D.L. Tolin's CANDLELIGHT depicts the world of the supernatural. At the very heart of this story is Matthew Dean, a teenager who gets plunged into this supernatural world when he starts having nightmares which threaten to cross over into his reality. On one of these nights, he dreams of the forest and gets involved in a ritualistic ceremony. The boy is shocked to wake up and discover that his sheets are stained with dirt and soil. Soon after this, Matthew's world completely unravels when he encounters a mythical creature in the forest named Puck. His mother has been less than honest with him about his true identity, and he's soon separated from her by a deeply traumatic event that leaves him without the comfort of either parent.
Dragged into a world of magic and danger (which masterfully blends Irish and Welsh folklore with Arthurian legend and classic English literary figures), Matthew must learn to adjust to his new reality while navigating the treacherous path ahead. However, this story doesn't orbit around him alone. A series of child abductions spreads fear and uncertainty in the town of Beaumont, which seems to be experiencing a spike in paranormal activities.
While Detective Fusillier struggles to make sense of it all, the stakes are raised—striking much closer to home when his eight-year-old daughter is kidnapped, too. His quiet nighttime checks on her come across as tender pauses, which makes her abduction feel like a violent narrative acceleration. His fears as a father add a layer of humanity to his character, grappling with her disappearance while trying to hold onto his sanity. As investigators notice a disturbing pattern at all the crime scenes, the supernatural element intensifies the mystery surrounding the abductions and the recent murder. This eerie phenomenon depicts the story's deeper theme: reality itself is unstable.
Tolin does a fantastic job in layering everyone and expanding the plot, as other characters are well fleshed-out and keep readers emotionally invested. Stacey's story, for instance, is equally interesting. He starts out as a bully, getting mixed up with an older kid who forces him out of his comfort zone. He then finds himself getting pulled into less-than-ideal situations, thanks to some coercion and a string of poor choices. He will soon learn desperation, profound fear, and that even bullies fear the dark.
Tolin employs measured pacing as well, ensuring that the supernatural elements unravel naturally. Early chapters build with regular everyday routines that ground the characters and create a sense of normalcy. As chaos is allowed to build organically, this approach makes the eventual free fall that follows all the more gripping. Other than a slight lull in the middle sections, CANDLELIGHT is a remarkably assured dark fantasy thriller. With immersive world building and a steady narrative buildup, Tolin's debut skillfully carries its readers along.
Haunting and heartfelt, CANDLELIGHT by D.L. Tolin is a captivating tale of identity, loss, discovery, and courage.
~Gabriella Harrison for IndieReader