible that Columbus swore he never see him again. He became Edward Clark, crime reporter, and he tried his very best to leave his past behind him. But everything is about to change when he is asked to investigate mediums and cross path with the lovely, but strong-willed Mrs. Lucy Collins.

This book was fabulous, from the beginning to the end. Magicians, mediums, secret society, murders, ghosts, a hero and heroine that start out hating each other and all mixed into a riveting story. I loved every chapter of the book. The only drawback to the book? I want more, I want more Edward Clark alias Columbus Holmes, I want more Lucy Collins, and I want more stories! I didn't want this book to end. I loved the atmosphere in the book (How I love stories set in the 1900-century), I loved that P.T Barnum made a cameo appearance.

I recommend this book strongly to anyone who wants to read a great book!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review! ( )

Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn is an impeccably written historical novel that is highly entertaining and quite riveting. Written in first person in the form of a memoir, this compelling story is the perfect blend of humor, supernatural elements and mystery. Plenty of twists and turns, misdirects and closely guarded secrets make it impossible to guess the killer's identity until the novel's dramatic and pulse pounding conclusion.

Edward Clark is less than thrilled with his latest assignment from his editor at the paper where he is a successful crime reporter. Ordered to investigate the proliferation of fraudulent mediums operating in the city, Edward reluctantly finds himself teaming up with Mrs. Lucy Collins to solve the murder of Lenora Grimes Pastor. Edward neither likes nor trusts Lucy but when she threatens to expose his past, he has no choice but to work with her to prove they had nothing to do with Lenora's death.

Edward has left his notorious past behind him and he is quite content with the life he has carved out for himself. He loves his job as a crime beat reporter, he is happily engaged to a lovely young woman and he remains close friends with his old war buddy and current police detective William Barclay. No one has any idea of the secrets he is keeping, so when Lucy easily uncovers his real identity, Edward is terrified of the truth getting out. Edward is surprised to discover that lurking beneath his dislike for the charlatan is a grudging respect and a surprising attraction that he works hard to ignore.

Despite the fact she is a fraud, it is impossible not to like Lucy. She is a strong and vivacious woman and she is also well connected and fiendishly clever. With few options available to women in the time period, she is doing what she has to do to keep a roof over her and her brother's head. Edward quickly exposes her as a fraud but in order to support herself, she has no compunction about coercing him into working with her. Lucy, too, has a past she wants to remain hidden, but secrets have a way of coming out when least expected and Lucy has to trust that Edward will protect her.

The mystery aspect of the storyline is topnotch and while the investigation uncovers numerous motives for Lenora's murder, Edward and Lucy quickly rule out many of their suspects. The investigation takes a surprising turn when Edward links Lenora's death to another young woman's but trying to figure out the connection between them is not easy. Equally perplexing is the unexpected appearance of Edward's fiancée's younger brother, Jasper. But the most stunning turn of events brings Edward face to face with his infamous past and what he uncovers takes the case in a most shocking direction.


A positively outstanding mystery, Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn is an excellent novel that has a unique storyline and an incredible cast of well drawn characters. The supernatural element of the plot is so well done that even the most hardened skeptic will rethink their stance on ghosts and mediums. The séance scenes are quite eerie and the startling twist at the novel's end is very spooky. Exciting plot twists keep readers guessing whodunit until the spectacular finale. While all of the story's loose ends are neatly wrapped up, there are some unexpected revelations that appear to leave the door open for future novels starring the very likable Edward Clark. ( )

Really excellent historical mystery with unique, complex characters and a great storyline. And this story involves mediums, so you get to know a little of the methods used by some mediums to fake ghostly occurrences. I really enjoyed reading this and hope there will be further stories with these characters. Recommended to anyone who likes historical mysteries. ( )

I enjoyed this book more than expected. I liked the unique subject matter, wrapped in mystery, and set in historical Philadelphia. It reminded me somewhat of the Pendergrast novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, of which I am a big fan. I would recommend this book to those fans of suspense and historical mystery. I was provided a digital copy of this book by Netgalley. ( )

Although Spiritualism had been kicking around the fringes of society for a while, it’s no real surprise that in the years after the Civil War ended in 1865 it really started to make inroads to mainstream society. For an era of people who saw death more frequently and more closely than we do now, the slaughter of that war was still staggering.

Things Half in Shadow, by Allen Finn takes place, in that tumultuous time, in Philadelphia. Edward Clark, a Union veteran, is now a crime reporter for one of the city’s largest papers, and because of a knack for sleight of hand and illusions his editor hands him what would seem like a plum assignment; expose the false mediums that prey on the grieving.

Edward doesn’t want the assignment because his knowledge of trickery comes from a fact that he has kept hidden for most of his life; he is the son of a famous magician whom was convicted of killing his wife, Edward’s mother, during a performance.

He takes the job, and the first medium he exposes is Miss Lucy Collins, who is more beautiful than talented. She is also smart, and turns the tables on Edward, blackmailing him with his secrets before he can write his story. Together they decide to finish Edward’s job. Unfortunately, the first séance they attend ends in the murder of a Medium who seemed to actually have supernatural powers. From there Edward and Lucy must untangle the mysterious crime, and others, to clear their names, and save their reputations, and lives.

One of the things that most impressed me by this book was the way that it straddled two genres, horror and mystery. A lot of times that can prove chaotic, but Mr. Finn, with his balanced prose and tight plotting, keeps that from happening. The two main characters, Edward and Lucy are both well drawn, and exceptionally likeable, and the supporting characters, some drawn from real life, are solid as well. The setting and historical backdrop are realistic, but unobtrusive. Mr. Finn really seems to know the details, but he doesn’t show it off.

In case that isn’t enough there is romance, carriage chases, masquerade balls, moon-lit cemeteries, secret societies, hidden tunnels, and tons more. Mr. Finn keeps the whole thing moving, tense and taut, but never spilling over into melodrama. He also reminds the reader how important it was for those in society to keep a good name. Almost as feared as death, a loss of standing was a permanent source of shame, something hard to grasp in these more egalitarian times. It adds an extra level of tension to a story that is already as tight as a tourniquet, and keeps some of the subplots from seeming like digressions.

The last thing that really made this book work for me was that Mr. Finn didn’t give us everything that we wanted. Some things turn out fine, and some don’t, and while many people want their stories wrapped in a pretty bow I applaud Mr. Finn for his stance.

Review by: Mark Palm
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