Isabel Burning Written by Donna Lynch Published by Raw Dog Screaming Press

“I lied… I cannot tell you what the secret is, but do know that this book is actually two books in one… Let me explain…”

If this was an ordinary book, I would feel quite comfortable in spilling each and every secret it has to offer. However, it is not an ordinary book, it is not just a simple read. Isabel Burning is a journey, not from point A to point B on a map, but rather a journey of looking into someone else’s soul and watching their experience from that vantage point.

The character development here is more than three-dimensional, yes you are reading what Isabel is thinking, but there is such a connection with her, such a familiarity with her, that you will swear up and down that you know her in from an encounter in your own life. Donna Lynch does not keep this development to just the character of Isabel either. Dr. Edward Grace also has a very detailed past. All of the characters do.

Isabel Burning was incredibly difficult to put down. The only times I did manage to stop reading was to shower and sleep. As I read this, I found it very difficult to believe that this was Donna Lynch’s first novel.

“I wish I could reveal all of the secrets!”

Secrets. That is the very heart of this book. Each character has them. Without fail. Even the Detective Inspector has a very big secret, and no, this is not a mystery novel, not a who-done-it. No, it is certainly not that.

Romance novel? Nah. Sure it deals with love and passion, but that is just an element to the tale, and is not the overall theme. However, giving the description of “love / hate” is quite appropriate.

If I had to categorize this one, it would be under Horror. This is after, being talked about on ZombieMall.com and that is our focus, horror. There are ghosts that pervade this book, dark corners of the mind, monsters (though not the type you might think), and of course blood. Lots and lots of blood. There are no zombies in Isabel Burning, although the word ‘zombie’ does appear in it.

Think H.P. Lovecraft.. I mentioned that when I read this, it seemed incredible that this could be the first published novel by Donna Lynch. What makes it so incredible is that everything that happened seems so… real. As if what you are reading actually took place and Isabel wrote them down as it happened to maintain the descriptive elements.

Dreams play a major role in this journey. Symbolism plays an even greater role, right down to the image on the covers of the book. There are two versions of the book, Hardcover and Softcover.
Isabel Burning Hard Cover Isabel Burning Soft Cover

Author Donna Lynch.

“Let me share one little element with you.”

Isabel is a house-keeper to Dr Edward Grace. Dr Grace is an enigmatic man who tells tales of great adventures he had while in Africa. These tales encapsulate Isabel and and she finds herself falling for the Doctor.

“What is the Burning that the title is all about?”

Put simple, it is that internal ‘gut feeling’ that we all experience. That feeling that gives us a red flag when faced with a situation that we may find questionable. Isabel’s flags are so severe that they threaten to burn the very pages in which you are reading from!

“I just tried to reveal a secret there!”

Something of a technical aspect of the book is that there are no chapters at all. Instead each section is broken down into bite-sized portions separated by a fancy graphic. This makes for a very fast read, as I was constantly telling myself, just one more section, then I’ll put it down. That went on from about page 112 to the end of the book. There are 236 pages.

“…this book is actually two books in one… Let me reveal that secret to you now…”

Once you have completed this book, finished the journey, once all of the secrets have been revealed to you; you will be compelled, almost driven to read the book over (immediately I might add) with all of the secrets spilled wide open. Doing so gives the read a completely new book to digest. It gives you a totally new perspective in which to absorb the experience.

“I want to spill one more secret..”

There are more books planned for the Grace family! When I discover the release dates for them, trust me, I will be the first in line!

Isabel Burning by Donna Lynch is due out in August. I suggest you run (don’t walk but run) to your nearest bookstore and tell them to order this book!