Devils Kill Devils is a razor-sharp descent into darkness where the monsters aren’t just real—they’re relentless. Johnny Compton delivers a gripping supernatural thriller packed with tension, haunting lore, and characters who carry their scars like armor. The pace is electric, the stakes are personal, and the atmosphere drips with dread. But what truly sets this apart is its heart—buried beneath the blood and shadows is a powerful story about survival, vengeance, and what it really means to face your demons.

Fierce, fast, and deeply unsettling—Devils Kill Devils is horror with soul.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advance listener’s copy of Devils Kill Devils.

Sarita has a guardian angel named Angelo who has been with her as long as she can remember. He has been a secret that she’s kept from everyone she’s ever known. But now, Angelo has killed someone she loves. As the series of events unfolds, Sarita begins to see that Angelo may be less of a guardian angel and more of a nightmare.

Man, I wanted to love this one. The concept was great, it had the makings of an iconic elevated horror story. But ultimately (like so many elevated horror stories before it) I was bored and uninspired.

It started off so strong, that first couple of paragraphs just slaps you right in the face and leaves you craving more, but that was where my excitement ended unfortunately. I’m not sure where the vampire portion came in, that felt misplaced and left me confused.

I’ve heard that Johnny’s previous books are mostly great so this isn’t a one and done for me, I plan on checking out a backlist item or two.

The story centers around Sarita, who is protected by her guardian Angel Angelo, and I thought the audio performance, which was narrated by Imani Jade Powers, matched the character perfectly! The book was captivating right away and the audio gave the reader a fun reading experience from start to finish.

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

What a wild, unsettling ride.
The author does an amazing job of building that constant feeling that something's lurking just out of sight, always keeping you on the edge of your seat. It's fast-paced, and you’ll find yourself unable to put it down once you start. This horror story dives into how trauma, secrets, and pure evil can really take over someone's life. If you're into psychological horror, this book is for you.

Unfortunately, I have to DNF at 60%. I initially thought this would be a five star read. The initial pages were fantastic, but have Clea is introduced the book spirals into an unfocused mess.

The narrator was great thought.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Devils Kill Devils follows Sarita, who has always been protected by her guardian angel, Angelo. However, when Angelo kills someone she loves, Sarita begins to uncover dark secrets and realizes there's more to her guardian angel than she ever imagined. Compton's intense and atmospheric writing creates a gripping tale of supernatural horror and suspense. This book is a must-read if you're a fan of Southern Gothic horror with a twist.

The audiobook version of **Devils Kill Devils** offers an intense and captivating experience. The narrator's delivery is impeccable, bringing the characters and their dark world to life. The plot is gripping, filled with twists and turns that keep listeners engaged. However, the pacing can be a bit uneven, with some parts dragging on while others rush by. Despite this, the story's overall impact is strong, and the atmospheric sound design adds to the immersive experience. While not perfect, it's a thrilling ride that keeps you hooked. A solid 3.5/5 stars for its engaging narration and compelling storyline.

DNF @ 49% (beg. of ch 18)

This started off so good. The premise is hella intriguing, I love all the devils and angels and the sinister air of the ever-watching guardians.

The audiobook is also excellent-- I absolutely love the voice actors and the quality of the sound.

But I keep zoning out so hard. And I know it's the book and not me, because I've been able to pay attention to both an intricate Adult Fantasy and a cutesy Contemporary middle-grade around this, so it's definitely not that I need something meatier or simpler, or that I'm not in the mood for the genre.

Whoops, sorry.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This took me a second to get into but it was overall a good read

Sarita should probably be dead, but thanks to her guardian angel Angelo she has been saved four times. The first time he saved her was when she drowned and it was Angelo who pulled her from the water, starting their very complicated relationship. It seems as though Angelo is there to protect and help Sarita, but one night things take a very dark turn when Angelo savagely murders Frank, the man that Sarita just married. Why did Angelo kill the man she loves when he has always protected her, and what is lurking in the shadows?

Devils Kill Devils sounded like a great novel, and started off in just that way, but then Cela the Godmaker made an appearance, and everything just seemed to go downhill from there and I really began to lose interest. There were so many things that were introduced in the second half that it almost seemed like I was reading a completely different, and scattered, story and I seriously considered DNFing the novel. There were only two things that I liked about the novel. The first is that the narrative switches from the present and the past, a narrative style that I often enjoy. The second is that the novel, which is in the horror genre, is full of death and carnage.

I find it hard to write a review of the audiobook version of this novel because I find it hard to separate the audio from the story. The audio is well done, but I struggled with it because I did not enjoy the second half or so of Devils Kills Devils.

Perfect narration again. This author is so unique and the work is enhanced by having a great voice actor. I will read all upcoming works and look forward to hearing this narrator again

Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton is a creepy, atmospheric thriller that mixes Southern gothic vibes with a deeply unsettling story about family, guilt, and some truly creepy beings. If you like slow-burn horror with a lot of tension this book is right up your alley.

The story centers on Sarita, who has been watched over by a guardian angel she called Angelo her entire life. He saves her life multiple times throughout the years, but one day their relationship takes a shocking turn with a horrific act of violence that leaves Sarita questioning everything she thought she knew about the world. This violent act allows Sarita to see what's really going on around her and sends her on a wild journey to save the world as we know it.

Compton’s writing is atmospheric without being too over-the-top. He really nails the eerie, quiet dread that builds over time. The pacing is slow, but that’s not a bad thing—it gives you plenty of time to get to know the characters, which makes the horror elements hit harder when they do come. The characters are deeply complex and layered. They’re flawed in ways that feel very real. You’ll find yourself sympathizing with them one moment, and then questioning their actions the next. It’s this moral ambiguity that really makes the story stand out. There’s a lot of gray area here, and Compton doesn’t offer any easy answers, which is something I really appreciated.

If you’re into atmospheric horror with a focus on character-driven storytelling, Johnny Compton absolutely delivers. It’s creepy, it’s thought-provoking, and I absolutely loved it. I had an audio copy and a written copy that I switched between throughout. The narration was amazing; I'd recommend the audio version.

This was my first Johnny Compton book, but it definitely won’t be my last. I was constantly surprised by where this book went and pretty much saw absolutely nothing coming. I was properly scared throughout the book. I am not a huge fan of horror because I don’t like being overly scared and stressed while reading, but this has the perfect amount of fear mingled with and engrossing plot.

I loved Johnny Compton's first novel and was looking forward to his second offering.

Unfortunately this was a real miss for me

It started out great. And exciting beginning that grabbed me instantly and had me eager to read on. Then lost it almost as quickly. I have no idea why the story took such a sudden and (in my opinion) awful and confusing turn but it felt like someone switched books on me when I wasn't looking.

No disrespect to the author, who I think is very talented, but this was not his best offering and worth a skip.

Thanks to @netgalley and Tor Publishing group for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Johnny Compton's Devils Kill Devils is a gripping and unsettling exploration of morality, vengeance, and the supernatural. The audiobook format enhances the story's intensity, with the narrator delivering a chilling performance that brings the characters and eerie atmosphere to life. Compton's writing shines in its ability to weave psychological depth into a tale of horror, making the listener question the nature of good and evil.

The story's pacing is generally strong, though a few sections feel overextended, slightly diluting the tension. While the characters are compelling, some of their motivations could have been explored more deeply. Nonetheless, the dark twists and thought-provoking themes make for an engrossing listen.

At 3.75 stars, Devils Kill Devils is a hauntingly memorable audiobook that will keep you on edge and lingering on its moral quandaries long after the final chapter. A must-listen for fans of intelligent horror.

I'll start by saying I really enjoy Compton's writing and ideas and I really wanted to love this one. When a novel is on the shorter side, I want every word to count but with this one it ultimately felt like some thought meandered. I probably wouldn't have stuck with it had it not been for Imani Jade Powers' narration, which was great.

I was not a huge fan of this. It is outside my normal reads so I think it may work for a different reader. I do think it was well done though and the writing works.

I am so thankful to Tor Nightfire, Macmillan Audio, Johnny Compton, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this galley before publication day. I really enjoyed the dialogue and plot of this book and can’t wait to chat this one up with my friends!

This story is told in third person and follows Sarita Bardales who has a secret guardian angel that she calls Angelo. Angelo has saved her life multiple times. The audiobook is narrated by Imani Jade Powers. This is my second listen by this narrator, and I enjoyed her depictions of the story and characters.

The first chapter immediately grabbed my attention. What a great start for a horror novel! I was quickly fascinated with the history of Sarita and Angelo and what brought them to this point. As the present story unfolds, we are swept back into Sarita’s memories of her childhood and the various instances in her life when Angelo has saved her. When her friend Tori brings up the story of Sarah and the demon Asmodeus from the book of Tobit in the Apocrypha, I thought I would really enjoy the rest of this story since I love religious history style horror. I was quickly looking up the old paintings I remembered from my art history competitions about the marriage and wedding night of Sarah and Tobias.

Unfortunately, the story picked up a different thread and veered into more cult style territory with creepy creatures they called vampires and other entities known as Godmakers with different factions that were squabbling over power and thus Sarita. I found the combination of it all to be chaotic and rather disappointing. Perhaps if you love vampire stories and want a different take on this subgenre, it might make a better read for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

😈Devils Kill Devils by Johnny Compton👿

Pages: 288
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Goal 2024: 97/100

✨Have you ever had something happen in your life that felt unexplainable?✨

This book is pretty unexplainable for me. So much potential but unfortunately left me feeling entirely too confused. I really liked the idea.

Vampires.
Cults.
Family drama.

I found a lot of info dumping happening and that we were often in the midst of a characters thoughts just.. stuck.

The violence in this book was exactly what I was hoping for though and it was very stabby which was cool.

I definitely think people who are into fantasy horror should give this a chance but I think I like my fantasy and horror separated. Slasher reads are more my drip.

I did read this one from ebook and from audio and the narration was great!