The Rhetoric of Failure

by Sean McDevitt

The year is 1983, and ”Satanic panic" is raging in America like a wildfire; religious zealots see the devil in everything from household products to rock ’n roll. Three awkward and isolated Southern California teens spend their idle time with seances and harmless roleplay— but the fun stops when they realize that they’re not alone in their fantasy worlds, and not in a good way…

Genres: Horror, Novella

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 28, 2023

About the author

Sean McDevitt is an independent author and award-winning actor. His latest work, the epic western JOHNNY MIME, was released in October 2025. McDevitt is also the author of THE WIZARD MURDERS, THE RHETORIC OF FAILURE, CALL ME ISMAY and a host of others.

Reviews

[inciminci · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very strange short book with a tragic back story I didn't see coming. It's mostly a sort of YA story of a group of friends using an ouija board to communicate with the afterworld and getting in trouble for it. It was ok, but nothing too big. Buddy read with Janie 👯

[Pamela Jo Mason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three teens get caught up in the satanic panic that’s happening around them. Jeff, Chad and Cassie are neighbors who are on a school break experimenting with smoking, alcohol, unconventional music. They go from D&D to the Ouija Board, finding bones, creepy cellars, haunted houses. Are they feeding off of each others’ terrors or are these frightening occurrences really happening? Going to the adults in their lives doesn’t seem to be helping; either they don’t believe, or they get angry, or what is happening has a natural but chaotic explanation.

This book did have quite a bit of creepiness to it; even through the light humor that only teens that can bring to a situation.

Disclaimer - I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway

[Jeremy Maddux]

Sounds awesome, even if the whole Satanic Panic is way overblown.

[Amber K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read and I enjoyed the story!

[Lauren Murdock · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.

I have mixed feelings about the book. It’s a decent story, but seems almost…scattered. I guess that goes with the storyline of three teenage friends over the course of roughly a year. Couple of twists towards the end that definitely got me.

There were a handful of editing mistakes that tripped me up as well.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone that is interested in eclectic horror.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from GoodReads for a review.

This is a horror story centered on a group of friends and their experience with an Ouija board and a unborn baby's skeleton found in the garage by one and placed in the cellar of his house. It's an easy read in the Stephen King style of writing, with a surprise at then end. It seems to be aimed at a younger audience than my demographic, so I wasn't too impressed. I think genre fans in their teens and early twenties would enjoy it more.

[Lisa Loveland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this as a Goodreads giveaway. I liked the premise of the story. The twist at the end was good. The writing is a bit disjointed though. There are parts told that have no relation to the story at all. Just Chad reminiscing about his school days. It made no sense and did not tie into the story at all. Like I said, I did enjoy the twist at the end though.

[Jesica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled a bit with the story at the beginning. There’s was definitely a lot of build up which is okay but somehow just felt like it was lagging a bit. The ending of the story was definitely a big reveal which was cool but in some ways felt a little disconnected from the story I was reading. I really like the overall idea of the story though.

[Amanda Elizabeth Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half was slow and a little scattered to me. However, the second half was awesome and I flew thru it! There was a wild twist that blew me away.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very strange book!
Thanks to Goodreads for the kindle copy.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

💚💚💚💚💚

[Ashley Narine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Odd pacing & felt disjointed. That ending came out of nowhere and there’s far too many unanswered questions to make the reader feel satisfied.

[Rebeka Alvie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the read, but overall it's not the best. I feel like it took a long time to get into the horror aspects and then they wrapped up too nicely by the end. The writing is good, just the story wasn't fully there for me.

[JWo1855 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having grown up in the early- to mid-80s, I could relate to the overblown everything is “satanic” craze. And God knows that the Southern Baptist church I went to instilled the fear of God in me so much that I wouldn’t mess with an ouija board.

But reading about someone else playing with on… Yes, please!!

I enjoyed the nostalgia that The Rhetoric of Failure brought back – hearing Van Halen for the first time & looking at naked bewbs – but the more I read the more I was concerned if it would happen in the dwindling pages.

The ending DID fit in those pages AND managed to include a jaw-dropping twist.

Fun nostalgic read.

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, but the review is all mine.