This was a cracking read. I have not read anything by Craig Russell for years but I know he is an author I have enjoyed in the past, so when I saw this and read the blurb, I was intrigued. Viktor Kosarek is a psychiatrist on his way to take up a position at an old Czechoslovakian castle which has been turned into a mental asylum. The castle has a dark history and the only inmates are six extremely violent serial killers, known as The Devil's Six. Viktor believes that inside each of us is something he calls the Devil Aspect and if he can find it in these patients, he may be able to cure them. But the search takes him into darker territory than he ever imagined possible. Set just before the outbreak of the second world war, and redolent with the tensions and issues from that time, fear and darkness swirl around the protagonists and the story builds inexorably to a thrilling conclusion. I enjoyed it very much.

When does insanity become pure evil?

Dr Viktor Kośarek, a clinical psychiatrist, has accepted a position working at the Hrad Orlů Asylum for the Criminally Insane, the Castle where the “Devil’s Six” are kept under lock and key. These six most violent killers who have each committed a multitude of crimes so gruesome that they can never be released. Dr Kośarek has a theory that these six will help him prove his theory that “There were different architectures of madness. The Great Sadness could take any of an infinite range of forms….. Some of these assembled structures, which we all had to some degree, could be sound enough: reinforced supports and protections to help us deal with emotional or psychic trauma. Others, on the other hand, would embellish into grotesqueries; would become gross deformities of personality. Some would even accumulate into great dark palaces of madness that overwhelmed the mind: monstrous belvederes that shadowed and distorted the view in all directions.”

Would studying the six help him prove that the Devil occupied these six to commit their unspeakable crimes? It seemed to Dr Kośarek that the very castle the six were being held in, was evil to its core.

Kapitán Lukáš Smolák of the Prague City Police is called to yet another gruesome murder committed by the maniac holding the city to ransom, the killer known as “Leather Apron”. Will he capture this man, a person who seems to have “A Devil Aspect”?

I’ve often wondered if buildings or places hold evil. I know that I’ve felt very cold or uneasy when I've gone to certain areas. I think this book has convinced me that this “Devil Aspect” is real and not something that I’ve dreamt up.

Do I believe that people sell their souls to the Devil? Absolutely! Satanism is real. However, I’m still pondering over whether this means that people who practice this could commit some of the crimes that are described in this book. But then I feel that maybe people like Hitler and his closest companions must have had this “Devil Aspect”, because how else could they have carried out their deeds?

This is an outstanding book. Filled with some of the most lyrical writing I’ve seen in print. It’s a story that held me captive from the very first sentence until the final page.

I do however feel as though I need to cleanse myself of the horrors, I’ve read about over the past few days. I need to keep reminding myself that it's merely a story, not real!

Treebeard

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

A dark and creepy story set in Czechoslovakia between the wars. A detective is hunting down a brutal serial killer in Prague is one strand of the story while the other one is of a Doctor researching into the physic of the six unhinged murderers confined in a mental institution. The place is a medieval castle on a crag that overlooks dark forests with nearby ancient villages still steeped in ancient myths and superstitions passed down from prehistoric times of devils and other Gods that populate the forest. The Doctor has a theory that the murders that they have each committed are so deranged and evil that there could be an underlying Devil deep within them that caused their actions. The horrific actions of the serial killer that involves butchering the victim while still alive and from evidence that the detective has obtained seems to indicate that they are similar to those that were committed by the murders in the castle. This leads him to visit the castle to seek the doctors input. However some believe that the Castle is the home of the devil and that via secret passages an inmate could sneak out to be the serial killer. Overall is the looming menace of Nazi Germany with their evil doctrine to slaughter all who they consider to be misfits in society.

Set in 1935 'The Devil Aspect' is an atmospheric and chilling novel set in pre-war Czechoslovakia.
In a Castle outside Prague a lunatic asylum for the criminally insane houses only six inmates known as the 'Devils Six', six notorious and dangerously insane murderers. It is in this asylum that psychiatrist Victor Kosarek takes up his new post, using revolutionary and new methods to delve into the minds of his patients.
At the same time the police in Prague are desperately trying to locate a killer who is roaming the gas lit cobbled streets of Prague looking for his next victim.

From the outset the menacing tone of the book was really well done, I found myself immersed into the gothic castle and feeling uncomfortable yet compelled to read on as Victor conducted his medical tests on the inmates. The characterisation and scene setting are good, the period the novel was set in with unrest that the locals were feeling about the rising popularity of the German Nazi party add to the sense of foreboding. The surrounding countryside and the castle are well depicted making it easy to find yourself transported to pre-war Czechoslovakia, the cobbled streets of the city and the green forests that surround the castle. Scenery that even now will be familiar to those who have visited the area.

After reading the blurb on this novel and having recently returned from a visit to Prague, it was curiosity that drew me to this novel even though its not my normal choice of genre, it was a good choice that took me well outside my comfort zone.

A well researched, well written and very good read, I enjoyed it. I've not read anything by this author previously but will certainly do so now.

Disclaimer: My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the advance reading copy. The content of this review is my own honest opinion and I was under no obligation to review this novel favourably or otherwise. for the advance reading

Czechoslovakia 1935, and in scenes reminiscent of London’s Jack the Ripper, someone is butchering women in a most brutal and sickening manner. Cold, damp, and foggy weather lends an ethereal and creepy feel to the streets and alleyways of Prague’s Old Town, whilst at the same time having the effect of dulling the streetlights - very convenient for those with murder in mind!

In a small village outside Prague, psychiatrist Victor is about to start his new job at an asylum for the criminally insane. This is a state of the art facility within a medieval castle, sitting in splendid isolation atop a forest covered mountain.

The villagers below are superstitious about the castle - for hundreds of years it seems to have attracted those intent on murder, torture and an interest in the occult! They even view those who work there currently with suspicion, and wonder exactly what medical experiments are being performed. There are only six patients incarcerated in the castle, but these are the most dangerous and deviant killers known to man.

Using a new medical technique, Victor hopes to prove his theory that these killers share a phenomenon known as the ‘Devil Aspect ‘ but as his work continues he becomes concerned that they might also share something much darker!

Gosh, this has such a dark and menacing feel to it, increased by the inclusion of the culture and sinister folklore of this particular region. It was certainly well written, and the characters were perfectly at ease in their skins, frighteningly so at times. The plot was interesting as it attempts to tie the murders in Prague, to the patients in the asylum, in what can only be described as a supernatural twist. Oppressive at times, this was nevertheless a compelling and darkly gothic read.

The Devil Aspect

So far, I’ve only read some of the Jan Fabel books by Russell, but I liked them a lot so I was curious about this book by the same author.
Is it a thriller? Is it a novel? Is it historical fiction? Is it horror? Is it non-fiction? A brief history of the few short more or less peaceful years in young Czechoslovakia, before Hitler took over?
All of the above, I think. But most of all, by far the best book I’ve read in 2018 (and it was a very good year in books).
I don’t have to tell you who the main characters are because you can read that easily from all the previously published reviews. What I would like to try and write about is how this story made me feel. To start with that I feel absolutely inadequate to even try and review a book as impressively good as this one. Here, Craig Russell is at his best in describing not only the characters in the book, but he succeeds in re-telling old stories in a way that the characters in those stories blend seamlessly into the main story. Czechoslovakia itself plays an important role, because the country as a whole is mightily struggling; there are so many ethnic groups within its borders; groups that don’t always see eye to eye. We all know how this ended and during the story we can see and feel the evil that lurks in the near future.
It all starts quite innocent, with young psychiatrist Victor leaving Prdiscoague for his new and prestigious job. His only regret is that he cannot properly say goodbye to his best friend Filip – and here it is that the reader starts wondering about Filip. Who is he and why is he not present to say goodbye to Viktor? And later, when Viktor meets the young woman that is fast to become the love of his life, we feel that something must and will go wrong. Such is the atmosphere of the book.
It is the kind of story that you want to read more than once, and keep Wikipedia close because Russell did some extensive research, of which he naturally could not use everything in the book itself. It is up to the reader to educate him/herself and discover the many, many things that lie beneath this story.
I think the story may be a little more entertaining for European readers, because Europeans will be more conversant with the whole background.
Many thanks to Little, Brown for the digital review copy.

This is a novel of many parts - by which I mean it combines Gothic horror, police procedural, the start of a love story, and a who-done-it, with a bit of Jungian psychology, Czechoslovakian mythology with hints of Jack the Ripper and the supernatural thrown in. Oh, and with added Nazis. Now this may sound like a mishmash - a throw everything at the wall and see what sticks, kind of book - but actually it works very well. All the elements weave together like a fugue and keep you guessing until the ghastly truth is finally revealed.

The prose is excellent - sufficiently stiff and formal to bring the period to life - 1930s Europe - but with a no holds barred attitude to the description of the tortures and crimes perpetrated, not only by the killer on the loose but by the six psychopaths confined in a Bluebeard-type castle. Yes, this novel truly ticks all boxes, references all genres.

It wasn't what I was expecting when I chose it, but nevertheless I couldn't put it down. I did feel the descriptions of the horrors went on a bit for my taste - to the extent that I became blase, but if this is your sort of thing it's probably one of the best written examples you'll find.

Amazing, outstanding, terrifying and marvellous. This was such an intense read that I literally had to put it down and walk away for a breather on more than one occasion.

Dr Viktor Kosarek is a young psychiatrist who believes he has found a revolutionary new way of treating psychotic murderers. He starts to work with ‘Devil's Six’, six individuals incarcerated in a remote castle asylum in rural Czechoslovakia and hear the gruesome stories of their crimes. At the same time there is a killer on the loose in Prague who seems to be re-enacting the crimes of Jack the Ripper. The novel is set just before the outbreak of the Second World War which adds to the sense of foreboding and dread.

This is an elegantly written novel of gothic horror and disturbing psychology. It combines Jungian theory with downright terrifying action. I can honestly say I have never read anything like it before; it scared me silly and I will not forget it for a long time.

And breathe….

I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

The Devil Aspect has two main elements to its plot. There is Viktor’s work in rural Czechoslovakia with the Devil’s Six, and the police investigation in Prague as a serial killer known only as ‘Leather Apron’ seeks out women, murdering and mutilating them for his own twisted pleasure.

Viktor is relatively new to the field of psychology, and is seeking to prove his theory that we each contain a little bit of evil in us (the titular Devil Aspect) even though most of us don’t act upon our darkest impulses. Being able to work with the notorious inmates Hrad Orlů is the perfect chance to explore, refine, and prove his theory. I absolutely loved how the sessions with each of the six inmates were portrayed, as the reader gets to “sit in” on the sessions that Viktor undertakes with each patient. I found it fascinating that these six characters, each of which is kept isolated from the others, have commonalities in their stories and the motivation behind their crimes. Is Viktor onto something with his theory, or is there another explanation for this?

The second plot element deals with the police investigation in Prague into the murders committed by ‘Leather Apron’, the moniker derived from the attire he wears to commit his atrocities. I loved this part of the story, as we follow Lukáš Smolák’s investigation into a killer who leaves very few clues behind him. And the crimes are beginning to get personal to Smolák, as Leather Apron begins to target witnesses and those helping with the investigation. Of course, the stories begin to overlap, as Smolák seeks the help of those at the asylum with his investigation, working, as they do, with individual’s much like his current target, bringing the two narratives together nicely. Russell portrays his serial killers and psychopaths extremely well, and each of the ‘Devil’s Six’ as well as the killer on the loose (who fits so well into that gang), are terrifying and brutal.

The Devil Aspect is set in 1935, and I thought that Russell pulled in contextual elements brilliantly, exploring the fears associated with shift in political viewpoints held by some, particularly the rise of antisemitism and the idea of a master race. This provides a terrifying backdrop to the novel, and to me highlighted exactly what life was like at the time. This is a brilliantly researched novel, and given the psychological nature of the novel, Russell also pulls in developments and theories of psychology, particularly the Jungian psychology that Viktor prescribes to. There are also folkloric influences which add a wonderful Gothic flavour to the novel. Having so many elements in a novel doesn't always work, but I thought that Russell pulled it all together seamlessly creating one brilliantly dark and coherent novel.

It’s a cliché, but this really is a book that I couldn’t put down as I desperately wanted to know the identity of ‘Leather Apron’ as well as the outcome of Viktor’s work with the ‘Devil’s Six’. The plot is outstanding, and builds up to a fantastic conclusion that was completely unexpected. This is a wonderfully dark novel with Gothic undertones that I recommend to anyone looking for a novel that offers the reader something a little different to the norm.

I enjoyed this book immensely; the setting was perfect for the gothic style narrative, pre-war Prague and the looming medieval castle, overlaid with echoes of Victorian London. Characterisation was both clearly drawn and suitably vague (where necessary), with some very sympathetic characters.

Following the methodology of Sherlock Holmes, I reasoned the solution to the central mystery quite early on. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop me enjoying the story; on the contrary, although I guessed what was to come, I was uneasily dragged along (almost unwillingly!) to the final unsettling yet unavoidable conclusion.

A very entertaining read!

Craig Russell is well-known for his dark crime fiction writing, but The Devil Aspect must surely be his more ambitious and entertaining work yet, moving out of detective fiction for an even darker ride through Gothic historical fiction and mythology that takes us from Veles the Slavic God of the Underworld to Jack the Ripper, from the Gates of Hell to the origins of the Holocaust, and later even a little bit further than that.

There's an irresistible dark fascination to The Devil Aspect right from the outset, where a dangerous maniac known as Leather Apron has just killed his fourth victim on the streets of Prague, his methods similar to the Jack the Ripper killings in Whitechapel. In Prague in 1935 however, there almost seems to be an epidemic of madness and mental breakdown on the streets as Dr Vikor Kosárek arrives in the city. He's about to take up a post as clinical psychiatrist in the Hrad Orlů asylum, a castle with a dark past that currently houses just six inmates. These inmates however are collectively known as the Devil's Six and are the most dangerous mental patients in Central Europe.

A Jungian disciple, Dr Kosárek has a theory that he calls the Devil Aspect; a theory that the potential for madness lies in all of us and with the right trigger applied those most susceptible can be pushed towards acts of great evil. He wants to test this theory out through some revolutionary new treatments on the Devil's Six and his experiments lead to some surprising results. Meanwhile not far away in Prague - perhaps too close to the Hrad Orlů asylum - Kapitán Lukáš Smolák is receiving worrying reports that there may be a supernatural demonic aspect to the killer who is still at large on the streets of the city.

The Devil's Aspect is more than just a Gothic horror and there is definitely some real-world significance in the idea of madness infecting the people in this part of the world in 1935, with the German speaking population of the country falling under the spell of an Austrian maniac and his Nazi party on the other side of the border. Prostitutes, gypsies, Jews and others of 'impure' stock seem to be the main victims of Leather Apron and it's creating an undercurrent of unrest that is spilling over into discord in the bars and streets of Prague, a kind of mass psychosis that will afflict a whole nation and lead to even greater horrors to come.

Although the parallel gives it a little more substance, The Devil Aspect has much more going on than that. Russell also draws from Bohemian history and Slavic mythology, scientific exploration, parapsychology and mysticism, but there is also the dark fascination of delving under hypnosis into the troubled minds of each of the Devil's Six; each with their own twisted views and murderous actions, all of them still potentially very dangerous. It's a rich and ridiculously entertaining brew that ensures that there is never a dull passage in the book that unravels with plenty of shocks, twists and horror.

The Devil Aspect is a beautifully readable piece of gothic horror from the pen of Craig Russell, a tense and atmospheric historical mystery with an evocative, authentic setting. 

I love those novels that leave you vaguely disturbed and not quite of this world for a while- that is what The Devil Aspect achieves, with the horror unfolding on the page within a time where you know worse horrors are to come. The author weaves a web around elements of psychology, myth and reality, it is often brutal, occasionally shocking and always fascinating, a true glimpse into that allegorical abyss.

The two strands eventually come together in a genuinely  haunting finale, this is part serial killer thriller, part horror and entirely immersive with it’s authentic history and it’s madly intriguing characters. 

Very good indeed. Scary. Had me checking for monsters in the closet even as we all know they really reside out in the world. 

Recommended.

Not my normal type of reading, I was strangely drawn into this tale and read it in a couple of days. I found it quite a complex story until I settled into the book, and a plot that will stay with me.

When I read the blurb of The Devil Aspect I was instantly intrigued. The story sounded dark and complex plus the setting of Czechoslovakia in the years leading up to World War Two only made me more interested. As I began to read, the first thing I noticed was the writing style which is elegant and harkens back beautifully to the time this book is set. The gorgeous writing sets the tone perfectly and there really is a lovely use of language especially when discussing psychology which is one of the central themes of The Devil Aspect.

One of the biggest strengths of this book is that the time period it covers is so fascinating and harrowing. Reading about the stirrings of the Second World War and seeing the signs of the darkness approaching these characters that some of them remain unaware of is compelling and saddening. It’s also a fascinating look at this specific area of Europe at this time and the history and mythology surrounding Czechoslovakia. The dark themes of The Devil Aspect are all too real, including the rise of the Nazi party but also bringing in notorious figures like Jack the Ripper which was subtle and cleverly done. Jack the Ripper has been examined and investigated so closely but still remains a shadowy unknown spectre in many ways. Tying the story to him added a great deal of mystery and drama.

The characters of The Devil Aspect are complex and engaging. Unusually, for me at least, I actually found every single character equally interesting which made the book all the more enjoyable. The plot took some twists and turns that I anticipated and some that I didn’t but the story was so well written that it made no difference to how much I liked this novel. I also think the ending was dealt with in a way which was engrossing and realistic but also felt true to the rest of the book.

I loved reading The Devil Aspect and it felt really different and original when compared to some other psychological thrillers. The plot, historical setting and characters are fantastic and a real highlight is the writing which is riveting and intelligent. I will definitely be looking to read more from this author.

There's a point in most books where something happens that makes the whole book come together. This point can elicit many responses from readers, good and bad, depending on its execution. Sometimes I have felt cheated, sometimes I have sat back and said "what?" but in this book, when it came, I just sat back in shock and awe, put the book down and applauded the author for a job so very well done. Then I picked it up and carried straight on, eager to see how what I now knew panned out.
Victor, a newly trained Jungian psychiatrist, is on his way to his new job at the infamous Hrad Orlu Asylum where the six most heinous criminals, The Devil's Six, are incarcerated. He is eager to test out his new, controversial, methods to get beyond the men and their crimes, and into their minds to seek out what he calls The Devil Aspect. The Asylum itself is veiled in its own mysterious and shocking past with many secrets and myths contained within its walls, and rumours of hidden passageways are rife. Slowly he starts his work, taking each of the six in turn and things soon start to becomes rather shocking as his discoveries take a darker turn. But he himself is personally distracted by the behaviour of an old friend and he takes a bit of time to try and help him.
Meanwhile in Prague, Police are investigating some of the worst crimes they have seen. Lukas Smolak is heading up the investigation of a criminal dubbed Leather Apron who has brutally killed several people already, with that count rapidly rising as they are given pretty much no clues to progress their investigations. Until one suspect comes to light but Smolak isn't wholly convinced.
What follows then is the most fantastic story delving into the depth of the most depraved minds until the most shocking truth is finally revealed.
There is so much I can say about this book. The amazing research that has gone into creating the characters, setting (both time and place) and the story itself. But most of that is better discovered as the author intends in the right time so I am reluctant to add anything here to spoil that. Unlike most books that I whizz through at a rate of knots, I reined myself in with this one and allowed myself the time and attention to fully immerse myself in the wonderful world and story that the author has created. It really was a wonderful journey that the author took me on.
In The Devil's Six, the author has created the best characters and I really found their individual stories added to the horrific and depraved tone that the book started to take. The way they each told their stories was a fascinating insight into the most evil of minds, especially when things started to get a bit, shall we say, complex. This was offset by a smattering of romance which kept the book from getting too dark and heavy but not too much to distract from what was going on.
We also touched a bit on what was going on in Czechoslovakia in the time leading up to the second world war and the uprising of the Nazis and the beginning of ethnic cleansing. Again, all so very well researched by the author and introduced and explained in a very easy to follow way.
Going back to the comment I made at the start of my review, that moment where nearly everything I was confused about came together, delivering me one heck of a sucker punch as it was something that I never even considered in my mind but which, when explained, came across as completely credible rather than just thrown in from left field. Yes we do have some pretty good diversionary tactics by the author, along with a few red herrings thrown into the mix from a rather eclectic mix of supporting cast, all with their own secrets and agendas, but the subtle clues are there if you pay attention. I obviously didn't and that is a credit to the author's wonderful writing skills.
This is another new author to me and I see that he already has an impressive back catalogue. On the back of what I read in this book, it will definitely not be my last. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

The gateway to hell, a church of Bones, Jungian psychology and Slavic and German mythology, the sense of the gothic, the dark forest, the advent of the Holocaust, all combine here to make a fine, menacing and fear inducing tale,a historical psychological thriller. I do believe as in this book, that some places retain the energy and memory of negative emotions and events. The combination of mythology and the philosophies of Jung was an inspired choice. Well written and researched, this would make an atmospheric film. Being set in an asylum, this has aspects in common with Shutter Island too.

An absolutely brilliant read, brimming with history, action and an intense atmosphere of dark horror. The Devil Aspect will keep you up long into the night - not just because it'll make you a little scared of the dark, but also because it's so very capably written and compelling that you'll really need to find out what happens next. The setting in pre-WW2 Europe lends a very real sense of impending doom, as well as providing a vivid reminder of the real-world evil of which ordinary people are capable.

The wonderful Craig Russell's latest novel is a Gothic Horror, a well researched piece of historical fiction set in Czechoslovakia amidst a background that echoes the rising drumbeat of Nazism in Germany and its consequent repercussions. It is 1935, 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. This cutting edge and well resourced facility is near the tiny village of Mlada Bolslav, not far from Prague. The high security asylum has only six patients, 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, all incarcerated for life with no possibility of release. Kosarek hopes to carry out research on these inmates to prove his theory that they share a common archetype of evil, a phenomenon he names The Devil Aspect. On a personal level, Victor has concerns that his friend in Prague, Filip Starosta, is displaying worrying behaviours, and is in need of his professional help.

In Prague itself, the local population is consumed with fear with a brutal serial killer on the loose butchering women in the most heinous of ways, he is known as Leather Apron, a nod to the infamous East End London killer, Jack the Ripper, whose methods the killer appears to be replicating. The detective leading the manhunt is Kapitan Lukas Smolak, he finally finds forensic evidence at the latest crime scene that leads to a known Gypsy petty criminal, but the man is terrified out of his wits and seems an unlikely suspect for the killings. As the murders continue, it becomes clear that their investigation is far from closed. Victor's research on the six patients yield surprising and stunning results but what do they mean? As the narrative progresses, connections emerge between the Leather Apron case and the Hrad Orlu Psychiatric Facility.

Russell writes a chilling and atmospheric novel rooted in Jungian psychology, European folklore and legends, and the political history of Czechoslavakia that documents the seeds and shadows of Nazism and its growth before WW2, and the accompanying rise of racial tensions. It is impossible to escape drawing the parallels of the madness within Hrad Orlu amidst the much larger collective madness taking place outside the psychiatric facility throughout Europe. As we all know, the outside world is to burgeon with unspeakable horrors that come to boil throughout Europe, wreaking untold levels of death and genocide. Given the contemporary reality of the rise of populism, it seems that similar shadows of madness once again are growing amongst the populations of Europe and beyond. The gothic horror at the heart of Russell's novel is beautifully imagined, complex and compulsive reading, and the twists and turns had me fearful, utterly gripped and absorbed. As always with Craig Russell books, all I can say is that I loved this, his latest novel, and I am sure many other readers will enjoy it too. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Oh goodness! this novel was like reading Irvin Yalom with a punch of gore (a lot of punches, and kicks!)

I really liked how Russell blended Nazism and their White/Aryan craziness into the story in the background. Also the Jung/psychological aspects reminded me of Irvin Yalom's work (It's kind of Yalom with a punch of gore)
The start was amazing, so atmospheric, it made me want to visit Prague. The character names were a bit confusing in the start but once I got used to, overall they sound quite charismatic. Really something different, definitely works.
The pace slowed down for me a bit when it started going through the Devil's Six. I must admit, however the idea of going through each inmate is very original. I also liked supernatural elements, parts of it was scary and would love to see this in a movie- 'I think it will make a fantastic gothic horror on the screen!

The ending was satisfying, however I'd prefer it without and epilogue.
4 stars! Thanks for this good read.

Atmospheric setting, original and intriguing plot, interesting characters - I enjoyed this book. Never read anything by Craig Russel before, but going to look into his other books.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.