The Descent: A Halloween Novel

by Donna Kathryn Kelly

SIX WOMEN LAWYERS. HALLOWEEN WEEKEND. A SMALL TOWN IN ILLINOIS. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?
The only reason Galena Kane returns to the town of her law school alma mater in Oregon, Illinois for her thirtieth birthday party over Halloween weekend is because she doesn’t want to disappoint her best friend, Lorne Edwards. Lorne convinced Galena that reuniting with their four former classmates in the same house in which they had lived during law school would be a fun way to celebrate.

Not all of Galena’s memories of law school are pleasant, however - particularly those involving her nemesis, Logan Carmichael. After all, Galena is certain that Logan plagiarized her self-published crime thriller, catapulting Logan to fame in the literary world and legal academia.

But that was several years ago, and Galena really should move on from the past, since it’s not good to harbor such resentment and anger. Moreover, Logan is deceased, having suffered an aneurysm during a law school lecture in the spring. It’s time to forget about Logan's thievery and let bygones be bygones - though this is easier said than done. In truth, Galena still despises Logan Carmichael even though she’s dead.

And when inexplicable and menacing things start happening in the house, Galena not only regrets her decision in having accepted Lorne’s invitation, but she also begins wondering if the dead have the ability to negatively impact the living and if the intersection between the darkness and the light is unavoidable. Is it too late for Galena Kane to let go of her own anger and to escape from the terror that Halloween weekend holds in store?

THE DESCENT: A Halloween Novel was selected as a semi-finalist in the 2023 Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Manuscript Project Contest.

244 pages, Paperback

Published August 24, 2023

About the author

Donna Kathryn Kelly began her legal career as an assistant public defender, handling felony and juvenile cases. Kelly subsequently worked as an assistant appellate defender for the Office of the State Appellate Defender in La Salle County, Illinois for seven years. Kelly has successfully argued cases before the Appellate Court of Illinois and the Supreme Court of Illinois.

After devoting the first decade of her legal career to criminal defense, Kelly worked as a prosecutor in the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office in northern Illinois, where she successfully tried numerous felony cases to jury verdict. In 2007, she was honored by the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists with the Outstanding Assistant State's Attorney (Illinois) of the Year Award for her commitment and dedication to seeking justice for victims of alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers. Later in her career, Kelly served in executive-level managerial positions as Chief of the Civil Division and subsequently, First Assistant State's Attorney.

Kelly is the author of THE CHENEY MANNING SERIES, a collection of suspense novels featuring an Illinois public defender turned amateur sleuth who investigates homicide cases in the northern Illinois area.

Kelly is also the author of the paranormal horror thriller, THE DESCENT: A Halloween Novel, which was a semi-finalist in the 2023 Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project Manuscript Contest.

Kelly's supernatural thriller, THE LION AT THE FALLS, was selected as a Finalist in the 2024 Killer Nashville Claymore Award Competition [Supernatural Category]. Additionally, the novel was awarded Third Place in the 2024 West Virginia Writers' Competition [Book-Length Prose Category].

Kelly's poetry has appeared in various literary journals and anthologies. Her poem, ASSUMPSIT, was selected as the First Place Entry in the South Dakota State Poetry Society's 2018 Annual Poetry Contest (Portrait Category).

[Author Photo Credit: Linda M. Barrett Productions]