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A Novel
by Jennifer Thorne
Jennifer Thorne skewers all-too-familiar family dynamics in this sly, wickedly funny vacation-Gothic. Beautifully unhinged and deeply satisfying, Diavola is a sharp twist on the classic haunted house story, exploring loneliness, belonging, and the seemingly inescapable bonds of family mythology.
Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.
It isn't easy when she's the only one in the family who doesn't quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he's practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone―including her blandly docile husband and two kids―falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.
The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails―the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.
(Warning: May invoke feelings of irritation, dread, and despair that come with large family gatherings.)
"Thorne's terrifying, perfectly paced latest (after Lute, 2022) is a must-read for anyone who likes haunted-house stories." ―Booklist (starred review)
"Full of emotions, humorous moments, spine-tingling scenes, and lots of tension, Thorne's newest is a modern horror story that will grab readers and not let go." ―Library Journal (starred review)
"First, she took us to a terrifying British isle, and now to a terrifying Italian villa? Jennifer Thorne is the travel agent from Hell, and Diavola is an exquisitely paced, thoroughly entertaining thrill ride. The delightfully dysfunctional family dynamics draw you in, while the dread cinches tight around your ankles. Like any dish that bears its name, this book will make you sweat." ―Nat Cassidy, author of Mary: An Awakening of Terror and Nestlings
"Jennifer Thorne scorches the petals right off The White Lotus with this supernatural downward spiral of gut-wrenching, teeth-baring terror. If you thought vacationing with your family was a living hell, look no further than Diavola as a primo esempio that there are deeper, darker levels to descent that would make even Dante blush. This isn't your mama's Italian gothic, this is a literary garrote strapped right at your throat, and my God, does it ever squeeze." ―Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Ghost Eaters
This information about Diavola was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Jennifer Thorne is the author of Lute, The Wrong Side of Right, The Inside of Out, Night Music, and (with Lee Kelly) The Antiquity Affair. American by birth, she now lives in rural England with her husband and two sons.
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