Talk about cloak and dagger! Donnie J. Burgess has revived the perfect tale of twists and turns. This time in the small town of Ashwood. Attorney Devin Bryant is attempting to make amends with his wife for his wayward sexual adventures. He knows he is in the wrong and he knows that his best recourse is to give up the mistress and appreciate the woman he married. That’s his goal. That’s his priority. He agrees to marriage counselling and limits his “boys’ nights out” to his best bro pals doing bro pal stuff. And avoiding all contact with the enchanting Jezebel. But the best laid plans…well, you know the rest. Before he knows it, Devin’s misadventure in rectifying an already bad situation involves a colorful assortment of townsfolk including his marriage counselor, a well-known lady-of-the-night, the town busy-body, and his own wife.

I haven’t enjoyed such a reading experience in a long, long time. In the Shadow of Angels is a fast-paced, entertaining adventure that spans less than twenty-four hours in the lives of its very well-defined characters. Just when the reader knows that the end is near and Devin is a goner, another dead body pops up and our main character’s solution is further and further from a tidy finish. For fans of unexpected turn of events, I highly recommend In the Shadow of Angels. Donnie J. Burgess has left himself wide open for future tales and an endless list of reading groupies. I thoroughly enjoyed In the Shadow of Angels.

In the Shadow of Angels by Donnie J. Burgess is a thrilling novel set in the small town of Ashwood. Devin Bryant has everything one can ask for - a beautiful wife, a good home and a successful career. Though everyone is envious of his position and status, like anyone, Devin Bryant too has secrets. Jezebel Anders is one of them. The story takes a twist when this particular one of his dark secrets, Jezebel Anders, is found dead outside his hotel room where he goes to meet her. Trying to save himself, Devin Bryant finds himself trapped in a world of deceit, blackmail, and murder from which he finds no way to escape. The snare seems to even tighten around his family and friends. Will Devin Bryant be able to find a way out of this quagmire?

Filled with intrigue, murder, deceit, hatred, anger and mystery, the plot is gripping and will hold readers' attention till the very end. Devin Bryant’s character is well portrayed and he has everything a woman would want in a man. The female characters, Jezebel Anders and Devin’s wife, Beth, are also sketched well. Beth’s inability to have a child and Jezebel’s confession that she is pregnant with Devin’s child form the backbone of the plot which takes interesting turns as the story progresses. The other characters complement the twists and turns, making it an interesting thriller. The story has many dimensions which keeps readers guessing right to the end.