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    The Devil Walks in Mattingly
    The Devil Walks in Mattingly
    The Devil Walks in Mattingly
    Ebook475 pages32 hours

    The Devil Walks in Mattingly

    By Billy Coffey

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    For the three people tortured by their secret complicity in a young man's untimely death, redemption is what they most long for . . . and the last thing they expect to receive.

    It has been twenty years since Philip McBride's body was found along the riverbank in the dark woods known as Happy Hollow. His death was ruled a suicide. But three people have carried the truth ever since—Philip didn't kill himself that day. He was murdered.

    Each of the three have wilted in the shadow of their sins. Jake Barnett is Mattingly's sheriff, where he spends his days polishing the fragile shell of the man he pretends to be. His wife, Kate, has convinced herself the good she does for the poor will someday wash the blood from her hands. And high in the mountains, Taylor Hathcock lives in seclusion and fear, fueled by madness and hatred.

    Yet what cannot be laid to rest is bound to rise again. Philip McBride has haunted Jake's dreams for weeks, warning that he is coming back for them all. When Taylor finds mysterious footprints leading from the Hollow, he believes his redemption has come. His actions will plunge the quiet town of Mattingly into darkness. These three will be drawn together for a final confrontation between life and death . . . between truth and lies.

    "Coffey has a profound sense of Southern spirituality. His narrative moves the reader from . . . [a] false heaven to a terrible hell, then back again to a glorious grace." —Publishers Weekly

    "The Devil Walks in Mattingly . . . recalls Flannery O'Conner with its glimpses of the grotesque and supernatural." —BookPage

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateMar 18, 2014
    ISBN9781401688240
    The Devil Walks in Mattingly
    Author

    Billy Coffey

    Billy Coffey's critically acclaimed books combine rural Southern charm with a vision far beyond the ordinary. He is a regular contributor to several publications, where he writes about faith and life. Billy lives with his wife and two children in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Visit him at www.billycoffey.com. Facebook: billycoffeywriter Twitter: @billycoffey

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    Reviews for The Devil Walks in Mattingly

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      Twenty years ago, Philip McBride died in Happy Hollow. His death was ruled a suicide but was it just a tragic accident? Or was his death something far more sinister? In Billy Coffey's The Devil Walks in Mattingly, only one person knows the truth about what happened that day, but three people are tortured by their actions that may have led to Phillip's death.

      Neither the past nor secrets truly remain hidden and no one is more aware of that than the sheriff of Mattingly, Jake Barnett. He is slowly being crushed by the weight of the events from twenty years ago as night after night in his dreams, he relives that day over and over. His wife Kate desperately tries to make amends for her role through good works, but she can never fully escape from her guilt. Taylor Hathcock's grip on reality is forever altered and he sets in motion a devastating chain of events in the present that will eventually make all three of them face what happened on that long ago day.

      The Devil Walks in Mattingly is told from each of the key players points of view. Matt's character speaks in first person and his exhaustion, shame and despair are keenly felt throughout the novel. Kate's character always feels a little distant and removed since there is little context for her overwhelming need for penance. Taylor is the most confusing character because it is obvious that he is mentally unstable and there appears to be no rational reason for what he is seeking.

      The most compelling of all the characters is not a person, but a place. Commonly referred to as the holler by the locals, Happy Hollow is a place to be avoided but reaching the gate to the holler is a rite of passage for most of the men in Mattingly. The holler is alive with what feels like an evil presence and few dare to venture into the malevolent forest. But it is always clear the holler is key to the unfolding story: Philip died within the holler, Taylor now makes his home in the holler and Jake steers clear of the holler at all costs. But the holler is where supernatural forces will provide salvation and quite possibly redemption, for Taylor, Jake and Kate.

      The Devil Walks in Mattingly is not an action packed novel that moves at breakneck speed. It is a slow moving story that builds little by little to a rather impressive and dramatic conclusion that offers almost all of the answers that the readers and the characters have been searching for. But there is one intriguing secret of the holler that remains hidden but since Mattingly is also the setting of Billy Coffey's previous novels, I can only hope he plans to eventually reveal the truth in a future release.
    • 5/5
      I very much enjoyed this book. I can't explain why some books grab my attention better than others. Maybe it's the way the author writes. Maybe it's the story line or the content. Maybe it's a throw-away phrase on the backmatter that beckoned me. Or maybe it's all the above tightly woven into a complex novel that registers on a deeply emotional level.This isn't a book that should be read as quickly as possible. This is a deep, rich novel filled with nuggets of wisdom and truth that must be chewed on and thought about. Applied to our own lives. There is so much, so many lessons in this story, it's hard for me to put it all into one single review. This is a read-again, think-again type of novel. One that helps put the past into perspective and allows ourselves to reach out to God and ask for the forgiveness He so willingly offers. Especially when it's so difficult for us to forgive ourselves for our own heinous past.Have you ever heard someone say, "If I'd do anything in my life over, it'd be..." and out pours some past regrets of something they did or didn't do? Now, what if you had pulled a senseless prank on someone and had to live with the awful consequences for the rest of your life? Would you allow your regrets to consume you and change your future? Or would you know that choice rather than fate governs our lives and those actions are the ones that will define us for what we would become?Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone stumbles and falls. Bad things happen to good people. We all must live with the consequences of our actions; whether good or bad. Such is the case with Jake and Kate Barnett and Taylor Hathcock.I've read my fair share of scary books, but I am convinced the scariest antagonist of a novel is one who is more than insane (if that's possible) and believes all the evil acts he/she does is God's will and is the right thing. The ones who look like us but who have been pushed or bullied so much and treated so badly that they break into a million scattered, hurting pieces that can only hurt in retaliation. The pitiful ones. The saddest ones who make each of us stop and remember all the terrible things we said or did as kids to others who were a little different."Am I good?""There is none good. There is only grace. Mercy and forgiveness." <~ No truer words were ever spoken.Highly recommend.*My thanks to the publisher who provided me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. These thoughts are my own and I was not required they be positive.*
    • 4/5
      There is enough suspense and questions in the first few pages to keep you turning pages earnestly trying to figure out what happens next. I wasn't even aware that there was such a thing as Christian suspense, but I was wrong. Billy Coffey does a fantastic job weaving together a tale of intrigue and suspense without all the gore, sex, or language. At the same time it's not overly preachy or Christian, so it won't scare off non-religious readers. There is a nice hidden web of faith that reveals itself in small moments and makes the story come alive. Sheriff Barnett shies away from trouble. Luckily nothing ever happens in the sleepy town of Mattingly, that is, until a gruesome murder takes place and the killer escapes. Barnett tries to do right by the town and do what needs to be done but he can barely face the demons of his own past, let alone face the killer. He and his wife soon discover that the crimes of the present are linked with the sins of their past and in order to bring about justice they have to confront their own sins. There is a place in the hills of Mattingly, the Holler, that hides not just the Barnett's sins, but those of a killer. Can a lifetime of good deeds make up for one horrible sin? Is it possible to face your fears and forgive yourself? Read to find out! For fans of Christian suspense or suspense in general.
    • 5/5
      What a novel! I'm ready for another supernatural thriller by Billy Coffey, his style of writing is amazing. The ending is just as amazing. Something terrible happened in the past and it's effecting people years later. Set in the charming south this secret has taken its toll on those who know the truth. This is more than a murder mystery, my heart was touched throughout the book. Read it! I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      Billy Coffey’s latest novel, The Devil Walks in Mattingly, is the first book I have read by this very talented author. His lyrical writing style, great sense of place and characters that are deeply flawed and yet s0 real, are the reasons I will be reading many more of his books. Deeply moving, oftentimes horrifying and always riveting, The Devil Walks in Mattingly is a must read.Jake Barnett, the sheriff of Mattingly, and his wife Kate, live a quiet life trying to undo the past and escape their demons. Their misdeeds and omissions have shaped a life that keeps them stuck repeating old patterns. But when the unthinkable happens, and the town is plunged into their nightmares and deepest secrets, they can no longer deny that the past must be confronted and dealt with. Others are drawn into the horror with varying responses, but none are left unchanged.The biggest strength of The Devil Walks in Mattingly is definitely Coffey’s ability to put the reader into the story. The town of Mattingly and the haunted Happy Hollow become very real. The characters, both good and bad, could be your neighbors or friends. It may be a bit disturbing to your sense of self to relate too closely to them ;), but I could definitely relate to the stranglehold the past has on the characters. Great for a book club, there is plenty to discuss — can are present actions make up for our past wrongs, is avoidance a helpful coping skill, where do we find love?Not a quick and easy read — that is a big plus with me — The Devil Walks in Mattingly is a book that will stay with you for a long time. It gets the very rare designation of –Very Highly Recommended.(Thanks to LitFuse and Thomas Nelson for my review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

    Book preview

    The Devil Walks in Mattingly - Billy Coffey

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