Shadow (Websters Ninth New Collage Dictionary Definition): Partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body.

Shadow (My Definition): A point in time or space obscured from the light of sight, memory, or reason by an interposed opaque body or event. A hole in perception.

Ed Gorman writes well from the shadows, dancing the line from light to darkness with eerie dexterity, and each of the players in his twisted tale of suspense play their parts equally well from those shadows. Whether the shadow be drunkenness, insanity, or the schemings of an unknown foe, Gorman weaves them as masterfully as any Black Widow ever weaved its deadly trap. Gorman's characters like them or not, provoke sympathy; generate a feeling of closeness. Don't let them fool you; you do not know them. Their true natures await in the shadows. Ed Gorman's writing is strong, sharp, his suspense spiced with humor and realistic horror. No ghosts or bogeymen, only the beast within (Stephen King's Dionysian werewolf *Stephen King's Danse Macabre, P.75*). The plot is quick and unpredictable, just when you think you've got it pinned down it slips away and takes off in new directions. Shadow Games is a slick, dark dance, and Gorman is a masterful leader.

Cobey Daniels: Actor, singer, teenage heartthrob. Once America's most famous child star, Cobey is making his big comeback. After a spotted past including arrests for theft, rape, and a three year committal, Cobey is back in the spotlight. His new play is a hit, and it looks like he may be back to stay. That is if his secret enemy and his weakness for drink will let him.

James Puckett: Once a Police Detective, this Private Eye has worked with Cobey before. Puckett is pulled into the once teen-star's world again after the brutal murder of Cobey's mistress, a crime of which Cobey is obviously guilty. But nothing is as it seems. Shadows abound, and Puckett is convinced that the truth, and the real killer, awaits him in those shadows

Anne Addison: A celebrity reporter and once lover of James Puckett, Anne has also worked with Cobey in the past. She is pursuing Cobey for a follow up article when her path once again crosses Puckett's. Helping her ex-lover in his investigation, a new romance rises from the ashes of a dead one. Will their new love survive, or is it doomed from the start? Anne has her own shadows, and they are deep indeed.

Lilly Carlyle: Hollywood agent and foster mother to Cobey. Possessive, jealous, and hostile toward anyone who dares become too close to her child prodigy; Lilly Carlyle is a woman to fear. Her hatred toward Anne the reporter, Cobey's girlfriend Veronica, and the dead mistress is evident. But is she capable of murder?

Wade Preston: Ex-star and partner in Lilly's agency. This handsome and charismatic actor turned agent seems above suspicion, but he has his own dark past, and his own shadows. He also has his own reasons to hate Cobey. Could this seemingly mild mannered "Cowboy Actor" hide the heart of a killer?

Veronica Hobbs: Cobey's girlfriend. Sweet and frail in appearance, Veronica seems the perfect woman to support Cobey in his big comeback. But inside the slim, frail beauty lies the heart of a madwoman. She has already tried to kill him once . . .

Richard Boyle: Actor, director. Richard and Cobey have been rivals ever since the days of Cobey's first hit show, Family Life. Cobey surprised everyone by hiring Richard to direct his new play, but it is clear that the bad blood between them is still warm.

I am first and foremost a fan of horror, suspense usually holds little interest for me, but I found Shadow Games to be a pleasant surprise. Gorman's sometimes humorous, sometimes scathing commentary on the shallowness and pettiness of Hollywood is more than entertaining, it is educational. Shadow Games is suspense at its best, a quick, clever 'who did it novel.' You won't believe it until you read it for yourself. You can bet that I will be reading more of Gorman's work.

I give Shadow Games a 4 out of 5 skull rating. It's great!

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