The novel, The Shadows Within by Lynette Tait, is aptly named in that it deals with the manic and depressing effects of bipolar disorder. It is most enlightening and should be of great value to those suffering from the disorder as well as to those indirectly influenced--lovers, friends, or relatives. This can result in a greater understanding of the disorder and contribute to support and encourage empathy toward victims of this disorder.

This disorder is interwoven in a gripping plot that includes drug smuggling and murder. A sense of levity is brought to the telling, and this...