Fact, Folklore, and Firearms: How Frank F. Fiore Grounds the Supernatural in the Real Old West

Some Westerns gallop through shootouts. Others dive into dusty town drama. But Frank F. Fiore’s Jonathan Smyth Cowboy Sleuth: The Case of the Screaming Tunnel adds something rare to the mix: paranormal realism.

Yes, there are ghost stories. Yes, there’s a haunted tunnel.But in true Frank F. Fiore fashion, those chilling elements are never just for show. They’re woven into the story’s moral, historical, and emotional fabric—bringing eerie authenticity to a fictional case that feels like it could have happened yesterday.

The Screaming Tunnel: More Than a Legend

At the heart of Smyth’s first case is a location with real-world roots. The Screaming Tunnel isn’t just a fictional setting—it’s a well-known Canadian ghost legend, based on a real tunnel in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The tale of a girl’s haunting scream—said to echo from within the limestone walls—has been passed down for generations.

Frank took that myth and did what he does best: grounded it in grit. In his hands, the tunnel becomes more than a backdrop. It’s a symbol of buried trauma, local silence, and the fear that often protects the truth more fiercely than any outlaw.

A Hero Who Doesn’t Believe in Ghosts—But Won’t Ignore the Past

Jonathan Smyth is skeptical. He’s methodical. He doesn't spook easily. But that doesn’t mean he dismisses folklore. In fact, that’s what makes him such an effective investigator.

He listens. He questions. He respects the town’s fear—even if he doesn’t buy the story. And as the case unfolds, Smyth begins to suspect that the real horror isn’t what haunts the tunnel—it’s who wants to keep it haunted.

Fiore uses this structure to explore something deeper: how communities use legends to hide guilt. How stories evolve to protect reputations. And how real justice is often smothered by myth.

📖 Explore Smyth’s first case on Amazon

The Perfect Balance of Supernatural and Psychological

Fiore doesn’t throw in ghosts for cheap thrills. He threads them into the psychological tension of the story. The fear is real—even if the cause isn’t. And that’s what makes The Case of the Screaming Tunnel stand out from other genre-blended fiction.

It asks:

• What’s more terrifying—a ghost you can’t explain or a truth someone will kill to bury?

• When fear shapes a town’s identity, can the truth even survive?

Conclusion: When the Myth Is a Clue, and the Truth Is the Threat

Frank F. Fiore has once again proven that the best fiction doesn’t just entertain—it echoes something real. In Jonathan Smyth Cowboy Sleuth, he takes a legend and unearths what it means beneath the surface: fear, silence, justice—and the cost of knowing too much.

So if you like your Westerns smart, your mysteries layered, and your scares rooted in real-world folklore, this is the series for you.

📚 Grab the book today. And don’t trust the silence in the tunnel.🔗 Get it on Amazon