Diavola was terrifying and I loved it so, so much. Full review to come when I can breathe again.

Diavola scared the pants off me, in the middle of the day, in broad daylight.

Anna is dreading joining her family in Italy for a weeks-long vacation at a villa. She’s never fit in with her family and they hold her responsible for ruining past vacations.

When she arrives, it’s not just her family that’s unsettling — there’s a locked-up tower, strange noises at night, and flashlight beams outside the villa windows.

I love a slow burn haunting story, and Jennifer Thorne builds dread so beautifully that I found myself having to take breaks while reading. This one seriously creeped me out.

She also captures the black sheep family dynamic so well. Everyone in Anna’s family are complex, messed up people, and the way they picked away at each other was both heartbreaking and hilarious.
Reading Diavola was so stressful: I’m not sure if I was hoping more for the family to leave the clearly haunted villa or for Anna to finally stand up to them.

Diavola is the spookiest book I’ve read in 2024 so far, and a must read for anyone who loves a creepy ghost story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for my review copy of this book.