Title: A Demon Inside (2nd Edition)
Author: Rick R. Reed
Genre: Paranormal, Horror
Length: Novel (253 pages)
Publisher: DSP Publications (25 Aug 2015)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts
Blurb: Hunter Beaumont doesn’t understand his grandmother’s deathbed wish: “Destroy Beaumont House.” He’s never even heard of the place. But after his grandmother passes and his first love betrays him, the family house in the Wisconsin woods looks like a tempting refuge. Going against his grandmother’s wishes, Hunter flees to Beaumont House.
But will the house be the sanctuary he had hoped for? Soon after moving in, Hunter realizes he may not be alone. And with whom—or what—he shares the house may plunge him into a nightmare from which he may never escape. Sparks fly when he meets his handsome neighbor, Michael Burt, a caretaker for the estate next door. The man might be his salvation… or he could be the source of Hunter’s terror.
ISBN: 9781634761079
Product Link: DSP Publication | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Reviewer: Prime
Review: A Demon Inside by Rick R. Reed is a rather spooky novel and not for the faint of heart. For anyone who has read the first edition of this book, I have to admit that I never read the first edition, so I’m not entirely sure what has changed since.
The story itself has left me with some rather mixed feelings. Being a DSP Publication means that any romance is not front and centre of the plot, and what romance there was throughout the story was really nicely done. However, it is not that aspect that has bothered me. The horror was fantastically written and I really enjoyed it. In hindsight, though, I think that there was some sort of spark missing with the horror that connected all the dots for me in my head. But mostly, I found that after the build up in the horror and the terror felt by Hunter, the ending was a little too flat and a little too quick for my liking.
Nonetheless, this book does the creepy and poltergeist things perfectly, so on the surface this is a fantastic horror story which may well leave you with chills running down your spine.
The story follows Hunter Beaumont and finds his life at loose ends when in a tumultuous short period of time his beloved grandmother dies and his boyfriend dumps him. In a move that is something like a classical gothic horror, Hunter decides to live in Beaumont House after being told by his grandmother on her death bed to burn it down. Beaumont House has no end of secrets (which leads Hunter to uncover the memory of when his parents had died when he was a child) and some of them are quite deadly (this is one house with a bad history).
The subplot featuring the neighbour of Beaumont House, Michael, is where the romance comes in. Michael is a sweet guy and matches well with Hunter. However, Hunter seems to spend a lot of time doubting his new relationship and I’m not entirely sure whether or not this is actually to do with the “demon” of Beaumont House or just Hunter being insecure. This adds a nice, lighter plot to the otherwise dark/horror we otherwise get.
Despite my conflicted feelings, this is a good book and anyone into horror and anything that is generally just creepifying (in the words of Joss Whedon) stories will at least enjoy this read.