The Dazzling Darkness

To this task, he dedicated his life until his passing in I highly recommend you read the following article: The Finders were a relatively obscure spiritual group based in Washington, D.

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We wake for the book but only Silence! Your email address will not be published. Skip to content John Wren-Lewis lent a fresh perspective to contemporary spirituality because, for many years, he viewed mysticism as escapism. Ann Faraday is currently seeking a publisher for their book The 9: This is not a simple detective story about tracking down the usual clues to find a missing boy. It is a complex story that encompasses history, the occult, legend, science and metaphysical philosophy and presents a unique and fascinating perspective on the life that continues after physical death.

I always look up for a good horror story, preferably the ghost story. Dazzling Darkness was just that, but with unexpected twists. The story was simple, although I found the plot a little complex, but a good writing and proper research on the topic made it all interesting. The story starts with a couple living near the old cemetery, who found their young son missing.

The flow and synchronization between scenes as the story switches from POV of one character to another is really smooth and although there is no single main character in the book, the role of Balducci is something to check out. This book is sure to be read if you love a good mystery. And the paranormal element in it helps in garnishing the story, making it far richer and delightful. Immediately this novel captures your focus and provokes your inner inquisitive nature. You are first introduced to an abnormal character who spends the majority of his time in a cemetery, Elias Hatcher, just as his personality is intricately depicted, we are flown to the exotic and cultural Italy.

Where two mysterious men grab the reader with a hook and pull you into an intriguing situation. Then tragedy strikes the Brooke family when they discover their child is missing, w Absolutely superb book! Then tragedy strikes the Brooke family when they discover their child is missing, which catapults the story into a hectic police investigation, exploring every possible angle, interviewing several suspects and uncovering hidden truths.

It is an intelligently written book that keeps you alert at facts and names being mentioned that you suspect may be later refereed to or to be a valuable clue in this mind-boggling puzzle. My full review of this book will be published at www. In this story suspending disbelief comes natural, and it s so easy to see Concord like a fly trapped in Amber, living its 19th century history alongside its present-day events.

When a five-year-old adventurous boy disappears on his return from school with his eight-year-old sister, his family falls apart and the community is upturned. I bought this book because it was described as a supernatural tale.

The Dazzling Darkness

I suppose it is, to some degree, but not in the conventional sense. The first 80 percent of the story seems to be a relatively straightforward mystery, centering on the question of what happened to missing 5-year-old Henry Brooke. The supernatural aspect, such as it is, really comes strongly into play during the last 20 percent or so. This is also the time that the story descends into pseudo-scientific nonsense. On top of all th I bought this book because it was described as a supernatural tale. On top of all that, the story is dull, and is populated with unlikable characters. May 01, Valery rated it really liked it.

Paula Cappa quickly pulls in the unsuspecting reader in her novel, The Dazzling Darkness; a genre bending story. Taking place in Concord, Mass. When Henry goes missing on his walk home down the cow path from school, his family is understandably frantic. Elias Hatch, the Old Willow cemetery caretaker is the most obvious suspect, what with his mysterious, od Paula Cappa quickly pulls in the unsuspecting reader in her novel, The Dazzling Darkness; a genre bending story.

Elias Hatch, the Old Willow cemetery caretaker is the most obvious suspect, what with his mysterious, odd nature. Cappa includes overtones of religion, faith and even transcendentalism for a heady mix in this tale that will have your head spinning. All of the characters are well fleshed out by Cappa, especially appealing is Balducci, the lead detective. A riveting, unique story that revolves around every parent's worst nightmare, this is a highly recommended novel that will appeal to readers across the board. The story starts with five-year-old Henry Brooke walking home from school through the "Cow Path" with elder sister Laura, who runs ahead of him.

Henry never makes it home, which is a parent's worst nightmare. This is not helped by the fact that Adam Brooke comes from a very rich family, Antonia does not and she was apparently "not approved" as suitable for Adam by the family, so Adam has more or less left his family. The story starts with the blame game, the guilt game Henry should not have bee The story starts with five-year-old Henry Brooke walking home from school through the "Cow Path" with elder sister Laura, who runs ahead of him. The story starts with the blame game, the guilt game Henry should not have been left to walk home alone , but then we suspect he may have been playing in the cemetery and hence the keeper, Elias Hatch, is a suspect.

Perhaps Henry was killed in an accident, perhaps he was kidnapped, the author takes the reader through all the possibilities that might have happened, all of which is hindered by the fact that apart from a cap, there is no sign of Henry. There is a sighting of Henry, or was there? Then we get questions of the supernatural, and religion also plays a part, including occasional returns to Helena Flavia Julia Helena Augusta, wife of Constantius in the fourth century. In short, the basic question is, what happened to Henry, and what are the effects of his disappearance on his parents, and also, what is going on in this book?

The title is apt in more ways than one. One of the oddities of this story is there are so many possibilities that I cannot even assign the book to a genre without providing spoilers. The writing of events happening is very skillful. There was one scene where I had more or less guessed in advance what the "surprise" would be, but nevertheless the scene was so well written that it still held interest.

The author has a love of writing scene descriptions, and some may find she overdoes it. If you don't know what this Cow Path looks like at the end of the book, it is not the author's fault. On the other hand, I would have preferred more attention to giving a description of the local geography, because to some extent the story depends on it. While there were one or two parts of the plot that I thought failed the logic inspection such as why character X was really at place Y at that time overall it is an interesting and imaginative book, and even if you find the ending a little hard to take on board, I think you will find the story holds your attention quite nicely while reading it.

The whodunnit story from the beginning to the end remains a labyrinth of science and fiction, thrill and mystery, fantasy and horror, drama and romance, stretching all the way from the V An indulgent potpourri! The whodunnit story from the beginning to the end remains a labyrinth of science and fiction, thrill and mystery, fantasy and horror, drama and romance, stretching all the way from the Vatican City, Rome in Italy to Concord, Massachusetts, USA! The story starts with the sudden disappearance of five year old Henry, the son of doting parents, Antonia and Adam Brooke and an ever more loving sister, Laura in Concord, Massachusetts.

Henry has simply vanished into thin air on one of his daily walks back home from school, when his sister was supposed to be hand holding him. Thus begins the frantic search for the lost child. A long time suspect seems to be Elias Hitch, caretaker of the Old Willow Cemetery, and constantly on his chase is the short tempered cop Mike Balducci. But then comes in the very angelically unreal Catherine representing Saint Helena, perhaps partner in crime to the oddly real Elias Hatch, a modern day transcendentalist.

Time and again Henry seemingly makes some very visible and some not so visible appearances between the abutting Brookes and Old Willow properties. This doubles the dilemma of his being dead or alive as the search for him is dragged from hours, to days, to weeks. The ever so elusive resolution of this hunt and chase hinges on the life versus afterlife debate. Oct 30, Danielle Burnette rated it liked it Recommends it for: At first, I wasn't sure what to make of this book.

I was intrigued by the introduction to Elias Hatch, the groundskeeper of Old Willow Cemetery, who seemed to be able to see ghosts. Then my heart broke for the Brooke family, whose son went missing. Then I was a little peeved by the characterizations. For example, Detective Balducci longs for his dead wife, but has an unexplained superficial attraction to almost every female character including to Antonia Brooke, while taking her statement about At first, I wasn't sure what to make of this book. For example, Detective Balducci longs for his dead wife, but has an unexplained superficial attraction to almost every female character including to Antonia Brooke, while taking her statement about her missing son.

He even compares another female character to a Vogue model A detective familiar with Vogue? That one really stopped me. Adam Brooke had the classic wealthy, aloof parents who appeared to give Adam reward money, and then disappeared completely from the story. Antonia's roots to Umbria, Italy were mentioned enough times that I thought they might be important, but they weren't. There were also other POV scenes juxtaposed against the main story line that were interesting but confusing i.

About halfway through the novel, the plot twisted and slowly turned into beautiful, gothic, supernatural mystery centered on the question of how and when and if? Despite my impatience with the pacing and some of the characters at the beginning of the novel, I became riveted at the halfway point and HAD to finish it. And the unique ending really made up for a few irritations with the beginning. I'd recommend reading it.

In smooth, highly descriptive prose, Cappa explores transcendence and eternity— sending a shiver down your spine all along the way. This book had me intrigued from the beginning. It immediately grabbed my attention as soon as I read about a little boy's disappearance. The frustration, the pain of the loss, the horror. There are spirits, a lot of talk about death, and also magic a This book had me intrigued from the beginning.

There are spirits, a lot of talk about death, and also magic and suspense. As a mother of a little boy myself, I could not possibly imagine myself in the same situation. I wouldn't give up, no matter what. Paula Cappa wrote a really good book with a ton of clues scattered throughout that don't really add up until you get toward the end. At no point during the book did I know exactly what to expect. There were so many surprising parts.

It definitely kept me wanting to complete it. Then, when I finally thought I understood exactly what was going on, I was in for an even bigger surprise at the very end. I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

John Wren Lewis: The Dazzling Dark

Jul 10, M. I can't imagine ever losing a child either by them going missing or by death, It is not something a parent ever wants to go through but unfortunately, it does happen. Author Paula Cappa, explores this subject with this book. It is painful to see the main characters go through anguish as they look for their child. Each lead seems to lead to another but this is no ordinary missing persons case.

I was absolutely intrigued as the author unfolded each piece of the mystery and was engrossed in their d I can't imagine ever losing a child either by them going missing or by death, It is not something a parent ever wants to go through but unfortunately, it does happen. I was absolutely intrigued as the author unfolded each piece of the mystery and was engrossed in their discoveries of just what had happened to Henry.

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Just as I thought the book was coming to a conclusion and end,.. This is a case of the unexplained intertwined with historical characters like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Marie Curie. Real scientific discoveries, crystals, paranormal, and myth were all here too, coupled with good old fashioned belief and a tad bit of religion.

This book is one you cannot put down once you start reading it. I purchased a copy of this book for my own collection. I was so moved by the incredible tale of this missing child. Being the mom that I am, the "kind" of mom that I am, I am pretty often terrified of something happening to my babies and so maybe that is why I stuck with this book til the end.

Just when you figured out "whodunit", Paula threw you a new curve to keep you on your toes and to prove that she was the puppet master here, and we were all following her lead. I found myself getting upset with the author, saying out loud "OK, get to the end! The Dazzling Darkness by: Paula Cappa A harrowing tale of a couple that lost their child only to find him again, much altered! This heartbreaking story details the plight of a mother and father who believe their child has been kidnapped, and the young sister who feels much responsibility for his being kidnapped on a routine walk home from school.

The detective in this case, Mike Balducci, follows lead after lead only to keep being drawn back to the old cemetery keeper, Elias Hatch. Who might be gui The Dazzling Darkness by: Who might be guiltily of knowing the unfathomable truth but is he guilty of the kidnapping?

This novel leads a reader in many directions yet manages to keep the reader in touch with what's happening without know TOO much, not always so easy to do! The characters are believable and as a reader you want so much for the couple to find their son and resume a happy life! Overall, I really haven't any constructive criticisms to give, it's quiet honestly a well written story with an imaginative spin, focusing on a heartbreaking topic!

Easily earning a 4 star rating! I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and impartial review. Feb 17, Maranda Russell rated it it was amazing Shelves: First off, I want to state that the writing in this book is superb, full of lovely prose that creates haunting and lasting images for the reader. I love a good spooky mystery novel, especially one like this that is so good at setting an atmosphere with language. The plot mainly revolves around a lost child named Henry.

What happened to little Henry? How did he get into Old Willow Cemetery and was there some kind of foul play at hand? The little boy First off, I want to state that the writing in this book is superb, full of lovely prose that creates haunting and lasting images for the reader.

Enter in a detective who in definitely devoted to the case, but may have to start looking outside of known physical reality for the answers he is seeking. Showing of reviews. Top Reviews Most recent Top Reviews. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. What do you get when you investigate the disappearance of a little boy, a "haunted" graveyard, shadowy figures, unexplained supernatural events, a mysterious priest, a creepy graveyard keeper, a gritty police detective and a shattered family searching for answers?

The response is the Dazzling Darkness by Paula Cappa. This engaging and entertaining book contains sprinkles of historical events and prose by Ralph Waldo Emerson, a real science narrative based upon the discovery of a crystal skull and the testing of one's own faith and religion. It is the perfect fictional blend of the real world with the supernatural world and the love of a family for their child and turning despair into hope.

The author, Paula Cappa, is a gifted writer as she captures not only the emotions of the characters, but vividly describes the action that is taking place. This gives the reader the sense that they are either in the home of the victimized family or the graveyard or the lab or other various scenes that are used as backdrops in this well-written imaginative story.

This novel is definitely a page turner as it seems that with each page there are new mysteries, twists and turns, unexplained events, suspense and excitement. Paula Cappa quickly pulls in the unsuspecting reader in her novel, The Dazzling Darkness; a genre bending story. Taking place in Concord, Mass.

When Henry goes missing on his walk home down the cow path from school, his family is understandably frantic. Elias Hatch, the Old Willow cemetery caretaker is the most obvious suspect, what with his mysterious, odd nature. Cappa includes overtones of religion, faith and even transcendentalism for a heady mix in this tale that will have your head spinning. All of the characters are well fleshed out by Cappa, especially appealing is Balducci, the lead detective.

A riveting, unique story that revolves around every parent's worst nightmare, this is a highly recommended novel that will appeal to readers across the board. The way the story was portrayed was bone-chilling. Not to mention the characters that are all kinds of mysterious, including the missing boy. I loved that the pacing did not drag way too much. It was fast-paced and lots of things happened in just a single chapter.

The writing style suits me and the plotline was engaging. For fans of paranormal and supernatural reads, you definitely give this book a try. You will be in for a ride! Cappa has managed to bring together several popular genres together in her story about a boy who goes missing, and the following investigation that leads the reader through historical, scientific, and supernatural powers in order to find him. The novel reads a lot like an M. Night Shyamalan movie, complete with the impossible to predict plot twist at the end.

Cappa paints all of her scenes in vivid detail, which gives them a rich and real feeling. In fact, I sometimes felt like the scenes were a part of the story, or that the scenes contributed so much to the overall tone of the story that perhaps there were clues hidden in the scenery. Most people will identify with the fear or losing a child, one that Cappa illustrates extremely well.

The Dazzling Dark

The excellent storytelling, along with Cappa's innovative genre-bending techniques, make for an exciting, well-paced, and highly enjoyable read, which I am sure that others will find as entertaining and captivating as I did. One person found this helpful. I loved that it was set in a realistic setting because the paranormal aspects were seamlessly woven into the setting and ruthlessly drove the plot forward. As soon I started the first page I was sucked in and finished it within a couple of hours.

Keep in mind, the paranormal aspect and the suspense can borderline horror sometimes!