The Devil Aspect

Well, that was a creepy-ass book.

I know that doesn't come across as a cultivated or very intellectual summary, but those are the words that came to mind as I closed the book.

Admittedly, this mix of horror/crime/thriller type of book is not really my normal reading milieu. For its genre, I think it gets a lot of things right: it's cleverly & intelligently written; the atmosphere (in all the various aspects -- physical, mental, social, political) is very well-drawn; there's a nice mix of psychology, history, mythology, science, & geography; it has some downright scary events & people... all satisfyingly intertwined & nimbly managed by the author.

Even though I don't normally read this style of book, nor do I typically try to guess "who show more done it", I had some hints & inklings that were not really wrong. In that sense, it seemed a bit like The Sixth Sense. The clues are there right in front of you all along, if only you see them. Not sure if that means it would be too obvious to figure out for those who routinely read this style of book & who like to figure out the puzzle ahead of time? Perhaps? Even so, there were definitely unexpected twists & things I didn't see coming.

I found it well done for the type of book it is, but perhaps more gruesome & heart-pounding than I normally like or want to read. Probably 4 stars for overall execution & style, but 3 stars for the gore/creepiness level. (I know that's my own stumbling block, not an actual reflection of the book or the author.) show less

Bought this book on a whim and I am really glad I did.
The book is centred just before WWII in Czechoslovakia and there is a dreading sense all the way through about the devastation to come. This gives the book an extremely disturbing setting. The castle turned mad house, seals that deal. Atmosphere is brilliant throughout, making the pages basically turn themselves.
In the castle, we can find The Devil’s Six, who are 6 serial killers of the most deviant and disturbed kind.
Along comes a psychiatrist with a revolutionary new theory in which he seeks The Devil Aspect in each patient. He claims this is where the Devil resides and it is what fuels these individuals to kill so viciously.
At the same time, there is a serial murderer on the show more loose who has been named Leather Apron. He only kills women in the most savage way. Made my skin crawl every time.
With these two stories happening alongside, we never see the true revelation coming in the end. It really took me by surprise.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you can stomach true evil, then by all means jump on this wagon. You will not regret it. show less

The Devil Aspect by Craig Russell has something for everyone. It is a kaleidoscopic mélange of myth, history, politics, bigotry, psychology, romance, crime, mystery, and sublime horror with each aspect taking turns directing the action, fighting for attention, toying with readers as they struggle to anticipate the shattering denouement. However, none can say that the author plays foul; all the clues are there to be discovered, but only by the most perceptive readers.

The tale takes place in Czechoslovakia at a time of political unrest. The evil Nazi movement is slithering into existence and marginalized societies sense a chill creeping over them. The extraordinarily handsome clinical psychiatrist Dr. Viktor Kosárek travels to his new show more place of employment, the Hrad Orlů, an asylum for the criminally insane, home to the Devil’s Six—six of the most dangerous serial killers in history. There Kosárek plans to prove his theory of the Devil Aspect which he believes causes severe mental illness. At the same time, police officer Kapitán Lukáš Smolák, a man of facts and logic, must investigate a series of horrific murders perpetrated by a criminal referred to as Leather Apron. Soon, Kosárek and Smolák cross paths as they struggle to reach their antithetical goals.

The main characters are deeply complete. Each is unique, fully formed, and enhanced by detailed backstories. They are real, and readers will connect with them and care about them. In addition, the characters fears and superstations offer readers insight of the zeitgeist of the era.

The literary quality is sublime and is tailored to mirror the time and place. The language might remind readers of Kostova’s The Historian in its respect for and faithfulness to a region. The prose is smooth, attractive, and easy to read and will immerse readers in period and place.

The setting is central Europe in 1935. Czechoslovakia is a trembling region populated by fascinating ethnic groups. Myth and superstition dominate minds and bleed into the plot, connecting Dr. Kosárek’s theory to local reality.

The plotting of The Devil Aspect is brilliant, flawless. Although random elements may seem initially inconsequential, every single one serves to propel the trajectory forward to a stunning conclusion. Every event has a purpose and is an integral element in the trail of bread crumbs that leads to discovery. Numerous red herrings will challenge the most discerning reader’s intellectual acuity. Given the highly complex nature of the story, it is amazing that it all comes together with such exquisite precision.

The Devil Aspect will enthrall a wide array of readers and comes highly recommended, especially for lovers of mystery, suspense, and the supernatural who at the end will no doubt cite evidence to support rousing discussions over what is real and what is not.

Read it before it hits the big screen.

Rougeski Reads show less

1935, Prague.

A young doctor named Viktor comes to the ancient castle/asylum, Hrad Orlu, excited to test his new theories in psychology. Housed at this asylum, isolated atop a mountain, are the 6 most dangerous killers alive today. At the bottom of the mountain in the town proper, a police detective named Lukas is trying his best to solve a series of murders which the press attributes to the "leather apron killer." At the same time as these events, the Nazis are on the rise in Germany. Will Viktor's new theories pan out, and allow psychiatry to identify dangerous individuals in the future? Will Lukas find his killer? Will the Nazis put a stop to all of that before it has even properly begun? You'll have to read THE DEVIL ASPECT to find show more out!

I found this book to be a marvelous new (to me), voice in fiction. The synopsis had me so psyched I couldn't help but want to read it right away. I loved the Gothic setting of the castle, surrounded by rocky areas and dense forest. (What horror lover doesn't love that type of isolated setting?) Yet, just down the mountain is a town full of scared people. Losing its citizens one by one to a brutally violent killer, with what seems like zero progress by the police- I almost expected to see the townsfolk armed with torches heading up to the castle. (Because, surely that must be from where their misfortune emanates?)

But, that didn't happen, because the voice of Craig Russell is more original than that. This tale twisted and turned until I had no clue what was going to happen! As more of Viktor's theories were tested, some things became clearer, while others became more perplexing. On top of all this, there was the rise of the Nazi party always in the background. Combined together, these components contributed to the overall feelings of anxiety and darkness that permeated this book.

So why 4 stars and not 5? I felt the pacing dragged a bit during the middle portion of the story. Even though I was interested in all of the criminals Viktor was interviewing, I didn't feel that all of them were integral to the tale. It's a small thing, but at times I felt like I had been reading quite a lot without really getting anywhere.

This is what I took away from THE DEVIL ASPECT: A NOVEL. Fun? Check! Hypnotizing scenes between the doctor and the criminals? Check! A Gothic castle, set atop a mountain surrounded by a dense forest, and creating a dark and gloomy atmosphere? Check! Twists and turns galore which put our heroes in jeopardy? Check! A denouement to beat the band? Hell yes!

In short, (too late!), I recommend this novel to fans of the above, but most especially to fans of Gothic fiction and psychological horror! I predict that this novel is going to knock some socks off!

Available March 5th, but you can pre-order here: https://amzn.to/2SIQwgd

*Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.* show less

There's quite a lot going on in this book. It draws on a wide number of familiar horror tropes. On the eve of world war, a serial killer who seems to be emulating Jack the Ripper is terrorizing Prague. A young psychoanalyst has taken a position at a remote asylum in the Czech countryside where the country's most notorious serial killers are all housed to test his theory of psychosis that he calls the "devil aspect." The asylum itself is as gothic as it can be as it is housed in an old castle that itself is built on top of a network of tunnels in the mountain and the site of a legendary evil. Of course, these two story lines are brought together and of course there is a twist at the end. I thought this was quite entertaining, even if it show more did have a sense of "everything but the kitchen sink" being thrown in, and like many modern novels, it seems a tad overlong. I wouldn't look to this novel for anything particularly innovative or new, but if you enjoy sinking your teeth into highly gothic horror with a lot of madness and storms and talk of evil, this will be a good read for you. show less

1935. An asylum outside Prague. Viktor Kosarek is a psychologist who dreams of being able to cure the severely insane. Not just any mentally ill patients...but the most dangerous. The criminally insane. Murderers. Those who have what he calls The Devil Aspect. Kosarek decides to conduct an experiment. He will use narcoanalysis to get inside the heads of six serial killers held in the asylum. Five men and one woman. A cocktail of drugs will allow him to probe for their impressions of their crimes and give him a way to perhaps make them confront their personal demons. What he discovers is more disturbing and twisted than he ever imagined.

This story is chillingly frightening. It really brings home the idea that some things are best left show more alone. Kosarek has good intentions....he really wants to help people. But, searching for the devil -- even inside the minds of killers -- is never a safe endeavor....mostly because sometimes you find him.

This book is a creepy, disturbing, and twisted tale. I loved it! I halfway saw the twist coming at the end....but was still pleasantly surprised at the way the plot played out. Nicely done! I like this author's writing style. The plot wasn't presented in a heavy handed way, despite the gruesome details. Things progressed more subtlety until the ending smacked me in the head. Totally awesome!

This is the first book by Craig Russell that I've read. I will definitely be reading more by this author.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Doubleday Books via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** show less

The most famous serial killers in Czechoslovakia are kept in a remote asylum in the countryside. The asylum is a castle with a reputation for evil and since the 'Devil's Six' have been housed there the rumours in the local area have intensified. Dr Victor Kosarek is excited to be going to work there and to use a new technique to try to get inside the minds of the millers. Meanwhile in Prague a killer is mutilating his female victims in a way reminiscent of the killings in London half a century previously. As the far right gain more power in Europe a different evil is on the move.
As a simple psychological novel this book is fairly predictable but still enjoyable. However two things make it stand out, firstly the links to psychological show more experimentation and the philosophies of such as Freud and Jung, and secondly the consideration of what evil actually is. The latter is handled with real sophistication, linking Slavic folklore to events involving Jack the Ripper and finally hinting at more regarding the Nazi policies. show less