The Shadows: A Novel

Alex North’s The Shadows reflects the modern phenomenon of online true crime communities, which often function as digital campfires for generating folklore that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. In the 21st century, amateur “websleuths” on platforms like Reddit, websleuths.com, and CrimeHQ.com have delved deeply into cold cases, sometimes with dangerous consequences. A prominent example is the 2013 death of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. After police released a disorienting video of Lam in an elevator, online communities developed elaborate supernatural theories, which went viral but distracted from the tragic facts of her mental health crisis.

Although amateur detectives online have been responsible for solving some cold crimes, critics question the ethics of both their investigations and their methods. They cite the dangers of a lack of accountability, pointing out how baseless accusations can be made online with dangerous consequences for the target but no accountability for the accusers. These accusations can also result in a mob mentality that leads to harassment, threats, and doxxing. They can also hinder law enforcement investigations, creating an environment in which witnesses are reluctant to come forward (Davis, Mike and Hans Anderson. “The ethical dilemma posed by online sleuths.