Mystery/Thriller/Commercial Fiction
Date Published: April 25th, 2025
Publisher: Acorn Publishing
When renowned professor Dr. Aidan Ryan vanishes without explanation, he leaves behind a haunting message revealing he has a new life and can never return. His devastated daughter Sofia embarks on a global search to uncover the truth behind her father’s disappearance. What she finds is more shocking than she could have imagined—a web of family secrets and lies that challenges everything she thought she knew.
After clues send her to Italy, Sofia reconnects with her estranged mother Ella who reveals a hidden past of trauma and deceit. When they discover Aidan’s ties to The Brotherhood, an elusive, powerful society that operates in the shadows of world affairs, Sofia and Ella become ensnared in a deadly conspiracy. Trapped in ancient catacombs beneath the Roman countryside, they must face Aidan’s mysterious captors and fight for their lives. But as they edge closer to escape, one question remains: Will Aidan choose his family or The Brotherhood?
Sofia turned on the car radio, and one of her favorite songs, “Home at Last” by Steely Dan, was playing. She sang along while driving down the winding road to her childhood home, and a wave of nostalgia washed over her when she arrived at the ranch and parked on the gravel path in front of the house. Most of Sofia’s memories were from here, and they would always hold a singular place in her heart.
Grabbing the sack of groceries, she walked to the porch, unlocked the door, and quietly entered. She stepped into the dark living room and then opened the drapes. Her stomach dropped as she gaped at the empty room in disbelief. All the furniture had vanished. Had the workers robbed them?
She hurried into the kitchen, put her bag on the table, and looked around. All the counters were bare, no butcher block knife set, no toaster, no coffee machine, no recipe books. The drawers and cabinets were empty, with no silverware or plates. And the refrigerator, which was normally bursting at the seams with a variety of food and drinks, had been cleared out. A shiver ran down her spine.
“Dad!” she called and rushed down the hallway. She threw open his bedroom door and stared at the barren room. There was no furniture, no clothes in the closet, nothing! Fear gripped her.
“Hello? Dad?” Her voice echoed in the empty house as she searched the rest of the rooms. Unrelenting panic seized her when she realized her father was nowhere to be found. Stripped of all personal belongings, the property seemed strangely unfamiliar, as if their lives and memories had been scrubbed from the premises. She trembled, and tears streamed down her face.
Sofia hurried outside and saw the porch swing rocking eerily back and forth in the wind, as if the ghost of Aidan was haunting his favorite spot. “Dad, where are you?” she whispered to herself.
Frantically, she ran to the barn, her heart pounding, hardly able to believe what was happening. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. The empty barn, which used to be one of her most cherished places, seemed cold and lifeless. She felt trapped in a living nightmare. Through her tears, she saw a duffle bag inside Gaia’s stall. She slid open the zipper and discovered it was stuffed with numerous rolls of crisp, one-hundred-dollar bills. Sofia looked up and spotted an envelope with her name on it, in Aidan’s handwriting, pinned to the back wall of Gaia’s stall. She took it down and read the note silently, her hands shaking.
Dearest Sofia,
I knew you would come to see Gaia and wanted to make sure you’d find this note. I’m sorry my departure was so sudden, but it was unavoidable. Unfortunately, I can’t explain why I left in a way you would understand. All my personal and business affairs are in order, and your horse is being taken care of at Hilltop Stables. The cash in the duffle bag should tide you over for a few years until you establish your career.
Please forgive me for any sorrow this may cause you. My actions are irreversible, so don’t try to find me. I have a new life now and must never see you again. Hopefully, you will learn to be at peace with my decision. I will always love you and although she won’t believe it, I love your mother too. Tell her I regret all the bitterness between us.
Your ever well-wisher, Dad
Sofia’s mind reeled, and her legs could no longer hold her upright. Overcome by nausea, she collapsed on the ground and vomited. Wracked with chills and vertigo, she tried to get up, but everything went black, and she passed out.
A.C. Adams is the nom de plume of co-authors Anthony Leigh Adams and Christina Adams, who have written, produced, and developed film and television projects for many studios, including Disney, ABC, and CBS.
Christina is a producer of the Emmy Award-winning series, The Amazing Race and multiple programs for Oprah Winfrey. Anthony composed the music and co-wrote the book and lyrics for their most recent theatrical project, Sideways: The Musical, which is based on the Oscar-winning film and is in development as a Broadway musical.
The Adamses also wrote and produced the original musicals Love-In: A Musical Celebration and Primal Twang: The Legacy of The Guitar. Both shows were filmed and aired nationally on PBS. Primal Twang won Best Documentary Feature at the Rome International Film Festival.
Adams Entertainment, Anthony and Christina’s production company, is based in La Jolla, California, where they work and live with their two calico rescue cats. Chasing Shadows, their debut novel, is inspired by true events. For more information visit: www.adamsentertainment.com.
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