The Devil Crept In

By: Ania Ahlborn

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

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 48 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.

©2017 Ania Ahlborn (P)2017 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"A beautiful and deftly wrought horror story...Readers will be engrossed and thrilled right through to the chewy final twist." ( Publishers Weekly starred review)

Excellent New Horror

I'm always on the look out for a new horror author like Nick Cutter for example. there are way too many horror titles being released that are simply put, crap!

This book however did not disappoint. it is the best new horror title I've read since HEX. it has some similarities to a few other titles released in the past year bit the writing is much better. This book really did remind me of old King yarns like IT and Salem's Lot.

If you are a fan of scary stories with some decent character development and excellent word pictures, give this one a try. it is absolutely worth the credit!

Devil Crept In

I keep looking for a writer I can turn to now that I've pretty much read all the Stephen King books, but I'm still looking. I found this book to be not very different from others of the genre, nothing new or horrifying, or maybe I'm just jaded after reading horror and mystery for decades. There was nothing out of the ordinary in this book and several times I was annoyed by the main character, rather than feeling sympathy. The writer did seem to catch sibling interaction fairly well, and the reader managed to get the edge in those interactions. The reader was good and handled the material well.

Exceptional horror!!!

This is the second book I've read by Ahlborn & now I'll be searching out my third!
"The Devil Crept In" grabs you from chapter one and doesn't set you free until the very end. I couldn't stop until I finished it!
I read a lot of horror fiction and it's rare that something moves me enough to leave a review.
For me, it was one of those rare stories that flow so well you burn right through it but wish you hadn't because you're sad when it ends.
I thought there was a good balance of everything it takes to make a good horror story: plot, scene, character development...emotion, suspense, mystery, gore.
Ahlborn knows how to make her readers care about the characters -- one of the many elements she knows how to bend & manipulate to make a good horror story work.
If you're teetering back-and-forth on what to add to your library next, I highly recommend this one, it's well worth the credit!

Another 5 Star For Ahlborn

Any additional comments?

This is a well told, unique story. I'm a fan of Ania Ahlborn because there is no particular formula to her stories. This one is no exception. It is somewhat creepy and disturbing, not so much scary, but I really enjoyed it. I didn't want it to end. If you like a good story, are good with being a bit disturbed and don't need warm fuzzies when you complete a novel, give this one a go.

Suspenseful!

For those who love the dark stories that keep you reading to the next chapter, this one drags you in quickly. First time to read this author and I’ll definitely be reading more.

Truely scary!

The story is one of the best in recent memory. The performance captured each character and horrifying scene perfectly.

Frustrating Read

I finished listening to this book because I like to know how things end. But the entire story left me frustrated, the ending no better. I will say I think the author did a good job of demonstrating how certain mental illnesses can be debilitating or lead to problematic thought processes. Overall I really didn't enjoy the story and there wasn't one enjoyable character.

yes but NO

The narrator was a good fit. The story was very interesting up until the end... I was let down by a quickly wrapped up not well thought out/open ended finish.

I found myself yelling at my car speakers.

It dragged. I couldn't wait for it to be over.
The beginning held my interest, but it lost me in the third part.

Focuses on wrong storyline.

The protagonist is supposed to be seen as vulnerable because of his disability, but he's just irritating and the family around him are cookie cutter personalities/tv tropes meant to position him in a neglectful family. The problem is there is a really cool/ complex family relationship and characters in a parallel storyline that I loved and it overshadows the main storyline by comparison, however instead of getting to spend more time there you have to deal with a bunch of whining from this kid. I should be supportive of a mentally handicapped protagonist, but he's just not handled well in my opinion. He could have been more reserved so the moments when he is forced to try and express himself become more heart-wrenching or someone more like Rufus from Locke & Key. He just needed more emotional range and less gimmick?

This might be too harsh. If you can stomach the protagonist long enough to make it to the other storyline then you'll want to stick around, but Jesus wept, it's a slog for awhile.