The Devil's Equinox

Written by John Everson

Narrated by Daniel Arden

Austin secretly wishes his wife would drop dead. He even says so one boozy midnight at the bar to a sultry stranger with a mysterious tattoo. When his wife later introduces that stranger as Regina, their new neighbor, Austin hopes she will be a good influence on his wife. Instead, one night he comes home to find his wife dead. Soon he’s entranced with Regina, who introduces him to a strange world of bloodletting, rituals and magic. A world that puts everything he loves in peril. Can Austin save his daughter, and himself, before the planets align for the Devil’s Equinox?

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Flame Tree Publishing
• Release date: Jun 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781787582255

John Everson

John Everson is a staunch advocate for the culinary joys of the jalapeno and an unabashed fan of 1970s European horror cinema. He is also the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of seven novels, including the erotic horror tour de force of NightWhere and the occult/urban legend mystery of The Pumpkin Man. Other novels include Covenant, the prequel to Sacrifice, as well as Siren, The 13th and the upcoming spider-driven Violet Eyes. His tales have been translated into Polish, French and German and optioned for potential film development. His short stories have been gathered in a handful of collections, including the Cage of Bones & Other Deadly Obsessions and Needles & Sins. A 10th anniversary edition of his second collection, Vigilantes of Love, was reissued in 2013.

Reviews for The Devil's Equinox

[Nina Quartuccio · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I found the book just OK it definitely isn't made for everyone to Read but the writing was not bad, the descriptions were not bad it just had a lackluster vibrancy that left me questioning the author. I feel for the traumatic and brutal events taking place everyone was way too calm. I think maybe a different narrator might have given us a little spark of life into it, this narrator was quite emotionless coupled with the sparice reactions in the storyline I wondered if these people had any emotions. Read for yourself, there are some great images depicted through out... some true gothic/horrific scenes that might make you add a star if you can get past the bad character reactions.

[irenecole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Be careful what you wish for. Not because you just might get it, but because you may not have the stomach to fork over the price of that wish being granted.
Austin is miserable in his marriage. Half the time his wife is giving him the silent treatment and the rest of the time he probably wishes she would instead of picking at everything he does. Who could blame him for spending more time at the bar since he dreads gong home?
When he meets Regina, a seductive stranger on one such night and tells her he wishes his wife would die, he doesn't really expect it to happen. When it does, his wildest nightmares could not have conjured the price he is expected to pay for this favor. Regina has friends in low places and Austin will have a hell of a time when they come to collect.
I received an advance copy for review.

[booknookretreat7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a creepy ride into the devil's lair!

A small backstory:

Austin is just tired of his wife, Angie, as she is constantly harping at him. He tells a woman (Regina) in a bar one night that he wished his wife was dead, but when Austin is introduced to the neighbor next door he realizes that it was the same woman from the bar.

When Austin's wife does end up dead, Regina just sweeps in to take care of Austin and his baby daughter. Austin doesn't really want a relationship since his wife just died, but Regina is persistent as she doesn't give him an opportunity to say "no" as she practically moves in with him. What Austin doesn't know is that Regina has "devilish" plans for not only him but his baby daughter and she will do anything to fulfill her plan.

Who is Regina? What are her plans for Austin and the baby? No spoilers here as you will just have to read the book!

Thoughts:

This book was filled with dread and tons of erotic horror as Regina leads Austin down a road of devil worship.

The story made me think of Regina as a spider and she weaved a web of deceit, pulling Austin into her web then slowly dragging him along the spider web to be devoured into her world of deception.

Author, John Everson, went deep into the bowels of hell with this book and the writing style just flows along at a crisp, fast pace! Giving this book four "Devilish" stars!

[angelajmaher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This isn't going to be for everyone. There is a lot of sexual content and other potential 'triggers'. It certainly isn't suitable for under-18s.Anyway, this is an unflinching book delving into the dark side of human nature, the taboo, and how desires of one form or another can lead the unwary (or unlucky) down a treacherous slope.The appeal of this book comes mostly from the lack of subtlety in terms of what is happening, as many of the twists weren't unexpected. It certainly has enough originality to keep you entertained, however, and interested in how things would work out.Many thanks to Flame Tree Press for the ARC. This review is my voluntary, honest opinion.