Devil’s Lake begins in a most dramatic way. Allison Halse steps into the lake with the idea that she may never come out. Although her suicide attempt is thwarted, Allison is left more troubled than before. A traumatic event from her childhood has left her with emotional scars and debilitating anxieties. Her only family includes an aunt and cousins who seem eager to be freed from the burden of Allison’s mental issues. At the cusp of adulthood, how will Allison cope with her ongoing issues and move on?
The main character is vulnerable and endearing from the first pages. While most readers won’t have experienced being nearly drowned at a parent’s hand, the far reaching effects of such a trauma are easy to imagine and are well written in this book. To see Allison struggle with her depression and anxieties while falling in love and experiencing other ‘normal’ teenage emotions makes for a compelling story. And that doesn’t even take into account the mysterious background of Phillip Dussault. When Phillip comes along it changes everything for Allison. But there is more to Phillip than meets the eye.
Angelo Merlo tells a captivating story of love and loss. If you enjoy paranormal fiction, Devil’s Lake will be a satisfying read of ghostly proportions.
