What do you think?
Rate this book
The Devil Inside Her
Haunted by the death of her husband and only child, Elinor Gentry's recurring nightmares have left her exhausted. She's crippled by debt, and only the remnants of her former life surround her, things she can't bear to sell, and wouldn't make much profit from if she did. Then, for no apparent reason, the nightmares transform into pleasant dreams. Dreams that lead her to take back control of her life.
A string of horrific and unexplained suicides--and an unnerving discovery about Elinor herself--lead her best friend to seek help from the one person who has seen all this before, and things begin to spiral out of control. Hazel Messinger knows that Elinor's newly found wellbeing is not what it seems, and Hazel's not about to let the demon inside remain there permanently.
A string of horrific and unexplained suicides--and an unnerving discovery about Elinor herself--lead her best friend to seek help from the one person who has seen all this before, and things begin to spiral out of control. Hazel Messinger knows that Elinor's newly found wellbeing is not what it seems, and Hazel's not about to let the demon inside remain there permanently.
- GenresHorror
94 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 20, 2012
82 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Cavendish
41 books425 followersHello, my name's Catherine Cavendish and I write suspense novels, novellas and short stories of the ghostly, haunted, creepy kind that include supernatural, paranormal, Gothic and other, related themes.
THE STONES OF LANDANE is out now from Flame Tree Press - When Jonathan agrees to accompany his girlfriend, Nadia, on a trip to Landane, he imagines a short relaxing break in the countryside, but he quickly discovers that Nadia isn’t just drawn to the ancient Neolithic stone circle, she is obsessed by the megaliths. One in particular holds a fascination for her. Within hours, her personality begins to change, and it isn’t long before Jonathan starts to fear for her sanity. All too soon he realizes, it isn't only Nadia who is in danger
My other novels from Flame Tree Press are:
THOSE WHO DWELL IN MORDENHYRST HALL - Evil runs deep at Mordenhyrst Hall… When Grace first sets eyes on the imposing Gothic house, she is struck with an overwhelming sense that something doesn’t want her there. Her fiancé’s sister heads a coterie of Bright Young Things whose frivolous lives hide a sinister intent. Simon, Grace’s fiancé, is not the man she fell in love with, and the local villagers eye her with suspicion that borders on malevolence.
Her friend, Coralie, possesses the ability to communicate with powerful spirits. She convinces Grace of her own paranormal gifts – gifts Grace will need to draw deeply on as the secrets of Mordenhyrst Hall begin to unravel.
THE AFTER-DEATH OF CAROLINE RAND - Alli is caught between fantasy and reality, past and present, in the life of a famous singer from the 1960s and soon learns that evil infests the once-holy building she called
home. Before long, Alli's fate will be sealed, and she will learn about her role in the after-death of Caroline Rand. It begins with a chilling greeting: "Welcome to The Columbine, Miss Sinclair. You are expected."
DARK OBSERVATION - is published by Flame Tree Press. In the dark days of war-torn London, Violet has more to fear than bombs. From deep within the Earth, demonic forces are rising.
IN DARKNESS, SHADOWS BREATHE. Carol and Nessa are strangers with one thing in common, they are in the hands of an entity that knows no boundaries and crosses dimensions - bending and twisting time itself - where danger waits in every shadow
THE GARDEN OF BEWITCHMENT. Historical haunted Gothic horror set in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors - pure Bronte country - with a Bronte theme.
And - THE HAUNTING OF HENDERSON CLOSE. Ghostly horror set in Edinburgh's Old Town.
THE CROW WITCH AND OTHER CONJURINGS is my first short fiction collection and is out now from Weird House Press.
My novellas THE DARKEST VEIL, COLD REVENGE, MISS ABIGAIL'S ROOM, THE DEMONS OF CAMBIAN STREET, DARK AVENGING ANGEL, LINDEN MANOR, THE DEVIL INSIDE HER and THE SECOND WIFE are published by Crossroad Press.
My novels THE DEVIL'S SERENADE and SAVING GRACE DEVINE have also been released in new editions by Crossroad Press, as has my novel of the Lancashire Witches - THE PENDLE CURSE.
I live with a long-suffering husband and a delightful black cat who has never forgotten that her species used to be worshipped in ancient Egypt. She sees no reason why that practice should not continue. Who am I to argue?
When not slaving over a hot computer, I enjoy wandering around Neolithic stone circles and visiting old haunted houses.
THE STONES OF LANDANE is out now from Flame Tree Press - When Jonathan agrees to accompany his girlfriend, Nadia, on a trip to Landane, he imagines a short relaxing break in the countryside, but he quickly discovers that Nadia isn’t just drawn to the ancient Neolithic stone circle, she is obsessed by the megaliths. One in particular holds a fascination for her. Within hours, her personality begins to change, and it isn’t long before Jonathan starts to fear for her sanity. All too soon he realizes, it isn't only Nadia who is in danger
My other novels from Flame Tree Press are:
THOSE WHO DWELL IN MORDENHYRST HALL - Evil runs deep at Mordenhyrst Hall… When Grace first sets eyes on the imposing Gothic house, she is struck with an overwhelming sense that something doesn’t want her there. Her fiancé’s sister heads a coterie of Bright Young Things whose frivolous lives hide a sinister intent. Simon, Grace’s fiancé, is not the man she fell in love with, and the local villagers eye her with suspicion that borders on malevolence.
Her friend, Coralie, possesses the ability to communicate with powerful spirits. She convinces Grace of her own paranormal gifts – gifts Grace will need to draw deeply on as the secrets of Mordenhyrst Hall begin to unravel.
THE AFTER-DEATH OF CAROLINE RAND - Alli is caught between fantasy and reality, past and present, in the life of a famous singer from the 1960s and soon learns that evil infests the once-holy building she called
home. Before long, Alli's fate will be sealed, and she will learn about her role in the after-death of Caroline Rand. It begins with a chilling greeting: "Welcome to The Columbine, Miss Sinclair. You are expected."
DARK OBSERVATION - is published by Flame Tree Press. In the dark days of war-torn London, Violet has more to fear than bombs. From deep within the Earth, demonic forces are rising.
IN DARKNESS, SHADOWS BREATHE. Carol and Nessa are strangers with one thing in common, they are in the hands of an entity that knows no boundaries and crosses dimensions - bending and twisting time itself - where danger waits in every shadow
THE GARDEN OF BEWITCHMENT. Historical haunted Gothic horror set in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors - pure Bronte country - with a Bronte theme.
And - THE HAUNTING OF HENDERSON CLOSE. Ghostly horror set in Edinburgh's Old Town.
THE CROW WITCH AND OTHER CONJURINGS is my first short fiction collection and is out now from Weird House Press.
My novellas THE DARKEST VEIL, COLD REVENGE, MISS ABIGAIL'S ROOM, THE DEMONS OF CAMBIAN STREET, DARK AVENGING ANGEL, LINDEN MANOR, THE DEVIL INSIDE HER and THE SECOND WIFE are published by Crossroad Press.
My novels THE DEVIL'S SERENADE and SAVING GRACE DEVINE have also been released in new editions by Crossroad Press, as has my novel of the Lancashire Witches - THE PENDLE CURSE.
I live with a long-suffering husband and a delightful black cat who has never forgotten that her species used to be worshipped in ancient Egypt. She sees no reason why that practice should not continue. Who am I to argue?
When not slaving over a hot computer, I enjoy wandering around Neolithic stone circles and visiting old haunted houses.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 22, 2018
3.5 stars.
THE DEVIL INSIDE HER is a novella by Catherine Cavendish. Here we have a supernatural tale that focuses on the idea of a demon that can prey on people in their dreams.
While this story has a couple of fairly sympathetic characters, I wasn't overly impressed by their presence here. Instead, I felt that the main strength lie in the descriptions of mutilations and the overall concept of the demon's origin.
". . . Now she was trying to scratch her own eyes out . . . she was succeeding . . . "
The atmosphere during certain parts of this tale is also worth mentioning. The way that observers in the book saw it was both intriguing and conflicting at the same time.
". . . call it smoke. Or a cloud. But it was both, and sort of neither . . . "
This one really felt like more of a short story to me. While it did answer some of the questions that the existence of this demon posed, it did so by bringing in a character who was all too conveniently thrown in, for my personal tastes. Additionally, I think that more of a background to the demon would have helped to flesh out the novella a little more, giving the readers more time to "connect" with he characters throughout.
". . . the significance of it is what scares the hell out of me . . . "
An interesting concept, that could have used a little more depth, overall.
THE DEVIL INSIDE HER is a novella by Catherine Cavendish. Here we have a supernatural tale that focuses on the idea of a demon that can prey on people in their dreams.
While this story has a couple of fairly sympathetic characters, I wasn't overly impressed by their presence here. Instead, I felt that the main strength lie in the descriptions of mutilations and the overall concept of the demon's origin.
". . . Now she was trying to scratch her own eyes out . . . she was succeeding . . . "
The atmosphere during certain parts of this tale is also worth mentioning. The way that observers in the book saw it was both intriguing and conflicting at the same time.
". . . call it smoke. Or a cloud. But it was both, and sort of neither . . . "
This one really felt like more of a short story to me. While it did answer some of the questions that the existence of this demon posed, it did so by bringing in a character who was all too conveniently thrown in, for my personal tastes. Additionally, I think that more of a background to the demon would have helped to flesh out the novella a little more, giving the readers more time to "connect" with he characters throughout.
". . . the significance of it is what scares the hell out of me . . . "
An interesting concept, that could have used a little more depth, overall.
August 17, 2018
Elinor Gentry, lost her husband and daughter, in an accident, about two years ago. Her reocurring nightmares, have left he in a state of confusion. Elinor's bills are adding up, with no relief in sight. All of a sudden, Elinor.s nightmares, have turned into pleasant dreams. Marnie and Elinor are best of friends. They have known each other since grade school. They would do anything they can, to help each other. A number of graphic suicides, have taken place, in the surrounding area.It seems like they all tried to gouge their eyes out. The police are left without a clue. After two years, thngs look like they are turning around for Elinor. She applies for a bookkeeping job, and gets an interview. Something is about to be discovered about Elinor and only Marnie can help her. Marnie goes to the one person, who has been through this before, Hazel. Hazel knows, that Elinor's sudden found confidence, will not last for long. Hazel is not about to let the demon that lives inside Elinor, stay there permanently. Can Marnie and Hazel, defeat the evil that possess Elinor? This short novella is packed with a powerful story line.Catherine Cavendish, writes some really spooky stories, and this is one of them. I must admit, that I never saw ending, turning out the way it did. I highly recommend this book.
July 14, 2012
Catherine Cavendish knows how to serve up some creepy goodness. This time around, we have an atmospheric little gem that takes a woman struggling to turn her life around after a terrible tragedy. Elinor is finally pulling herself out of the despair she's been wrapped in since the death of her family but her change of attitude comes as people in her town are committing suicide in graphic, awful ways.
This story, though, is more Marnie's story than Elinor's. Marnie is the best friend who has stood by and helped Elinor through her dark times. She's been the shoulder she cries on and the voice of reason when Elinor only wants to give up. At first, Marnie is thrilled by Elinor's new outlook on life. She sees her friend coming alive again after grieving for two long years. Then she begins to make connections between the horror happening in their town and Elinor's reawakening. Marnie's journey through denial and heartache over what she's coming to believe are what gives this story a little extra push.
With lovely, dark imagery and a terribly twisted way of killing innocent people, Marnie and Elinor's story skates between true friendship and horror. Creepy, just the way I like it.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
This story, though, is more Marnie's story than Elinor's. Marnie is the best friend who has stood by and helped Elinor through her dark times. She's been the shoulder she cries on and the voice of reason when Elinor only wants to give up. At first, Marnie is thrilled by Elinor's new outlook on life. She sees her friend coming alive again after grieving for two long years. Then she begins to make connections between the horror happening in their town and Elinor's reawakening. Marnie's journey through denial and heartache over what she's coming to believe are what gives this story a little extra push.
With lovely, dark imagery and a terribly twisted way of killing innocent people, Marnie and Elinor's story skates between true friendship and horror. Creepy, just the way I like it.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
October 31, 2018
Elinor has been in a deep depression since her husband and daughter died. She hasn't been able to keep a job, and is deeply in debt, plus she has horrible nightmares on top of all her other problems.
Suddenly, her nightmares stop, she lands a job interview, and her life seems to finally be back on track. At the same time, several people are found dead with their eyes scratched out, seemingly murdered but ultimately deemed as gruesome suicides. Elinor's best friend Marnie thinks Elinor's newfound happiness is connected with the suicides and and enlists the help of Hazel, a woman who has had a similar experience with a demon. Together can they stop the devil inside her?
The Devil Inside Her was a heartbreaking story. I felt so sorry for Elinor. Just when she thinks things are turning around her life gets even worse.
I've read almost all of Cavendish's books and while they're always very atmospheric and eerie, this one is also fairly gory, which I really enjoyed because I'm a gorehound. So, if you're looking for a read that is atmospheric but also doesn't skip on the gore, The Devil Inside Her, is the novella for you.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Suddenly, her nightmares stop, she lands a job interview, and her life seems to finally be back on track. At the same time, several people are found dead with their eyes scratched out, seemingly murdered but ultimately deemed as gruesome suicides. Elinor's best friend Marnie thinks Elinor's newfound happiness is connected with the suicides and and enlists the help of Hazel, a woman who has had a similar experience with a demon. Together can they stop the devil inside her?
The Devil Inside Her was a heartbreaking story. I felt so sorry for Elinor. Just when she thinks things are turning around her life gets even worse.
I've read almost all of Cavendish's books and while they're always very atmospheric and eerie, this one is also fairly gory, which I really enjoyed because I'm a gorehound. So, if you're looking for a read that is atmospheric but also doesn't skip on the gore, The Devil Inside Her, is the novella for you.
I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
June 27, 2012
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Cavendish’s creepy stories and I looked forward to The Devil Inside Her. Once again, as with her previous novellas, I actually found myself chilled and the hairs standing up on my arms in a couple of places. That doesn’t happen often, so she must have something right. The premise of this novella is good. Cavendish gives us enough description to know where we are, and to know the characters. The main characters are women and their relationships form a good part of the story. I am certain, therefore, that lots of women readers who want a thrill of a different kind to what E L James is offering will love this. If I have a criticism of the story itself it would be that I’d have liked the exorcism to be explored in more detail – but it is a novella when all’s said and done. So, overall a good impression. Here and there I sensed that the editing might have been sharper, but again that’s not the author’s doing, hence it gets 4 stars from me.
October 11, 2012
Cavendish's dark novella, The Devil Inside her, is a disturbing tale of possession and a woman's frantic attempts to save her friend. The author weaves an atmosphere of terror, suspense and suspicion that will have you looking over your shoulder and not trusting anyone. From the horrifying murders to the gruesome history to a really creepy ending, this story will keep you on the edge.
This is the first of the author's books I have read, but it won't be the last. If she can do this much with a novella, I wonder what a full length novel would be like!
While I highly recommended The Devil Inside Her, you might think twice about reading it alone at night. Chilling—exactly as a good horror tale should be.
This is the first of the author's books I have read, but it won't be the last. If she can do this much with a novella, I wonder what a full length novel would be like!
While I highly recommended The Devil Inside Her, you might think twice about reading it alone at night. Chilling—exactly as a good horror tale should be.
July 17, 2012
Someone or something is making ordinary town-folk commit suicide in horrific ways. Elinor, who lost her husband, is so disturbed her best friend Marnie tries to help her out to prevent her ending up the same way. And so begins a dark and disturbing tale of exorcism and a horrifying portrayal of a being straight out of hell who, with Ms Cavendish's usual flair at description, the reader will not only visualize but smell as well. With this new novella, the author is proving to be a Master of the dark tale and one who can weave a well-honed plot.
January 1, 2015
This was a great - and very different take - on a demon possession story. I found Catherine Cavendish very easy to read and her idea very refreshing and interesting. I will certainly be looking for more of her books.”
January 3, 2020
Writing short fiction is hard but writing horror shorts is even harder, but this story did it well. The beginning was slow, but it picked up and ended wonderfully.
June 23, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this literary piece and had the pleasure of working on it with Crossroads Press. A must read! I have also read the following which are wonderful to add to your collection:
* In My Lady's Chamber
* The Demons of Cambian Street
* Miss Abigail's Room
* In My Lady's Chamber
* The Demons of Cambian Street
* Miss Abigail's Room
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews