Interludes From Melancholy Falls Vol. 1 by Jeff Heimbuch Review

Interludes From Melancholy Falls Vol. 1 by Jeff Heimbuch

Publisher: Create Space Independent Publishing

Release Date: January 4, 2018

Pages: 108

Available Through The Book Depository: Interludes From Melancholy Falls Volume 1

Summary: How much do you really know about the town of Melancholy Falls, NJ? Its citizens, its history…it’s all probably a mystery to you. Peel back the curtain and crack open an interdimensional portal into this book to learn more about the things that inhabit this strange place.

Based on the serialized audio drama RETURN HOME, Interludes from Melancholy Falls: Volume 1 contains 16 tales that will make you laugh, make you cry, make you scared, and make you hungry for more.

Whether you’re a long-time fan of the show or a new visitor in town, there is something in here for everyone. But be careful…you may not want to leave.

Isn’t it time for you to return home?

My Rating: ★★★★☆

My Thoughts: Interludes From Melancholy Falls Vol. 1 is a collection of 16 short stories based on the audio drama podcast, Return Home! Centering around different characters and the setting within the show, Melancholy Falls, NJ, this is perfect for listeners of the podcast looking to get more background on the world of  Return Home!

If you’re unfamiliar with this fiction podcast, Return Home centers around Jonathan Barker who is told to ‘return home’ to his town of Melancholy Falls, NJ. From there he reunites with his best friend Buddy & former girlfriend Ami, as they solve the supernatural happenings of their town! Within each episode they meet new characters, discover new creatures, and secrets about Melancholy Falls, additionally the interlude episodes tell the stories of characters besides the main cast, and allow you to learn a little more about the creatures and odd occurrences of the town!

If you’ve never listened to the podcast, I definitely recommend checking it out! Its got a great cast of characters, unique story that’s filled with mystery, comedy, fantasy/the supernatural, & if your a fan of small town supernatural mysteries, this is definitely a podcast to listen to!

Considering it had been a while since I listened to the podcast, I did re-listen to a couple episodes for some of the short stories, (I think the book covers up to Interlude 6). However, you don’t have to! This is an immersive short story collection that gives more insight into side characters and the town of Melancholy Falls!

Heimbuch delivers these short stories through various mediums which build on the world of Return Home. Speeches, first/third person narratives, poetry, transcripts, excerpts, etc. will allow you explore the world of Melancholy Falls from a different perspective!

One of my favorite aspects of these stories was getting more on the history of Melancholy Falls, because throughout the series it’s clear this town has quite a past! However, through Interludes, it’s great to be able to have additional tidbits of info that build more into the show!

With each story you’re automatically immersed into a new character or setting of the world!

Because these stories are more character-driven and are very quick-paced, within the ones focusing on characters specifically, the setting and world-building description is a bit minimal.

What I really enjoyed about Interludes was that even though Jonathan, Ami, & Buddy were mentioned from time to time (ex.  Jonathan + Buddy were included in story 4: The Day After), it was great to get more background and backstory on just the characters and places we maybe aren’t too familiar with from Return Home!

I also loved that some stories built up to episodes from the podcast or added to the ending of certain episodes! It really added more detail to the podcast and I was immediately thrown back into the world of Melancholy Falls, but through different perspectives!

Some of the short stories that I really loved include:
– “Big Joan” Which centers around Big Joan, the owner of Big Joan’s diner (a popular hang-out spot in the series) and what led to her running it!
– “Here Comes…” which focuses on how The Raggity Man came to be!
– The Woman At The Falls, which explores a legend of Melancholy Falls
+ – The Melancholy Falls Visitor Guide!

Interludes From Melancholy Falls Vol. 1 is a must read for fans of the Return Home podcast, looking to get more info on the interesting characters and places of Melancholy Falls, New Jersey!