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Family reunions are terrifying.

Okay, I suppose that haunted villas are also pretty scary, but if I had to pick which one conjured more dread within me� well, you know which one I’d select.

Diavola does present that conundrum to its readers. Which one really IS worse?

I am quite persnickety when it comes to the haunted house trope. I rarely find them unsettling, but I’ve not grown tired of trying them out. Because every now and then, one is satisfying. Like Diavola.

I expected as much, having adored Lute.

In Diavola, I found the perfect blend of humor, hostility, and horror. Like her debut in this genre, the terror elements are built slowly, although there are enough creepy intrusions to keep you turning the page.

Anna, the family scapegoat (or, as the ones on the other end like to say, the black sheep) has to deal with a lot of nonsense from her difficult family. They truly made me uncomfortable. If you’ve played a role similar to Anna’s, you may find their cringeworthy behavior more frightening than anything else you encounter in this novel.

Thorne had a little fun with the stereotypical poor decision making of the genre’s characters. In Diavola, Anna knows she is making a terrible choice. But she does it anyway. Could we really call this horror if the plot’s progress wasn’t contingent upon the sheer stupidity of the characters?

I did have a couple quibbles that kept Diavola from being an absolutely perfect reading experience, though.

Firstly, I don’t like obvious throw away characters. As much as I was all for tossing a certain character to the wolves, it was evident they existed just for that purpose. I want to be shocked and devastated by the corners I turn in horror. Unlike its predecessor, Diavola failed to produce any gut wrenching emotions.

Secondly, I found an aspect regarding the main character’s ex-boyfriend to be hasty and underdeveloped. It felt out of place to me, and I’m certain that was because not enough time was devoted to it. I think I needed to know a lot more about Josh (the ex) and the dynamics of their relationship for this to work for me.

This is not a cautionary tale, but perhaps it should be. Perhaps you’ll think twice before vacationing with family. You never know what kind of hauntings they might lead you to. At the very least, learn from the Paces. Heed the warnings of the locals. They surely have a better understanding of your nightmarish lodgings than you do. Get out as quickly as you can (and maybe I’m not just talking about the questionable destination).