HellCorp

by Jonathan Whitelaw

Sometimes even the Devil deserves a break!

Life is hard for The Devil and he desperately wants to take a holiday. Growing weary from playing the cosmic bad guy, he resolves to set up a company that will do his job for him so the sins of the world will tick over while he takes a vacation. God tells him he can have his vacation just as soon as he solves an ancient crime.

But nothing is ever easy and before long he is up to his pitchfork in solving murders, desperate to crack the case so he can finally take the holiday he so badly needs...
This is a perfectly-pitched darkly comic crime novel that is ideal for fans of Christopher Fowler and Ben Aaranovitch.

• ISBN10: 1911583727
• ISBN13: 9781911583721
• Publish Date: 5 July 2018
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 7 April 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Urbane Publications
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 360
• Language: English
• URL: http://urbanepublications.com

Reviews

[zooloo1983]

From the opening scenes of this book with the Pope farting in his private room in the Vatican you knew you would be on to a winner! Set in Scotland, The devil wants to make Hell legitimate and HE (being The big man upstairs) will only let him if he solves a murder. What follows is such a fun journey that the devil has, with his human companion Gideon, a beautiful 20 something doctor. He needs her more than he cares to admit!

There is so much I want to say about the book, but I can’t because it would give away a big twist at the beginning, but what I will say is the Devil is NOT happy, but then when is he!

What I love and adore about this book is the way the author has depicted the Devil. His bad temper and outbursts, acting like a petulant child at the best of times, to me are how I would have envisioned the Devil. He also wanted to be a bit of a player with his receptionist Alice, it was particularly amusing when he was thinking of her in the company of HIM and he could hear the Devils thoughts! Embarrassed much! Alice, I love her and her sass! She was great to read about.

I did find it funny when the Devil was with Gideon at the beginning and she kept saying things like Christ, God etc and it was quite frankly pissing him off. (Made me think how much I must say these things too as it seems second nature to blaspheme like that) HE gets all the thanks and the Devil gets shouted at and called a crazy man, easy to see why he would get upset!

Gideon being a doctor was a great take too, someone who is scientific, partnering with a religious deity. The relationship these two had was fascinating to watch unfold. The banter between the two was funny and on point, and realistic. I wouldn’t mess with Gideon that is for sure!

The story itself is fresh, with the Devil being a ‘good’ guy solving a murder, albeit to meet his own end game but it’s the bargain that was made with HIM

This book is fresh and funny, and I laughed throughout the story. You are made to care about the big bad and you cheer him along for a change! I love when books turn things on their head and this book does that, changes your mind about The Devil. Although you care about him, you are reminded constantly that he is The Devil.