I Shot the Devil sounded like my perfect book, compared to The Secret History, The Girls and Tana French’s Into the Woods - I was sold. A dark twisty thriller set in a atmospheric small town centred around teenage violence and murder sounded like a recipe for some excellent writing.

While I enjoyed I Shot the Devil, I found ultimately quite disappointing. The mystery at the centre of the story, what really happened to Ricky Hells and Andre Villiers, was compelling. I kept reading because I wanted to know what really happened in those woods that night. But the build up didn’t quite pay off. With some many characters in play, I kept waiting for Erin (our main character) to confront her lousy father, RP, and his shady involvement in the crime, the confrontation never came. When the mystery unravelled and Erin was faced with more betrayal I expected some kind of resolution to that - that didn’t happen either. And even when Erin faced a abusive ex-boyfriend hell bent on hurting her, it felt rushed and confused.

One minute Erin was deep into her sleuthing, unravelling the story and the next sentence all hell would break loose. The pacing was off, I couldn’t keep up and it left the story feeling disjointed and sadly quite underwhelming. What could have been terrible scenes of conflict felt cheap because we weren’t given any build up to the tension.

What did I like about I Shot the Devil? Erin Sloane. Erin was messy and raw and real. She was miserable and tenacious, completely unwilling to give up this mystery until she’d solved it - for herself both past and present. Ruth McIver let Erin be vulnerable while still portraying her as someone with a huge well of strength, which she drew upon when she most needed it. Erin was fearless once she put her mind to something, and didn’t shy from the truth once she’d decided she wanted to know it. Erin was the heart and soul of this story and really saved it for me. I do wish we could have spent a little more time on the different relationships Erin had, with Ricky, with Denise, I felt like there was more story left there.

What Ruth McIver did do well was delve into the gender politics of the time, the way she described the women, not only Erin but Aishling and Carole in particular, exposed the duality of being a woman caught up in a violent man’s world. Few of the characters had any redeeming qualities, but that’s what made them interesting, even sympathetic. McIver took the time to give us enough back story and insight into the women of this book to allow us to understand their motivations, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Ultimately, I Shot the Devil kept me turning the pages, I was desperate to know what really happened that Halloween night, and I didn’t guess the reveals at all. Erin was a character I could have spent more time with, she felt familiar to me - similar to Gillian Flynn’s protagonists in Sharp Objects and Dark Places (both better comparisons for this book). But over all, the story felt rushed and not quite developed enough for me to rate this one any higher than 3 stars. I’m excited to see Ruth McIver develop as a writer and see what she publishes next!

This was the page-turner I needed for good entertainment.
It was a very well-paced, thrilling read with twists and turns. If you like thrillers, give it a try.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

This had the sharpness of Gillian Flynn with the shrewdness of Tana French and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Journalist Erin Sloane is asked to investigate the story of the supposed arrival of the devil in a Long Island woods two decades previously. Two young men were killed and another was arrested and charged with murder. But Erin knew those involved, much too well for some when she returns to what was home. She must push forward to find the truth, knowing she’ll have to face up to her own past demons. It has that genuine sense of how older teens feel, when you’re not quite an adult but you’re so desperate to be considered one.

3.5 stars.

This book was tense and twisty however the narrative started to unravel and although there is a lot to like about this book it didn't hold true throughout the entire read. The writing style is what really puled this book through for me and I would be intrigues to see what Ruth McIver writes in future as her stylistic choices where a pleasure.

I Shot The Devil is a tense and twisty tale, a real page turner with some classically excellent writing and an intriguing main protagonist. 

Erin is chasing the story of a lifetime, one that could put her on the journalistic map- but this is a story in which she played her own role, it will take her back to a dark time and the ending has yet to be written...

I loved the flow of this...Erin is multi layered and her journey towards some kind of truth holds you within the narrative throughout. 

It is one of those utterly gripping tales that invade your thoughts whilst you are away from it. DEFINITELY a voice to watch in fiction if it's quality you are after.

Fuller review nearer publication

Erin Sloane is sent on a job to write a story for Inside Island about a teenage killing and cop shooting in 1994. However, Erin knew these guys, they were the people she hung out with back in the day and their parents. The further she digs the more she realises that she didn’t really know these people and suddenly realises she may end up implicating her father who was cop at the time.

The first half of this book is quite a slow paced read gradually revealing glimpses of characters that leads us towards the truth of what happened in 1994. It is quite a grim and perhaps slightly depressing read with no particularly likeable characters although they are all quite real. The book picks up pace i. the second half as Erin starts doing some real time investigating. This book is a good example of why I always try and finish a book, as it would have been quite easy to give up on his book early on but it was definitely worth finishing.

I can imagine this book as a film. I think the characters and story would work well on screen.

I found this book to be something of a mixed experience.

I enjoyed McIver's writing style. She clearly has talent. I thought Erin was an interesting protagonist: she's had a hard life in many respects but hasn't let it overcome her.

However, I found both plot and writing to be a little messy. There's just too much going on plotwise, making it hard to keep track of what's the main focus of the investigation from moment to moment. Yet despite, or perhaps because of, its overstuffed nature, the ending feels rushed and strangely anticlimactic. I still feel like there are loose ends and plot points that I didn't grasp fully or that were glossed over.

The book also shows signs of being an uncorrected proof. Most books I read from NetGalley, despite the disclaimer, generally feel polished. I hope I Shot the Devil is one step behind and still awaiting its final proofread, because I noticed multiple errors (incorrect words, sentences that didn't make sense and so on). The book deserves a little more attention before being launched on the world.

I did enjoy it, and McIver is an author to watch, but I'm not sure I could wholeheartedly recommend it.

Ty netgalley and publishers for this advanced copy
This is compared to the great secret history ,many good reviews and I dived in
It’s ok ,their are baddies all round and flawedcharacters
It’s not really a mystery though and it’s a linear narrative meaning doesn’t suddenly shift twist or turn there is a wee surprise at the end but for seasoned readers u likely to guess there will be a a wee twist and it’s not really that gripping so I skimmed towards the end as wanted to move onto my next mystery novel .
I was sort of waiting for depth complexity with the dynamics as in the secret history but really it’s straightforward ..abusive men female survivors and cover ups
Due to the the hype it didn’t quite live up to for ,its two the writings ok ,better at the beginning I felt then as went of felt more surface level ,the story relationships where domestic violence runs throughout is told and u do feel fearful at times for the women but over all for me was just average and shouldn’t be compared to other tales where there’s more intrigue mystery and psychological elements As that’s not fair on the author .

Wowwww one of the books of the year in my opinion! Loved this story - pacing was great and the writing was so descriptive - it was brilliant. Really enjoyed I Shot The Devil and I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more from Ruth McIver. Can't wait to see what else she has in store!

Whilst in parts thos book was great,it never had enough tension for me to keep going.
I'd put it down frequently .
The story involves cold cases ,corruption,murder,abuse... I mean it's got everything,including a great screwed up lead.
I should have liked it more.
I did however like it enough to want to read more of McIvers writing.