The Devil's Footprints
by Amanda Stevens
A dark
haunting thriller unlocks the thoughts of a killer
The
Devil's Footprints by Amanda Stevens chills and thrills with a
dark mesmerizing story of legends, a past murder and a hunt to unlock
the past as a current day killer becomes ever more closer. The Devil's
Footprints is a fast-paced read with a haunting eeriness as memorable
imagery combines with a tight plot structure.
A 1922 Arkansas legend tells of evil and cloven footprints in the snow
disappearing over a river and appearing on the other side, haunting the
memories of a town. Years later, the gruesome creepy murder of Rachel
DeLaune hearkens back to that legend. Cloven footprints reappear and
the sound of bells in the background, tolling out the gruesome death,
create an almost supernatural aura. The case remains unsolved, haunting
tattoo artist Sarah DeLaune to this day. When Sarah DeLaune's former
boyfriend and New Orleans police officer Sean Kelton encounters a
murder some 14 years later, he thinks Sarah's past might be the key to
unlocking the killer. An eerie similarity to Rachel's murder puts Sean
on edge. The sound of bells, tattoos and drawings in strange
undecipherable symbols add a mysterious, creepy dimension that needs
unlocking to understand the motive.
When additional murders occur, the bodies found near Sarah's home,
Sean's instincts about Sarah may lead beyond to clues. A new urgency
forces him to rely on Sarah to unlock the mysteries of the past and
present. Can Sarah trust him or herself to peer into the past? The more
she remembers, the more questions remain. As she becomes closer to the
truth, the killer becomes closer to her. Around Sarah, all moves in a
spiraling nexus of darkness that threatens to engulf everyone connected
to her. Can Sarah unravel the mysteries of her past in time to save
herself from the approaching threat?
As much as I adored this author's The
Dollmaker, her new thriller is even more memorable! Darker and
creepier, the striking imagery chills to the very core as the search
for a killer unveils the layers of darkness surrounding the events of
the past. Amanda Stevens allows the reader to see the killer, indeed to
know the killer through his own words and Sarah's past without
revealing the identity. As an author with a long history of writing
romantic suspense, her entry into the thriller genre brings with it a
gift for peering into the very heart of her characters, the dark place
of the killer's mind that chills beyond clues. Amanda Stevens makes the
reader feel a certain kind of empathy for the killer, creating a
thriller all the more creepy as the horrors and deeds are uncovered. A
supernatural imagery mixes with psychology to create a terrifying look
into a cold case, memory and the legacy of the present day
consequences. Indeed, Amanda Stevens' brilliant use of imagery gives an
unusual glimpse into the dynamics behind the murders. As the plot moves
forward, clues lead the reader deeper and deeper into the heart of the
darkness. Until the very last pages, everyone may be suspect.
Fast-paced action mixes with a chilling revelation as Sean and Sarah
realize the terrifying end to their hunt for a killer. The Devil's Footprints is a
haunting thriller!
Publisher: Mira (March 2008)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
