A History of Fear

I just finished A history of fear by Luke Dumas and here is what I thought

The devil made me do it... This was what Grayson Hale had to say after admitting to killing a classmate.

After Hale was found dead in his cell. Suicide. The officers found a manuscript, the one he was supposed to write for DB. A dark stranger with money to spare and a deep knowledge of the devil.

Hale had a rough upbringing and while some people close to him seem to think he is capable of the very crime he was imprisoned for, this first person narrative of a man with a deep fear of the devil will keep you on your toes the whole time.... Is Hale a delusional murderer or is the devil really at his heel making him do the very things he fears the most.....

I really enjoyed the format of this book. Told from the first person perspective, Graysons, we learn about his cultish run household and a little of the things that plagued his father before ultimately killing himself. The book has doctor notes and interviews which help piece together an elaborate tale of darkness, abuse, loneliness, homosexuality and mental health.

The book leaves you guessing and I have a love/hate relationship with that. The undertones of supernatural weaved in with the dark realities of a fractured mind really elevate this novel to dizzying heights. Hale isn't relatable because of the nature of who he is but it really is a trip to hear it from his own perspective. How he is seeing things at the time and who doesn't love an unreliable narrator!

Might be one of the best debut novels I have ever read.. A horror with the right amount of suspense! Genius!

4.5 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for my review copy! This book is out NOW!!