A History of Fear

A Novel

De: Luke Dumas

Narrado por: Graham Halstead, Toni Frutin, Shiromi Arserio, Jennifer Aquino, Gary Tiedemann

Duración: 11 h y 40 m

Resumen del Editor

This “disorienting, creepy, paranoia-inducing reimagining of the devil-made-me-do-it tale” (Paul Tremblay, author of The Cabin at the End of the World) follows the harrowing downfall of a tortured graduate student arrested for murder.

Grayson Hale, the most infamous murderer in Scotland, is better known by a different name: the Devil’s Advocate. The twenty-five-year-old American grad student rose to instant notoriety when he confessed to the slaughter of his classmate Liam Stewart, claiming the Devil made him do it.

When Hale is found hanged in his prison cell, officers uncover a handwritten manuscript that promises to answer the question that’s haunted the nation for years: was Hale a lunatic, or had he been telling the truth all along?

The first-person narrative reveals an acerbic young atheist, newly enrolled at the University of Edinburgh to carry on the legacy of his recently deceased father. In need of cash, he takes a job ghostwriting a mysterious book for a dark stranger—but he has misgivings when the project begins to reawaken his satanophobia, a rare condition that causes him to live in terror that the Devil is after him. As he struggles to disentangle fact from fear, Grayson’s world is turned upside-down after events force him to confront his growing suspicion that he’s working for the one he has feared all this time—and that the book is only the beginning of their partnership.

“A modern-day Gothic tale with claws” (Jennifer Fawcett, author of Beneath the Stairs), A History of Fear marries dread-inducing atmosphere with heart-palpitating storytelling.

©2022 Luke Dumas (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Outcast American Grayson Hale follows in his father's footsteps to Scotland, where he allegedly kills in the name of Satan. An ensemble of narrators lends credibility to the illusion that this is a true story, along with the introduction and comments throughout by Toni Frutin—but it is fiction. The first-person story is masterfully delivered by Graham Halstead as Hale recounts his life as a confused young man. He is ignored by unloving parents and a fear of the devil, who sends horrible creatures to attack him, creatures only he can see. After his arrest for murder, he becomes infamous by insisting the devil forced him to kill. The narrators effectively instill an undertone of horror and helplessness, making listeners pity Hale. Are his visions real-or the product of a deranged mind? They keep us guessing."—AudioFile Magazine

WELL CRAFTED STORY

I enjoyed this audiobook, and I felt the story was well crafted and presented.

He never stood a chance!

This was quite a graphic and intense read, and there were times I had to reread portions over again to ensure I understood what was going on. Grayson's life was marked from the very beginning as darkness followed and finally caught up to him, making his already miserable life that much worse. It's such a shame he things happened and ended the way they did.

Caaa-razy!!!

This was the kind of book that really keeps you guessing. I know that is one of those things people just say, but I really came away from this wondering what was real and what wasn’t. It’s a little slow in the beginning, but once the action picks up, it’s really riveting, and frankly, some of the underlying themes are devastatingly, tragic and sad, and unfortunately, a reflection of what so many people face in our society.

Twists & Turns

The narration of this story is top notch and really helped the story come to life. It is complex and feels like a narrated mini television series. Lots of great twists and layers along the way. I highly recommend giving this book a chance.

Very good 👍

I rolled the dice on this since it's outside my normal genre. I'm glad I did. It felt a little like an episode of a show like Dateline. Except you deep dive into the suspects mind, too.

Saying the ending left me thinking, "Huh?" doesn't seem like a glowing endorsement. But it feels appropriate and still satisfying.

Wow

Slow burn but really good. It kept me guessing until the end. Well done to all

The devil is in the details

Give it a listen. Keep an open mind. It's a twistful mystery. maybe even one close to home.

Intelligent, dark and engrossing

A nuanced, dark, well written story. Is it the chronicle of a descent into madness or is personified evil real?

Fantastic Psychological Horror Thriller

I got this on sale and was so pleasantly surprised. It was excellent. The plot twisted and turned with a blurred sense of reality that will still keep you guessing. The narration was wonderful and not easy switching from American to Scottish seamlessly. I especially liked the use of a separate headline narration from a traditional narrator to make seaways.
Ignore the complaints about politics. It’s maybe 90 seconds of an 12 hour story.
My only regret on finishing was finding out this was the only title available from the author. Eagerly awaiting his next.

Wow! Best book I’ve Heard in a Long Time

This book was so good that I completely abandoned my work yesterday until I finished it. I normally don’t like ensemble casts, but this was the best one I’ve listened to. Some reviewers mention a “Trump rant” but that part is literally the length of one or two paragraphs, and I didn’t come away knowing if the protagonist even voted. I think it served to situate the novel in a specific time period when that was what everyone was talking about. This is not a political book in any way, shape, or form. Highly recommend!!