Media
Find out what people have to say about Ivan Obolensky and his works
Industry Reviews
Read moreKirkus Book Reviews
In this debut murder mystery, a pair of friends searches for clues in the darkest recesses of the occult. Johnny and Percy grew up as close as brothers. So when Johnny asks Percy to accompany him to his family's luxurious estate in Rhinebeck, New York, he agrees despite some reservations. While rummaging about in the cellar, they stumble upon some personal effects that belonged to Johnny's deceased aunt, Alice, a larger-than-life figure who died under mysterious circumstances. In response to...
Eye of the Moon
Clarion/Foreword Review, 4 stars
Set in 1977, the novel has a timeless, eerie feeling. Wealth, family politics, and the occult make for a strangely captivating and exotic brew in Ivan Obolensky's Eye of the Moon. Wealthy playboy Johnny Dodge invites his childhood companion Percy on an extended weekend in Rhinebeck at his family's Gormenghastian country estate. At first, it seems that nothing more sinister is in the offing than the Bertie Woosterish hijinks of rich bachelor boys dodging the slings of omniscient butlers and...
Eye of the Moon
IndieReader, 4.7 stars, IndieReader Approved
A gothic mystery set in 1977—involving the occult, stolen treasure, family secrets, and financial sabotage—EYE OF THE MOON is sumptuous in its description of white-tie dinner parties and sexual tensions with baronesses, and sharp in its maneuvering of several secret puzzles at once. When Johnny Dodge knocks on Percy's door and asks him to help uncover whether they've accidentally drunk the bottles of Château Lafite 1959 that Johnny's parents were saving for their anniversary, Percy should...
Eye of the Moon
Readers' Favorite, 5 stars
In the scintillating supernatural mystery, Eye of the Moon by Ivan Obolensky, two young men battle family discord and the forces of the occult. Percy's parents had no place for him in their busy lives and left him with their close friends, the Dodges. Percy was the same age as the Dodges' son Johnny, and the two boys grew up together as brothers. When they were young, Johnny's Aunt Alice died unexpectedly during a house party. Alice had lived an extraordinary life, and her death was out of...
Eye of the Moon
Feathered Quill
Shadow of the Son is the sequel to Ivan Obolensky's incredible first novel, Eye of the Moon and, if possible, this return to Rhinebeck is even better than our original trip. Percy and Johnny are back, along with all our old friends and a few new ones in another wonderful, mysterious, and captivating weekend that just might hold even more secrets than the first. As this sequel begins, we are all back at Rhinebeck for another gathering full of old secrets, new beginnings, and, of course...
Shadow of the Son
Reader Reviews
Read moreHélène Laurendeau
I found this novel so captivating I couldn't put it down. In this intricate and original plot, the reader is transported into a world of paranormal pursuits, high finance, and castle life, filled with colorful yet complex characters. The author skillfully combines a great sense of humor with insightful reflections on life and the human psyche, providing great entertainment as well as food for thought! A compelling sequel to "Eye of the Moon".
Shadow of the Son
Lyn Blair
There were so many parts of Shadow of the Son that I truly enjoyed, more than what I'm highlighting here, but I also don't want to spoil the story by saying too much. First of all, what a brilliant title, Shadow of the Son. The use of "son" implying its homonym "sun" was clever, making the title memorable, but beyond that it carried the theme of the story. In the first book, Eye of the Moon, while Percy told the story from his point of view and in that sense the story revealed a lot about...
Shadow of the Son
Richard Hopper
Shadow of the Son, which I loved, is a great complement and sequel to Eye of the Moon, Ivan Obolensky's debut novel. It has most of the same characters, shares the Rhinebeck on the Hudson setting, and resolves some of the key questions that dangled over the reader after reading Eye of the Moon. Key augmentations came in Shadow of the Son from filling in many personal histories and raising the profile of that inimitable couple Stanley, the butler, and Dagmar, the cook. In the sequel, each...
Shadow of the Son
Patricia Alireza
Once again, Ivan Obolensky has managed to grab his audience in the continuing story of Eye of the Moon, woven around the characters reunited at Rhinebeck. In this sequel, Shadow of the Son, surrounded by the magical culinary gifts of the wonderful Dagmar and the wisdom of Stanley, we explore loyalties, friendship and family ties that test the depths of character of our protagonists. Wonderfully written, it touches on different aspects of human nature in an intuitive manner one can...
Shadow of the Son
Kathy Braceland
Ivan Obolensky's novel Shadow of the Son should come with a warning label to let the reader know to not make any other plans once they open the book. I found it completely engaging and didn't want to put it down—so, I didn't. It absorbed me and I was delighted with my adventure page after page. I felt like I was in some secret club by being privy to the private conversations between the characters. My favorite of those were with Johnny and Percy who have such an unbreakable bond between...
Shadow of the Son