Why did I wait so long to read this? What a numpty. In fairness, given one of the themes in this book, and the time at which the story is set, parts of it felt disturbingly topical as I read it and if you know, you know. Not that it bears direct correlation to the current start of affairs in the world, but it certainly goes to show that we (collective humanity) seem incapable of learning form history, no matter what we might think. But, as heinous and objectionable as that part of the story might be, it is a side thread to what is essentially a gothic crime story with more than a slight leaning towards horror. With more than a slight nod to the legend of Jack The Ripper, this is a book which chills from the start and keep readers on the edge of their seat right to the very shocking finale.

Right from the very beginning of this book Craig Russell grabs our attention, introducing a character who will be pivotal to the whole story, although we cannot at this stage understand the extent to which he will influence proceedings, or the impact of his confession on what we are about to uncover. It also introduces us to our protagonist, Viktor Kosárek, even though his is not the first voice we hear. Viktor is a Psychiatrist, and as we first meet him properly he is just about to take up a new post at the Hrad Orlů Asylum where an infamous collection of murderers, known as the Devil's Six, are held. Viktor wants to understand them, to draw out what he calls the 'devil aspect' - the innate part that resides in all of us and the part of us that would see a previously placid person turn to darkness and murder. To understand the true nature of evil.

I know right? That absolutely does not have disaster written all over it. 😳

I actually liked Viktor as a character, even if he did, on occasion, seem a little naive for a psychiatrist. His motives for trying to tap into the darkest recesses of the human mind come from what appears to be a good place, and the more we learn about him, his past, the more i understood his passion. Craig Russell has created a great character here, infusing him with very human traits and motivations, making him likeable and making me invested in his story. In fact, the characters in this book are all well rounded, each with their own peculiarities, and quirks, from the head of the aslyum, Professor Románek, asylum administrator, Judita Blochová, through to Police Kapitán, Lukáš Smolák, each one carries and air of authenticity and, in most cases, of secrecy. We are slowly exposed to their stories, which in turn leads to casting an air of suspicion over most of them in turn.

Aside from Viktor's attempts to uncover the secrets of the human mind, there is second story thread, the hunt for a vicious killer known as 'Leather Apron'. He carries out atrocities against women, the like of which may seem a touch familiar. It's fair to say that these murders are monstrous and we are left in no doubt as to the very dark and depraved nature of the killer. There are many people who fall under suspicion with regards to the identity of the killer, and although I did have suspicions about one aspect of the story, it took a while for the full truth to be revealed. When it happens, when we learn what is really going on, the author brings the story to a crescendo, the pace and tension hitting new heights and really grabbing my attention.

This is a dark book, not just because of Leather Apron, but because of what we learn about history of the six murderers held at Hrad Orlů. Each story creates a chill down the spine and the setting, both time and place, are perfect for this particular tale. 1930's Czechoslovakia, at a time of great political change and on the cusp of one fo the darkest periods in recent history, combined with the many legends and superstitions of the country, lend themselves brilliantly to the story, the authors beautiful prose creating and atmospheric feeling and a slow building edginess, a kind of feeling of apprehension, that give the story that classic horror vibe, akin to a Dracula or Jekyll and Hyde style of tale. Add in the duplicity and fragility of the human mind, and some of the most depraved souls I've read in fiction for a while, and this really did tick all the boxes for me. Chilling and thrilling and all moving towards an edging I can genuinely say that I did not see coming. Either of them. If you know, you know.

Definitely recommended.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A really fast-paced and intense historical thriller but unfortunately one that just didn't quite work for me. Whilst the premise is really interesting - Viktor Kosárek, a psychiatrist newly trained by Carl Jung, arrives at an asylum just outside Prague and attempts to prove that six notorious serial killers share a common archetype of evil whilst a new killer who appears to be imitating Jack the Ripper stalks the city outside - it was just too dark and creepy for me, with too many brutal descriptions of violence and mutilation. The historical setting and use of Eastern European folklore drew me in - as did the Jungean connection - but unfortunately this was just too dark and gory for me and ended up being a DNF. Definitely a case of the wrong reader than that being a reflection on the quality of the book through - if you don't mind the dark elements, this is very fast-paced and intriguing.

THE DEVIL ASPECT is a very well-written, engaging, and atmospheric historical suspense/thriller.
The novel is an examination of what it means to be "evil" - what drives certain individuals to commit unspeakable, brutal acts? It taps into Eastern European folklore, something I don't know much about. Meanwhile, it is also a story of Prague and Czechoslovakia in the shadow of Nazism on the rise in Germany.

A very good suspense thriller, and a recommended read.

Reading this made me remember why I loved this author many years ago, when I starting reading his series about Jan Fabel.

Part psychological thriller, horror novel and historical novel. A creepy and well told and crafted page turner that will give you chills down your spine. Now I need to read the books I have left in the Jan Fabel-series.

This was a well done novel set in a Devil's Castle in a small town outside of Prague. There's a lot of 20th century psychologists and a lot of medieval superstition which makes it a little bit predictable and there was a lot of gore. But I really enjoyed that Russell neither shied away nor focused on the Nazism in the background. It was not my particular cup of tea but it was well written and entertaining.

I found the new novel by Craig Russell quite fascinating and scary. It’s an historical novel with gothic and horror elements that make each page highly suspenseful. At the center of the story there is a brutal serial killer on the loose in a pre-World War II Czechoslovakia where the first signs of tension between Jewish and German-born people start to show.

One of the protagonists of the story is Doctor Victor Kosárek who, after finishing his studies under Carl Jung, is starting his new job at Hrad Orlu, an asylum housed in a ancient medieval castle famous because its residents are the notorious “Devil Six”, the worst psychopatics in Central Europe. Victor hopes that his new tecnique of interviewing will help him figure out the Devil Aspect and uncover the truth behind their acts.

In the meantime, in Prague, the serial killer known as Leather Apron is terrorizing the city and detective Lukas Smolak has to stop him, but the bodies keep piling up and clues lead him to questions some of the residents of Hrad Orlu.

The Devil Aspect is dark, claustrophobic, and chilling. The murders described are gruesome and not for the light-hearted (I found some of the descriptions hard to read). The author couldn’t find apter title for this novel. Through Viktor’s interviews with the inmates of Hrad Orlu we hear some of the worst murders I have ever read and the author masterfully sets them at the beginning of one of the darkest era in history. It’s the year 1935 and the Nazi power is spreading through Europe. We see predictions of a black furutre because of the historical and political situation at the time, we see people not trusting each other because of their religion and origin, the madness and evil inside the asylum going hand to hand with the madness and evil happening outside.

A story of murders, folklore, legends, and beliefs, The Devil Aspect kept me literally on the edge of my seat and it’s full of shocking twists that I didn’t see coming. A real page-turner!

The story begins in Prague in 1935 where we meet Dr Viktor Kosárek, he is leaving Prague for a position at Hrad Orlů, a notorious asylum and former castle, that is now home to The Devil Six, the most insane and depraved murderers that Czechoslovakia knows. Hrad Orlů has a dark history and is avoided by the locals in the village. Prague at this time is being haunted by an atrocious murderer known as Leather Apron. It is on Police Captain Lukáš Smolák to catch Leather Apron and mitigate the terror that the citizens of Prague are feeling.

There is a lot of signposting that Leather Apron’s crimes are reminiscent of Jack the Ripper, in the way that he kills his female targets, although not all of his victims are prostitutes, although they do seem to come from the outskirts of society. Prague is an interesting setting for this book, as it is 17 years after the country became the Republic of Czechoslovakia. This is also an uncertain time in continental Europe with the rise of nationalism in Germany, which is reflected in Czechoslovakia as it is home to people from many places who have made this country their home. Kosárek arrives at the Asylum at a time when people are taking sides with those who see themselves as Czechoslovakian on one side and those who see themselves as German on the other.

Kosárek is employed at the asylum to study The Devil Six as he has an idea that connects their compunctions to an overarching Devil Aspect. Mixing modern ideas on psychiatry and how to treat the criminally insane with Jungian views on the collective unconscious and how mythology is the basis of human psychology. As the book is split between the asylum and Prague, you do begin to wonder how Kosárek and Smolák’s stories will intertwine. Due to this need for both of these characters to interact it does feel like we are being guided to a big showdown between the two.

The Devil Aspect is a dark and atmospheric book which is meticulously planned. Some moments do feel like we are given huge hints of where the book is going, which does slow it down in parts. There are gruesome moments throughout the story, especially when we learn about the crimes of the Devil Six and those performed by Leather Apron. The story also includes some very creepy moments which some of the characters have to endure and hopefully survive. This is a gripping book, but at points, it felt like there were too many ideas having to fight for ascendency. This led to some good twists, although the ending felt a little contrived to me. To end, this is an engaging book, with a dark heart, that verges on a whodunnit in places.

I’m not a massive fan of serial killer fiction, preferring my crime fiction to be noir and/or touching on issues of corruption. But there occasionally a serial killer thriller comes along to break the mould, or at least bring to it something fresh.

The description of The Devil’s Aspect was intriguing. On the cusp of the Second World War, Dr Viktor Kosárek takes a new job at a remote castle in Czechoslovakia that has been converted into a high-security asylum. Its inmates are the Devils Six, six of the worst mass killers in Central Europe. With names like The Woodcutter, The Clown, The Glass Collector, The Sciomancer and The Demon, there’s more than a little silence of The Silence of The Lambs to this novel. But that’s not all, Prague is being terrorised by yet another serial killer, dubbed Leather Apron, and this is a further thread that runs through the narrative.

Dr Kosárek is a Jungian and believes that myths and legends are archetypes common to all humanity. Thus, he has a theory that one’s evil, a person’s Devil’s Aspect, is to blame for all that is wrong in the world and that the killers housed in the asylum did their wicked acts thanks to their Devil’s Aspect getting out of control. To prove his theory, he intends to use narcotics to put his patients into a suggestible state where he can identify and confront. But what he finds is far more frightening than he suspected.

This is a long novel, running to approximately 500 pages, but he pages fly by. It touches on the madness of the Third Reich and Nazism that is about to engulf Europe, the paranormal – the devil and demons – and the hunt for the serial killer, Leather Apron. While Viktor Kosárek is the main character, there is a strong supporting cast. Most notably of all is the Prague police detective, Kapitan Lukáš Smolák, who is in pursuit of Leather Apron and seeks Kosárek’s help and advice, and Judita Blochová, an asylum administrator of Jewish extraction who Kosárek develops feelings for.

This is a great novel and one that I read very quickly. If I have one criticism, it’s that there are a couple of gruesome scenes where Leather Apron’s victims are found. I’m not a prude but I do find the gratuitous violence in serial killer thrillers a little off-putting. Luckily, however, there are less than a handful of these scenes and the author resists the temptation to tip into prurience, something that some other writers of serial killer thrillers do.

The Devil’s Aspect has already been snapped up by Hollywood for adaptation, which is no surprise. This is actually the first novel of Craig Russell’s that I’ve read and on the strength of this I might well dig out his earlier work.

This is my first Craig Russell book, he wasn't a writer that I was at all familiar with but the premise of this sounded fascinating. Initially, I was not sure it was going to be for me - the beginning seemed very slow and plodding. However, I soon realised that slow was just the start of building tension and a fantastically dark and exciting story. The story becomes darker and darker and pulled me right into the depths of that darkness. I thought I knew how it was going to end and while I was close I was still surprised, something that is rare these days. This is a writer I will definitely be returning to.

This is the first book by this author and all I can say is that I am hooked.
It kept me on the edge of my seat while reading it. It is gothic horror placed in 1935 on the beginning of Nazism in Germany. Victor Kosarek, an ambitious psychiatrist who studied under Carl Jung, takes up his post at the notorious Hrad Orlu Asylum housed in a ancient medieval castle steeped in dark history and local folklore. There are only 6 patients in this high security asylum that are the most notorious killers in Czechoslavakia, Pavel Zeleny, the Woodcutter, Leos Mladek, the Clown, Michal Machachek, the Glass Collector, Hedvika Valentova, the Vegetarian, Professor Dominik Bartos, the Sciomancer, and the most dangerous and feared, Vojtec Skala, the Demon. They are all incarcerated for life with no possibility of release. The doctor is there to research for his theory about evil, a phenomenon he names The Devil Aspect.
In meantime in Prague there is a serial killer that is so similar to Jack the reaper in his killing methods.
The author gave us chilling novel and picture of a place and time where prewar madness is boiling in Europe. The story is gripping and chilling with twists and turns and I simply loved it.

I didn't like it. It's nor a badly written book, far from it actually but it CREEPED ME THE HELL OUT. I was scared, I didn't expect to be scared. I don't like to be scared. It just wasn't for me I'm afraid. I'm sorry.

WOW! How does a bookblogger follow such superlative reviews as those above and yet say something more than 'buy this book!' (which is frankly what I want to say!)

Well here we go, I have roused myself from my dramatic fainting couch (metaphorical but one day will be a reality...I need something to throw myself on from these brilliant books I have been able to shout loudly about thsi year, oh yes, one day it will be mine...)

Anyway, I disgress, 'The Devil Aspect' hooked me from the conept-it reminded me of the Amicus horror film ,'Asylum' wherein Robery Powell played the naive psychologist intern and had to guess which of the interned patients was his predecessor.

Further to this, 'The Devil Aspect' is set at a time when the socetal concept of horror, and madness was about to be radically overhauled by the start of World War 2.

With that overshadowing the narrative, the reader is immediately immersed into an action scene that introduces the main character, naive young psychologist Viktor Kosarev who is about to take up a post at a castle with 6 inmates, known locally as 'The Devil's 6'.

Mixing eastern European folklore with a limited understanding of mental health conditions, we are walking in Viktor's steps as he assess the patients whilst the overarching plot of the serial killer on the loose-The Leather Apron-ramps up the tension to unbearable levels.

It recalls to mind the famous saying by Rorschach in 'Alan Moore's 'Watchmen' are they locked in there with him, or is he locked in there with them? By which I mean that 'The Devil Aspect' -referring to the theory that Viktor has developed-looks into the nature of evil, its intrinsic and extrinsic factors within the context of fear of the supernatural.

If we acknowledge the existence of a devil who can make us behave in a certain way, does that negate the issue of free choice, abdicating our mental state instead to a concept of evil???

Or rather, does free will allow the devil to get in?

And if it doesn't exist within the inmates, it surely is waiting outside in the form of a serial killer, or is it deeper than that,embedded in the very foundation of the castle itself? Could the character of Hobbs which comes through under the Devil Aspect therapy be the actual Devil conjured  by the a triumvirate of evil, madness and belief? After all, Hobbs is an old nickname for Old Nick himself...

Fascinating and intriguing, the isolation of the castle, whilst knowing that the Leather Apron is lurking, waiting with sharpened anticipation of new victims, feeding off fear and ignorance.

A brilliant read with memorable characters exposed to a seeping air of growing menace from all quarters, this is Craig Russell's best novel to date (imho) and he has written some brilliant ones (my favourite being 'Brother Grimm' which I have dug out to read as a companion piece to 'The Devil Aspect' -nerves of steel from this hardy Welsh woman or what??

This was a fascinating, complex tail. As someone who usually skim reads pretty quickly this was not my usual type of book, it was not a book suited to fast reading. The story covers a lot of characters but each of them have a unique place in the story and they are all so well written that it isn’t confusing.
The Devil Aspect is a mix of horror, crime, psychology and history. As well as following the psychologist as he attempts to prove his theory, we also hear from the police as they attempt to prove that a killer is real and not some spectre. I really enjoyed the setting of the book. The comparison between the city and the remoteness of the mountains where the criminals where hidden was fascinating.

This was a gripping and twisted story that will keep you awake long after you finish it.

Fantastic Gothic horror set in Czechoslovakia. Atmospheric and haunting - a real page-turner! I'll be seeking out more by Mr Russell!

This will go live on 27 April.


Viktor is the new resident psychiatrist in an asylum housing the foulest of criminals, who are aptly nick-named the Devil’s Six. Viktor not only wants to treat these criminals, he also wants to experiment on them, because he’s desperate to isolate the Devil Aspect: he believes that the Devil is not a supernatural being, but rather a natural force that lives in people. But because this force is hiding, people often don’t realise it’s there and so they don’t remember their violent actions. Viktor believes that if he can find where the Devil hides, he can reach him and bind him, thus healing the patient. Well that’s ambitious to say the least! I’ve always been fascinated by the human mind, especially the criminal mind, so I was very curious to find out where the story would take me.

This psychological aspect is a very important one. There’s quite a lot of mention of Jung and his theories, and while it never felt like an information dump, I do feel you need to be interested in psychology and psychiatry, if only a little bit, to be able to enjoy this novel.

Besides the psychological angle, another important aspect of the story is Eastern European folklore, myths and legends. Again, these elements are neatly woven into the story, but again, I do feel you need to be at least a little bit interested in those to really appreciate this novel.

A third, and perhaps the most prevalent, aspect of this novel is horror. There’s the mystery of Leather Apron who brutally kills his victims and we’re also taken back to certain events and actions that earned the asylum’s residents the nickname of the Devil’s Six. Certain scenes are chilling to the bone. But then, what did you expect from a story about the Devil’s Six?! Sometimes there’s blood and gore, but sometimes there’s just this unspeakable evil and you guys, at times I was truly terrified! A large part of that was also the gothic setting, which was absolutely brilliant. An old, remote castle overlooking a small village, turned into an asylum for the criminally insane? It doesn’t get more atmospheric than that! The era it’s set in is equally well-chosen: at the dawn of WWII, what better times for a story about the evil that dwells in mankind?

Overall I found this a very intriguing, atmospheric novel that made me ponder human nature and the criminal mind. However, it didn’t always grip me as much as I’d thought it would and, despite my interests in its various topics and aspects, The Devil Aspect made for rather dense and heavy reading, it felt like I was making slow progress. However, I do feel it was well worth my time and efforts!

In terms of the Leather Apron mystery, The Devil Aspect only gives up its secrets in its last fifty pages. Was I taken by surprise? Not entirely, I did suspect who Leather Apron was, but nevertheless, I felt it was cleverly plotted and I really enjoyed the ride.

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the free eARC. All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.

The most famous serial killers in Czechoslovakia are kept in a remote asylum in the countryside. The asylum is a castle with a reputation for evil and since the 'Devil's Six' have been housed there the rumours in the local area have intensified. Dr Victor Kosarek is excited to be going to work there and to use a new technique to try to get inside the minds of the millers. Meanwhile in Prague a killer is mutilating his female victims in a way reminiscent of the killings in London half a century previously. As the far right gain more power in Europe a different evil is on the move.
As a simple psychological novel this book is fairly predictable but still enjoyable. However two things make it stand out, firstly the links to psychological experimentation and the philosophies of such as Freud and Jung, and secondly the consideration of what evil actually is. The latter is handled with real sophistication, linking Slavic folklore to events involving Jack the Ripper and finally hinting at more regarding the Nazi policies.

The blurb for The Devil Aspect was certainly intriguing enough for me to want to read the book. I felt it started strongly with the young doctor leaving Prague for his dream job (and everyone else's nightmare) of working with six of the worst and most dangerous criminally insane patients in an asylum housed in a remote castle stronghold. When he was attacked at the station, I thought it would be a good sub-plot. But it simply fizzled out.

There was plenty that I liked about the book: the Gothic castle, Prague and the Czech countryside as settings; the distinctions between the different ethnic groups within Czechoslovakia at the time and which languages they used as a mark of status; rising tensions within Central Europe and the early signs of the rise of the Nazi party; the use of Czech folklore was a particular embellishment I enjoyed. And I admired Victor's concern for his friend which kept drawing him back to Prague.

What was less appealing were how the female characters were either weak or victims here. I also smarted at the killer being a Jack the Ripper copycat. I didn't find the experiments lived up to their promise for revelations and conflict and early on in the book when I could see where this was all leading us, I hoped that I would be proved wrong. When I wasn't, it was a huge disappointment. Not one for me, I'm afraid.

Set in Czechoslovakia in 1935 the Devil's Aspect cleverly combines a gruesome murder mystery with psychological theory while delving in detail into a history and a place I knew very little about. It asks the question of what is it that drives someone to do evil things. Does everyone have the potential for both good or evil or is there some kind of external force that can drive someone to commit the most horrific of crimes?

It truly is a fascinating read as in addition to exploring the various psychological theories I feel like I also discovered so much about Eastern Europe in the period just before the first world war. I have to confess my knowledge of this time (and place) is almost non existent but through this story it seemed like the author truly brought it to life. Capturing the melting pot of different cultures, ethnicities and religions as well as the ever present threat of the Nazi's and the knowledge of what's to come. It makes for a truly ominous setting.

Add to that an asylum set in a castle that would give Dracula's a run for its money in terms of its history and the superstitions surrounding it and a killer who seems to imitating Jack the Ripper and you have a dark, disturbing and often grotesque read with a gothic feel to it.

The story itself is told primarily from the point of view of two men. The first, Victor is a psychiatrist who takes up a position at an asylum made infamous for homing the six most feared serial killers in Czechoslovakia. He hopes through treating them to find evidence on his theory of the devil aspect, a common link that can explain why they committed such heinous crimes. The second pov is that of Smolak, Kapitan of detectives in Prague who is leading the hunt for a brutal murderer leaving bodies all over Prague.

The narrative flips back and forth between the two men as we discover more about them and their work before the threads slowly start to come together and Smolak finds that Victor may be able to help him catch this new serial killer before the body count grows higher.

I have to admit I found myself more drawn to Smolak's story than Victor's. Victor's does have a bit of a Silence of the Lambs feel to it as he interviews each of the serial killers residing in the asylum, learning the details of the crimes they committed and trying to identify the reason behind it. However, while I did find the stories of the killers compelling I'm not wholly convinced the level of detail or psychoanalysis was necessary. I also found Victor a little on the frustrating side as his determination to prove his theory leads to some reckless and dangerous actions.

Smolak was for me the more likeable of the two, he has this world weariness to him but never judges things at face value or jumps to the easy answer. I found his investigation into the murders of several women by a killer known only as Leather Apron to be fascinating. He's very methodical in his approach and despite an ambitious deputy who seems determined to push him out he doesn't go for the quick or the easy. It was also wonderful to explore the Prague of that time with him as he travels around the city, visiting crime scenes and following up leads.

The mystery itself is very well done with the author leaving little hints and clues along the way as to who the culprit may be while also throwing in the odd red herring to throw you completely off track. I did guess pretty early on who the killer was, I've read a lot of similar type mysteries, but the story was no less gripping for it and there were still a few little surprises in store along the way.

If I had one main criticism of this book however it's that I found it a little on the slow side. With the level of detail needed around the history of the time, the place, the people and psychology it's unlikely it could ever have been a fast paced, edge of the seat read but there is the odd occasion where I felt there was more detail than needed (although this is probably a personal taste thing). As a consequence it fell a little short of the terrifying read promised, although it is often chilling and disturbing.

Overall I'm very glad to have read this truly fascinating and often disturbing story. I would recommend to anyone who likes historical crime fiction.

I read quite a lot of thrillers so it takes a lot for a book to standout as being truly exceptional and unique. The Devil’s Aspect is just that as not only is it a dark, Gothic thriller that is utterly gripping but the author manages to combine a gruesome murder mystery with some Czech mythology and some fantastic historical details which combined makes for a completely enthralling read.

The author has created some brilliant, though rather sinister characters in this book which were great to read about. They all had a fascinating back story that helped to add to the atmosphere in the book. The ‘devil’s’six’ were particularly vividly described and sent a shiver down my spine whilst reading about them. Through them the reader is given the feeling that anything could happen and I felt on edge throughout the book wondering what was going to happen next.

This was a quite a fast paced book as there is lots going on and different themes running through the story to keep things very intriguing. I loved working out how everything was going to come together and learning more about Czech mythology which always fascinates me. There were lots of twists that took me by surprise with the ending being particularly shocking, tying everything up very nicely!

Huge thanks to Clara from Little Brown for my copy of this book and for inviting me onto the blog tour.