Devil’s Creek by Todd Keisling.

Silver Shamrock, 2020

ISBN-13 : 978-1951043032

Available:  Paperback, Kindle edition ( Bookshop.com | Amazon.com )

Small-town horror is the backbone of much of the horror canon, and for good reason. When done well, it’s claustrophobic, up-close and personal, and forces readers to confront pieces of themselves that could be easily shoved away in a big city or suburbia. When done beautifully, it turns out like Devil’s Creek. Todd Keisling has succeeded in a sub-genre where many fall prey to tired tropes. This novel as a Stoker finalist belongs on the final ballot, as it is greater than the sum of its parts.

There used to be a church in the Stauford,  just fifteen miles from Devil’s Creek.  The Lord’s Church of The Holy Voices devoured many lives in a mass suicide, yet a small group fought against the preacher, Jacob Masters, who served a nameless god that harkened back to echoes of Lovecraft, Machen, and films such as The Void. Mere remnants of the cult remain, with Jacob’s children, the “Stauford Six” surviving to live with the nightmares.

Long after the massacre, Jack Tremly,  one of the “Stauford Six”, returns to Stauford to handle his grandmother’s estate. What ensues carves deep into the bedrock of the town and Devil’s Creek, the bloodlines of the townsfolk, the cult, and religion itself.

The cult/religious element is a tricky endeavor to tackle, but Keisling handles it well, and many see a performance to rival  Salem’s Lot. While I wouldn’t place the novel on that altar yet, Devil’s Creek comes close, and should hoist a few awards this year.

Written with a deft touch, it’s a smooth read that is highly recommended to anyone in the horror fan club.

Reviewed by David Simms

Editor’s note: Devil’s Creek  is a nominee on the final ballot for this year’s Bram Stoker Awards in the category of Superior Achievement in a Novel.