The Shadow Year

In the unpredictable 1960s on New York's Long Island, a young boy faces the end of summer and the start of sixth grade. Living in a household with an absent father, an alcoholic mother, and siblings who are both a source of torment and protection, he finds solace in Botch Town, a detailed cardboard replica of his community created with his brother. The boys' games take a dark turn when a prowler is reported, and strange events begin to unfold, seemingly linked to their younger sister's alterations to Botch Town. The line between reality and fantasy blurs as disappearances, deaths, and spectral sightings plague the neighborhood, culminating in the arrival of a sinister man in a long white car. The story delves into themes of family dynamics, the power of imagination, and the unsettling nature of the unknown. The Shadow Year is a haunting exploration of childhood, family, and the eerie interplay between a child's imagination and the real world. The novel's atmospheric setting and psychological depth create a chilling narrative that keeps readers on edge, questioning what is real and what is merely a figment of the imagination.