Where Demons Dance
What would you risk to find the truth?
A desperate widow…
It’s 1874 in Cedar City, Utah Territory, when Penelope Cavey finds her beloved husband, Henri, dead from a gunshot wound and the mysterious phrase, “demons dance” carved into the parlor mirror. Despite her brother’s attempts to dissuade her, Penelope is determined to find Henri’s killer and sets out alone for St. Joseph, a rural town in Utah—following the only clue Henri left for her.
A lying father…
Ava Patton is haunted by dreams of another life. Her nightmares give way to reality when her caring stepmother, Nellie, confirms her rising suspicions that the man who claims to be her father is only pretending to be, and that her real parents are dead. Astounded by this revelation, Ava sets out to uncover what became of her parents and in doing so, stumbles upon a heartbreaking tragedy. She is forced to stop her quest when her brother, Lawrence, falls seriously ill.
A labyrinth of a mansion…
Lawrence finds himself trapped within the winding halls of a large house, plagued by taunting voices as he struggles to escape. Unable to distinguish reality from the imaginary, Lawrence doesn’t know who or what imprisoned him there, nor to whom the house belongs. Lawrence realizes he holds the key and must find Ava and Penelope before another person is silenced.
Third place Winner in Western Fiction at the CIPA EVVY Awards in 2019.
What people are saying about Where Demons Dance:
Anne C - "An unfamiliar piece of history in an intriguing story."
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Emma Briedis took a piece of American history that I wasn't at all familiar with and wove it into an intriguing story. I particularly appreciated the way in which she incorporated pieces of history into the story bit-by-bit, and largely through a madman's perspective, building to the final "reveal" of the tragedy at Mountain Meadows. I look forward to seeing what other stories this author shares in the future!
Amazon Customer - "This is one of my favorite books."
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After reading the other reviews I have to admit I feel quite differently about this book. This isn't just well written or a historical fiction about a place in time I didn't know. This is a story of three completely different people with three completely different perspectives told in a real and human way that sucks you into an unfathomable situation. The voices of the individual characters are deeply personal to the point it seems that they are almost journal entries. The level of research that must have went into this book probably cost Emma piece of her soul. I have rewritten this review a few times to try and do it justice but I can't. I won't glorify it. It's not the most technically perfect writing. It's not the most amazing story. It's not draw droppingly action-packed. But this is how any author should aspire to tell a story. It is a story that any reader can connect with. I didn't know her before I picked up this book but I told the author how I felt about the first chapter because it left me in tears. The entirety of the book was just as impactful. You should read it.