Devil Crept in

by Ania Ahlborn

An unforgettable horror novel from bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn-hailed as a writer of "some of the most promising horror I've encountered in years" (New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire)-in which a small-town boy investigates the mysterious disappearance of his cousin and uncovers a terrifying secret kept hidden for years.

Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They're well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark's youth, he knows that, too; he's seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend.

That, and there was that boy, Max Larsen...the one from years ago, found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have murmured about these unsolved crimes...and that a killer may still be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn-and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

• ISBN10: 0606394397
• ISBN13: 9780606394390
• Publish Date: 7 February 2017
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 20 July 2022
• Imprint: Turtleback Books
• Edition: Library ed.
• Format: Hardcover (Library Binding)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Five Caffeinated reasons to turn on the lights and read The Devil Crept In

Ahlborn presents us with an unreliable narrator a ten yeat old boy named Stevie. His father abandoned them, and his mother has a live-in boyfriend who sets the house on edge. Stevie stutters, suffers nightmares and has had uncontrolled fits that set him apart from his peers. His lone friend is his next door neighbor and cousin, twelve-year-old Jude. Jude isn't well liked in the neighborhood, and despite his mother's smothering is quite the misfit himself. You feel compassion for Stevie, and find yourself wanting to believe and aid him.

The town of Deer Valley is creepy. It is nestled up against the woods. There seem to be no pets, yet there is an abundance of feral cats. Everyone appears to know everyone, and judgments are passed around like candy at Halloween. Both boys come from depressed homes. Jude's father died, and his mother's lights have dimmed. Stevie's father abandoned them, his brother Dunk is awful towards him, and the family quietly moves around Terry, the abusive boyfriend.

Ahlborn weaves a tale that is addictive, quickly pulling you in, even as you question everything. While we spend most our time with Stevie, we also get the perspective of another, and these chapters will horrify you. These sections add images to Stevie's fears. As we read we realize we are reading past and present timelines that become merged into the present. This was brilliantly done as it enhanced the terror, as it shed light on unimaginable horror.

The horror itself was dark and gritty. Honestly, read this on an empty stomach. Ahlborn made it all seem very real to Stevie. However, things would happen that had me questioning what Stevie saw. Was it pure evil playing tricks? Is Stevie crazy? Or is something dark and sinister living in the woods? You'll have to discover that for yourself.

The ending was clever, horrifying and creeptastic. It left this reader's heart racing. I fully intend to pick up more titles by this author. Fans of Nick Cutter, Lovejoy and Stephen King will find Ania Ahlborn's twisted imagination delightful. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer