The Devil and Daniela Webster

by Laurie Stevens

Jake Stapleton feels like a loser. He’s got no direction or romance in his life, and he misses his late mother. The young man needs help with the mortgage and advertises for a housemate. When the devil, disguised as a middle-aged woman, answers Jake’s ad, all hell breaks loose – but it’s the devil who gets more than she bargained for. “A fiendishly delightful romp!” from award-winning author Laurie Stevens.

125 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2023

About the author

Laurie Stevens is the author of the Gabriel McRay thriller series. The books have won twelve awards, among them Kirkus Reviews Best of 2011 and a Random House Editors’ Book of the Month. International Thriller Writers claims she's "cracked the code" in regards to writing psychological suspense. Laurie co-edited the 2019 Sisters in Crime anthology Fatally Haunted, and her short stories have appeared in many anthologies and magazines. Laurie lives near the setting of her books, the Santa Monica Mountains, with her husband, two snakes, and a cat.
To learn more about Laurie, visit her website at https://lauriestevensbooks.com

Reviews

[Hal Bodner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does the world really need another riff on Stephen Vincent Benet's "The Devil and Daniel Webster"? Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, and Faust, Benet's short story may be one of the most commonly "adapted" works in Western Literature. So I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. I assumed -- wrongly, as it turns out -- that THE DEVIL AND DANIELA WEBSTER would be just another hum-drum, pedestrian "take" on a story that, after 300 years, has become not just stereotypes, but cliche. At best, I thought Stevens' version would take a more modern approach, with a gender twist.

So I was absolutely delighted to discover that this particular adaptation of Benet's work was fresh, quirky, and quite charming. Above all, Stevens' "Daniela Webster" was unexpectedly FUN! It's clever without being cutesy, quirky without preciousness, and manages to stay true to Benet's original concept without even a hint of pretentiousness.

This was the second (or perhaps, third?) book I've read by this author. And it's quite different from her intensely psychological police procedurals -- which, by the way, are definitely worth your time to check out. DANIELA WEBSTER is emphatically a literary romp-- which I would call a "light read" for pure enjoyment-- and it's a hoot from beginning to end.

Stevens is one of those authors whose books are hard to put down. Her prose somehow captures you, and compels you to read "just a few more pages" even when you're reading in bed late at night and want to go to sleep! I can definitely recommend this book.

[Sharon Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A departure from Stevens’ dark and thrilling psychological suspense series, this novella is a delight! While keeping a light hand, Stevens guides us through trauma, love, friendship, and redemption. Not many authors have the skill to introduce the devil, God, and Archangels and make the reader smile. A wonderful read!

[Isabelle Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Super clever and imaginative idea. I read this book rather quickly, intrigued by a devil living in every-day life. The author writes with a thriller tone but balances the story with comedic relief. I can’t wait to read her other books!

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast, fascinating, and highly entertaining!

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story. Looking forward to trying more of Laurie Stevens writings.

[Susan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! It was hard to put down.