Faithful Shadow by Kevin J. Howard
5 stars
(Excerpt from Goodreads) Faithful Shadow takes you beyond the splendor of nature to the terror that lies beneath, one that should have never been discovered. Yellowstone is suffering from the largest forest fire in the park’s history. Ranger JOE RAND, once passionate about nature and now drowning in alcohol after the recent death of his son, notices something is very wrong within Yellowstone after a string of disappearances. But when a fireman is found dead in the Old Faithful Inn after falling into a hole earlier that day, his body mauled and deprived of all its fluids, Joe knows he has no choice but to set down his flask and investigate. Joe and Lieutenant DALE CAFFEY of the Billings Fire Department go into the woods to search the hole the fireman had fallen into. They discover a series of tunnels lined with bones, the air thick with smoke. Joe and Dale conclude that the creature that had killed the fireman had left its subterranean dwelling to flee the overwhelming smoke from the fire above. The creature takes shelter inside the Inn, concealing itself within the darkened crevices, emerging to feast on passersby. After staging an evacuation of the park, they lock themselves inside the Inn to hunt the creature. After just a short while it becomes frighteningly clear that it is, in fact, the creature that is hunting them.
A creature unlike any other, nothing more than a shadow, has been living in tunnels and caves until Yellowstone National Park. It has survived decades on animals and tourists that fall into the tunnels and pits. But now Yellowstone is on fire. The smoke has chased the shadow out of its tunnels. Now it is looking for a safe place to hide. But it is stuck in man’s world, where can it go.
Joe Rand is a ranger for Yellowstone. He once cared for his job but now dwells on the loss of his son and drowns himself in alcohol. But when a firefighter is discovered sucked dry, he knows something odd is happening. Joe is going to have to surface to find the killer before it strikes again. But how do you fight a shadow?
This is a great thriller. First, you can tell Howard has spent time in the national parks. There was so much imagery that I felt right there with Joe. Joe was a great character, it broke my heart about him losing his son but I was glad that he could pull it together to stop the shadow.
I was just a kid and lived in northern Montana when Yellowstone was on fire so I don’t really remember much except the smoke and hearing about all the firefighters. But I was in western Nevada when Yosemite fire was on fire. Just thinking about forest fires scares me. Then you have to add in a mystery creature hunting, yep I was thoroughly scared. I had to finish this book in one night. I was NOT going to be trying to go to sleep knowing that it was still alive even if it was just in a book.
This is a great thriller/horror story that anyone would like. I recommend that you get a copy; you will be adding it to your collection.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
For more information on Faithful Shadow or to purchase be sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads or Kevin’s website.
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