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BooksThe Devil Crept in
Cover of The Devil Crept in by Ania Ahlborn

The Devil Crept in,

by Ania Ahlborn, Eric Michael Summerer

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Rating3.6/ 5
Ratings31
Pages384
Reading Hours8h
Published2017
LanguageEnglish

§Synopsis

01

An unforgettable horror novel from bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn—hailed as a writer of “some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years” (New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire)—in which a small-town boy investigates the mysterious disappearance of his cousin and uncovers a terrifying secret kept hidden for years. Young Jude Brighton has been missing for three days, and while the search for him is in full swing in the small town of Deer Valley, Oregon, the locals are starting to lose hope. They’re well aware that the first forty-eight hours are critical and after that, the odds usually point to a worst-case scenario. And despite Stevie Clark’s youth, he knows that, too; he’s seen the cop shows. He knows what each ticking moment may mean for Jude, his cousin and best friend. That, and there was that boy, Max Larsen...the one from years ago, found dead after also disappearing under mysterious circumstances. And then there were the animals: pets gone missing out of yards. For years, the residents of Deer Valley have murmured about these unsolved crimes…and that a killer may still be lurking around their quiet town. Now, fear is reborn—and for Stevie, who is determined to find out what really happened to Jude, the awful truth may be too horrifying to imagine.

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§Moods
adventurous1dark1tense1
§Tags
#loveable characters1#not diverse characters1#strong character development1

§About the Author

Ania Ahlborn

10 books in catalog

Distinguished by unsettling psychological suspense and atmospheric terror, contemporary dark fiction often draws power from deeply personal and claustrophobic dread. Author Ania Ahlborn broke into the genre when her self-published debut novel Seed climbed to the top of Amazon's horror bestseller list in 2011. Since that breakout success, she has established a prolific body of work exploring macabre human tendencies and psychological suspense.

Career & Background

Born in Ciechanów, Poland, Ahlborn relocated to the United States during her youth and grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She pursued her interest in language and narrative at the University of New Mexico, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. After spending time in Portland, Oregon, she eventually settled in North Carolina with her family. Beginning her literary path as an independent author, Ahlborn demonstrated the viability of self-publishing before securing traditional agency representation and publishing with major houses such as Simon & Schuster.

Writing Style & Themes

Ahlborn's writing focuses on psychological horror, domestic dread, and sinister secrets hidden beneath ordinary lives. Her stories frequently place vulnerable characters in isolated or oppressive settings, emphasizing slow-building tension, intense character conflict, and eerie atmospheres over simple shock value. By blending supernatural elements with raw human trauma and flawed protagonists, her work examines how external horrors intersect with internal psychological struggles.

Major Works

  • Seed — Ahlborn's 2011 breakout debut novel, which reached the top of Amazon's horror bestsellers list and introduced her dark supernatural storytelling style.
  • Brother — A celebrated psychological horror novel that delves into deeply disturbing family secrets and violent legacy deep within rural Appalachia.
  • Within These Walls — A horror thriller centering on a struggling true-crime author who moves into the former home of a murderous cult leader.
  • The Neighbors — A suspenseful story exploring suburban paranoia, dark manipulation, and lethal secrets concealed behind quiet neighborhood facades.
  • The Devil Crept in — A chilling novel published by Gallery Books about a young boy searching for his missing friend in a small town harboring mysterious evil.
  • The Bird Eater — A supernatural horror story following a grieving father who returns to his childhood home, only to confront terrifying paranormal forces.
  • The Shuddering — A claustrophobic horror novel detailing a group of friends trapped in a snowbound mountain cabin while hunted by terrifying creatures.
  • Apart in the Dark: Novellas — A fiction collection featuring chilling novellas such as I Call Upon Thee and The Pretty Ones.
§Moods
adventurous1dark1tense1
§Tags
#loveable characters1#not diverse characters1#strong character development1

Metadata

ISBN-139781509443918
ISBN-101509443916

Editions and availability

Find The Devil Crept in Ania Ahlborn in PDF, EPUB, ebook, audiobook, print, or library editions.

Bookshop.orgGoogle Play BooksBarnes & NobleOpen Library

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