I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Before the Devil Fell by Neil Olson Published by Harlequin Enterprises, Limited on October 8, 2019
Genres: Horror, Literary, Thrillers
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher
Will Connor hasn't been home since high school, but his injured mother beckons for him to return. The small village, just north of Boston, is full of horrific memories of mysterious deaths. Will thought by removing himself from his home would put an end to it all, but it hasn't. And when he returns, the incidents pick up in pace.
When he was young, his parents truly embraced the New Age movement. His home was the frequent setting of spirit circles. The one that is most horrific, the one that he has limited memories of, resulted in the death of a close friend. He thought this loss put an end to the "meetings" and that it was all a passing fad, but they continue.
There's a reason that darkness seems to follow him. The spirit circles his parents hosted weren't a passing fad, but something intrinsic and built in to the village's sordid history, tying back to long traditions of New England witchcraft.
He must put an end to it all, to close the doors that were left open. Unfortunately, there are some individuals who will stop at nothing to keep those secrets buried.
I thought I’d ease in to this round of Murder, Monsters & Mayhem with some light horror. Though the publisher has categorized t his as thriller, I’m thinking that anything that involves ritualistic deaths is automatically declared horror…but don’t get me started on that.
Overall, this title was a great start to the horror season. It’s low on my spooky-meter, so perfect for those who just want a touch of horror. Olson did a great job of using the small New England village setting to add to the chilling atmosphere of the book. I certainly wasn’t sure what I was going into when I started, but at the end, I found it to be an entertaining read that put me in the mood for the Halloween season. Recommended!
There’s still time to sigh up to participate in Murder, Monsters & Mayhem!
