The Tear Collector

By: Shawn Burgess

Narrated by: Lou Petrella

The misdeeds of our ancestors can be like shadows, lurking and waiting to reveal the sins of the past. For the residents of Harper Pass, that time is now.

After an autistic classmate goes missing in the small Appalachian community, young Brooks Raker and his friends stumble into the middle of the police investigation. As the dark secrets of the town’s past start to unravel, the list of unusual suspects climbs, and people continue to disappear.

When Brooks and his friends dig deeper into the unexpected events, they begin to suspect a sinister force is at work in Harper Pass. Can they work together to survive?

Detective Holt is thrust into a leadership role in the wake of Chief Barton’s absence, and having lost his first child to miscarriage, he is left feeling as if his entire world has been shattered. On top of all this, he must confront the mysteries surrounding Harper Pass, when the typically quiet town suddenly devolves into chaos.

Without any real answers, and with Kasey Norton, an ambitious local reporter, closing in on him, Detective Holt struggles to maintain his facade of control. The string of disappearances and suspicious deaths lead him to the doorstep of the mysterious and reclusive Professor Wadlow.

When the detective realizes what he is truly up against, a tectonic shift in his thinking - the fault lines of which can never be mended - leave him feeling more lost than ever. Can he save the citizens of Harper Pass, or has their fate already been determined?

©2019 Shawn Burgess (P)2020 Rhetoric Askew, LLC

Great Book

The story kept me captivated from start to finish. A must read for anyone that likes thrillers.

This is a must listen, I can’t stress that enough!

It’s been close to 15 years since I’ve read and completed a book. Mostly finding time is the main reason. Tried audio books, but found myself falling asleep or losing interest because of the mundane history teacher-like voice of the narrator. The combination of Shawn Burgess’ writing and Lou Petrella’s narration has brought me back to what I once so enjoyed. The writing is so amazing, kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. The narration, the best I’ve ever encountered. Petrella (the man of many voices) made me feel as if I personally knew these characters. Like watching a movie with my ears. I listened in my car, in the shower, even while I exercised. Could not get enough! So sad when it was over, so look forward to what comes next from both of these individuals. This is a must listen, I can’t stress that enough! Thank you guys for bringing me back.
Love, Love, Love

Fun horror story? Narrator makes it so!

Not a big horror story fan, but as I loved Stranger Things on Netflix, I thought I’d take a chance on The Tear Collector. Very entertaining story involving a bunch of jr high school kids facing what appears to be a supernatural evil. What makes the story come alive is the fantastic narration by Lou Petrella. He is at his best when telling the story through the eyes of the kids. Whether laughing and teasing or screaming in fear, Lou captures it all with great enthusiasm. Stephen King, hire Lou to narrate your next book!

Awesome Supernatural Mystery Murder

From the beginning the story draws you in and hints at something not quite natural about the incident at Grief Hollow. The combination of great character development and the evolving mystery always kept me wanting to listen to just one more chapter. Mr. Burgess' writing was awesome and anyone who is a Stephen King fan will thoroughly enjoy the juxtaposition of relatable real life characters with the supernatural mystery that continues to evolve throughout the book. Add to that the injection of humorous moments that only a group of teenage boys can provide and you have an awesome story! Frightened, when the they are frightened and laughing when they laugh the narrator, Mr. Petrella does an outstanding job of bringing the characters to life. His pacing, inflections, and characterizations make this a phenomenal listen.

Fun and engaging.

This book moves along at a nice pace. It reminds me of stories like “Stand By Me,” “It,” and the series “Stranger Things.” Sometimes it seems to draw too much reference from those plot lines. Still, it has its own original spin.

Lou Petrella does excellent work distinguishing each character with individual voice types. There are lots of characters. I don’t know how he keeps them all organized. He has a pleasant voice to listen to for long periods.

Overall, a very entertaining horror yarn for those who like that genre (like me.) It would make a good TV series.

Slow moving

This book wasn’t a bad book, the story was different, which I like. I’m not sure if it was the writing or the narrative. The narrator was not real motivating. Those are my reasons for only 4 stars.

First Audio Book- And I loved the experience!

This was my first time listening to an audio book. I was not sure how I would like it as I am not a big book reader. The experience was great! The story was very captivating, led by narration that captured each character with uniquness and identity. I felt as if I was there, and was truely encapsulated on what was going to happen next. I will definitely look for more books from this author and narrator team!!

Twists and Turns

Great story. Ending leaves you wanting a sequel! Great narration by Lou Petrella. Will recommend

Absolutely Chilling!

The Tear Collector sent me back into the days of my childhood with the suspense, the excitement, and the thrill of the chill.

Sauteed with a blend of Fear Street and Goosebumps from R.L. Stein, I would swear the author here was a protege of the iconic children's book author.

The narration was superb! In the very few moments that the story seemed to drag out a little too much in the sidelines, Lou Petrella kept me there.

When a masterful storyteller pairs with a masterful narrator, you get books like this one. I will definitely be following this author. The narrator is already on my list of favs!

Fast paced suspenseful thriller/ horror story

A great story (fans of Stephen King’s suspenseful horror will not be disappointed) and the reading adds another’s dimension to the characters and building the suspense. Well done!👏🏽 if you are looking for a Halloween story, this is it!