SHADOW SEASON An ex-cop, Finn was left literally blinded by violence. The one thing he can still see is the body of his wife, Dani, and a crime scene that won’t fade from his mind’s eye. Now a professor, Finn never would have guessed that an isolated girls’ prep school could be every bit as dangerous as city streets. Especially when he stumbles upon a local girl lying in a graveyard in the middle of a raging blizzard. Finn may live in a world of total darkness, but it’s about to get a splash of red. The memories that torment him still have the power to kill, and a group of innocent students has been put in harm’s way by a pair of vicious criminals stalking Finn for unknown reasons. Secrets are creeping from the shadows around him—the kind that even a man with perfect vision never sees until it’s too late. They’re about to become terrifyingly clear to Finn—and it all begins with the scent of blood. * Nominated for the 2010 International Thriller Writers Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original * Rights Information Publisher: Bantam, Mass market paperback (October 27, 2009) Territory: World Rights Available: Film/TV Reviews: "Piccirilli's brooding, character-driven chiller…Terrified of solitude and driven by his cop instincts, Finn embarks on a wrenching journey that exposes the raw emotion of a man nearly destroyed by disability and circumstance." – Publishers Weekly starred review "Shadow Season has enough mystery, suspense, dread, and mayhem to satisfy nearly every crime fan. Characters are well developed, but most maintain a hint of mystery. Finn’s students, variously precocious, willful, mocking, and provocative, are totally believable. The blizzard ratchets up tension, as does our eagerness to learn why Finn wants to kill Ray...the novel is terrific entertainment." - Thomas Gaughan, Booklist "This is an exciting action-packed thriller that hooks the audience...The story line is fast-paced once the characters are set and never slows down until the anticipated final confrontation with the ill wind and the academy’s champion, a sort of good vs. evil battle on a small scale. SHADOW SEASON is an engaging tense tale as Tom Piccirilli provides a superb suspenseful story." - Harriet Klausner, The Mystery Gazette "This is an intense thriller not for sissies. The complex main character tears into savage situations described with authenticity...The entire plot never lets the reader take a breath and never lets up on the gut-wrenching emotional safari...Highly recommended for thriller fans who appreciate a quality read." - The Coloradoan "I've raved on Omnivoracious before about mystery/noir master Tom Piccirilli--his The Cold Spot and The Coldest Mile are among my recent favorites. Now he has another first-rate novel out, Shadow Season, with an intriguing premise that severely limited or, depending on your perspective, opened up the possibilities of his prose. It's another instant classic." - Jeff VanderMeer, on Amazon blog "Omnivoracious" "This is an "anyone can die at any time" thriller, and if you think you've figured out what's going on before it's all over, well, you're better at figuring than I am. Piccirilli's been establishing quite a nice reputation for himself, and this book will only add to that. Check it out." - Bill Crider "Shadow Season was one of those books that I connected with from the very first line, and went on to read in a single afternoon. It’s an uncompromisingly dark story masterfully told... Piccirilli’s refined artistry as a writer, particularly his expressive phrasing and impeccable pacing, are on display throughout Shadow Season... highly cinematic" - Pulp Serenade "Piccirilli sharpens his literary knives and begins his assault on the readers with the brutality he is so well known for. Shadow Season is an extremely disturbing novel, easily matching the emotional intensity of his earlier masterpieces such as A Choir of Ill Children and November Mourns. Its violence is harrowing, plentiful, and realistic as hell... Shadow Season is Tom Piccirilli at his absolute best. It is an erotically charged and brutally violent novel that will please not only his fans, but should delight anyone who enjoys intelligently written, high octane thrillers. Shadow Season is highly recommended." - Horror World "Shadow Season, marks the moment where [Piccirilli] fully embraces straight-up fucking stone-cold noir ... what puts this release into must-read territory is Piccirilli’s unflinching and gleefully noir ending ... Shadow Season should be your first choice" - BSC Review Blurbs: "SHADOW SEASON is a beautifully written thriller filled with heart and wit, sharp dialogue and characters you utterly believe in. A great ride." – Robert Ferrigno, author of Sins of the Assassin and The Horse Latitudes. "Reading SHADOW SEASON is like being put through an emotional wringer. Visceral. Savage. Intense. Powerful. Finn is a fascinating character, the most complex of all Pic's noir protagonists; I can't think of another in recent memory with such a multi-faceted personality or more compelling mix of gut-level feelings. Flawless portrayal of his blindness and his ways of dealing with it, particularly in crisis situations. For my money, Pic's best novel to date." - Bill Pronzini, Grandmaster of the Mystery Writers of America "Tom Piccirilli straddles genres with the boldness of the best writers today, blending suspense and crime fiction into tight, brutal masterpieces." James Rollins, author of The Judas Strain Purchase at Amazon.com

SHADOW SEASON

An ex-cop, Finn was left literally blinded by violence. The one thing he can still see is the body of his wife, Dani, and a crime scene that won’t fade from his mind’s eye. Now a professor, Finn never would have guessed that an isolated girls’ prep school could be every bit as dangerous as city streets. Especially when he stumbles upon a local girl lying in a graveyard in the middle of a raging blizzard.

Finn may live in a world of total darkness, but it’s about to get a splash of red. The memories that torment him still have the power to kill, and a group of innocent students has been put in harm’s way by a pair of vicious criminals stalking Finn for unknown reasons. Secrets are creeping from the shadows around him—the kind that even a man with perfect vision never sees until it’s too late. They’re about to become terrifyingly clear to Finn—and it all begins with the scent of blood.

* Nominated for the 2010 International Thriller Writers Thriller Award for Best Paperback Original *

Rights Information

Publisher: Bantam, Mass market paperback (October 27, 2009)

Territory: World

Rights Available: Film/TV

Reviews:
"Piccirilli's brooding, character-driven chiller…Terrified of solitude and driven by his cop instincts, Finn embarks on a wrenching journey that exposes the raw emotion of a man nearly destroyed by disability and circumstance." – Publishers Weekly *starred review*

"Shadow Season has enough mystery, suspense, dread, and mayhem to satisfy nearly every crime fan. Characters are well developed, but most maintain a hint of mystery. Finn’s students, variously precocious, willful, mocking, and provocative, are totally believable. The blizzard ratchets up tension, as does our eagerness to learn why Finn wants to kill Ray...the novel is terrific entertainment." - Thomas Gaughan, Booklist

"This is an exciting action-packed thriller that hooks the audience...The story line is fast-paced once the characters are set and never slows down until the anticipated final confrontation with the ill wind and the academy’s champion, a sort of good vs. evil battle on a small scale. SHADOW SEASON is an engaging tense tale as Tom Piccirilli provides a superb suspenseful story." - Harriet Klausner, The Mystery Gazette

"This is an intense thriller not for sissies. The complex main character tears into savage situations described with authenticity...The entire plot never lets the reader take a breath and never lets up on the gut-wrenching emotional safari...Highly recommended for thriller fans who appreciate a quality read." - The Coloradoan

"I've raved on Omnivoracious before about mystery/noir master Tom Piccirilli--his The Cold Spot and The Coldest Mile are among my recent favorites. Now he has another first-rate novel out, Shadow Season, with an intriguing premise that severely limited or, depending on your perspective, opened up the possibilities of his prose. It's another instant classic." - Jeff VanderMeer, on Amazon blog "Omnivoracious"

"This is an "anyone can die at any time" thriller, and if you think you've figured out what's going on before it's all over, well, you're better at figuring than I am. Piccirilli's been establishing quite a nice reputation for himself, and this book will only add to that. Check it out." - Bill Crider

"Shadow Season was one of those books that I connected with from the very first line, and went on to read in a single afternoon. It’s an uncompromisingly dark story masterfully told... Piccirilli’s refined artistry as a writer, particularly his expressive phrasing and impeccable pacing, are on display throughout Shadow Season... highly cinematic" - Pulp Serenade

"Piccirilli sharpens his literary knives and begins his assault on the readers with the brutality he is so well known for. Shadow Season is an extremely disturbing novel, easily matching the emotional intensity of his earlier masterpieces such as A Choir of Ill Children and November Mourns. Its violence is harrowing, plentiful, and realistic as hell... Shadow Season is Tom Piccirilli at his absolute best. It is an erotically charged and brutally violent novel that will please not only his fans, but should delight anyone who enjoys intelligently written, high octane thrillers. Shadow Season is highly recommended." - Horror World

"Shadow Season, marks the moment where [Piccirilli] fully embraces straight-up fucking stone-cold noir ... what puts this release into must-read territory is Piccirilli’s unflinching and gleefully noir ending ... Shadow Season should be your first choice" - BSC Review

Blurbs:
"SHADOW SEASON is a beautifully written thriller filled with heart and wit, sharp dialogue and characters you utterly believe in. A great ride." – Robert Ferrigno, author of Sins of the Assassin and The Horse Latitudes.

"Reading SHADOW SEASON is like being put through an emotional wringer. Visceral. Savage. Intense. Powerful. Finn is a fascinating character, the most complex of all Pic's noir protagonists; I can't think of another in recent memory with such a multi-faceted personality or more compelling mix of gut-level feelings. Flawless portrayal of his blindness and his ways of dealing with it, particularly in crisis situations. For my money, Pic's best novel to date." - Bill Pronzini, Grandmaster of the Mystery Writers of America

"Tom Piccirilli straddles genres with the boldness of the best writers today, blending suspense and crime fiction into tight, brutal masterpieces." James Rollins, author of The Judas Strain

Purchase at Amazon.com