cover image Before the Devil Fell

Before the Devil Fell

Neil Olson. Hanover Square, $25.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-335-21755-4

College professor Will Connor, the hero of this enjoyable supernatural thriller from Olson (The Black Painting), reluctantly returns to his unnamed Massachusetts hometown to care for his injured mother, Abigail, who fell down some steps after arguing with a friend about “a dream of Will in peril.” While there, he begins to look into the facts behind a terrifying incident from his childhood that took place one night at a meeting of Abigail’s New Age “spirit circle,” an experience that traumatized five-year-old Will and has haunted him ever since. As Will and his childhood friend Samantha Hall dig deeper, ominous connections begin to emerge involving old New England family secrets, a tradition of witchcraft, and a pattern of strange deaths among members of the spirit circle. While the book begins slowly as settings and characters are established, the pace picks up in the second half, culminating in a suitably dramatic climax. The paranormal elements are subtle, gradually creeping in around the edges with unsettling effect. Both mystery and weird fiction fans will be pleased. (Oct.)