The Devil's Footprints
A Tense Novel of Romance and Suspense by Amanda Stevens
Review: The Devil’s Footprints
Published: Mira March 2008
There is a legend that in 1922 in Adamant, Arkansas, during the night a farmer heard strange noises on his roof. He awoke to the sight of cloven footprints covering his yard, as if the devil had been walking in the newly-fallen snow.
The First Murder
Seventy years later, these footprints appear again at the scene of the murder of Rachel DeLaune. Fourteen years have passed, and Sarah DeLaune is still haunted by the unsolved killing of her younger sister. At the time, she suspected that a boy named Ashe Cain may have been responsible for the crime. Ashe appeared to Sarah about the time of the murder and disappeared shortly after.
Sarah never saw him in daylight and without his ghostly Goth makeup covering his face. No one else in town knew of him. At the time, Sarah wondered if her mysterious friend was imaginary. Sarah herself had reason to resent her sister, who was her father’s little darling and who was always favored. Could Ashe have been a manifestation of her own subconscious desire to murder her sister?
A Killer Strikes Again in Present-Day New Orleans
Sarah now works as a tattoo artist in New Orleans. She has recently split with her policeman boyfriend Sean Kelton because she is unable to free herself from the past. Sean unexpectedly calls her in to help with a case in which strange tattoos and symbols are found on the victim’s body. Other murders follow, and at the crime scenes the same mysterious devil’s footprints appear that were discovered surrounding Rachel DeLaune’s body years ago. If Ashe Cain is responsible for these murders, what has made him return after all this time? Will Sarah herself be his next victim?
Sarah must return to Adamant, Arkansas and attempt to solve the secret of her sister’s murder. She must discover once and for all the identity of Ashe Cain, if he truly exists. As she delves into the past, she unleashes dark secrets that will either destroy her or set her free.
The stormy relationship between Sarah and Sean keeps the reader guessing whether they will ever get together. The tone of the book sets a dark and chilling atmosphere, which will appeal to readers who like a touch of the gothic.
About the Author
Click this link to view tthe website of Amanda Stevens, author of The Dollmaker and many novels of romantic suspense.
Click here to read about American Gothic Romance Authors
Click this link to read an article about Psychological Horror Novels
