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The Devil Within Us All
“A Little Slice of Heaven”
Rappahanok Falls is just that—until a black Dodge Viscount with the vanity plate MANA arrives late one evening. The mysterious figure behind the wheel is anything but human—and he’s starving.
When multiple acts of violence committed by a stranger leave everyone afraid, Sheriff Brock Lowery finds himself in the middle of something much worse than he anticipated. He is forced to question whom he can trust as people he’s known his entire life turn against him to serve this mysterious figure. Can Lowery save the town and the people he’s sworn to protect, or will he fail against the monster that has brought evil down upon Rappahanok Falls?
"The Devil Within Us All" is a supernatural horror novel about a town whose very soul is infected with a disease—one that rots it from the inside out. In a complicated narrative exploring the dark side of human nature and the power one man can wield over a group of people, William F. Gray tells a story inspired heavily by charismatic individuals who abuse their power to manipulate and bring out the worst in others. Evil comes in many shapes - most often in monsters pretending to be men.
Rappahanok Falls is just that—until a black Dodge Viscount with the vanity plate MANA arrives late one evening. The mysterious figure behind the wheel is anything but human—and he’s starving.
When multiple acts of violence committed by a stranger leave everyone afraid, Sheriff Brock Lowery finds himself in the middle of something much worse than he anticipated. He is forced to question whom he can trust as people he’s known his entire life turn against him to serve this mysterious figure. Can Lowery save the town and the people he’s sworn to protect, or will he fail against the monster that has brought evil down upon Rappahanok Falls?
"The Devil Within Us All" is a supernatural horror novel about a town whose very soul is infected with a disease—one that rots it from the inside out. In a complicated narrative exploring the dark side of human nature and the power one man can wield over a group of people, William F. Gray tells a story inspired heavily by charismatic individuals who abuse their power to manipulate and bring out the worst in others. Evil comes in many shapes - most often in monsters pretending to be men.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2023
246 people are currently reading
809 people want to read
About the author
William F. Gray
6 books78 followersWilliam F. Gray is the bestselling author THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL, a small town horror novel inspired by the evil average people are capable of on an everyday basis. Taking cues from his own experience and the world at large, Gray creates horror that attempts to worm itself into your heart as well as your mind. His self-published debut THE MAN BEHIND THE DOOR tackles themes such as grief, trauma, and addiction through the lens of a ghost story, the main character of which is inspired by his own late father, while his latest effort OUR FATHERS' BURDEN is Appalachian horror that focuses on the stigma that still surrounds mental health issues, especially amongst men.
He currently lives in West Virginia with his wife, son, and daughter while working as a Lead Pharmacy Technician. His hobbies include reading, playing video games with his wife, and playing music.
He currently lives in West Virginia with his wife, son, and daughter while working as a Lead Pharmacy Technician. His hobbies include reading, playing video games with his wife, and playing music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
October 6, 2023
Small town horror!
This book could well have been written by Stephen King but, even he could not have improved upon this story. Rappanhok Falls is a small American town, law abiding, God fearing and as boring as it gets. Into this Mid West, middle class (mostly) idyll steps 'Mr. Tanya', a creature older than humankind itself and the epitome of evil. Mr. Tanya and his kind have materialised at nearly every war, natural disaster, mass starvation and genocide that has plagued the human race from time immemorial. After all he and his kind only want to enjoy themselves! 'Mr. Tanya' now wants to spend a little quality time in the American Mid West. Not my usual read by any stretch of the imagination but, I did enjoy it.
This book could well have been written by Stephen King but, even he could not have improved upon this story. Rappanhok Falls is a small American town, law abiding, God fearing and as boring as it gets. Into this Mid West, middle class (mostly) idyll steps 'Mr. Tanya', a creature older than humankind itself and the epitome of evil. Mr. Tanya and his kind have materialised at nearly every war, natural disaster, mass starvation and genocide that has plagued the human race from time immemorial. After all he and his kind only want to enjoy themselves! 'Mr. Tanya' now wants to spend a little quality time in the American Mid West. Not my usual read by any stretch of the imagination but, I did enjoy it.
September 26, 2024
I waited to long to write this review and I don't remeber my exact thoughts on it. But I really like it. Intense and interesting.
October 5, 2025
This is the first book I've read from this author and it's certainly action packed, the pace never let's up from the first page to the last. There's a lot of violence here, by ordinary people under the influence of a maniacal evil entity. It kept me up at night for sure. Would recommend to horror fans.
August 2, 2023
William F. Gray did not waste any time getting to the point of this story, which is a quality I greatly appreciate in a novel.
On the flip side, we’re provided with very little context for the characters as the story begins, outside of a character list with brief descriptions of the people we’ll meet in the town of Rappahanok Falls. We’re sprung straight into horrific action, which does make it difficult to keep up with the countless characters.
The story was fine. While it felt a little bit like something I’d already encountered, it was packed with enough details to keep me engaged. But it truly is action horror with lots of gore, which is not my favorite type of tale. I had expected, based on the title and synopsis, something with a bit more meaning to it. I picked this up hoping for a deeper exploration of human beings and their devilish propensities. That was my mistake. I imagine it will serve those who are looking strictly to be entertained quite well.
I did feel a bit frustrated with certain aspects of the writing, though. Firstly, it is unnecessary to continuously emphasize the fact that a person is overweight. It is fine to paint a picture of what a character looks like, and if it bears relevance to something they cannot do, I can understand mention of their body’s size being woven into a scene. It just felt overdone here, which borders body shaming, in my opinion.
Secondly, and perhaps I missed something, but why was the sheriff referred to as “Chief?” The chief of police and the sheriff aren’t the same thing so this confused me.
Lastly, the sentence “He/she let out the breath he/she didn’t know he/she was holding,” was used excessively. I do think this line has been overused by authors to the point of ineffectiveness in books, in general, but I was surprised to see it pop up so many times in one novel. Sometimes it was shortened slightly, but it communicated the same thing, and I don’t feel that creatively adds to the tension or the illustration of tension released.
I am immensely grateful to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
On the flip side, we’re provided with very little context for the characters as the story begins, outside of a character list with brief descriptions of the people we’ll meet in the town of Rappahanok Falls. We’re sprung straight into horrific action, which does make it difficult to keep up with the countless characters.
The story was fine. While it felt a little bit like something I’d already encountered, it was packed with enough details to keep me engaged. But it truly is action horror with lots of gore, which is not my favorite type of tale. I had expected, based on the title and synopsis, something with a bit more meaning to it. I picked this up hoping for a deeper exploration of human beings and their devilish propensities. That was my mistake. I imagine it will serve those who are looking strictly to be entertained quite well.
I did feel a bit frustrated with certain aspects of the writing, though. Firstly, it is unnecessary to continuously emphasize the fact that a person is overweight. It is fine to paint a picture of what a character looks like, and if it bears relevance to something they cannot do, I can understand mention of their body’s size being woven into a scene. It just felt overdone here, which borders body shaming, in my opinion.
Secondly, and perhaps I missed something, but why was the sheriff referred to as “Chief?” The chief of police and the sheriff aren’t the same thing so this confused me.
Lastly, the sentence “He/she let out the breath he/she didn’t know he/she was holding,” was used excessively. I do think this line has been overused by authors to the point of ineffectiveness in books, in general, but I was surprised to see it pop up so many times in one novel. Sometimes it was shortened slightly, but it communicated the same thing, and I don’t feel that creatively adds to the tension or the illustration of tension released.
I am immensely grateful to Wicked House Publishing and NetGalley for my copy. All opinions are my own.
September 14, 2023
“The train struck the first deer before it could even begin to slow. The deer almost seemed to explode as it was pulled under the train. It hit another one after fifteen feet, but this one bounced off of it and flew into the ditch. Through the gaps in the slowing train cars, both boys could see other deer rushing toward the tracks, only to hit this unforeseen obstruction in their path.”
The Devil Within Us All is a small town horror influenced by worldwide issues.
A snake charmer comes to Rappahanok, He exerts a supernatural influence and the town devolves into violence and chaos.
Only a few can stand their ground and hope to band together to fight the entity that has chosen their home.
I really enjoyed the overall story and ominous vibe. The characters were ok- good and bad alike could’ve been more developed; some felt static across the whole story. The man that comes to town- there were vague descriptions of what he is, but I would’ve liked a more detailed explanation.
I liked that the author broke down his thoughts on the creation of this tale, the real world issues that became metaphors in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.
The Devil Within Us All is a small town horror influenced by worldwide issues.
A snake charmer comes to Rappahanok, He exerts a supernatural influence and the town devolves into violence and chaos.
Only a few can stand their ground and hope to band together to fight the entity that has chosen their home.
I really enjoyed the overall story and ominous vibe. The characters were ok- good and bad alike could’ve been more developed; some felt static across the whole story. The man that comes to town- there were vague descriptions of what he is, but I would’ve liked a more detailed explanation.
I liked that the author broke down his thoughts on the creation of this tale, the real world issues that became metaphors in the story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Wicked House Publishing for a copy.
June 23, 2023
William F. Gray's 'The Devil Within Us All' manages to hit the sweet spot when it comes to psychological and supernatural horror! The book reminded me of some classic King novels, where the entire small town population is the hero of the story, and the supernatural evil turns the poor town into a self-contained Armageddon. But there's a very powerful narrative device here, namely the fact that Mr. Tanya -the demon not even trying to pass as entirely human- exploits the grievances, the anger, and the resentment coiled naturally inside each of us, bringing them out in order to spread violence and death without himself lifting a finger. That sinister creature makes evil-doing seem natural, and Rappahanok Falls is utterly unprepared for it: evil spreads quite fast, a large number of distinct characters are introduced, each with interesting behaviors and motivations, and horrible things start happening within a few pages. This gives Gray the opportunity to show off his skills in narration, description, and characterization: the story is cleverly plotted, well-constructed, very powerfully textured, with deeply chilling horror. However, there are some points where a strong religiosity shows through, and some brutally serious commentary on the human condition and the human relation to God are brought to the table. Unlike several much talked about novels of last year, the ending of this novel feels genuinely satisfying, without pressuring the reader into suspending their disbelief. Overall, this book is another Wicked House gem, and the perfect summer read!
June 27, 2023
It's been a while where I picked up a book and raced to finish it. This book definitely had me hooked.
The book starts with a woman who commits a horrible crime. Then switches over to a small town where things start to turn after the woodland creatures decide throw themselves under a train. This first horrific event is not the last as a mysterious figure starts to influence people to do horrible things. As the book progresses things only get worse.
One reason this book excels is the characters. I cared or hated every character. I rooted for the good guys and hoped every vile plot from the bad guys would fail. The characters are well fleshed out and with such a large amount clearly written without it being confusing.
The other part is the novel reminds me of King but several of his novels combined, but in a different light because William Gray has his own voice. There is a reference to King and done in way that's so satisfying. It's like a Easter egg for all of Constant Readers.
This is a horror novel that enthralls you from the first page until the last and never disappoints.
The book starts with a woman who commits a horrible crime. Then switches over to a small town where things start to turn after the woodland creatures decide throw themselves under a train. This first horrific event is not the last as a mysterious figure starts to influence people to do horrible things. As the book progresses things only get worse.
One reason this book excels is the characters. I cared or hated every character. I rooted for the good guys and hoped every vile plot from the bad guys would fail. The characters are well fleshed out and with such a large amount clearly written without it being confusing.
The other part is the novel reminds me of King but several of his novels combined, but in a different light because William Gray has his own voice. There is a reference to King and done in way that's so satisfying. It's like a Easter egg for all of Constant Readers.
This is a horror novel that enthralls you from the first page until the last and never disappoints.
August 28, 2023
I must admit, I got a little bored midway through this. Maybe I’m just not in the right headspace. Good concept, but more gore than scares.
August 9, 2023
This is truly nothing short of a masterpiece. 5/5
July 25, 2023
This is the first book of William F. Gray that I've read. Definitely got goosebumps out of the creepiness from Mr... and those brutal scenes. I liked how the author related the storyline with how selfish and manipulative the politicians and religious figures can be in reality. And how realistic the story ended. Sometimes the good guys don't always win and it all requires sacrifices. This book makes me realize it's indeed a scary, dark and twisted world we live in now. The real monsters are among us. They could be sitting next to you, talking to you, laughing with you, or maybe could it be you?
November 5, 2023
The Devil Within Us All is a pretty good book, and it is well written. It is very similar to some of Stephen King's work, which is great! William F. Gray wastes no time in getting to the meat of the story, if you will. Just like with most any story, there are characters that are likable and unlikable. If you want something that will grab your attention right off the bat, then I highly recommend reading this book!
What's inside:
•Gore
•Southern Gothic
•Small-town horror
Rating:
4/5
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the ARC.
I am leaving my review of my own volition. All opinions are my own.
What's inside:
•Gore
•Southern Gothic
•Small-town horror
Rating:
4/5
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the ARC.
I am leaving my review of my own volition. All opinions are my own.
December 25, 2024
A novel that jumps right in and gets gory. But I struggled to keep up with the huge character list and all the deaths. I found so much of the dialogue cringey and I couldn't find a character to root for. I struggled to stay engaged and it was tough to finish. I wish I'd loved it but I just couldn't get into this one.
If you like action packed gore and horror, then this just might be for you. It just wasn't my thing.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
If you like action packed gore and horror, then this just might be for you. It just wasn't my thing.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
September 11, 2023
This was a great horror story! It's very atmospheric and has well developed characters. It moves at a quick pace. It does have a good amount of gore which didn't bother me but for some it might be a deal breaker. Overall, I really enjoyed this. Special Thank You to William F Gray, NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2023
This is a book for fans of small town horror--think Under the Dome. I wanted to like this more than I ultimately did, but it was an interesting concept, and I'll give it to Gray--he kept me on my toes. I definitely wouldn't call this book predictable at all. Gray is a talented author who shows a lot of promise with this book, but I do think as a relatively new indie author, his work could use some fine tuning. I think he's great at building the ominous feeling that a truly good horror novel should have, but I also felt like there was a good deal of "telling" versus "showing." I will say that I was not a fan of the character list--it was a helpful tool, certainly, but as someone who doesn't mind a story with a lot of characters, I'd rather have had the background and character development to be more of a focus so that I could have learned to "know" the characters.
Like I said, I think that Gray shows promise with his writing, and I always love supporting an indie horror author, so I can definitely see myself reading more from him in the future as he continues on his writing journey!
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Like I said, I think that Gray shows promise with his writing, and I always love supporting an indie horror author, so I can definitely see myself reading more from him in the future as he continues on his writing journey!
Thank you to Netgalley and Wicked House Publishing for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
July 4, 2023
One word.... monstrous. This book is filled with terror on every single page. A classic supernatural horror.. if you like Dean Koontz or Stephen King ... this is a book for you. It's dark and creepy, and the twist at the end was so damn good...definitely wasn't expecting that. Superb writing... I absolutely loved it .
If you see a sign that says Rappahonok Fall... just keep driving, no need to stop.
If you see a sign that says Rappahonok Fall... just keep driving, no need to stop.
November 4, 2023
I really, really enjoyed this story. No punches were pulled. It is reminiscent of Stephen King stories. It did not disappoint and kept me engaged the whole time. He could have stretched it out longer with character development, but I still loved this story. Not always a feel good, rainbows and unicorns type story. But that's why I read horror.
November 16, 2024
This was an action packed small town horror with a big message. There are a lot of characters here but you will quickly start to deeply care about many of them.
5 solid stars!!
5 solid stars!!
October 6, 2023
enjoyable story but also scary
I enjoyed this book. Good for Christians to read … will make them aware of the covert way the enemy works. You won’t see him coming. I couldn’t finish the book because I needed the defeat to come sooner. Would like to read more of his books.
I enjoyed this book. Good for Christians to read … will make them aware of the covert way the enemy works. You won’t see him coming. I couldn’t finish the book because I needed the defeat to come sooner. Would like to read more of his books.
March 24, 2025
“This world is sick,” Ramsey said after a moment, his voice losing the booming, almost God-like quality it had before. There was remorse in it now. “The world is so sick. You all know that. You all have fallen prey to it, just like me. I’ve always believed that the only thing that will save it is God Himself, when he comes back in a chariot of fire.”
An evil is brewing in the tranquil small town of Rapahanok Falls, something sharply dressed as a man but is truly something that has never walked this Earth in human flesh. Mr. Tanya is the name of this man, one who wears a hat over his head to disguise the snakes running rampantly from his skull. Begining with the demented ruin of Mary Davis, Tanya would bury himself into her subconscious and force her to execute her sickly grandmother while she laid dying in her hospital bed. Horrified by the voice that lingered in her own mind, she is now a suicidal risk as she constantly attempted to take her own life only to be met with resistance at every turn. As the story begins unfolding within the hierarchy of the town, police would be pushed to the breaking point as nobody could be trusted any longer. Those to be swayed by the voice of Tanya found the selves all too eager to turn away their morality and do hbsleakable acts onto other people. Chief of police; Brock Lowery and his son Charlie never expected true evil to fall over their town, much less for their own officers Drew Russell and Leon Mckessonn to be drawn by the darker voice. Fighting their way through the sermons of evil being preached by James Ramsey, it's a race against time to save those they can while everyone else so willingly threw their lives away.
Everyone has to say goodbye, he had told her. It’s best to do it on your terms.
Meanwhile, Olivia (Olive) Kent is moving through the most typical of teeanger endeavors; breaking up with her high school boyfriend when everything begins crumbling. Deciding to end things with Brad Greene, she truly believed hee parents could keep her and her younger brother Eddie safe as Brad begin threatening her and showing up outside their home late at night. Tired of the smoking and sexual favors she was pressured into, she turned to the safety of her parents Linda and Michael as he continued to appear outside. As the daylight quickly swindled away and full darkness showed at 4pm, other people would be running for their lives into a different kind of salvation. Across town, Hannah Madigan is once again facing the heavy hand of her abusive stepfather Wayne as he chooses alcohol over her every single time. A portly man with a temper, it's little wonder Hannah found herself in the safety of the Kent household, while Nolan Presgraves continues to understand why so much hatred and resentment leads to him being chosen for violence. When he beat Wayne to death, he tried to force himself to believe it was only for Hannahbut in reality Tanya's influence was becoming simply too potent to ignore. Issac Melendez is feeling the pulls from his faith slipping further from his hands as he feels all the failures like never before. Watching his father's church and legacy burn to the ground so soon after his passing, left Issac turning towards the bottle to help soothe the pain he felt inside. As Ramsey began preaching for the end of times, Issac was pulling his beliefs in God closer as he knew the ultimate test was right around the corner.
(don’t say his name, he doesn’t want you to know his name, it’ll hurt if you even think it)
As strange and violent occurrences are spreading like wildfire, nobody is safe from the gore regardless of your age or space you occupy in life. Selectmen, police, children and the elderly would not be soared from the crucification as the few remaining would be picked off. Fighting sgainsts impossible odds, many would stumble and die as they fought against the being which is Mr. Tanya. While Issac prepares to come face to face with the devil reincarnated, it'll use his guilt towards his father to bait him close enough to behead and kill the preacher. Unfortunately, Nolan would become his ultimate traitor and stab him to death leaving only his voice as his influence. Determined not to be ran by a monster, Nolan would accelerate on his bike and kill himself, succeeded in silencing the voice once and for all. With so many losses and even less people to pick up the pieces, everybody believes it's over for now. Unfortunately, Ramsey easnt prepared to be silenced as he took in too much liberation from the killings. Finding where Mary resided, he used similar and powers to get her to admit it was Tanya's work all along.
“I am the harbinger of the apocalypse.” The entire left side of his mouth hurt, and it was hard to talk, but he powered through it. “For all the unbelieving, immoral sinners, I am the second death. Should I die, another shall replace me.”
An evil is brewing in the tranquil small town of Rapahanok Falls, something sharply dressed as a man but is truly something that has never walked this Earth in human flesh. Mr. Tanya is the name of this man, one who wears a hat over his head to disguise the snakes running rampantly from his skull. Begining with the demented ruin of Mary Davis, Tanya would bury himself into her subconscious and force her to execute her sickly grandmother while she laid dying in her hospital bed. Horrified by the voice that lingered in her own mind, she is now a suicidal risk as she constantly attempted to take her own life only to be met with resistance at every turn. As the story begins unfolding within the hierarchy of the town, police would be pushed to the breaking point as nobody could be trusted any longer. Those to be swayed by the voice of Tanya found the selves all too eager to turn away their morality and do hbsleakable acts onto other people. Chief of police; Brock Lowery and his son Charlie never expected true evil to fall over their town, much less for their own officers Drew Russell and Leon Mckessonn to be drawn by the darker voice. Fighting their way through the sermons of evil being preached by James Ramsey, it's a race against time to save those they can while everyone else so willingly threw their lives away.
Everyone has to say goodbye, he had told her. It’s best to do it on your terms.
Meanwhile, Olivia (Olive) Kent is moving through the most typical of teeanger endeavors; breaking up with her high school boyfriend when everything begins crumbling. Deciding to end things with Brad Greene, she truly believed hee parents could keep her and her younger brother Eddie safe as Brad begin threatening her and showing up outside their home late at night. Tired of the smoking and sexual favors she was pressured into, she turned to the safety of her parents Linda and Michael as he continued to appear outside. As the daylight quickly swindled away and full darkness showed at 4pm, other people would be running for their lives into a different kind of salvation. Across town, Hannah Madigan is once again facing the heavy hand of her abusive stepfather Wayne as he chooses alcohol over her every single time. A portly man with a temper, it's little wonder Hannah found herself in the safety of the Kent household, while Nolan Presgraves continues to understand why so much hatred and resentment leads to him being chosen for violence. When he beat Wayne to death, he tried to force himself to believe it was only for Hannahbut in reality Tanya's influence was becoming simply too potent to ignore. Issac Melendez is feeling the pulls from his faith slipping further from his hands as he feels all the failures like never before. Watching his father's church and legacy burn to the ground so soon after his passing, left Issac turning towards the bottle to help soothe the pain he felt inside. As Ramsey began preaching for the end of times, Issac was pulling his beliefs in God closer as he knew the ultimate test was right around the corner.
(don’t say his name, he doesn’t want you to know his name, it’ll hurt if you even think it)
As strange and violent occurrences are spreading like wildfire, nobody is safe from the gore regardless of your age or space you occupy in life. Selectmen, police, children and the elderly would not be soared from the crucification as the few remaining would be picked off. Fighting sgainsts impossible odds, many would stumble and die as they fought against the being which is Mr. Tanya. While Issac prepares to come face to face with the devil reincarnated, it'll use his guilt towards his father to bait him close enough to behead and kill the preacher. Unfortunately, Nolan would become his ultimate traitor and stab him to death leaving only his voice as his influence. Determined not to be ran by a monster, Nolan would accelerate on his bike and kill himself, succeeded in silencing the voice once and for all. With so many losses and even less people to pick up the pieces, everybody believes it's over for now. Unfortunately, Ramsey easnt prepared to be silenced as he took in too much liberation from the killings. Finding where Mary resided, he used similar and powers to get her to admit it was Tanya's work all along.
“I am the harbinger of the apocalypse.” The entire left side of his mouth hurt, and it was hard to talk, but he powered through it. “For all the unbelieving, immoral sinners, I am the second death. Should I die, another shall replace me.”
August 20, 2023
A three-part horror literary novel with tons of action. There are a lot of characters and events in this story. There is a page with a list of all the characters to help keep track of who is who.
Rappahanok Falls will never be the same. An evil figure drives into town and manipulates others to commit aggressive acts of violence. Friends turn on each other. Families are torn apart. The evil figure is causing Rappahanok Falls to fall apart. Those who are not swayed to violence are fighting to stop this evil from destroying the entire town.
Sometimes, when you start a book that has a list of the characters and their jobs before the story even begins, it makes some of us leery. Throughout the story, I did have to look at the list of characters because I would get confused. Even though I had to look, the story kept my attention, and I didn’t find it a problem referring to the list.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story because this kind of story can get confusing real quick. Gray did such a great job that I do hope to read more of his books. If I had to explain Gray’s writing style… I would say it is engaging and straightforward. At almost 400 pages, he doesn’t use a lot of filler. The smooth writing style makes the story quick and entertaining.
If you are looking for a deep story with hidden meaning, The Devil Within Us All is a great book to put on your TBR.
Rappahanok Falls will never be the same. An evil figure drives into town and manipulates others to commit aggressive acts of violence. Friends turn on each other. Families are torn apart. The evil figure is causing Rappahanok Falls to fall apart. Those who are not swayed to violence are fighting to stop this evil from destroying the entire town.
Sometimes, when you start a book that has a list of the characters and their jobs before the story even begins, it makes some of us leery. Throughout the story, I did have to look at the list of characters because I would get confused. Even though I had to look, the story kept my attention, and I didn’t find it a problem referring to the list.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story because this kind of story can get confusing real quick. Gray did such a great job that I do hope to read more of his books. If I had to explain Gray’s writing style… I would say it is engaging and straightforward. At almost 400 pages, he doesn’t use a lot of filler. The smooth writing style makes the story quick and entertaining.
If you are looking for a deep story with hidden meaning, The Devil Within Us All is a great book to put on your TBR.
September 15, 2023
Proof reading and editing dropped the ball
I wanted to like this book. The story drew me in. I thought it was a decent premise and storyline. That intrigue fell away the more I read. The story is difficult to follow in its frequent shifts from one character to the next. The reader is thrust from one view of the storyline to another. That in and of itself wouldn’t be an issue if there was enough character development or delineating features between them for the reader to remember who was who. I found the character descriptions at the start of the book had a purpose. As if the writer new the shortcomings and recognize it would be difficult to follow. With that, I began to wonder if the book was translated from another language. There were so many missing words, possibly many the readers wouldn’t even realize. Our brains being what they are, filling in the blanks for words omitted. Given proper attention they’re easy to discover. I can only think that the books editing and proofreading fell behind. If even it was used at all. I can’t imagine so many instances missed. A scattered few is plausible, though one or two a chapter is irredeemable. It’s something that frustrates me as as a reader and becomes the irritating blemish that can’t be unseen. It takes away from the writing as a whole. I can only hope the writer is able to go back and thoroughly edit this novel before anyone else is accosted.
I wanted to like this book. The story drew me in. I thought it was a decent premise and storyline. That intrigue fell away the more I read. The story is difficult to follow in its frequent shifts from one character to the next. The reader is thrust from one view of the storyline to another. That in and of itself wouldn’t be an issue if there was enough character development or delineating features between them for the reader to remember who was who. I found the character descriptions at the start of the book had a purpose. As if the writer new the shortcomings and recognize it would be difficult to follow. With that, I began to wonder if the book was translated from another language. There were so many missing words, possibly many the readers wouldn’t even realize. Our brains being what they are, filling in the blanks for words omitted. Given proper attention they’re easy to discover. I can only think that the books editing and proofreading fell behind. If even it was used at all. I can’t imagine so many instances missed. A scattered few is plausible, though one or two a chapter is irredeemable. It’s something that frustrates me as as a reader and becomes the irritating blemish that can’t be unseen. It takes away from the writing as a whole. I can only hope the writer is able to go back and thoroughly edit this novel before anyone else is accosted.
July 16, 2023
This is a fantastic novel. It's small town horror, heavy dark religious zeal gone extremely wrong, and a small group of people against a much larger evil. What's not to love about all that?
This book has vibes of Needful Things but the author makes it his own. In fact, I think the main villain in this book is much more frightening than Leland from Needful Things. Because this "man" is truly terrifying. He has no moral ambiguity whatsoever. He just wants to watch this town burn for his personal satisfaction.
This story starts with a bang, a brutal scene you'll not soon forget, and keeps that horrifying vibe going until the explosive ending. With religious themes being a focal point of the narrative, my hats off to the author for neither condemning or validating religion. The characters are the pistons that pump life into these thoughts and the author never strays into "preachy" territory. It's a great thing!
Relentless, vicious, brutal, and uncompromising, this novel is a horror fiction lovers dream with amazing characters, huge heart wrenching surprises in store, and an absolutely brilliant plot that grabs your attention from the start and never lets up.
I highly recommend it.
This book has vibes of Needful Things but the author makes it his own. In fact, I think the main villain in this book is much more frightening than Leland from Needful Things. Because this "man" is truly terrifying. He has no moral ambiguity whatsoever. He just wants to watch this town burn for his personal satisfaction.
This story starts with a bang, a brutal scene you'll not soon forget, and keeps that horrifying vibe going until the explosive ending. With religious themes being a focal point of the narrative, my hats off to the author for neither condemning or validating religion. The characters are the pistons that pump life into these thoughts and the author never strays into "preachy" territory. It's a great thing!
Relentless, vicious, brutal, and uncompromising, this novel is a horror fiction lovers dream with amazing characters, huge heart wrenching surprises in store, and an absolutely brilliant plot that grabs your attention from the start and never lets up.
I highly recommend it.
September 7, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing an eARC copy of The Devil Within Us All by William F. Gray.
I agree with other reviewers that William F. Gray does a wonderful job of jumping right into the plot and not attempting to provide too many details of who all the characters are, the town, etc., It's refreshing to just know what I need to know and learn what other things are along the way. Especially when it comes to having multiple voices in a story, it is hard to keep track of and he does exceptionally well to make it easy to follow all the characters and their relationships with one another.
However, it gave me a sense that I've read this before, with another book and cannot honestly place the title of the other book. But, the whole concept felt very familiar in a sense. Though, most plots based in a small town all seem to be the same exact thing. It does have more gore than necessary, and I'm not a fan of gore...more visually but if I can picture it, it's too much for me. There some grammatical errors and missing words here or there, which distracted me a lot and a lot of repetition that wasn't necessary.
So, as much as I'd like to give this book a higher rating. I just honestly cannot do it.
I agree with other reviewers that William F. Gray does a wonderful job of jumping right into the plot and not attempting to provide too many details of who all the characters are, the town, etc., It's refreshing to just know what I need to know and learn what other things are along the way. Especially when it comes to having multiple voices in a story, it is hard to keep track of and he does exceptionally well to make it easy to follow all the characters and their relationships with one another.
However, it gave me a sense that I've read this before, with another book and cannot honestly place the title of the other book. But, the whole concept felt very familiar in a sense. Though, most plots based in a small town all seem to be the same exact thing. It does have more gore than necessary, and I'm not a fan of gore...more visually but if I can picture it, it's too much for me. There some grammatical errors and missing words here or there, which distracted me a lot and a lot of repetition that wasn't necessary.
So, as much as I'd like to give this book a higher rating. I just honestly cannot do it.
September 9, 2023
"The Devil Within Us" is perfect for fan's of Stephen King's "Salem's Lot" or Jeremy Eads's "The Lodge." It is a small town horror centering around the dark acts humans will do to one another with a little prompting from one another and the supernatural. Its themes are equally dark and complex, with a narrative centering around the power a singular entity can hold over a group.
Ultimately, this book was not for me. This is not the fault of the author in any way, shape, or form. The atmosphere, characters, plot, etc. were very well written. However, the sheer amount of characters and the multiple POV swaps could get a little confusing at times. The themes were well explored, although I feel the story relied more on gore than actual scare factor. I just had a hard time with some of the events. Again, not that they were not well written or plausible for the narrative, they were just a lot for me to process. I think this would a stellar book for those that are into themes such as small town, few survivors, gore, and men as the true monster.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
Ultimately, this book was not for me. This is not the fault of the author in any way, shape, or form. The atmosphere, characters, plot, etc. were very well written. However, the sheer amount of characters and the multiple POV swaps could get a little confusing at times. The themes were well explored, although I feel the story relied more on gore than actual scare factor. I just had a hard time with some of the events. Again, not that they were not well written or plausible for the narrative, they were just a lot for me to process. I think this would a stellar book for those that are into themes such as small town, few survivors, gore, and men as the true monster.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
March 18, 2024
THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL – by William F. Gray – My Heart!
In a word, WOW! The tension and action in the clipped chapters do not let up—scenes with heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, moments—Gray has the peddle on full throttle to the very end.
I have to admit, I yelled out various expletives of shock and surprise several times throughout reading, and had to put the book down just as many for a breather.
If you’re a Stephen King fan, I think you will enjoy the Hell out of this book! Pun, may or may not be intended. ;)
Also, check out the Awesome Cover!
‘“The evil within people is like a snake . . . coiled inside every person’s belly. Waiting to strike. But it can be taught to answer to a master.”’
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing, for providing me with an eBook of THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL at the request of an honest review.
In a word, WOW! The tension and action in the clipped chapters do not let up—scenes with heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, moments—Gray has the peddle on full throttle to the very end.
I have to admit, I yelled out various expletives of shock and surprise several times throughout reading, and had to put the book down just as many for a breather.
If you’re a Stephen King fan, I think you will enjoy the Hell out of this book! Pun, may or may not be intended. ;)
Also, check out the Awesome Cover!
‘“The evil within people is like a snake . . . coiled inside every person’s belly. Waiting to strike. But it can be taught to answer to a master.”’
Highly Recommend!
Thank you, NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing, for providing me with an eBook of THE DEVIL WITHIN US ALL at the request of an honest review.
September 1, 2024
There was no way to tell who was going to get killed or how. That was the best thing about this title. Now I must admit to being a jaded horror fan, so as to explain my next comments. I found a significant portion of the dialog to be very cliché for the horror movie genre. I skipped through certain sections because I couldn’t stand listening to the way they talk. Lastly I found the Anti-Christian bigotry to be inline with what is also typical of the horror genre. It is so played out, but I suppose the author themself, or the fans of horror, they assume, are largely ignorant about other religions. And so it is just easier all around to target Christians. Safer too, I would imagine — We wouldn’t want another situation like what happened with Salman Rushdie or Charlie Hebdo, now would we?
August 8, 2023
Nobody Is Safe
Chances are good somebody you come to love is going to die unceremoniously by book’s end, and that’s no spoiler. There are a dozen characters worth loving. My favorites were Olive, Isaac, and Nolan.
The Devil Within Us All starts fast and never lets up, but I knew it was a unique work of genius when I finished the final 100 pages in a sitting, staying up past midnight and neglecting the planned revision of my current writing project.
Listen, if I’m honest I’m jealous of William F. Gray’s massive talent, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I’ll be reflecting on my own religious upbringing for weeks to come after finishing this novel.
Chances are good somebody you come to love is going to die unceremoniously by book’s end, and that’s no spoiler. There are a dozen characters worth loving. My favorites were Olive, Isaac, and Nolan.
The Devil Within Us All starts fast and never lets up, but I knew it was a unique work of genius when I finished the final 100 pages in a sitting, staying up past midnight and neglecting the planned revision of my current writing project.
Listen, if I’m honest I’m jealous of William F. Gray’s massive talent, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough. I’ll be reflecting on my own religious upbringing for weeks to come after finishing this novel.
June 30, 2024
This book didn't disappoint. You won't have to wait for the action to start and it never stops. With so many characters I was a little worried that they would all kind of blur together or I'd have to reread something to make sure I was seeing this through the right persons eyes. This wasn't the case. I felt like I could be living in the small town living this nightmare right along with them. The mystery behind our main villain still has my brain turning with tons of questions but in a good way. I want to know more about him but know enough to say yes, he ranks up there with some of the boogeyman greats.
August 9, 2023
A snake charmer comes to Rappahanok, He exerts a supernatural influence and the town devolves into violence and chaos.Only a few can stand their ground and hope to band together to fight the entity that has chosen their home.
I really enjoyed the overall story and ominous vibe. The characters were good and bad alike could’ve been more developed; some felt static across the whole story.
I liked that the author broke down his thoughts on the creation of this tale, the real world issues that became metaphors in the story
I really enjoyed the overall story and ominous vibe. The characters were good and bad alike could’ve been more developed; some felt static across the whole story.
I liked that the author broke down his thoughts on the creation of this tale, the real world issues that became metaphors in the story
September 13, 2023
I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I enjoyed the intense writing style, much like Stephen King, however I just could not get into the novel.
It’s nice to see a horror novel talk about so many worldly issues, but it just felt disconnected to me. As the novel progressed I found myself not wanting to continue reading.
I may try reading again at a different point, and see if my opinion changes. I will update if I do and it does.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an advanced readers copy.
It’s nice to see a horror novel talk about so many worldly issues, but it just felt disconnected to me. As the novel progressed I found myself not wanting to continue reading.
I may try reading again at a different point, and see if my opinion changes. I will update if I do and it does.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Wicked House Publishing for providing me with an advanced readers copy.
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