Littlewood, Alison

The crime scenes—detailed with gory relish—are by far the strongest part of this stilted and improbable crime novel, since the dialog, characterization, and identity of the murderer all fail to satisfy. Still, it might have appeal for readers who like grisly supernatural crime fiction and are willing to suspend their disbelief.

This creepy, claustrophobic debut evokes classic films and novels, such as The Omen and Rosemary's Baby, in the demonic-horror genre. While these similarities help elevate the book by placing it on the shoulders of giants, they also make the story a tad predictable and formulaic. Cass is an incredibly unlikable protagonist, oblivious even by the low standards of horror-novel characters. She makes unrealistically poor decisions and takes a ridiculously long time to figure out what is going on. Despite these shortcomings, the novel builds a real sense of foreboding and dread, which creates a chilling reading experience for fans of demonic and religious horror.