Editorial Content for Shadow Breakers

Miranda May, still in mourning for her father, has just moved from London to Firecroft Bay, a small seaside town in England. The quiet simplicity of her new home is in stark contrast to the nightmares she begins to have there; in them, she is haunted by The Shape. But even as Miranda is trying to come to terms with her strange nighttime visions and visitations, she is being pulled in by a strange group of kids at her new school. Why are they so interested in her, and what secrets are they keeping? Can they help her to understand, or even combat, the dark forces at work in Firecroft Bay? And, is Miranda willing to lose her first new friend for their company and information? Readers will be riveted by Miranda’s story in SHADOW BREAKERS by Daniel Blythe, a creepy fantasy-horror novel with a high tech edge.

"The Shadow that Miranda must confront provides readers with a unique villain with the right balance of horror and thoughtful provocation."

On her first day at King Edward VI High School, things become horrific for Miranda. After an awkward introduction with a girl named Callista McGovern (“Call me Cal”), Miranda boards the bus. Soon the bus grows increasingly cold and begins to creak. The ceiling is covered with icicles and frost; the entire bus has begun to freeze solid. The disaster seems strange and interesting to her school mates, but for Miranda, the event feels like the start of something big that just may change her life for good. The bus incident is followed by others: a scary power surge in the school’s computer lab, narrowly missing being run over by a truck and the continued frightening presence of The Shadow, growing ever stronger and more persistent. All the while, Miranda must continue to cope with the loss of her father, her evolving relationship with her mother, life in a new town and her tricky new friendships. One such friend, a tough and mysterious girl named Jade, has her doubting the intentions of Cal and her cohorts, a group of kids who insist there is something different and special about Miranda.

Cal, along with Josh, Ollie and Lyssa, work with science teacher Miss Bellini to investigate the paranormal activity they are all tuned into in Firecroft Bay. In a secret office full of cutting edge technology, the group tries to understand the strange occurrences around them. Each of them has a skill or talent, and they are guided by Miss Bellini to explore the history of Firecroft Bay and the power they believe resides there. Miranda is brought in to their cabal but why? And, will her work with them jeopardize her new friendship with Jade or even her safety?

SHADOW BREAKERS is an original story but founded on some classic supernatural and gothic themes. Miranda May is a compelling and complex character though not all the facets of her personality or her family life are examined in depth. There are a few good twists and turns and a few questions left unanswered giving the book a mature feel. It is scary but not overly so and should appeal to fans of horror or ghost stories as well as adventure. The Shadow that Miranda must confront provides readers with a unique villain with the right balance of horror and thoughtful provocation. Though the 24 Hour Clock device that Blythe employs falls short, the pace and action of the book is enjoyable.