Synopsis:
Those fleeting glimpses that send shivers down our spines and goosebumps rippling over our skin. Those split-second freeze-frames where our minds picture something terrifying, impossible to comprehend. They last for fragments of a moment until our brains catch up and process what we’ve seen.
What if they were real?
Punching the clock as the sound guy on a haunted house documentary, and in the midst of a bitter divorce, Levon Stoll thought he’d hit rock bottom.
But the job he took to pay the bills might just end up being the last one he ever has. Ghosts and ghouls are nothing compared to the horror that lurks inside the Demon House.
Now he’s set in motion a series of events that not only puts himself and his loved ones at risk but could bring about the end times.
Hell has broken loose in the small town of New Scotland. Chaos rampages through the streets and terror reigns from a throne of blood.
The Devil’s face watches from the shadows, patiently waiting.
Can Lev stop this spiral towards Armageddon, or has that time already passed?
The next few hours will reveal all.
Review:
I don’t often read blurbs before diving into a book. Sure, the covers give me a general vibe. Sometimes, I hear things about them on social media. But I often jump in with both feet and very little information. I assumed this one would be a possession horror novel. I wasn’t wrong. But I was unprepared for the terrifying events or the characters I would fall in love with.
The Devil’s Face started with indescribable creepiness. The first few scenes seem unrelated to the story until much later, but they stuck in my head all the while. Imagine the worst thing that could happen to a family, and Artinian portrays it in the most deliciously gory of ways.
Lev and Anna are two strangers who end up on a job together. That job involves filming scenes in a notorious haunted house. When they experience actual supernatural events, Anna flees, and Lev is left to deal with the consequences.
The chapters between the horror are slower in pace, not in a way that diverts from the tension, but actually serves to build it. Lev’s backstory is further explained. The traumatic events that occurred in Anna’s childhood are revealed. Though Lev likes to present himself as a bit of a jerk, he’s a kind person just trying to survive like everyone else.
Regardless of what the characters are dealing with, one thing is for sure. There is something very wrong with that house.
While Lev is figuring out how he will get out of the town he’s found himself stuck in and enjoying the company of the local sheriff, Lev’s best friend fears for his safety. She works to uncover what kind of evil resides in the house in order to aid Lev. She consults someone who seems absolutely out of their mind, and this is where the lore gets interesting.
I assumed the possession was the result of something Satanic or religious. Instead, the explanation is intricate, thought-provoking, and downright scary.
The crescendo of this tale was absolutely bonkers. Everything in the town goes haywire, and I devoured the gruesome scenarios, the diabolical events, the cacophony of unholy incidents.
I highly recommend the audiobook as the narrator used a voice changer for some of the possession occurrences, and it sounded absolutely sinister. Kim Bretton did a fantastic job narrating different character voices and delivering tense scenes with fantastic pacing.
The Devil’s Face brings together excellent character work with an idea of possession that is unique and brilliantly twisted—a tale that kept me engaged at all times. For fans of haunted house romps or possession tales, this is a must-read. The characters that will win your heart over are the cherry on top.
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