Dark, tense, and deliciously unsettling

I thoroughly enjoyed every page of “Running with the Devil” — a tense, unsettling mystery that mixes grief, danger, and the occasional flash of pitch-black humour.

The disappearance of Josh is genuinely agonising; it’s not just described, it’s felt. The first Julia and Sam scene had my chest clenching with unease, setting the tone for a story that never quite lets you relax. Reed does an excellent job of layering tension, keeping both the mystery and the emotional stakes front and centre.

While it isn’t technically flawless, I’ll happily take unanswered questions at the end of a gripping thriller over a neat but forgettable one. This book lingers — and I mean that as a compliment.

The dark humour is impeccably timed and very welcome. “It would have been… neater” genuinely made me snort, and Chamberlain’s desk — “It’s new — well, in a way…” — was an inspired, quietly chilling detail.

Moody, compulsive, and emotionally charged, “Running with the Devil” is a mystery-thriller that gets under your skin and stays there.

My thanks to NetGalley and The Book Guild for the ARC of “Running with the Devil”. Much appreciation also to David F Reed for putting me through the wringer — and making it worth it.

There are a few really good eerie moments in this one that may get the hair on the back of your neck to raise.
With that, there are a few holes that seem needless.
Overall they don't take away too much from the story. Good concept.
Just wish it was a bit smoother and more developed.

This is a very tense thriller that is written so well, the reader feels unsettled too. I thoroughly enjoyed this book in all its creepiness!

Running with the Devil is a tense, atmospheric thriller that pulls you in from the very first page and refuses to let go. Julia’s grief is palpable — she’s a woman hollowed out by loss, living half a life after her son’s disappearance. When she’s brutally attacked and saved by a stranger who remembers nothing about himself, the story takes a sharp, unsettling turn that never stops twisting.

Sam is one of the most intriguing elements of the book. His amnesia, his quiet intensity, and the shocking discovery of Julia’s son’s name carved into his skin create a dynamic that’s equal parts fragile alliance and ticking time bomb. Their uneasy partnership gives the story a constant hum of tension, and watching them navigate trust, fear, and desperation is genuinely compelling.

The plot moves at a steady, suspenseful pace, blending psychological mystery with bursts of action and a creeping sense that something much bigger — and much darker — is at play. As Julia and Sam dig deeper, the forces working against them grow more menacing, and the stakes become brutally high. The book does a great job exploring how far a parent will go for answers, and what survival looks like when every truth uncovered leads to another danger.

Moody, twisty, and emotionally resonant, Running with the Devil is a gripping read for anyone who loves thrillers with heart, high stakes, and characters who refuse to give up even when the odds are stacked against them.

With thanks to David F Reed, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC