A slow burn horror with toxic families, haunted villas, and a complicit Italian town. This one starts slow and the true horror for me at first was the insidious, toxic, gaslighting family Anna is entangled in and aware of but is still trapped under the “but they’re family” rhetoric. If you know, you know.

Accompanying the family tension is the pressing knowledge that something isn’t right with the families vacation rental….

I read Thorne’s previous book Lute and did not like to at all, but I’m so glad I read Diavola  because I feel like this is what Lute was supposed to be but she hasn’t quite gotten the hang of it yet. 

 A perfect blend of horror, toxic families, accepting the self, and lore all rolled into one little Italian town. I loved this book and could relate to a lot of the themes of suffering for the sake of family, and felt very connected to Anna.  I also LOVE a good low burn horror and Thorne does an amazing job of instilling that sense of slow gradual rot that occurs with a haunting. 

This one is fun, creepy, and just a great ride. Love it!