Cinema of Shadows (Seventh Star Press)

Review by David Rupp
Author: Michael West

Synopsis from seventhstarpress.com

Welcome to the Woodfield Movie Palace.
The night the Titanic sank, it opened for business...and its builder died in his chair. In the 1950s, there was a fire; a balcony full of people burned to death. And years later, when it became the scene of one of Harmony, Indiana's most notorious murders, it closed for good. Abandoned, sealed, locked up tight...until now.
Tonight, Professor Geoffrey Burke and his Parapsychology students have come to the Woodfield in search of evidence, hoping to find irrefutable proof of a haunting. Instead, they will discover that, in this theater, the terrors are not confined to the screen.
I just finished this fast paced, non-stop thrill ride from Michael West and I'll be damned if I didn't start going through literary withdrawal. It's like a drug, it hooks you early, draws you in then spins you into oblivion. Mr. West really did his homework on this and it shows in a well crafted tale that incorperates two things I'm familiar with, medical trauma and paranormal research.
One thing that stands out is that the entire story is centered in an unassuming, safe midwestern town, unremarkable, but unmistakably evil. Another great point is the character development and how we as readers can come to feel for them. The proper medical terminology, correct use of parapsycology items and over all attention to detail is what makes Cinema of Shadows a spectacular read.
Spectres, demons, proffessors and ER docs come together in a struggle for knowledge, peace, closure and a battle for their immortal souls. The lights have dimmed, the show is about to begin do you care to join me?
10/10