Devils kill devils

Compton (The Spite House, 2023) returns with a tale that will keep readers glued to the page, a high-stakes, violent novel, epic in scope, populated by fascinating characters (both good and evil) and an original cast of demons. Sarita's guardian angel, Angelo, has been there since she was nine years old, saving her life a total of four times. But when the menacing giant bursts into her room on her wedding night and murders her beloved groom, Sarita is devastated and confused. As she seeks to uncover the reasons behind her protector's betrayal, Sarita is forced to confront the horrific truth hiding in the shadows and her place at the center of it all. Channeling Sookie Stackhouse, Sarita is sympathetic and tough, fighting for herself and her loved ones against an immortal evil that mistakenly thought it could use her as its pawn. For fans of Neil Gaiman's American Gods and for those who enjoy vampire stories that broaden the trope's established conventions with viscerally terrifying results, such as Octavia Butler's Fledgling (2005) or Nat Cassidy's Nestlings (2023).

Compton's sophomore effort (after The Spite House) opens up a whole new world full of well-known monsters. Sarita's life seems to be blessed; not only is she about to marry the love of her life, but she has a guardian angel who keeps her safe. However, her blessings look to be anything but when her guardian angel brutally murders her husband-to-be. Sarita soon finds out that she is part of an ancient prophecy and that there are worse monsters than her guardian angel searching for her. Compton leaves the confines of a haunted-house story for an expansive universe where creatures like angels, devils, and vampires are conceptually redesigned but still deadly. He even creates a theology that not only skewers organized religion but also explores mass hysteria among monsters. Even though the story feels rushed thanks to this condensed theology, Compton's command of descriptive prose, tinged with Southern gothic flair, once again shows readers images both beautiful and horrifying. VERDICT Fans of Clive Barker's dark fantasy will like the universe Compton teases, while readers who enjoy Nick Cutter's gorgeously gory prose will love how Compton describes all the myriad ways that flesh and bone can come apart.--James Gardner