Light From Distant Stars

Authors: Shawn Smucker
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Release Date: July 16, 2019

When Cohen Marah steps over his father's body in the basement embalming room of the family's funeral home, he has no idea that he is stepping into a labyrinth of memory. As the last one to see his father, Cohen is the primary suspect.

Over the next week, Cohen's childhood memories come back in living color. The dramatic events that led to his father being asked to leave his pastoral position. The game of baseball that somehow kept them together. And the two children in the forest who became his friends--and enlisted him in a dark and dangerous undertaking. As the lines blur between what was real and what was imaginary, Cohen is faced with the question he's been avoiding: Did he kill his father?

In Light from Distant Stars, master story weaver Shawn Smucker relays a tale both eerie and enchanting, one that will have you questioning reality and reaching out for what is true, good, and genuine.

---

Reviewer: Laura Thomas

Light from Distant Stars has been described as "eerie and enchanting"—I would concur!

This beautifully written story digs deep into the childhood of the protagonist, Cohen, who is now a middle-aged man in a state of shock after discovering his father's almost-dead body. As readers, we are drawn into Cohen's vivid, fantastical memories as he attempts to make sense of his secret past and the complicated relationship he has with his father. Faith, grief, forgiveness, and hope all play their part in this highly original, well-crafted book. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through NetGalley.

---

---

Reviewer: Beverly Laude

This book was a slow starter for me, but I found myself reading rapidly once I truly got into it. The first chapter finds Cohen Marah in the basement of his father's funeral home, stepping over his father's dead body. Instead of calling for help or telling anyone, Cohen goes about his normal routine.

One thing that I didn't like about the book was the switching between the adult Cohen's story and the story about what happened to him the year he was 14. I found it a little confusing with all of the constant switching.

That being said, Shawn Smucker is a wonderful storyteller and his descriptive prose really paints a picture for the reader. The story unfolds slowly, but keeps the reader engaged throughout. Cohen feels at least partially responsible for his father's death due to a heated argument between them the day before his "accident."

Cohen's guilt drives him to his church frequently to confess his sins. "The more often I come to confession, the more I have to confess." No matter what the priest tells him, he still feels like he has more to confess. But, I also have to say that after several of his trips to confession, I began to feel weary of their repetitive nature. The author repeated the confession ritual each and every time, which I thought was a little much.

This book is also a bit of a conundrum because of Cohen's encounter with "The Beast" when he was 14 years old. During this part of the story, I was reminded of books like "It" and "Stand by Me". A bit of a supernatural feel or is it just evil that Cohen is fighting?

Cohen's family falls apart when his father, who is a pastor, is found to be having an affair with a young woman in his church. At that time, Cohen's strict mother leaves, taking Cohen's older sister, Kaye, to live in another city. Cohen's feelings toward his mother shape much of his life and his father's downward spiral into alcoholism adds to his problems.

As Cohen faces his demons, both real and imagined, he also learns a lot about himself, finds forgiveness and grows closer to those around him. He finally finds peace with his feelings toward his father when the priest tells him, "The one who came to you in the dark and comforted you, held you up, loved you, that was your true father."

There is a lot of Biblical and Christian references in this book, but the author works it into the story seamlessly. In my opinion, one thing that makes a book memorable is the fact that it gets you thinking about things in a different way and sticks in your mind for a long, long time. This book definitely fits that in a big way.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.

---

---

Reviewer: Connie Brown

I found the story of Light from the Distant Stars to be intriguing as far as the current story, but I struggled with back and forth symbolism of the two children in the woods and their meaning and how they correlate to the facts. I quess it’s just not my style. 

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group for the purpose of review.

---

---

Reviewer: Cortney Donelson

Author Shawn Smucker is a gifted storyteller. Light From Distant Stars expertly traverses the past and present of a man whom readers can't help but root for and adore.

The story of Cohen Marah is all at once intriguing, adventurous, and authentic. The author wraps you in a plot thick with suspense; I couldn't put the book down. In a way only skillful writers can do, Shawn Smucker reveals a vast array of emotions, not only in his characters, but he draws those same feelings and virtues out of the readers, too—urgency, caution, bravery, regret, and honesty, to name a few.

If there is one piece of constructive feedback to give, it is the way Cohen and Ava's interactions ended. I wanted more! More closure? More information? More...period. Maybe the author is setting their story up for a sequel. I certainly hope so! This is a fantastic book. 

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group.

---