Before the Devil Fell: A Novel

by Neil Olson, Seth Podowitz (Read by)

Overview

A novel of psychological suspense in a small New England town where mysterious deaths among seven families reveals the history of witchcraft that binds them together.

Will Connor returns to his hometown, a village north of Boston, to care for his injured mother. He's kept his distance from the town since high school, but once home he finds himself reexamining a horrific incident that took place during one of his mother's "spirit circles." His mother had embraced the hippie generation's fascination with New Age and the arcane, but the unexpected death of a close friend put an end to the meetings of the modern-day coven.

Or did it?

As Will looks deeper into his family's history he discovers that her practices weren't so much a passing fad but the latest link in a long tradition of New England witchcraft, which still seems to hold a strange power over the town. Will hopes that unearthing the facts about the death will put his questions to rest, but there are those willing to resort to violence to keep those secrets buried.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781094002552
Publisher:	Hanover Square Press
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Edition description:	Unabridged
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 6.70(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Neil Olson is the author of The Icon, a novel of art theft and family intrigue, and the play Dealers. The grandson of Greek immigrants, he works in the publishing industry and lives in New York City with his wife.

Editorial Reviews

08/19/2019

College professor Will Connor, the hero of this enjoyable supernatural thriller from Olson (The Black Painting), reluctantly returns to his unnamed Massachusetts hometown to care for his injured mother, Abigail, who fell down some steps after arguing with a friend about “a dream of Will in peril.” While there, he begins to look into the facts behind a terrifying incident from his childhood that took place one night at a meeting of Abigail’s New Age “spirit circle,” an experience that traumatized five-year-old Will and has haunted him ever since. As Will and his childhood friend Samantha Hall dig deeper, ominous connections begin to emerge involving old New England family secrets, a tradition of witchcraft, and a pattern of strange deaths among members of the spirit circle. While the book begins slowly as settings and characters are established, the pace picks up in the second half, culminating in a suitably dramatic climax. The paranormal elements are subtle, gradually creeping in around the edges with unsettling effect. Both mystery and weird fiction fans will be pleased. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Hauntingly atmospheric and relentlessly suspenseful, this dark and compelling mystery reveals a shocking bedrock of buried secrets—and shows what can happen when traditional New England witchcraft meets the light of modern day. Before the Devil Fell will keep you guessing on every unpredictable—and unsettling—page.” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, author of The Murder List

"Before the Devil Fell is a suspenseful, atmospheric and eerie tale of small-town secrets and a dangerous bond that links families through the centuries." —Megan Chance, author of A Drop of Ink

“Neil Olson is an unassumingly subtle writer, and Before the Devil Fell is not the kind of thriller that goes boo, but the kind that makes you think—about human nature, daemonic nature, and a lot that lies between.” —Madison Smartt Bell, author of Behind the Moon

"Heavy with foreboding from the very first page, Before the Devil Fell is a novel you'll want to read with the lights on! Like most truly terrifying novels, this book is as much about the evil of which mankind is capable as it is about the supernatural. Don't miss this tense, dark, deftly written novel - it's a perfect addition to fall reading lists!" —Alyssa Palombo, author of The Spellbook of Katrina Van Tassel

“Equal parts engaging and creepy, this twisty tale deftly examines how secrets and regret can continue to reverberate through generations. A suspenseful story that examines how families haunt each other in life and death; possibly too creepy for late-night reading.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The paranormal elements are subtle, gradually creeping in around the edges with unsettling effect. Both mystery and weird fiction fans will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly

“An appealing, atmospheric yarn.” —Booklist

"Olson creates a complex tale with a greatly atmospheric plot and unknown twists. This is a fun read and once readers start it, they will find it hard to put down."
–Mystery Tribune

"A fresh take on New England witchcraft thriller." —The Day

From the Publisher

2019-07-15
A college professor returns to his hometown and confronts figurative and literal demons from his childhood in this modern-day ghost story.

The novel opens as Will Conner attends a faculty-student mixer in Manhattan and talks with his teaching assistant, Beth, about the return of some disturbing dreams he's been having. The dreams contain flashbacks to a confusing night from his youth when his mother hosted a "spirit circle" in their home. Beth tries, unsuccessfully, to help Will understand the dreams. As Will walks home after the event, he receives a visit from an unearthly being, a demon or spirit, perhaps a hallucination, he's not sure. He hurries the rest of the way to his apartment, where he is greeted by a ringing telephone and the news that his mother is in the hospital, unconscious. Will returns to his small New England hometown to care for his mother, who suffered a head injury. During his visit, he reconnects with a long list of characters from his childhood and tries to determine what happened on that fateful night from his youth that continues to haunt his dreams. Will begins to detect secrets about the people he grew up with and how those secrets may have impacted his own life. Yet, every time he moves closer to discovering the central mystery, another obstacle materializes to thwart his efforts and make him question his path. Written in a fast-paced, colloquial prose, the text will pull readers in right from the start. Drawing on New England's historical connection to witchcraft and mob hysteria, the author brings to life contemporary covens and small-town reactions to the unexplainable. Despite the novel's heavy emphasis on flashbacks and retelling of family folklore, which can feel overly convoluted, the author creates nuanced and realistic interpersonal relationships that lend much-needed grounding to this darkly supernatural story. Equal parts engaging and creepy, this twisty tale deftly examines how secrets and regret can continue to reverberate through generations.

A suspenseful story that examines how families haunt each other in life and death; possibly too creepy for late-night reading.

Kirkus Reviews