Eye of the Moon
Eye of the Moon book cover

Eye of the Moon

Hardcover – February 6, 2018

by
Price
$28.99
Format
Hardcover
Pages
556
Publisher
SMITH OBOLENSKY MEDIA
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1947780002
Dimensions
5.98 x 1.38 x 9.02 inches
Weight
2.08 pounds

Description

-Winner of "Best First Book (Fiction)" in the 2018 IndieReader Discovery Awards-Gold Medalist for "Fiction: Intrigue" in the 2018 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards-Silver Medalist/Second Place for "Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Horror" in the 2019 Feathered Quill Book Awards-Finalist for "Paranormal" in the 2018 Next Generation Indie Books Awards"A deftly crafted and simply riveting gothic mystery by a master of the genre, Ivan Obolensky's Eye of the Moon is especially and unreservedly recommended for community library Mystery/Suspense collections." - Midwest Book Review "...Despite the chronology of the many events the characters had experienced before the story began, they are combined to create a fabulouslyspine-chilling plot. This is an amazing novel..." - Readers Favorite , 5 starsxa0"A gothic mystery [of the finest order] set in 1977 involving the occult,stolen treasure, family secrets, and financial sabotage." -IndieReader, 4.7 stars, IR approvedxa0"The surprising revelations and apparent coincidences come fast andfuriously as the novel approaches its climax, but the groundwork wascarefully laid for this intricate plot structure." -4 stars Clarion ratingxa0"Readers have time to get to know the characters and the lifestyle they'll do so much to protect. It's like having brandy and a cigar in the librarywith Lord Peter Wimsey rather than confronting bad guys a la KinseyMillhone...." - BlueInk Review "... It felt as if thisnovel had been exclusively produced just for me and I'm sure manyreaders will feel likewise. [It] was such an enjoyable experience. Itmay be a big book, but the reading is easygoing and there's enoughhumour, mystery, suspense, romance and adventure to satisfy even themost jaded of appetites..." -Carl Delprat, Compulsive Reader "... By the page 30, or so, I was well ensnared by Obolensky's captivatingspiderweb. Richly nuanced, complex, highly readable, this yarn combinesmystery, implied horror, the patrician class seen through a glassdarkly, romance, and a wholly acerbic view of the inherent goodness (orevil) of man (and woman). Eye of the Moon is anything but an author's first work." -Hugo N. Gerstl, international bestselling author of Scribe. I write to delight and create magical connections with readers. The first reader is always me. I have to like what I have written. Next is my wife. She has to like it as well. Then there is you. Ultimately, I write for you.Tales of my ancestors, stories I have heard, ideas that I have, together create the world I sail into whenever I write fiction. Interesting things happen there, and I'd love to meet the people who populate that world in real life.As a debut author, published through a family business, there are limited avenues to spread the word about my stories, and reviews are a significant way to connect with more people. Amazon holds the most weight, with Goodreads following as a close second. If that is not possible, you can leave a review on my website (ivanobolensky.com/reviews). I read every review, and appreciate the time spent sharing your thoughts and opinions. Please consider posting a review, whatever your experience. I welcome it. From the Inside Flap "The mysteries are finely woventogether and readers must think fast on their feet if they hope to keep up withthe meticulous minds of the weekend guests." - IndieReader, 4.7 stars In his debut novel, Ivan Obolenskytakes the reader into the world of the 1970s aristocracy in America. xa0This mystery/thriller revolvesaround two friends, Percy and Johnny, raised closer than brothers yet fracturedby the past, as they attend a house party with their family, guests, andservants. Forming a volatile and fascinating group, everyone has a personalscore to settle or secret to reveal.xa0Shadowing the story is themysterious death of Johnny's Aunt Alice, and her obsession with Egyptian Gods,the occult, and revenge.xa0Spun with suspense and realisticmagic, Eye of the Moon is a brisk and dialogue-driven tale that willkeep you reading late into the night. "Alice's complex characterpowerfully emerges as the plot's tonal center, a bewitching amalgam of moralstrength, intellectual vitality, and a lust for life." -Kirkus Reviews EXTRAORDINARY PRAISE FOR EYE OF THE MOON "Obolenskyconjures a remarkably imaginative tale, seamlessly juxtaposing the quotidianand the magical in a way that renders the latter mesmerizingly plausible...ingeniously constructed... an engrossing tale of mystery and magic." - KirkusReviews "... Athrillingly eerie mystery novel with a Gothic ambiance and supernaturalelements seeping through the storyline... a fabulously spine-chilling plot." -Readers'Favorite, 5 stars " Eyeof the Moon is a gothic mystery of the finest order... sumptuous in itsdescription of white-tie dinner parties and sexual tensions with baronesses,and sharp in its maneuvering of several secret puzzles at once." -IndieReader,4.7 stars, IR approved "Wealth,family politics, and the occult make for a strangely captivating and exoticbrew... although the novel is nominally set in 1977, it has a timeless feel..." -Clarion 4 Stars/Foreword Reviews "... Ahouse party mystery much in the style of Agatha Christie--without the body.... Eyeof the Moon 's intriguing characters and interesting twists deliver anengaging, enjoyable read." -BlueInk Review "Planto stay up late. Once you get caught up in this extraordinary drama, you'llfind it hard to put it down. In ambience it rivals Downton Abbey, but the plottells a far more intense and shocking story." -Tom Hyman, author of SevenDays to Petrograd Ivan Obolensky grew up regaled by tales of his aristocratic Russian ancestors while surrounded by high society. Those stories of intrigue and adventure inspired him from an early age and nurtured his love of storytelling, which he brings to his writing, both fiction and nonfiction. He is a lifelong reader and devoted enthusiast of diverse subjects, seeking out the way worlds intersect and connect. His nonfiction articles, weaving history, current events, science and finance, are published online. Eye of the Moon is his first novel, colored in no small way by his experiences and the stories of his youth. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Mary Jo. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Did Alice die from a curse?
  • Or was she murdered?
  • In this award-winning American Gothic novel, Percy and Johnny, two estranged childhood friends, reunite to attend an anniversary house party at the haunting family estate of Rhinebeck, where Johnny's aunt Alice died twenty years before, while reading an
  • Egyptian Book of the Dead.
  • Stumbling upon her hidden artifacts, including her letters and journals, Percy and Johnny discover her story is very different from what they had been led to believe. Nothing is what it seems and everyone has a secret to protect. You'll love this deftly crafted, riveting gothic mystery by a master of the genre. Be captivated late into the night with its intricate plot, fascinating characters, humor, and just the right amount of the supernatural.
  • Get it now.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(198)
★★★★
25%
(165)
★★★
15%
(99)
★★
7%
(46)
★
23%
(153)

Most Helpful Reviews

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At 500+ pages this novel may be one readers who enjoy books that are less lengthy would possibly turn their ...

When Johnny was just ten years old, he lost his Aunt Alice under mysterious circumstances. Twenty years later, Johnny and Percy are reunited for a long weekend at the Rhinebeck estate from a celebratory dinner after many years of no contact. Together they seek to find out the secrets of what happened all those years ago and are taken on a journey as they uncover the many mysteries the estate holds.

I am surprised to know this is Ivan’s debut novel. Ivan’s storytelling is very well written, and his words flow seamlessly. At 500+ pages this novel may be one readers who enjoy books that are less lengthy would possibly turn their cheek to. However, judging whether or not you should read this novel due to its length would be an utter mistake. With its length one would expect fluffed pages and unnecessary add ins to lengthen the story, but none of this is found here. Each word Ivan used was used with purpose, and this is something I truly appreciate when done.

While the story started off at a slow pace, it picked up rather quickly and was an enjoyable adventure until its conclusion; with multiple twists and turns delivered along the way. Some novels endings fall flat, but Ivan Obolensky offers his reader a fulfilling and satisfactory ending. Though this ending does leaving on a bit of a cliffhanger, I feel Ivan doing so make his reader wanting to explore more of not only this story but his future works.

Ivan also develops realistic characters not only through Johnny and Percy, but the additional characters met along the way. While I did not find myself relating to any of these characters, they all were very likable, and I did find the characterization intriguing. What is interesting to note is a novel on the topics found within would often times give a reader an ‘on edge’ feeling, but Ivan’s creative telling gave me a very unexpected relaxed and cozy feel which I really enjoyed. I also found the Egyptian inclusion to be very interesting. The Egyptian culture has always been of great interest to my older sister, so I will be forwarding my copy for her enjoyment in this story as well.

With its mixture of mystery, romance, drama and splashes of humor, Eye of the Moon has a lot to offer readers of all types. I’m unsure if Ivan has any plans to make this novel into a series, but I would enjoy hearing more of Aunt Alice’s story or the continuation of this story. Either way, count me in.

Many thanks to Ivan Obolensky and Smith-Obolensky Media for an advanced reader’s copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review and request to join its blog tour.
7 people found this helpful
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Expert storytelling which makes you feel like you have been chosen to hear a closely guarded ...

Written in a manner where it is hard not to suspect the author has experienced similar events and upbringing. Expert storytelling which makes you feel like you have been chosen to hear a closely guarded family secret. Enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Easy to read thriller in a magical realism style

"Eye of the Moon", Obolensky’s first novel, is a magnificent thriller that keeps you in suspense throughout every chapter of the 541 pages.
He has a love for words, and he uses them in a very elegant an eloquent fashion as he describes the personalities of his characters, the manner of every meal and libation, the love affairs, and family secrets. He takes the reader through a tunnel of emotions, mixing the quotidian with the surreal and supernatural in the style of magical realism, where the house gets possessed by a demon and a powerful force overtakes Percy, the protagonist, after he drinks a rare potion in a ritual to discover what happened to Alice, the central character of the story, who’s fascination for the occult takes her to the end of her life.
The story takes place at the luxurious New York estate, Rhinebeck, where Percy and his best friend Johnny grew up amid a scent of opulence. It’s fascinating the way the stories intertwine, and the characters find their destiny.
1 people found this helpful
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Couldn't stop reading.

Eye of the Moon turned out to be a much enjoyable and entertaining reading experience. While readers are introduced to the old stately mansión living style with vivid details, characters reveal their personalities and secrets throughout the story in a succession of comedy, drama, suspense and mystery, with some supernatural elements. The book is well written and the author handles a detailed and deep description of environments and human interactions which, all in all, contribute to a well told story that makes it difficult to stop reading to the end.
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amazing storyline with lots of twits and turns....

I stumbled across this book form a friend and once I stated reading it, I was hooked. the story line keeps opening up and and before you know it you are engulfed buy the characters Jonny and Percy and the vibrant life they had no idea existed which reveal who they are as young adults. Its a sinuous twisting tale that is well written and well worth the read.
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Brilliant, Great Read, I loved it...

I recommend this book to all
The characters were interesting with twist and turns that keeps you hook just wanting to know whats going to happen next....and captivated, a page turner.
I loved the short chapters.
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An unusual and satisfying read

I enjoyed Eye of the Moon immensely and really hope there's a sequel in the works. At times, the style took me back to the Victorians and early 20th century authors that I love so much -- the detail, the descriptions, the mood, the character development. The settings were so meticulously described that I could picture that old place in my mind; I like to be able to follow people in a book as they move from place to place! I found the characters very satisfying; some of them appeared at first to be rather stereotypical, but then they evolved into complex and profound personalities, reacting in unusual, though entirely credible ways. The supernatural elements were gripping and blended in very well with the rest.
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Eye of the Moon kept me up for many nights ...

Eye of the Moon kept me up for many nights! It had been a while since I had experienced being totally absorbed by a book. The author takes you into a world of elegance and privilege, with intriguing characters, their secret lives immersed in magic and mystery.
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Imbued with themes of revenge, the occult, family bonds and love in its many forms

"Eye of the Moon" is a mystery composed by an interweaved web of stories. Told through the eyes of introverted and observant Percy, the journey takes the reader on a wild and unexpected ride. Imbued with themes of revenge, the occult, family bonds and love in its many forms, the story sets you on a path where it's physically hard to put the book down! I found myself wanting to have conversations with all of these characters. They are all in their own specific way very smart. Some I loved, some I would never want to be friends with, however they all had in common that they spike your curiosity and make you feel for their plight. It is now on my list of top 5 favorite books and recommend it to anyone who enjoys captivating reading that makes your heart beat faster.

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