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And the Devil Cried
When Jackie is released from prison, his boss Pino sends a limo to pick him up. Even fresh out of the joint, ruthless Jackie is ready to work, collecting money for the mob and using his special training to take care of bad accounts—permanently.
But when a drunk driver kills Pino’s young son, he gives Jackie a task that goes against every moral code. The drunk driver has a pre-teen daughter, and Pino doesn’t just want vengeance—he wants an eye for an eye.
Jackie accepts the job, but once he finds the girl he starts making plans of his own…
And the Devil Cried is a dark thriller from Kristopher Triana, the award-winning author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal. It is a vicious, unflinching novel that’s bound to keep you burning.
5 hours and 48 minutes
But when a drunk driver kills Pino’s young son, he gives Jackie a task that goes against every moral code. The drunk driver has a pre-teen daughter, and Pino doesn’t just want vengeance—he wants an eye for an eye.
Jackie accepts the job, but once he finds the girl he starts making plans of his own…
And the Devil Cried is a dark thriller from Kristopher Triana, the award-winning author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal. It is a vicious, unflinching novel that’s bound to keep you burning.
5 hours and 48 minutes
Audiobook
First published October 26, 2021
32 people are currently reading
2085 people want to read
About the author
Kristopher Triana
67 books2,086 followersKristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
May 8, 2023
It was an entertaining read, I just couldn't put it down.
It's written so well with excellent characters.
The main character in this is a nasty piece of work, and the story is told from his deranged perspective.
A very dark, unputdownable novella.
It's written so well with excellent characters.
The main character in this is a nasty piece of work, and the story is told from his deranged perspective.
A very dark, unputdownable novella.
August 3, 2022
Story 5/5
Narration 5/5
"And The Devil Cried" by Kristopher Triana is a very good horror story.
Jackie is one of the most evil fictional characters I have read. He has no empathy, he’s cruel, and manipulative. To make people suffer psychologically and physically before he ends their lives, gives him enormous pleasure. For Jackie only one person matter, himself and nobody is untouchable. He has no morality. He is the worst kind of psychopath.
Kristopher Triana did a great job with this heartless character. I loved this story!!!
I highly recommend it!
Narration 5/5
"And The Devil Cried" by Kristopher Triana is a very good horror story.
Jackie is one of the most evil fictional characters I have read. He has no empathy, he’s cruel, and manipulative. To make people suffer psychologically and physically before he ends their lives, gives him enormous pleasure. For Jackie only one person matter, himself and nobody is untouchable. He has no morality. He is the worst kind of psychopath.
Kristopher Triana did a great job with this heartless character. I loved this story!!!
I highly recommend it!
October 22, 2021
Triana proves once again that he's one of the most reliable authors in horror right now - and I don't just mean "indie horror." Everything he writes cuts like a scalpel, and reads with the slick confidence and power of one of the greats.
With 'And The Devil Cried', Triana has created one of the most detestable characters I've ever encountered, placing the reader inside the mind of a remorseless, degenerate sociopath. It's a crime novel with an extreme horror mentality that assaults you with a barrage of horrifying scenarios and ideas, daring you to turn away. Some will. I couldn't.
This is masterful, unflinching storytelling that will satisfy anyone seeking a short but mighty novel that at times feels nothing short of evil.
With 'And The Devil Cried', Triana has created one of the most detestable characters I've ever encountered, placing the reader inside the mind of a remorseless, degenerate sociopath. It's a crime novel with an extreme horror mentality that assaults you with a barrage of horrifying scenarios and ideas, daring you to turn away. Some will. I couldn't.
This is masterful, unflinching storytelling that will satisfy anyone seeking a short but mighty novel that at times feels nothing short of evil.
October 24, 2025
Despicable. Evil. Heartless. I could go on describing Jack all day, and still, words wouldn’t be enough.
Wow. What a ride. There’s so much evil in this book—every page is as twisted as the last. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hated the main character. The rage I felt. The shame I felt. His apathy and sinful ways bleed through every page. I felt sorry for the one he manipulated, abused, and took advantage of.
Kristopher Triana really knows how to create villains you can’t help but hate and loathe. I remember feeling the same way while reading Gone to See the River Man.
Overall, I liked it. It made me uncomfortable at times, but I couldn’t stop reading and it kept me awake last night.
Well, you can never go wrong with Triana anyway.
Wow. What a ride. There’s so much evil in this book—every page is as twisted as the last. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I hated the main character. The rage I felt. The shame I felt. His apathy and sinful ways bleed through every page. I felt sorry for the one he manipulated, abused, and took advantage of.
Kristopher Triana really knows how to create villains you can’t help but hate and loathe. I remember feeling the same way while reading Gone to See the River Man.
Overall, I liked it. It made me uncomfortable at times, but I couldn’t stop reading and it kept me awake last night.
Well, you can never go wrong with Triana anyway.
August 1, 2022
The Killer Inside Me.
Kristopher Triana flips the genre-coin once again, this time it lands on hard-boiled-crime, a similar style to that of Jim Thompson -somehow even darker- and he absolutely nails it!
A psychopath with ties to organized crime gets tasked with taking out a teenage girl in an act of revenge from his boss. The protagonist is pretty much the devil incarnate. That's it! That's all I'm saying.
At this point I'll read anything Triana writes. His books all have a very distinct and yet familiar style, each one managing to retain his own personal kind of dark signature that you'd recognize anywhere. Another thing I'll say - He doesn't skimp on the Audiobook budget. They are all top-notch narrators who fit perfectly into the roles they've been chosen for. I'm looking forward to -Body Art- next! And The Devil Cried Is a HEAVY, DARK read! But, it's a great one if you can handle it.
It goes 'Full-Brutal' in the second half. You've been warned!
4.5 Stars.
Kristopher Triana flips the genre-coin once again, this time it lands on hard-boiled-crime, a similar style to that of Jim Thompson -somehow even darker- and he absolutely nails it!
A psychopath with ties to organized crime gets tasked with taking out a teenage girl in an act of revenge from his boss. The protagonist is pretty much the devil incarnate. That's it! That's all I'm saying.
At this point I'll read anything Triana writes. His books all have a very distinct and yet familiar style, each one managing to retain his own personal kind of dark signature that you'd recognize anywhere. Another thing I'll say - He doesn't skimp on the Audiobook budget. They are all top-notch narrators who fit perfectly into the roles they've been chosen for. I'm looking forward to -Body Art- next! And The Devil Cried Is a HEAVY, DARK read! But, it's a great one if you can handle it.
It goes 'Full-Brutal' in the second half. You've been warned!
4.5 Stars.
November 3, 2021
“𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶. 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻.”
As some of you know, I’m not a huge fan of crime novels. So when I saw that Kristopher Triana wrote one, I was skeptical and took this on as a personal challenge to see if he could change my mind. 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗! But if this is a crime novel, I’m a rabbit. I’d still call this extreme horror, you’ve been warned.
There’s a reason why I say that Kristopher Triana is my favourite author. Everything he writes is 5 ⭐️ and I’m here to say that 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗗 is no different.
Jackie boy, will be your most HATED character. He’s vile, repulsive, manipulative and repugnant. This is a book that you will LOVE TO HATE. It’s also a book that you won’t be able to put down.
For me this had MAJOR 𝗦𝗢𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗦 vibes. Like huge Tony fricken Soprano vibes, I’m looking at you Pino. Jackie boy is a con man, and a hit man after all. And he accepts a job that no one else dare touch because it violates a code: no women, no children.
I want to say more, I really do but I can’t because then I would spoil it.
But I will say the mention of the Matthew Shepard case got me. Hit me in the heart. That’s a case that broke my soul open when I was younger and still haunts me to this day.
What are you waiting for? You need this. You need to read EVERY SINGLE BOOK that Kristopher Triana has ever written. I know I’m making my way through the list.
Thank you to Sadie Hartmann and Stygian Sky Media for my copy!
As some of you know, I’m not a huge fan of crime novels. So when I saw that Kristopher Triana wrote one, I was skeptical and took this on as a personal challenge to see if he could change my mind. 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗! But if this is a crime novel, I’m a rabbit. I’d still call this extreme horror, you’ve been warned.
There’s a reason why I say that Kristopher Triana is my favourite author. Everything he writes is 5 ⭐️ and I’m here to say that 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗗 is no different.
Jackie boy, will be your most HATED character. He’s vile, repulsive, manipulative and repugnant. This is a book that you will LOVE TO HATE. It’s also a book that you won’t be able to put down.
For me this had MAJOR 𝗦𝗢𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗦 vibes. Like huge Tony fricken Soprano vibes, I’m looking at you Pino. Jackie boy is a con man, and a hit man after all. And he accepts a job that no one else dare touch because it violates a code: no women, no children.
I want to say more, I really do but I can’t because then I would spoil it.
But I will say the mention of the Matthew Shepard case got me. Hit me in the heart. That’s a case that broke my soul open when I was younger and still haunts me to this day.
What are you waiting for? You need this. You need to read EVERY SINGLE BOOK that Kristopher Triana has ever written. I know I’m making my way through the list.
Thank you to Sadie Hartmann and Stygian Sky Media for my copy!
June 24, 2021
Obviously, I beta read *the shit* out of this and I loved it. (I work for the publisher, Stygian Sky Media as a publicist and as a...tastemaker, I guess you could say)
It's fucked up in every way imaginable. The main character is the worst, possible human.
Yet...
...I needed to be reading this book every minute until it was over. I couldn't get enough of it. There's one part that just makes the whole harrowing experience totally worth it all.
There's a reason Triana is a favorite author-he delivers. Like every goddamn time. It's nice to see him work in another wheelhouse besides horror. This crime-noir storytelling voice really suits him. Look for more in this vein.
It's fucked up in every way imaginable. The main character is the worst, possible human.
Yet...
...I needed to be reading this book every minute until it was over. I couldn't get enough of it. There's one part that just makes the whole harrowing experience totally worth it all.
There's a reason Triana is a favorite author-he delivers. Like every goddamn time. It's nice to see him work in another wheelhouse besides horror. This crime-noir storytelling voice really suits him. Look for more in this vein.
January 21, 2022
Kristopher Triana’s latest novel, a grim crime thriller, is the first release from Stygian Sky Media and, if this debut is anything to go by, they should be a publisher to watch for both horror and crime fiction fans alike.
After spending six years in prison, Jackie has no intention of going straight. As soon as he is released, he is taken to see local crime boss, Pino, who soon puts him back to work. Although the jobs are small and low-key at first, they give Jackie free reign to indulge in his sadistic appetites for violence and humiliation.
When Pino’s only son is killed in a hit and run accident by a down on his luck father, Jackie is tasked with kidnapping and killing the man’s young daughter for vengeance, but Jackie has begun to make a very comfortable life for himself on the outside, and he has other ideas which will bring him into conflict with people far more dangerous than the criminals he is working for.
I’ve read quite a lot of Kristopher Triana’s novels at this point and, even by the pretty extreme standards I’ve come to expect from the author who wrote ‘Full Brutal’ and ‘Body Art’, this was one messed up book. The lead character, Jackie, is absolutely and irredeemably detestable. He honestly doesn’t have one single redeeming feature and in any situation Triana puts him in, he chooses the most abhorrent and unpleasant path, every single time. If he were a cartoonish comic book style villain, replete with maniacal laugh and penchant for monologuing, the book might veer too far into outlandish, slightly silly territory. Triana is too skilled a writer to fall into that particular trap, however, and he has made Jackie a far more insidious character. On the outside, he is charming, persuasive and desirable but it is all a carefully maintained illusion, one he uses to manipulate everyone around him. In short, Jackie is one of the most memorable fictional psychopaths I have ever read.
If you haven’t read a Kristopher Triana book before (and, given some of the things Jackie does in this book, even if you have) it is only fair to warn you that any and all kinds of heinous acts take place in ‘And The Devil Cried’. If there is something you would require a content warning, it likely features in this novel. It can be a challenging read, difficult to stomach but undeniably powerful. It can be more of an endurance test than entertainment, so I’d urge only those with the strongest of stomachs for potentially distressing content consider picking this book up.
As with a lot of Kristopher Triana’s work, ‘And The Devil Cried’ is unflinching and unafraid to go to some dark places and tackle subject matter that most writers steer clear of. It’s a testament to his talent that you can’t help but get dragged along for the ride, no matter how unrelentingly grim the journey may be.
After spending six years in prison, Jackie has no intention of going straight. As soon as he is released, he is taken to see local crime boss, Pino, who soon puts him back to work. Although the jobs are small and low-key at first, they give Jackie free reign to indulge in his sadistic appetites for violence and humiliation.
When Pino’s only son is killed in a hit and run accident by a down on his luck father, Jackie is tasked with kidnapping and killing the man’s young daughter for vengeance, but Jackie has begun to make a very comfortable life for himself on the outside, and he has other ideas which will bring him into conflict with people far more dangerous than the criminals he is working for.
I’ve read quite a lot of Kristopher Triana’s novels at this point and, even by the pretty extreme standards I’ve come to expect from the author who wrote ‘Full Brutal’ and ‘Body Art’, this was one messed up book. The lead character, Jackie, is absolutely and irredeemably detestable. He honestly doesn’t have one single redeeming feature and in any situation Triana puts him in, he chooses the most abhorrent and unpleasant path, every single time. If he were a cartoonish comic book style villain, replete with maniacal laugh and penchant for monologuing, the book might veer too far into outlandish, slightly silly territory. Triana is too skilled a writer to fall into that particular trap, however, and he has made Jackie a far more insidious character. On the outside, he is charming, persuasive and desirable but it is all a carefully maintained illusion, one he uses to manipulate everyone around him. In short, Jackie is one of the most memorable fictional psychopaths I have ever read.
If you haven’t read a Kristopher Triana book before (and, given some of the things Jackie does in this book, even if you have) it is only fair to warn you that any and all kinds of heinous acts take place in ‘And The Devil Cried’. If there is something you would require a content warning, it likely features in this novel. It can be a challenging read, difficult to stomach but undeniably powerful. It can be more of an endurance test than entertainment, so I’d urge only those with the strongest of stomachs for potentially distressing content consider picking this book up.
As with a lot of Kristopher Triana’s work, ‘And The Devil Cried’ is unflinching and unafraid to go to some dark places and tackle subject matter that most writers steer clear of. It’s a testament to his talent that you can’t help but get dragged along for the ride, no matter how unrelentingly grim the journey may be.
November 10, 2021
Wow Jackie was a horrible person. This novel is so well written. It is written in Jackie's point of view so you read all his thoughts which are horrible. The story is fast paced and i read it in 2 sittings. I have read other crime novels by Triana and loved them also. Kristopher Triana is always an instant buy for me.
May 26, 2022
And The Devil Cried is so engrossing. I’ve never read a book quite like this one. A story that’s so marvelously brutal which comes from the mind of a deranged sadomasochistic. Although this book is amazing, and the content is disturbing, Triana has an undeniable talent for effortlessly weaving words together and taking you on a journey you never will forget.
I had both the hardback and paperback of this this book but I opted for the audio version, and I’m glad I did. I don’t feel like the narration could have been any better. He added so much to the story and kept my attention through the whole book, which is hard to do a lot of times for me, as my mind often drifts off on daily life things.
Triana has never disappointed me in anything I’ve read of his and has become one of my favorite authors. Highly recommend this to all my horror loving friends and if you like audiobooks or never tried one before, this is a great one to listen to or start with. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
I had both the hardback and paperback of this this book but I opted for the audio version, and I’m glad I did. I don’t feel like the narration could have been any better. He added so much to the story and kept my attention through the whole book, which is hard to do a lot of times for me, as my mind often drifts off on daily life things.
Triana has never disappointed me in anything I’ve read of his and has become one of my favorite authors. Highly recommend this to all my horror loving friends and if you like audiobooks or never tried one before, this is a great one to listen to or start with. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Read
August 22, 2021I'm not sure how to rate this. Was it good? Yes. The writing was great, and I flew through these pages. But now I need a cold shower. Like that time I saw Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.
There was a lot in here that was hard to read, and if you're one who feels they need trigger warnings (which I'll leave to someone else to list), this book isn't for you.
I think what I found most disturbing about the book was the fact that it's written in 1st person, with our VERY hateable antagonist being the narrator.
This is as gritty as crime fiction gets. If that's what you're looking for, you're going to love this.
There was a lot in here that was hard to read, and if you're one who feels they need trigger warnings (which I'll leave to someone else to list), this book isn't for you.
I think what I found most disturbing about the book was the fact that it's written in 1st person, with our VERY hateable antagonist being the narrator.
This is as gritty as crime fiction gets. If that's what you're looking for, you're going to love this.
August 19, 2021
What do your call someone with no body and no nose? nobody knows. 🤪. Another thing nobody knows is how good Kristopher Triana’s latest book is.
Recently, I finished “And the Devil Cried,” by Kristopher Triana. Let me tell you he has not disappointed me yet.
“And the Devil Cried” is a story about a guy named Jackie, who was released from prison and cannot wait to jump back into society. Jackie’s boss wants to avenge the death of his son and hires him for the task. Once he finds out the that the hit was placed on a pre-teen girl, Jackie starts planning. “And the Devil Cried” is a fairly short novella so I do not want to give away much.
The story line is not the star of the novella, the main character gets the spotlight. Jackie is a brilliant, well fleshed out chracter. He is everything the reader wants to hate. Manipulative, crass, a groomer and above all, he uses people to get he wants. Unlike most of us, Jackie uses cruelty and violence to express affection. You heard me. His soul is dark and he gets under your skin and festers.
Triana hooks the reader from the start with Jackie’s release from prison and some of the questionable things he had to engage in while incarcerated. Triana moves the book along quite quickly, settling him into civilian life. Jackie’s personality really comes alive in this book, making it a non-stop page turner. It ends with a “what did I read reaction” that leaves you thinking.
Kristopher Triana does it again. “And The Devil Cried” has solidified him as one of my auto-buy authors.
Recently, I finished “And the Devil Cried,” by Kristopher Triana. Let me tell you he has not disappointed me yet.
“And the Devil Cried” is a story about a guy named Jackie, who was released from prison and cannot wait to jump back into society. Jackie’s boss wants to avenge the death of his son and hires him for the task. Once he finds out the that the hit was placed on a pre-teen girl, Jackie starts planning. “And the Devil Cried” is a fairly short novella so I do not want to give away much.
The story line is not the star of the novella, the main character gets the spotlight. Jackie is a brilliant, well fleshed out chracter. He is everything the reader wants to hate. Manipulative, crass, a groomer and above all, he uses people to get he wants. Unlike most of us, Jackie uses cruelty and violence to express affection. You heard me. His soul is dark and he gets under your skin and festers.
Triana hooks the reader from the start with Jackie’s release from prison and some of the questionable things he had to engage in while incarcerated. Triana moves the book along quite quickly, settling him into civilian life. Jackie’s personality really comes alive in this book, making it a non-stop page turner. It ends with a “what did I read reaction” that leaves you thinking.
Kristopher Triana does it again. “And The Devil Cried” has solidified him as one of my auto-buy authors.
December 21, 2021
The release of Kristopher Triana's And the Devil Cried is one of those examples of strangely serendipitous timing. It serves as an odd juxtaposition with Stephen King's Billy Summers. Both stories are about men who became involved with organized crime after committing a murder during their youth and enlisting with the military. That is, of course, where the similarities end, as the characters themselves couldn't be more different.
Triana excels in crafting unlikeable characters. His true skill is in developing these characters who manage to be entirely captivating precisely because of how unlikeable they are. Jackie is a prime example of that. Committing his first murder at the age of 17 for no better reason than greed and bitterness over the good fortune of the victim, Jackie never strives to be a better person.
After his time in the Army, Jackie never adjusts to civilian life, and he gets arrested for an attempted armed robbery. The story picks up as he's being released and reacquainting himself with bad people he met while on the inside. As the story unfolds, you find yourself wishing he'd never been released, but there wouldn't be much of a book if that were the case.
Misogynistic, abusive, sexist, violent, bigoted, and fundamentally heartless, there's not much about Jackie that resembles a human being, and that's what makes him an excellent protagonist for this particular story. While this isn't one of Triana's extreme horror or splatterpunk tales, he brings those sensibilities to the pulp crime genre with a character so devoid of decency that he's almost a caricature of what one might expect a hardened criminal to be.
There are components of this story that are difficult to read. I'd suggest those are notably Jackie's treatment of homosexuals in prison and his unabashed fixation on young girls, but it's worth sticking it out to the end. Triana showcases a talent for writing hardboiled pulp crime that transcends the genre conventions. It's a little bit Scarface, a little bit The Godfather, and all Triana.
While it's not my favorite of his books, it's well worth reading and it displays a side of Triana as an author that I'd never witnessed previously. It's encouraging to see him stepping outside of his comfort zone and exploring new ground, and that makes me curious about what he'll have in store for us next.
Triana excels in crafting unlikeable characters. His true skill is in developing these characters who manage to be entirely captivating precisely because of how unlikeable they are. Jackie is a prime example of that. Committing his first murder at the age of 17 for no better reason than greed and bitterness over the good fortune of the victim, Jackie never strives to be a better person.
After his time in the Army, Jackie never adjusts to civilian life, and he gets arrested for an attempted armed robbery. The story picks up as he's being released and reacquainting himself with bad people he met while on the inside. As the story unfolds, you find yourself wishing he'd never been released, but there wouldn't be much of a book if that were the case.
Misogynistic, abusive, sexist, violent, bigoted, and fundamentally heartless, there's not much about Jackie that resembles a human being, and that's what makes him an excellent protagonist for this particular story. While this isn't one of Triana's extreme horror or splatterpunk tales, he brings those sensibilities to the pulp crime genre with a character so devoid of decency that he's almost a caricature of what one might expect a hardened criminal to be.
There are components of this story that are difficult to read. I'd suggest those are notably Jackie's treatment of homosexuals in prison and his unabashed fixation on young girls, but it's worth sticking it out to the end. Triana showcases a talent for writing hardboiled pulp crime that transcends the genre conventions. It's a little bit Scarface, a little bit The Godfather, and all Triana.
While it's not my favorite of his books, it's well worth reading and it displays a side of Triana as an author that I'd never witnessed previously. It's encouraging to see him stepping outside of his comfort zone and exploring new ground, and that makes me curious about what he'll have in store for us next.
July 4, 2022
I listened to the audiobook of And the Devil Cried by Kristopher Triana. Holy shit what an intense ride that was. A splatterpunk noir through the eyes of a psychotic, sick-fuck gangster as he navigates his twisted urges after getting out of prison. This is a deep one. It’s tragic. It’s disturbing. I listened to half of it and took a break for about two weeks before finishing. Let’s just say I was so enraged that I wanted to violently murder the protagonist. Remember, folks, protagonist doesn’t necessarily mean good guy. The narrator did a smash up job on this one. His reading and Triana’s writing were so good that I was deeply affected by the story. Triana sure knows how to write a believable scumbag.
October 29, 2021
Whoa…! Jackie, the protagonist in this story, was one of the most despicable characters ever, yet I couldn’t stop reading. That’s all I’ve got for now. I’m still reeling.
May 30, 2022
Excellent. One of the top books of the year for me. For anyone who is afraid going into this because it's "crime", don't be. This is classic Triana and will leave you floored.
August 20, 2021
Kristopher Triana does it again!!
Let me start by saying that this is the sixth book I’ve read by this author and they’ve all been 4 and 5 star reads. Most of them are extreme horror but he can write expertly in other genres and he’s an auto-buy author for me.
And the Devil Cried is a crime drama and one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure reading. The main character, Jackie, is one of the most vile disgusting human beings I’ve ever read about. He’s one fucked up dude and the things he does and the thoughts he has had me seething!
The book starts out with his release from prison and he wastes no time getting back into committing crimes. His mafia boss puts a hit out on an adolescent girl and Jackie jumps at the chance to carry out the hit. Things get really crazy at that point and I could NOT stop reading until I was finished. You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens to that poor girl.
Kristopher Triana can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. He’s an amazing author and this book would be a great one to start with for those who haven’t read him yet. It’s available now so go grab a copy!!
Let me start by saying that this is the sixth book I’ve read by this author and they’ve all been 4 and 5 star reads. Most of them are extreme horror but he can write expertly in other genres and he’s an auto-buy author for me.
And the Devil Cried is a crime drama and one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure reading. The main character, Jackie, is one of the most vile disgusting human beings I’ve ever read about. He’s one fucked up dude and the things he does and the thoughts he has had me seething!
The book starts out with his release from prison and he wastes no time getting back into committing crimes. His mafia boss puts a hit out on an adolescent girl and Jackie jumps at the chance to carry out the hit. Things get really crazy at that point and I could NOT stop reading until I was finished. You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens to that poor girl.
Kristopher Triana can do no wrong as far as I’m concerned. He’s an amazing author and this book would be a great one to start with for those who haven’t read him yet. It’s available now so go grab a copy!!
August 26, 2021
FIVE BIG GIANT STARS. Review to come…
August 11, 2021
Have you ever given a five star review to a book that you fucking hate? This. Was. Just. Too. Real.
I thought this wasn’t going to be horror, yet it was the most real life horror possible. Triana knows how to write believable characters, maybe too believable with the emotions they produced in me.
Jackie was just released from prison and can not wait to jump back into the action to make up for lost time. When his boss puts out a hit on a preteen girl, Jackie doesn’t think twice and starts his planning. He is a planner, a groomer, and uses a system of rewards and abuse to crush the free will of those he wants to use. He is a deep psychological thinker, connecting peoples actions to their state of mind and eventually their submissiveness.
Do you want a book to read that will make you angry? That will make you boil over with hate? I almost wanted to DNF this book because I hated Jackie so much, but it gets under your skin and you need to get to the conclusion.
“It was the misery that seduced me, the torture of this living nightmare I had thrust Seri into. It was enough to make the Devil cry.”
I thought this wasn’t going to be horror, yet it was the most real life horror possible. Triana knows how to write believable characters, maybe too believable with the emotions they produced in me.
Jackie was just released from prison and can not wait to jump back into the action to make up for lost time. When his boss puts out a hit on a preteen girl, Jackie doesn’t think twice and starts his planning. He is a planner, a groomer, and uses a system of rewards and abuse to crush the free will of those he wants to use. He is a deep psychological thinker, connecting peoples actions to their state of mind and eventually their submissiveness.
Do you want a book to read that will make you angry? That will make you boil over with hate? I almost wanted to DNF this book because I hated Jackie so much, but it gets under your skin and you need to get to the conclusion.
“It was the misery that seduced me, the torture of this living nightmare I had thrust Seri into. It was enough to make the Devil cry.”
September 13, 2024
A very dark and heavy but excellent book. Are we surprised though? Probably not. I've said it so many times before and I'll never get tired of saying it again: Kristopher Triana is a master of his craft. I'm a huge fan of his work and recommend his books to everyone, especially those who value interesting, unique and masterfully written characters. If you get me started on why his characters are the most well-written and insightful ones I've ever come across and how they make each book a masterpiece I will literally go on for hours.
And The Devil Cried was one of the very few books that actually shocked me and made me feel uncomfortable. Not because of its gore and generally shocking themes but because of how truly, absolutely, heartlessly evil Jackie is. Triana writes BRILLIANT characters (have I mentioned that already...?), all of them depraved, wicked, and evil, but Jackie? Oh, boy. I ventured into the minds of some sick people through Triana's storytelling, but Jackie takes the cake! I'm actually not sure how to put my thoughts and feelings into words. You'll just have to read it for yourself.
And The Devil Cried was one of the very few books that actually shocked me and made me feel uncomfortable. Not because of its gore and generally shocking themes but because of how truly, absolutely, heartlessly evil Jackie is. Triana writes BRILLIANT characters (have I mentioned that already...?), all of them depraved, wicked, and evil, but Jackie? Oh, boy. I ventured into the minds of some sick people through Triana's storytelling, but Jackie takes the cake! I'm actually not sure how to put my thoughts and feelings into words. You'll just have to read it for yourself.
October 19, 2021
Kristopher Triana knows how to push the limits and write some extreme stuff, and AND THE DEVIL CRIED is no exception. It's dark and gritty, it will make you hate who you're reading about, and it will make you grip the book for dear life and not let go until you've read the final word. This book is so fast-paced and kept my eyes wide open the entire time. Triana just has this style and ability to write about terrible things in a way that don't necessarily make you feel evil for reading and enjoying - it's hard to explain unless you've just read his stuff. This book pissed me off, had my heart going, and even almost brought me to tears a few times due to the topics of a couple events discussed. But it's still a solid and easy 5-star read, no questions asked! Triana delivers. He understood the assignment 100% and this book will break you. Get ready!
August 28, 2021
“Just remember this—the great thing about dying is that you never have to grow old.”
For this being my first Kristopher Triana book, I can say without a doubt that I’ll definitely be picking up his other works. I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while now and it did not disappoint.
And The Devil Cried is…a rollercoaster. I mean the type of coaster where you feel nauseous as the buggy climbs up the big slope before plummeting you down, your stomach churning and wavering, internally preying for it to come to a halt.
The book follows Jackie, who, and I’m being truthful, is one of the most hardest & unlikeable main characters I’ve ever come across, and I’ve read a lot of questionable characters. When I say I hated this man, I fucking hated him. I was having to take small breaks from reading just so I could mellow my feelings out because, boy, I wanted to hurt him.
I won’t lie and say I didn’t struggle with some of the words used. Being transgender and gay, reading the main character throwing slurs out, his blatant and internalised transphobia/homophobia/racism was quite a struggle, but I think it really added to the reader understanding that Jackie was not a good character, and was someone you weren’t suppose to like.
The phrase ”All monsters are human” fits the the bill of this book perfectly. There’s a prefect mix of crime & horror.
Not horror in a sense of being scary or terrifying, but filthy, manipulative and brutal. Triana didn’t hold back. He captures you from the beginning and you’re snared in for the rest of the book.
I would say more, but I don’t want to spoil anything, because this is definitely a book you want to go in, knowing nothing.
Thank you to Stygian Sky Media for sending me an advanced copy to read for an honest review.
November 3, 2021
OH…MY…GOD!! What did I just read?!
I have read many books, but I have never ever read a book, where I with every fibre of my body hated the main character as much as I hated Jackie in this one.
And when I say I hate the character, then it is not because he is poorly written or badly put together. He is just, simply, an evil evil man, doing insane things. And I couldn’t stop reading about him
But let’s rewind…
The elevator-pitch: Newly released prisoner, Jackie, accepts the job of avenging his boss’ dead son, but once he finds the girl he starts making plans of his own…
That is a pretty classic premise for a story - but Triana takes it a whole other and unexpected level.
Triana usually works within the horror genre, but with this one he has stepped outside the genre and written a very very well-paced and bingeable crime-thriller.
As with everything I’ve read from him, he just simply delivers. He can not do wrong. He could write the phonebook for all I care - I would read it. And for the younger audience: a phonebook was our Google in the 80’s and 90’s.
But as I said: LOVE IT! Go get it ASAP!! And please do more within this genre, Triana. It is pure gold.
If you were in doubt: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
I have read many books, but I have never ever read a book, where I with every fibre of my body hated the main character as much as I hated Jackie in this one.
And when I say I hate the character, then it is not because he is poorly written or badly put together. He is just, simply, an evil evil man, doing insane things. And I couldn’t stop reading about him
But let’s rewind…
The elevator-pitch: Newly released prisoner, Jackie, accepts the job of avenging his boss’ dead son, but once he finds the girl he starts making plans of his own…
That is a pretty classic premise for a story - but Triana takes it a whole other and unexpected level.
Triana usually works within the horror genre, but with this one he has stepped outside the genre and written a very very well-paced and bingeable crime-thriller.
As with everything I’ve read from him, he just simply delivers. He can not do wrong. He could write the phonebook for all I care - I would read it. And for the younger audience: a phonebook was our Google in the 80’s and 90’s.
But as I said: LOVE IT! Go get it ASAP!! And please do more within this genre, Triana. It is pure gold.
If you were in doubt: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
October 31, 2024
Another exceptional horror novel from the brilliant Kristopher Triana. I don’t think he’s capable of writing a bad book.
Our antagonist, Jackie is a combat veteran who was recently released from prison. Once his ex prison mate’s child is killed by a drunk driver, Jackie is hired to enact vengeance. You could say he takes it a little far. This wasn’t TOO “gory”, it was mainly the psychological torture that was painful to read. The ending was satisfying and also left room for imagination
Our antagonist, Jackie is a combat veteran who was recently released from prison. Once his ex prison mate’s child is killed by a drunk driver, Jackie is hired to enact vengeance. You could say he takes it a little far. This wasn’t TOO “gory”, it was mainly the psychological torture that was painful to read. The ending was satisfying and also left room for imagination
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2025
find me a Kristopher Triana book I don't enjoy! That's right, you can't!!
This is a novella following an absolutely despicable main character after he gets out of jail. That's all I'll say. Expect there to be everything nasty and fucked up you can imagine. Things that will make you question why you're reading the book to begin with - yet you can't look away. And I loveddd the ending.
This is a novella following an absolutely despicable main character after he gets out of jail. That's all I'll say. Expect there to be everything nasty and fucked up you can imagine. Things that will make you question why you're reading the book to begin with - yet you can't look away. And I loveddd the ending.
December 30, 2021
Holy. Fuck.
My ass is kicked.
Mr. Triana is such a talent, like, Jesus fucking Christ, every book is just outstanding in every way. Dude is awesome IRL too. And we all love Bear.
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
My ass is kicked.
Mr. Triana is such a talent, like, Jesus fucking Christ, every book is just outstanding in every way. Dude is awesome IRL too. And we all love Bear.
☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
June 1, 2025
In jeder Hinsicht ein Schocker. Eher Gangster-Psycho-Thriller als alles andere. Auf keinen Fall passt das Genre Horror.
Der Hauptprotagonist verkörpert den Typ des geistig abgestumpften Veteranen hervorragend. Tolle Gesellschaftskritik!
Ansonsten gilt hier ein klares Leseverbot für Jugendliche und eine deutliche Triggerwarnung vor sexueller Gewalt und geistigen Perversionen, die nicht leicht zu ertragen sind.
Warum ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️?
Der Psychothriller im Gangsta-Gewand ist brutal. Brutal krank. Brutal pervers. Aber auch brutal spannend. Und da jeder weiß was er hier vorgesetzt bekommt, sollte er damit auch umgehen können. Die letzten Seiten haben mir ein heftiges Uff entlockt.
Der Hauptprotagonist verkörpert den Typ des geistig abgestumpften Veteranen hervorragend. Tolle Gesellschaftskritik!
Ansonsten gilt hier ein klares Leseverbot für Jugendliche und eine deutliche Triggerwarnung vor sexueller Gewalt und geistigen Perversionen, die nicht leicht zu ertragen sind.
Warum ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️?
Der Psychothriller im Gangsta-Gewand ist brutal. Brutal krank. Brutal pervers. Aber auch brutal spannend. Und da jeder weiß was er hier vorgesetzt bekommt, sollte er damit auch umgehen können. Die letzten Seiten haben mir ein heftiges Uff entlockt.
May 14, 2023
Another fantastically brutal and sadistic story from Kristopher Triana. If possible this book might feature his nastiest character yet in Jackie who simply put has zero redeemable qualities while also is utterly mesmerising. Love the aggressive attitude the book is written in and the sheer uncaring nature the main character has for everything and everyone while at times acting like he's the victim. Great book and highly recommended especially if you're a fan of Full Brutal. Two go well together.
October 22, 2022
Kristopher Triana writes to make you uncomfortable and this one is no different! Do not read this if you are sensitive. Do not read this if you get offended, upset or triggered easily. I’m not your mommy. Don’t read this because I did and then come at me.
Okay. Now that that’s out of the way.
Wowowowowow. Wtffffff. I was so uncomfortable the entire time I read this, but like a car crash, I couldn’t stop reading it. That bit at the very end - like last 3 pages - made me audibly gasp and give a slight cheer! Like “thank god a mf finally gets what he deserves” energy!
Okay. Now that that’s out of the way.
Wowowowowow. Wtffffff. I was so uncomfortable the entire time I read this, but like a car crash, I couldn’t stop reading it. That bit at the very end - like last 3 pages - made me audibly gasp and give a slight cheer! Like “thank god a mf finally gets what he deserves” energy!
April 21, 2022
Very good and dark story following the deeds of one of the most abhorrent characters I've ever read in a novel. I really enjoyed this one
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