A psychological thriller with some disturbing topics. A good bit of historical events related to the 1930s and Nazis. The ending will grip you as it’s rather unexpected.

I’m giving The Devil Aspect a 3.5/5 stars.

I’ve been reading this book for a very long time. It’s not very long, but the story itself takes a lot of time to unpack. There is just so much going on at once, and you never know what’s really going on. This book follows Victor, a physiatrist, who is trying to prove his theory called the Devil Aspect, where criminals are influenced by a figure they see as the devil who makes them commit their crimes. He goes to work at an asylum, where Europe’s six most dangerous psychiatric patients are being held. His story is told alongside that of a police detective, Smolak. There is a new killer on the loose who is known as the Leather Apron. Smolak is trying to find this killer and stop him before any more lives are lost. Their stories are intertwined, coming together spectacularly. I can see the obvious care and consideration the author had when researching for this novel. Everything is so well thought out. But my problem with this book lies with just how open ended everything is. I was confused for a good part of the book, but not exactly in the best way. Don’t get me wrong, I was thoroughly enjoying the plot the book was taking, but I just kept getting confused. Nothing makes sense, not even really at the end when everything is supposed to be wrapped up. The epilogue was even more confusing. I’m sure that other people would enjoy this book a lot more and appreciate what I didn’t necessarily like. The book delves deep into the darkness of a person’s conscience, which is absolutely fascinating. But when it’s a doctor trying to delve in the minds of his insane patients, I just got lost.

Viktor is a psychiatrist in 1935 in the Czech Republic and he is starting a new job at an asylum for six prisoners that are very dangerous to society. He has new methods he wants to use on the prisoners. While he is inside the asylum working there is a dangerous killer of women called Leather Apron on the lose. Lukas is a police officer on the case looking for the killer.
This is a very intriguing novel. You are constantly thinking one thing and then it gets shot down. Then you have to start rethinking who the killer will be. I really enjoyed this one!

Obsessed. This is my perfect book. It has everything I love: asylum setting, murder mystery, serial killer, creepy atmosphere at a haunted castle, The writing style hooked me from the beginning. I loveddd the interviews with the six patients. So good Can't wait to buy my own copy! Definitely will be a favorite of the year.

There really should be more crime/horror mashups and this book is a relatively good example of how the two can go nicely together (with a historical setting to make it a three-fer). This should hit a lot of readers' buttons: a serial killer, some thematic ties to Jack the Ripper, and an ancient castle that's now an asylum for Europe's worst criminal psychopaths. What's not to love?

I always struggle a little bit with this kind of horror novel, where a man of science is coming in looking for evidence of his theories, but we all know that really there is something supernatural underneath it all. It feels a little bit too much like we all know what is going to happen already and sometimes it takes away a bit of the pleasure of the journey for me. This book definitely has some of the well-worn tropes, but I will give it some solid credit for surprising me. I thought I had the whole thing figured out, I was lulled into a false sense of horror-novel-security, and then the rug was pulled out from under me a bit and that is something I always always enjoy. So I tip my hat to this book for managing to walk the line between using tropes and breaking things up a bit.

That said, this isn't the most subtle of novels. It's set in pre-WWII Czechoslovakia and if you do not want nonstop unsubtle foreshadowing of great evils to come, then this is not the book for you. If you are the kind of person who will roll your eyes when our protagonist falls in love with literally the only woman within a 10-mile radius, then maybe not the book for you.

Despite its comfortable home in the tropes of horror and crime novels, it's still very creepy and quite dark. This isn't just a one-serial-killer book, you have a special creeptastic asylum of them. Plus some Jungian psychoanalysis and a detective who worries that his dreams may be a sign that he's more involved in the crimes he's trying to solve than he realizes. There's fun to be had here if you're looking for a change-up from the run-of-the-mill serial killer novel.

1935. An asylum outside Prague. Viktor Kosarek is a psychologist who dreams of being able to cure the severely insane. Not just any mentally ill patients...but the most dangerous. The criminally insane. Murderers. Those who have what he calls The Devil Aspect. Kosarek decides to conduct an experiment. He will use narcoanalysis to get inside the heads of six serial killers held in the asylum. Five men and one woman. A cocktail of drugs will allow him to probe for their impressions of their crimes and give him a way to perhaps make them confront their personal demons. What he discovers is more disturbing and twisted than he ever imagined.

This story is chillingly frightening. It really brings home the idea that some things are best left alone. Kosarek has good intentions....he really wants to help people. But, searching for the devil -- even inside the minds of killers -- is never a safe endeavor....mostly because sometimes you find him.

This book is a creepy, disturbing, and twisted tale. I loved it! I halfway saw the twist coming at the end....but was still pleasantly surprised at the way the plot played out. Nicely done! I like this author's writing style. The plot wasn't presented in a heavy handed way, despite the gruesome details. Things progressed more subtlety until the ending smacked me in the head. Totally awesome!

This is the first book by Craig Russell that I've read. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Doubleday Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The Devil Aspect is what happens when the perfection of gothic horror is blended with superb historical research, on-point thriller pacing, and a dash of dark supernatural. This book is an absolute gem for those who like dark tales and I found it impossible to put down.

The reader is set down in those few years before WWII kicks off and those living in Europe can feel the darkness rising, particularly communities near the German border or those with German heritage. The sense of time is so evocative, you can feel the churning undercurrent as soon as Viktor meets the first asylum employee. It's fantastic how these current events are blended with the mythology of Czechoslovakia and the surrounding areas which gives the story a lovely supernatural fell.

The book starts with a bang and I really didn't feel it slip from there. The point-of-view changes are done seamlessly and each character had a distinct voice with their own motivations and stories that were easy to connect with. I really enjoyed the tone of mysteriousness of this book as each character searches for something, only to realize how close that revelation really was.

The horror sensation grows beautifully, particularly as you jump between POVs with each chapter giving you just a little more of that something-is-off feeling. The set-up for the big reveal is SO GREAT! I can't say that enough: THE REVEAL IS AMAZING! It's one of the best ah-ha moments I've ever had and, after it, I ended up flipping back just to enjoy how well planned out it was. Once you see what the puzzle pieces reveal, everything changes and it's such an amazing feeling as a reader.

Something to note, which horror fans are aware of but those who stumble on this book as a historical fiction might not, is that this book is dark. I'm not kidding, this is a warning because the reader goes through firsthand accounts of six very deranged murderers who commit really terrible crimes including child murder, rape (including that within the Catholic Church), torture, cannibalism, and others. Not for the faint of heart but if you're a true crime nerd like me you'll be fine.


Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Doubleday Books, and the author Craig Russell for the opportunity to do so.

This is a very dark book with a bleak subject matter, but I enjoyed it a lot! I loved the historical aspects and the creepy castle, and the setting does nothing to alleviate the tense and fearful feeling of the story. The addition of Nazis and the wickedness of that time period is another layer of evil that is interesting in comparison to the evil locked in the Hrad Orlu Asylum. Viktor's theory is that the Devil's Six in the asylum all carry a specific personality trait that makes them evil, which is where the name The Devil's Aspect comes from. He is there to test his theory and see if there truly are connections or traits in common with these ruthless killers.

I thought the breakdown of the prisoner's was VERY interesting, even if it threw off the pace of the story a little bit for me. The individual stories don't actually play a part in the larger story arc, but are more likely put in the book so the reader can try to make their own connections between each prisoner. While Viktor is trying to prove his theories, there is a murderer killing people in Prague which is the city the asylum is in. I loved the connection to Jack the Ripper since I am a big fan of true crime. The investigator who realizes that this murderer is copying Jack the Ripper goes to the asylum to get Viktor to help him catch the killer.

The twist at the end of this book had me SHOOK! I definitely did not see it coming, and it solidified this book as a thriller in my mind. I don't feel like I can share more without spoiling, but I thought this book was suspenseful & thrilling, a bit macabre, dark, gothic, atmospheric, & very VERY well thought out. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

Well written dark mystery. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming at all and I’m usually quite adept at guessing the whodunnits, being an avid reader and all. Russell thrives in the moments when he writes the nail-biting scenes filled with tension towards the end. My heart was pounding and I was literally biting my nails. Great job!

In 2012 I first discovered Russell’s writing with his Jan Fabel series. I loved it – and though his books are a little harder to find in the US, I always keep my eye out for them – so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this historical mystery of his set in 1935 Prague and the Czechoslovakian countryside. This is a fascinating standalone thriller that is split between two narrators for the majority of the book – Viktor, a young psychiatrist taking on his first position in a notorious castle-cum-mental institution and Lukas, a murder detective in Prague hunting a killer reminiscent of Jack the Ripper, dubbed “Leather Apron”.

With short chapters, engaging characters and descriptions of horrible crimes, this book is genuinely hard to put down. I loved the backdrop of a country on the verge of historic violence – it really adds to the overall ambiance of the story. And this is actually, genuinely frightening in places – which totally took me by surprise. It’s downright chilling! Not to mention the fact that the plot had me literally gasping aloud in surprise in places!

I really liked it – though I do wish that the epilogue (so haunting!) had been a little bit more extensive, as there were other characters that I wish it had included. I am really excited to see what Russell will write next!

Craig Russell’s THE DEVIL ASPECT is a dark, haunting and nail-biting thriller that leaves readers a little shell-shocked, a little unsettled and thoroughly entertained. With Czechoslovakia as an eerily dark backdrop, this historical tale is filled with dark shadows, evil menace and possible insanity. Did the devil really inhabit normal citizens, guiding them to do vile deeds with no explanation? Has he driven them over the edge of sanity or has he gambled and won another soul for his collection?

I was caught up in this nightmarish tale, and even figuring out the ending ahead of time, I knew my skin would be crawling each time I thought about it! For those who can’t get enough of things that go bump in the night or that feeling of needing to look over one’s shoulder, the phrase of “the devil made me do it,” will make you shiver!

I received a complimentary copy from Doubleday Books!

Publisher: Doubleday (March 5, 2019)
Publication Date: March 5, 2019
Genre: Historical | Dark fiction
Print Length: 410 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

I love horror, historical fiction, gothic and mysteries. This book encompassed all of them. Dr. Victor Kosarek starts his new assignment as a psychiatrist at Hrad Orlu Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The perfect job for him. He developed a new technique to dig deep into the criminal’s mind seeking the devil’s aspect that Dr. Kosarek believes controls the criminal’s actions.

The asylum has six inmates. They have been dubbed the Devil’s Six because they are the worst of the worst. They are so dangerous they must be kept apart from each other, sedated and restrained when attending sessions with doctors. These are the patients that Dr. Kosarek will be dealing with. Their world consists of an ancient castle with a reputation befitting its occupants. It is a small world for the inmates, the building, the orderlies and the doctors are the only ones they interact with day after day. But outside there is chaos.

It is 1935 in Czechoslovakia. The Jews are being harassed and controlled. The political air is changing for the worse and people are becoming frightened. Horrific murders are being committed and the police have no clue as to the perpetrator. Even the remote castle asylum is affected in ways beyond your imagination.

This is a deliciously scary book. Mr. Russell sets the mood and atmosphere perfectly. His characters are likeable and believable. His world is a perfect setting for the events to come. If you like scary books this is one of the good ones. If you like mysteries, this is one of the good ones. If you like psychological thrillers, again, this is one of the good ones. Pull up a chair, sit near a fireplace if you can, and enjoy!

It's 1935 in Czechoslovakia, a pre-Nazi era is upon us, and a mass killer of epidemic proportions, is continuing his bold ruthless killings. It is a time of fear, a time of dread and horror that runs through the city of Prague as the police seem to try in vain to catch the diabolical killer know as the Leather Apron killer. All this murder, mayhem, and fear takes place in the book, The Devil's Aspect.

Viktor Kosrek, a newly trained brilliant psychiatrist has arrived at Hrad Orlu Asylum, a state of the art asylum housed in a castle that has its fair amount of strange and evil legends surrounding it. Viktor was trained by the eminent Carl Jung, and arrived at the castle armed with a theory that if he is able to reach deep inside its patients, he will find their devil, the momentum, the evil, that drove them to arrive at this institution for the criminally insane. Then and only then, he will be able to drive the evil out and cure them.

Within its concrete walls are housed the most dangerous of the insane. There are six patients, those who will never be released, always to be watched, guarded, and these are the patients' that Dr Kosrek hopes to help.

In sessions with the most notorious killers in Czechoslavakia, Pavel Zeleny, the Woodcutter, Leos Mladek, the Clown, Michal Machachek, the Glass Collector, Hedvika Valentova, the Vegetarian, Professor Dominik Bartos, the Sciomancer, and Vojtec Skala, the Demon, he learns of their crimes in details that are horrific and abhorrent, their intentions, and their thirst for blood and death. He also learns that they seem to share a common thread, a common inner self that drives them to do what they did, a kind of split personality, a terrifying inner self. It seems as if the same spirit is the one driving them forward, the devil they all see in the shadows of the dark, the evil that resides in them, that is fueled in them, that has selected them to go forth and commit heinous crimes

Meanwhile, the outside village contends with The Leather Apron killer and the people left dead by his hand in the most macabre and gruesome ways. Is this person,this killer tied to the six in the castle? Could one of them be this wanton killer?

The author does an extremely fine job of creating an atmosphere of dread and fright. He weaves together history, Jack the Ripper and others who have bestowed murder and death upon others set up against the oncoming rise of the Nazi movement. .....And then there is his conclusion, a jaw dropping finale that made this book filled with horror and grisliness, turn at the end sending shivers down one's spine. I recommend this book to those who enjoy books that explore the dark side we have have within us and the evil that lurks in our world ready to sally forth at any opportunity.
This book is due to be released on March 5, 2019
Thank you to Craig Russell, Doubleday Books, and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

A disturbing book about the nature of evil, combining mystery and psychology with the politics of Nazi extremism. The setting is a dark foreboding castle in Czechoslovakia as the Nazi party is marking its mark in the region. The castle has been converted into an mental asylum for 6 convicted serial killers, and it is here that a psychiatrist with new techniques comes to study them.
The writing creates a feeling of translation in a style appropriate to the era of pre- World War II. The story harkens back to Jack the Ripper with a setting reminiscent of the old Frankenstein movie. It was definitely unsettling.
I did finish it, and appreciated the twist at the end, but it was not a book I would have chosen voluntarily.

"The Devil Aspect" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by Craig Russell (https://craigrussell.com). Mr. Russell has published 11 novels. 

I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence. The year is 1935 and the story is set in Prague and the nearby Hrad Orlu Asylum for the Criminally Insane. The primary characters are the young psychiatrist Viktor Kosárek and Prague Police investigator Lukas Smolak. 

Kosárek has just taken the position at the Hrad Orlu Asylum to pursue his theory of the 'Devil Aspect'. His patients at Hrad Orlu Asylum are the countries most infamous six killers, all deemed insane. He begins his treatments and is disturbed at what he discovers. He also finds himself attracted to the young Judita Blochová the chief administrator at Hrad Orlu Asylum. 

A serial killer known as Leather Apron has been operating in Prague and the police have no clue as to who it might be. Investigator Smolak has been working hard to track down the killer, but thus far has few leads. Filip Starosta is Kosárek's friend from university but he seems to be getting more and more distant and erratic in his behavior. As hard as it is for Kosárek to believe, he begins to have concerns for his friend's sanity. Kosárek is also hearing strange things from his patients while they are heavily drugged and under treatment. He begins to believe there is an evil there among the patients beyond their simple insanity. 

I thought that the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 410-page horror/mystery were interesting. The plot was interesting to me, but I found the story to be a bit slow. It is a very dark story with a touch of the supernatural. I did like the unexpected plot twist at the end of the novel. The chosen cover art is OK, but I think something closer to the story would have been better. I give this novel a 3.8 (rounded up to a 4) out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This is a great creepy read. It's unbelievably disturbing at times but also incredibly fascinating. I was truly shocked by the ending, which is always a great thing for an author to be able to pull off. The Prague setting is fantastic. I have no idea how to pronounce a lot of the names, but it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book. Great book for anyone looking for a good thriller!

There is a description of child abuse. It's not graphic, but it is very disturbing.

A big thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

I can't begin to explain how disturbing this story is. Its fascinating but really delves into the dark recesses of the mind. We are following Victor Kosarek a Doctor of Psychology in Czechoslovakia before WWII. He is a brilliant psychologist who is in search of the "Devil's Aspect" in his patients. He had some trying times that led him to yearn to discover what causes such horrible Psychosis.

He is new at an asylum where the Devil's Six are being held. They are the worst of the worst. They have done unspeakable things and cannot be put with common criminals or be released back into society. Victor is there to pull prove his theory with these exceptionally mad persons.

It's a story of mystery, murder, supernatural, and a splash of love. It keeps you guessing for the most part but I saw some of it coming from a mile away. It flips between the asylum and Prague where a detective is trying to find the "Leather Apron". A mad man who is carrying out horrible crimes against women. It really was an interesting book but there was a point...a point where we meet Mr. Hobbs where I thought, I am so not sleeping tonight. It's disturbing but keeps you wanting more.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good mystery suspense all the while hinting at a supernatural element. Check it out, but I don't recommend reading before bed.

I got this book for free from NetGalley to read and give my honest review.

With insane killers imprisoned in a castle fortress rumored to house the Devil himself and a brutal serial killer terrorizing nearby Prague, the Devil Aspect has plenty of plot and a whole lot of creepy, gothic atmosphere.

It is 1935 in a rural village outside Prague. A new psychotherapist arrives at a mysterious castle, an insane asylum that houses the six most dangerous killers in Czechoslovakia. The therapist, Victor, has a theory that all evil comes from the Devil Aspect in each of us. Once under control, the desire to kill will be conquered. However, when talking to the inmates each states that someone who looked like the Devil did their crimes. Victor believes that their subconscious is attempting to deal with their guilt by disassociating themselves from their crimes.

In a parallel story set in Prague, a serial killer is menacing the populace. Kapitan Lukas thinks he has found the killer through forensic evidence but his suspect insists that another person, who looks just like the Devil, committed the murders.

The book has several sub-plots. Nazis are beginning to make themselves felt in newly formed Czechoslovakia. Victor’s love interest, Judita, a Jew who is deeply worried about the mood in her adopted country. The villagers are convinced that the castle covers a warren of tunnels that lead to the gates of Hell.

There is a lot going on in the Devil Aspect. Despite that, it is a compelling and quick moving read. It is highly recommended to horror fans looking for a more psychological slant. 4 stars!

Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Chills will dance up and down your spine as you read this dazzling story. Don't read this late at night unless you like jumping at every little noise or seeing things that are not there. Don't say I didn't want you. Happy reading!

Pekelná Brána— Hell’s Gate castle

It is 1935 and newly trained clinical psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Kosárek has arrived at an ancient castle in former Czechoslovakia not far from Prague that houses the Hrad Orl ů Asylum for the Criminally Insane.

Housed in the Asylum are six (5 men and 1 woman) of the deadliest serial killers ever captured. Dr. Kosárek will be in total charge of their therapy, trying a new treatment looking for what he calls the Devil Aspect among all six patients.

Meanwhile, Hitler is gaining power in nearby Germany and, in Prague, another serial killer called the Leather Apron has been brutally killing and maiming people. Part of the story is Kapitán Lukáš Smolák of the Prague police and his search for Leather Apron and his interactions at the Asylum.

All these things tie together into one creepy story. This isn't the type of book I usually pick up. I expected more of a story of the serial killers and it ended up having an occult bent. I prefer my bad guys to be of the human variety.

That written, the book was well researched about the time period and Czechoslovakia, and it was dark and atmospheric and definitely has a gothic slant to it.

I received this book from Doubleday Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.