Book Review: The Devil, the Witch and the Whore (The Deal Trilogy Book 1)

Title: The Devil, the Witch and the Whore (The Deal Trilogy Book 1)
Author: Amy Cross
Genre: Horror, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon

 

“Leave the forest alone. Whatever’s out there, just let it be. Don’t make it angry.”

When a horrific discovery is made at the edge of town, Sheriff James Kopperud realizes the answers he seeks might be waiting beyond in the vast forest. But everybody in the town of Deal knows that there’s something out there in the forest, something that should never be disturbed. A deal was made long ago, a deal that was supposed to keep the town safe. And if he insists on investigating the murder of a local girl, James is going to have to break that deal and head out into the wilderness.

Meanwhile, James has no idea that his estranged daughter Ramsey has returned to town. Ramsey is running from something, and she thinks she can find safety in the vast tunnel system that runs beneath the forest. Before long, however, Ramsey finds herself coming face to face with creatures that hide in the shadows. One of these creatures is known as the devil, and another is known as the witch. They’re both waiting for the whore to arrive, but for very different reasons. And soon Ramsey is offered a terrible deal, one that could save or destroy the entire town, and maybe even the world.

The Devil, the Witch and the Whore is the first book in a trilogy about a town and its demons, and about the consequences of making a deal with the devil. Contains scenes of horror and violence.

Last week, I reviewed American Coven by Amy Cross, and this week I’m back with a review of another one of her books. I had The Devil, the Witch and the Whore on my Kindle for quite a while before I finally decided to read it. I kept on pushing it back because there was always another book that piqued my interest more. The blurb just didn’t do it for me. Plus, the book is quite long – 453 pages – so it’s not something you can use for a quick reading fix.

When I started reading, I was mildly intrigued but never more than that. I tend to read every day while jogging on my treadmill, but if I enjoy a book a lot, I often squeeze in some more reading time. Not so with this one. I looked forward to reading a bit every day while jogging, but the book wasn’t enticing enough that I wanted to finish it asap. The pacing was a bit uneven too. Some parts went rather fast – like the gory scene in the beginning of the book – while other parts, especially the parts in the tunnels, seemed to drag on. Plus, with the perspectives jumping from one character to another, and even from one timeline to another, it just seems like the story is all over the place.

For me, this was just an ‘okay’ read, and I started the sequel but I’m having trouble finishing it. Given that I usually breeze through this author’s books, that’s saying something. This just isn’t my cup of tea, I guess. But if you like horror, don’t mind time-jumps and multiple character POVs, give it a shot. Note that the story is rather gory, though, so if you have a weak stomach, you may want to stay away from this one.