Play of Shadows

Dr. Evan Wilding, Book 3

By: Barbara Nickless

Narrated by: Tim Campbell

Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

An ancient creature of Greek mythology drives a killer’s unspeakable motives in a pulse-pounding thriller by the Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Dark of Night.

On a stormy Chicago night, renowned semiotician Dr. Evan Wilding and his brother, River, who’s back from an archaeological dig, reunite in a mystery. A package addressed to both of them contains a hand-drawn maze, an ancient Cretan coin, and a cryptic greeting: Let the game begin.

The opening move is murder.

In a downtown alley, a man has been found nearly cleaved in two, a symbol drawn on his forehead and a savage rip in his throat. Given the clues, Evan sees a parallel to a fearsome Greek myth. Which means his friend Detective Addie Bisset is on the trail of a legendary flesh-eating monster—one terrifyingly human and tumbling a panicked city toward chaos.

Evan, Addie, and River scramble to discover who’s behind the appalling crimes and decipher the baffling motives. The body count is rising. The endgame is nowhere in sight. And the stakes are nothing less than life and death.

©2023 Barbara Nickless (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“A brisk and clever whodunit with chills and verve.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Barbara Nickless hits the ball out of the park on this one….This is the third in the series but can be easily read as a standalone.”—Midwest Book Review

“Play of Shadows is an artful mystery, heavily researched…and one that combines a contemporary serial killer with a complex of ancient myths and symbols.”—The Denver Post

Not Again

Fantastic narration.
Pretty fair story.
And…yet again another author unable to resist having the woman peace officer lose control of her gun. Is there a club and that’s the password?

A Fitting End

This final installment in the series provides a fitting end for both our hero and our villain. The addition of Evan’s brother and father brings it all together.

Book 3, Best so far

So many good things to say about this story. The puzzle our heros were challeged with is truly entertaining. I am not big on romance if it is the main theme, but the subtle side story of romance with these characters is welcome. Finally, getting to know a little more of Evan's family background is enticing. Great series, wonderful cast of characters, and a good mystery!

Another winner!

I throughly enjoyed Play of Shadows. The characters are smart and likable and Tim Campbell did an excellent job with narration. . I hope this isn’t the last we have heard from Dr. Evan Wilder!

Need the next book!

We finally get to know Evan’s brother, River. In the previous two novels, the only glimpses of River were via a phone call. I love how close Evan and River are. So, I’m always concerned when a detective follows up on a lead without a partner or any kind of back up… it’s always a sign that something bad is going to happen. I do hope that this is a fictional mechanism and that this doesn’t actually happen. Note to self: A chair can be used as a weapon, à la WWE. Always appreciate a happy ending with loose ends tied 😉 looking forward to whenever the next book is published.
Part of the Kindle Unlimited catalog.

The characters

What’s not to like Dr. Evan Wilding and Greek mythology! this might be my favorite installment so far in the Evan Wilding series!

Evan, Addie, River and Diana

Love this series and the characters. This was a masterful study of good and evil. The question of whether monsters are created or born is not settled but certainly well addressed. Wonderful narrator.

mythology and serial killers

Play of Shadows (Dr. Evan Wilding #3)
by Barbara Nickless

A beautiful combination of mythology, murder, and mystery. This story is shows the power for parental influence and misconceptions of independents development. The mythology of the Minoan minotaur, Theseus has been woven into modern serial murder. Evan Wilding has been pulled in by Detective Addie Bisset to the mystery. His attempts to settle his family problems, and the mystery mirror each other. Two sets of brothers faced with the need to parental attention. Both sets of boys have lost their mother dramatically, and their fathers devotion to his personal projects has left the boys find there own way. The Wilding brothers have a supportive and resilience that creates a positive team. The opposing brothers, are pitted by their fathers desire for renown, that creates a monster. The imagery of the Minoan Labyrinth shows the difficulty of raising children. Showing the warning of psychological difficulties of rising children in the modern and historical world.

Great ending!

in my own mind I am a casting director and have every character in this series picked out for a series on Netflix or wherever. Would absolutely be thrilled if Evan and company became something I could binge watch. This is a series I am absolutely captivated by and recommend to my friends.

Another great story

I like this intelligent who-done-it very much. Many interesting facts and twists and character development. Excellent narration.