Things Half in Shadow (56 page)
Read Things Half in Shadow Online
Authors: Alan Finn
“I think so,” I said.
“Wonderful,”
Mrs. Pastor replied.
“Just try to relax and let it happen naturally.”
I did as I was told. I settled back in my chair and took a few deep breaths. Then, with Stokely holding one hand and Lucy grasping the other, I closed my eyes, at last ready to begin.
A
s a newcomer to writing historical fiction, I was fortunate when it came to both subject matter and location. The rise and inevitable exploitation of Spiritualism proved to be endlessly fascinating, and all reading done on the subject ended up feeling more like fun than research. The same goes for Philadelphia, a city so proud of its past that digging into its history was an utter delight. Still, I am indebted to the many authors, past and present, whose own books were an invaluable help in the writing of this one. Any errors, intentional or not, are mine and mine alone.
On the topic of Spiritualism and mediums, I consulted
Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death
by Deborah Blum;
The History of Spiritualism
by Arthur Conan Doyle;
The Night Side of Nature Or Ghosts and Ghost Seers
by Catherine Crowe;
Behind The Scenes With The Mediums
by David Phelps Abbott; and
Spookâ: Science Tackles the Afterlife
by Mary Roach.
For all matters Philadelphia and life in the nineteenth century, I was helped by
A Portraiture of Quakerism
by Thomas Clarkson;
Daily Life in the Industrial United States, 1870â1900
by Julie Husband and Jim O'Loughlin;
Wicked Philadelphia: Sin in the City of Brotherly Love
by Thomas H. Keels;
Everyday Life in the 1800s: A Guide for Writers, Students & Historians
by Marc McCutcheon;
Philadelphia: A 300-Year History
, edited by Russell F. Weigley; and
A Hand-Book for the Stranger in Philadelphia
, an 1849 guidebook written by Wellington Williams.
Special thanks go to the Fairmount Water Works, for its enlightening exhibit about that nineteenth-century marvel; the
Greater Philadelphia GeoHistory Network, for its detailed maps of Old Philadelphia; and the folks at Eastern State Penitentiary who continue to keep the prison's historyâand spiritâalive.
On a more personal note, I'd like to thank my agent, Michelle Brower, for her unwavering enthusiasm about this project; my editor, Ed Schlesinger, whose suggestions and advice improved the book tenfold; and everyone at Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster who welcomed me into their fold. Thanks must also be given to Sarah Dutton, the best first reader anyone could ask for, and to Richard and Robert Sherman for inspiring the title. No list of acknowledgments would be complete without me thanking both the Ritter and Livio families, my fellow writers in the trenches at Algonquin Redux, and all my former newspaper colleagues now scattered far and wide. Finally, I owe a ton of thanks and a long vacation to Mike Livio, who continues to walk with meâwith patience and a level headâevery day and every step of the way.
ALAN FINN
is the pen name of an acclaimed author of mysteries and thrillers. He has worked as an editor, journalist, and ghostwriter. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2014 by Todd Ritter
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First Gallery Books trade paperback edition December 2014
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Interior design Jaime Putorti
Cover design by John Vario Jr.
Antique photo of woman © Igor Golavniov/Shutterstock
Old paper © Ivankov/Shutterstock
Crystal ball © PaurusLuc/The Image Bank/Getty Images
Seance © Mills/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
ISBN 978-1-4767-6172-5
ISBN 978-1-4767-6173-2 (ebook)