Decent storyline, with non stop action. I had trouble keeping all the characters straight, as the author is basically using an entire town in the story, but I feel he did a good job with a big undertaking.

Those Aren't Stars In Their Eyes

This is the first horror novel in a long, long time that left me afraid to sleep with my back to the door. I even had to put it down periodically in order to calm and reassure myself that what was happening in the book wasn't real.

Keisling is a masterful writer. Devil's Creek includes many well-worded, evocative passages that read like horrifying poetry. The creep factor ratcheted up steadily, along with my heart rate. After only a few chapters, I became aware that my heart beat felt like a drum hammering in my chest, as I realized that I was holding my breath.

The author's obviously done thorough research to inform his story with enough authenticity to scare the crap out of this jaded reader. In addition to clever references to the works of horror icons H.P. Lovecraft and Robert Bloch, he's woven in many phrases and references to Crowley's thelema, which was itself based on the occult works of the ancients.

I quickly grew to care for the central characters and feared what would happen to them. They'd gained great depth with the author's skillful storytelling. I also enjoyed checking out the bands Keisling made reference to. I would definitely have listened to The Goat radio station! But these are all I liked about the town of Stauford.

Aside from the significant threat from the supernatural, the small town setting was full of its own kind of horror. Stauford's so-called Christian citizens' cruel treatment of the innocent child victims turned my stomach and ignited a rage in my heart.

I can't recommend Devil's Creek more enthusiastically to horror fans. I feel blessed to have received a free advance review copy from the author and publisher via NetGalley in return for this honest review.

4.5 STARS

GIVE US THAT OLD-TIME RELIGION

About fifteen miles west of Stauford, Kentucky lies Devil’s Creek. According to local legend, there used to be a church out there, home to the Lord’s Church of Holy Voices—a death cult where Jacob Masters preached the gospel of a nameless god. And like most legends, there’s truth buried among the roots and bones....

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Wow! DEVIL'S CREEK kicks it into high gear on the first page and doesn't stop until the very last one. Keisling did a phenomenal job of creating an atmosphere of existential dread that just permeated each chapter. I got major Stephen King vibes and felt like I was put through an emotional roller coaster by the time I was finished (in the best way possible!)

I have always been fascinated by cults and what happens psychologically to the people create or join them (cue all #murderinos: YOU'RE IN A CULT, CALL YOUR DAD!!) DEVIL'S CREEK is cult fiction at it's finest. Unlike many other cult books I've read in the past, the Lord’s Church of Holy Voices felt entirely too real and believable - which only added to the unsettling atmosphere of the book. I highly recommend adding DEVIL'S CREEK to your fall/spooky reading list. You will not be disappointed!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for my ARC. DEVIL'S CREEK is out now!

Great book, felt it could have been trimmed down quite a it, fabulous classic folk like feeling but with a cosmic appeal.

Okay I went into this really excited but unfortunately it kind of ... fizzled.

Mostly, the story just seemed a good excuse to:
1. Trash talk religion
2. Make people do weird kinky things

The story follows Jack, who is returning to his hometown after his Grandmother's death. Back when he was a kid, he was part of a cult led by Jacob Masters, who fathered six children specifically so he could later sacrifice them. Jack was one of those kids, so now he has to face his past, particularly since it seems, after 30 years, Jacob may longer be satisfied with staying dead.

So it begins with exactly what went down with the demise of the cult and Jacob's death. Jacob is a religious nut who realised God is not above but actually beneath, and he demands blood, suffering and general depravity. To start, I kind of found it hard to believe that this religious nut hears a 'god' from below and doesn't even think about the possibility it's the devil? How did the dude with the horns and pitchfork not even turn up beyond the title? That surprised me a lot. I found it a little unbelievable that this pastor who was so devoted to God suddenly had his switch flipped by a voice from below. Then again, what do I know about religion? *shrugs*

Soon enough it jumps to present day, 30 years later, where the 'Stauford Six' are just trying to live ordinary lives. Jack is the only one who ever moved away - he went off to become a highly successful artist, thanks to the disturbing artwork inspired by his nightmares. Way to capitalise, buddy. Anyhoo, now he's back in town and we're following as he reunites with a few of his siblings and suddenly discovers that his loving grandma was into some weird stuff before she died.

It was all a little too detailed for me. We get to know half the town in greater detail than was really necessary, and it slowed everything down so much. I got King vibes from the storytelling, but it never drew me in like King's work does. Instead we get to know all of these people that just end up meaning very little to the story. Plus all the backstory with the idol got kinda dull after a while.

The violence is graphic yet sporadic, so you can get this really terrifying, gruesome scene, then the next is an info dump of history that's mostly boring. Also, it's so sexualised. Some seriously kinky stuff goes down. It also starts really strong and creepy but then it ends up being more of the same so it gets a bit repetitive, to be honest. It's like it wants to get creative but just misses the mark.

I enjoyed the lore and the building of the story behind this evil, but all the rituals made it a little too confusing for me and at the end of it I'm still not entirely sure I understand it. I feel like so much detail went into it when it was actually more simple? It got a little bit wild and I think a lot of it was kind of wasted.

I think the takeaway message is that people can do crazy stuff when they think they're doing God's will. It definitely takes a nice solid swipe at the devout, but in doing so it divides the town into 'evil religious nuts' or 'outcasts with no faith'. I think I really needed that middle ground to become properly invested.

I never really felt a lot for the characters, and I think that's because we jumped between so many of them. The substance was certainly there but I just didn't stay with them long enough to really get too invested.

Finally, the whole thing just took so long to play out that, by the end, I was just bored. It started strong but then put so much effort into creating substance and fleshing out details; normally this is something I would appreciate but it just felt pointless and wasted on this story. I think the amount of violence and depravity in this story called for less effort in the storytelling. Alternatively, I would have appreciated fewer, more effective incidents of violence. Basically, the balance was off.

Overall it was an enteraining story that I think just took itself too seriously. I didn't hate it, but I think there's a fair bit of room for improvement.

Shivery horror at it's best! I am a fan of Todd's writing and have been for a while. This book is the bees knees out of all he has written so far. He really is a horror author to watch. This very dark and creepy novel is best read on a dark rainy night, alone, for full effect.

A dark religious cult run by a madman tapping into the "old ways" is the core of this story. It kicks off and holds back nothing with very dark scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. The power he holds over his followers is sinister and strong and what they are willing to do for him is horrendous. This is the brainwashing that occurs in a cult but this goes beyond.

Todd has really done a fantastic job with this novel. From the dark start it develops into the story of those involved further in life, once things seem to be all calm. A small town will never be the same again and Todd introduces us to key characters that are strongly outlined with plenty of depth and realism. You won't like all the characters in this book, plenty of dysfunctional personalities that you will love to dislike.

It's quite a long book but I read this over hours from cover to cover. The darkness has never gone away and hovers over this town like a black cloud and things long-buried don't want to stay there. I loved the way Todd connected the past with the present so well. It's a creepy and disturbing novel that will thrill any fans of dark fiction and horror. A talented writer indeed.

The build-up to the ending was awesome and plenty of things come to light that you have been teased about. I loved this book. A solid five stars and kudos to Todd's outstanding dark imagination. Grab this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. All review opinions are my own and totally unbiased.

I received a copy of this novel from net galley in exchange for an honest review. When I first started reading this novel, I could not put it down, then towards the middle of it I lost the groove. However, I stuck with it because the plot and the premise really kept a hold over my mind and I would force myself to continue reading page after page. I am glad I did because the last 1/3 of the novel really held my attention and had my heart racing and my fingers flipping page after page as fast as I could. The characters are strong (even the horrible Jacob) and the plot is strong (even if the middle portion lost my interest slightly), but the ending...the ending held me, the historical flashbacks where you learn what truly caused the evil to start, the way the characters banded together to survive without giving in...that is what I will hold on to from this novel. Ultimately because I continued to give this novel a chance and didn't just put it down for good, I was able to really have my eyes opened to a fantastic read that I will be recommending for years to come.

Devil's Creek has so many elements in a book that I find enticing, one of the main factors being cults. I always find cult books so intriguing and I devour them! Small towns are another trope I gravitate towards and this book has got that covered perfectly. This is a fairly big book and I am going to put it down as one of those "Epic Reads" because it deserves that distinction. Devil's Creek takes us to the past and back to the present, and it does so effortlessly while keeping us engaged and wanting more. The cult leader is a true terror to read about and I can say I would never want to be anywhere near him or his followers. This is one of those horror books that you feel deep inside you, and can even hear dark whispers when you are alone. It is scary on a whole new level - and that is why Todd Keisling is going to be an auto-buy author from here on for me! His massive cast of characters in Devil's Creek felt like true family, friends, and enemies where applicable, and Keisling just writes them so perfectly. 4.5 stars!

What an opening! Todd Keisling created characters with depth and flaws that worked so well in this Stephen King’ish cult novel. It’s a bit lengthy, and could have been shorter, but the story held substance and had some gory, wiggle in your seat scenes that are sure to stick with you.

One of the best horror books of 2020, this is a must read. For fans of anything creepy, gory, scary with a touch of heartfelt and family ties, its got something for everyone!

⭐ 5 𝘾𝙐𝙇𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨! ⭐

I love this fantastic book! The author didn't just bring the story and characters to life, he brought an ENTIRE town alive and I felt like I was living among the unfortunate residents of Stauford, Kentucky.

𝙎𝙞𝙭 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮'𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.

'𝘑𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 "𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘏𝘦'𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳" '

This book is long, over 400 pages, but it never lagged and the writing is so impressive that I never wanted it to end!

This is the first book given to me by NetGalley and I think it's the start of a beautiful friendship between us.

P.S. If any future readers of this book wanted to keep count of the number of times the words TWILIT and HERETIC are used I'd love to know the final tally!

This was very suspenseful. This story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.I loved he small town feel and hometown church equations.There were a few times that this book had me jumpy. I thoroughly enjoyed this author. I will be reading more from this author.

I rated Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling 5 out of 5!

This book had it all- creepiness, gore, twists, and mystery.

The reader is introduced, in the beginning, to a cult, set on exploiting the innocence of children and using it to cleanse the sins of present day, except the cult's idea of sins and what the world may view as sins are quite different. The cult is prepared to go forward with an important ritual until everything goes awry.

The reader is then transported to present day Kentucky, many years after the cult. The town is protrayed as a typical, bible thumping town. Six individuals who survived the cult are the main focus and how they cope with their present life after having such a traumatic past. They all deal in their own ways and soon they find the past is just beyond the grave, ready to be unearthed. The reader is transported into the occult ways and the battles of good and evil, heaven and hell, sins and innocence as the past haunts those known as the "Stauford Six"

I can't say enough good things about this book and I feel as my review doesn't do it justice because there are so many twists and turns but I feel those who may be the bit interested in reading this should just let the book speak for itself. It was gripping and had a very Stephen King-esque feel, similar to Salem's Lot, in my opinion.

The descriptions provided throughout the book, from how people looked to locations, even to smells were so in depth I felt as though I were transported watching the chaos unfold. I had goosebumps as I read further on and can attest this is not one to read with the lights out! It was so creepy and, yet, intriguing to see who would win the battle of good and evil. There were many unexpected turns along the way which made it even more unsettling- in a good way. The characters also had just the right amount of depth for each of them, allowing the reader to really get a sense of who each person was and how each was affected by the past and the present. I can't imagine this was an easy feat so much kudos sent to Todd Keisling!

I would highly recommend this book, however, it is not for the faint of heart as child abuse, sexual abuse and explicit material is interwoven in the pages. Those typically are not a deterent for me when reading, however, those topics just added more layers to the plot and the characters throughout the book.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It has its moment of creep factor and cult like manors. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

Engaging cult tale that I'll dive back into in the future. Todd is a fantastic writer and has definitely crafted a gem with some great character and a very nice setting.

In 1983, the Lord’s Church of Holy Voices burnt to the ground following a mass suicide. Jack Tremly and his five siblings are the survivors, The Stanford Six. Years later, when Jack’s grandma dies, he returns home to find the nightmare isn’t over. His father, cult leader Jacob Masters, hasn’t completed his mission, and something is stirring beneath the ruins of the old church.

I love a returning home story, especially when the character is returning to face an old horror. This book gave me serious Stephan King vibes; a horror lurking within a small town, different town’s people POVs sprinkled throughout, and a seriously dark and scary villain. I loved the relationship between the siblings, it felt real for a group that has faced an extremely traumatic situation. Seeing how their childhood affected them all differently and how growing up strained their relationships.

I did feel like some backstory was missing. I want to know more about the darkness that hides within the town, and why the God chose it. You do get a peak, but I wanted more. I also NEED to know what happened in the aftermath.

This books contains all the aspects of great cult horror. It also contains all of the triggers. ALL OF THEM. I recommend not trying to eat while reading the last quarter of this book 🙃.

Do you love cults? Can you stomach serious horror? Definitely check out Devil’s Creek. It’s out now!! Thank you to Netgalley and Silver Shamrock Publishing for my copy.

If you are into horror, this book has everything you could possibly want in a scary story. But reader beware, this is a deeply disturbing book. I actually had a hard time finishing it. The characters were very well written and developed. There were some very graphic parts, and while the plot was good it got a little bogged down. There was almost too much going on.

This gave me some serious heebee jeebees and I loved it!!!! I don’t get too scared of ghosts, zombies, or scary monster type stories because they’re so easy to say, that’s totally not real. This book seemed so very eerily real that I’m not uncertain that this very thing hasn’t happened!!!!

Cults pop up all the time and while most people think, oh boy, another group of crazies getting ready to drink the juice, this gives a back story to one of those cults. We follow these kids into their adulthood who actually believe they were a part of one of those wacky crazy people cults, but then start to realize daddy wasn’t such a nut after all.

I don’t want to say too much because the fear is in the details, but this one really gave me the creeps. There is a good amount of nastiness, so watch out for that if you’re not a fan of gore and... well, bugs. And dirt? Oh and all the disgusting sex. I’m not saying I don’t like sex, I mean the sex in this book is not fun, it’s gross and cringeworthy. Incest. Death. Point blank staring you in the face death. And some major occult stuff. All that just made it all the more real for me though.

I definitely recommend this to those who think they can handle it. It’s intense but so worth it!!!

Thanks sooooo much to NetGalley and Silver Shamrock Publishing for providing me a copy of this book for my honest an unbiased opinion.

Amazon review pending approval.

This is what horror has been needing for years.

Outstanding storytelling that harkens back to early 90's novels. Todd Keisling has shown that he truly has what it takes to be known the genre for years to come.

While I can see his aversion to religion and the like, as a believer myself these issues can be tackled from a Biblical perspective - but this is neither the time or the place.

A solid novel that will most certainly keep readers entertained well beyond the final page.

What exactly happened to he Stauford Six after they escaped the raging inferno at the temple of the Jacob Masters cult in 1983? The whole ordeal, according to various publications and online sources, remains a mystery...until now.

Fast forward to the present day, and we’re introduced to Jackie Tremly, an unusual artist returning to Stauford, Kentucky to find some sort of closure after missing his Grandmother’s funeral. Upon his arrival, Jack reconciles with his brothers and sisters, or fellow survivors, We immediately learn that like Jack, all of of his siblings have never been able to put the cultish upbringing behind them, and have never experienced any sense of normalcy.

A ‘nameless thing’ eventually afflicts terror upon the town of Stauford (once again), and ‘Devil’s Creek’ begins to take an unusual spin. I was expecting a small town crazed cult story, and we get a little of that; the terrifying backstory regarding Jacob Masters and his obsession with children can only be matched by Krueger’s spitefulness. But there are other fragments involving Latin passages, astrology, and burial mounds. The extended details are written quite well and provide a certain smartness for the novel, but I wish they could’ve been incorporated into another installment or stand alone novel.

I still think that ‘Devil’s Creek’ is an epic read and worth checking out. Thanks NetGalley for providing me with the a free e-ARC.