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Dark Debts
The Supernatural Thriller of the Decade
Every few years, a book bursts onto the scene that captures the imagination so powerfully and singularly that it takes on its own life in the minds of millions of readers: The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy; The Secret History by Donna Tartt; The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
Dark Debts is such a book. Author Karen Hall masterfully combines horror, southern gothic, romantic comedy, and theological mystery in the form of a supernatural thriller. Terrifying, irreverent, and deeply spiritual, Dark Debts grabs the reader from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last remarkable page.
A superstar among television writers, the only woman ever to work on the staffs of M*A*S*H and Hill Street Blues, Karen Hall spent five years creating this vividly original story of faith confronting evil in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Her characters include:
*Michael, a sexy Jesuit priest who is having an affair with a beautiful New Yorker editor.
*Cam, a reclusive southern writer who survived a murderous family only to leap to his death under mysterious circumstances.
*Randa, an obsessive newspaper reporter on the trail of Cam's family secret.
*Jack, a lost soul who meets the love of his life just as he realizes he's losing his mind.
Dark Debts will give readers nightmares and fantasies, provoke fear and laughter, inspire doubt and faith.
Every few years, a book bursts onto the scene that captures the imagination so powerfully and singularly that it takes on its own life in the minds of millions of readers: The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy; The Secret History by Donna Tartt; The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
Dark Debts is such a book. Author Karen Hall masterfully combines horror, southern gothic, romantic comedy, and theological mystery in the form of a supernatural thriller. Terrifying, irreverent, and deeply spiritual, Dark Debts grabs the reader from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last remarkable page.
A superstar among television writers, the only woman ever to work on the staffs of M*A*S*H and Hill Street Blues, Karen Hall spent five years creating this vividly original story of faith confronting evil in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Her characters include:
*Michael, a sexy Jesuit priest who is having an affair with a beautiful New Yorker editor.
*Cam, a reclusive southern writer who survived a murderous family only to leap to his death under mysterious circumstances.
*Randa, an obsessive newspaper reporter on the trail of Cam's family secret.
*Jack, a lost soul who meets the love of his life just as he realizes he's losing his mind.
Dark Debts will give readers nightmares and fantasies, provoke fear and laughter, inspire doubt and faith.
405 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
18 people are currently reading
1166 people want to read
About the author
Karen Hall
2 books22 followersIn her career as writer, producer and creative consultant, Karen Hall has worked on numerous series, including M*A*S*H, Hill Street Blues, Moonlighting, Northern Exposure, Judging Amy and The Good Wife. She has received seven Emmy Award nominations, as well as the Humanitas Prize, the Women in Film Luminas Award, and the Writers Guild of America Award. Her novel, Dark Debts, was a Book of the Month Club main selection when first published in 1996 and has been translated into French, German, and Japanese. She and her husband own Black Bear Books, an independent bookstore in Boone, North Carolina. - See more at: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/K...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
April 3, 2016
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2016/04/03/b...
Several weeks ago I received a book that I was unfamiliar with, a gorgeous hardcover with its page edges stained an ominous red. The title was Dark Debts by Karen Hall, which I quickly looked up to find out more. Turns out, what I held in my hands was a revised, new edition of an old cult classic theological horror/thriller, published again now by Simon & Schuster for its 20th anniversary.
According to an article I read though, this is not just a simple reissue, as some of the changes are pretty significant and extensive. Among them are a new major character as well as a reworked ending. The reason for these rewrites, the author explained, had much to do with how she has changed as a person in the last two decades, as well as updates to her knowledge on the Catholic faith. Since I’ve not read the original, there’s no way for me to compare the two editions, but knowing all this new information did make me even more curious. It’s a rare opportunity whenever an author gets to rework a previously published novel, and I was drawn to the themes and subjects of this book.
Gothic horror. Theological questions. Demon possession and exorcism. Mystery. Romance. Dark Debts is all of this and more. The story begins with a Jesuit priest named Father Michael Kinney testifying as a witness to a horrific crime involving a teenage boy and his two parents, appearing in court against the wishes of the church. In response, Father Michael’s superiors transfer him to rural Georgia immediately after the trial, forcing him to leave his old parish in Manhattan. Believing his exile to be a result of church politics, Father Michael is stricken when he discovers the truth about the dark, terrible secrets in his family’s past and that his transfer might in fact be no accident at all.
Meanwhile, a journalist in California receives some shocking news. Randa is informed that her friend and former lover Cam Landry, a man she had always known to be a kind and mild-mannered pacifist, is dead by suicide after robbing a liquor store and killing an employee. After promising to return Cam’s belongings to his brother in Georgia, Randa ends up meeting Jack Landry, the last surviving member of their notorious family. Everyone in town is familiar with the name Landry—the father Will was an abusive alcoholic who took out his awful anger on his wife and sons; youngest brother Ethan’s death was a suicide, though rumor has it that his father killed him; oldest brother Tallen went on a murder spree at a church during Christmas services and was then convicted and executed by the state; and their mother took her own life one year later. Now Cam is gone too, and friends close to him told Randa that he was acting strange and having bad dreams before he snapped. Jack is the only one left, and he is terrified of growing close to anyone, convinced that the Landry curse will claim him next and make him lose control.
If you enjoy experiencing the disturbing feelings of unease or creeping dread brought on by the atmosphere of old-school horror movies, then Dark Debts is for you. It is a very subtle novel, and those looking for more of the in-your-face horror elements will probably have to look elsewhere. There is a supernatural aspect to the story involving satanic cults and demonic possession, but at its heart this book reads a lot more like a slow-burn mystery-suspense rather than a straight up horror novel. There’s also a thread of romance woven in as a spark ignites between Randa and Jack, despite the latter’s reticence and fear to let anyone new into his life.
In particular, I really liked reading about the characters in this book. They are all wonderfully flawed and complicated, as evidenced by the prime example of Father Michael Kinney, a Catholic priest whose devotion to his faith often clashes with his progressive views. He has even broken his vow of chastity and is secretly carrying on a relationship with a woman in New York, and every day he fights an internal battle that challenges his relationship with God. This undoubtedly is the cause of some conflict as he is called upon to perform an exorcism, for how is he to vanquish others’ demons when he is still clearly dealing with his own?
If I had any complaints about this book at all, it would have to do with the story’s pacing. I gave a nod to the slow-burn effect, but I still felt the narrative took an inordinate amount of time to establish the two storylines (one featuring Father Michael, the other focusing on Randa and Jack) and the question of how they are related was not answered until much later. Also, I’d expected this book to be a lot more chilling and disturbing from its cover and the blurbs. While I certainly don’t mind that Dark Debts turned out to be more of a supernatural mystery with a greater emphasis on suspense than actual horror, I still can’t help the twinge of disappointment that this was not as scary as I had hoped.
I spent a lot of time thinking about this book after I was finished though, and realized that even in light of the pacing issues, Dark Debts kept me engaged from cover to cover. The research that went into it must have been tremendous. I didn’t even know until later that the downtown Atlanta fire at the Winecoff Hotel, which was central to Father Michael’s story, was in fact a real event, the deadliest hotel fire in US history claiming 119 victims back in 1946. I looked it up after finishing Dark Debts, and reading the details of the disaster sent shivers up my spine. It makes me wonder what else I might have missed.
Whether you’re new to this book, an old fan interested in seeing some of the updated changes, or just an avid reader of horror/mystery/suspense in general, I definitely recommend checking out this edition of Dark Debts if the story intrigues you. An impressive novel featuring great atmosphere, multilayered characters, and a number of complex themes surrounding the conflict of good versus evil.
Several weeks ago I received a book that I was unfamiliar with, a gorgeous hardcover with its page edges stained an ominous red. The title was Dark Debts by Karen Hall, which I quickly looked up to find out more. Turns out, what I held in my hands was a revised, new edition of an old cult classic theological horror/thriller, published again now by Simon & Schuster for its 20th anniversary.
According to an article I read though, this is not just a simple reissue, as some of the changes are pretty significant and extensive. Among them are a new major character as well as a reworked ending. The reason for these rewrites, the author explained, had much to do with how she has changed as a person in the last two decades, as well as updates to her knowledge on the Catholic faith. Since I’ve not read the original, there’s no way for me to compare the two editions, but knowing all this new information did make me even more curious. It’s a rare opportunity whenever an author gets to rework a previously published novel, and I was drawn to the themes and subjects of this book.
Gothic horror. Theological questions. Demon possession and exorcism. Mystery. Romance. Dark Debts is all of this and more. The story begins with a Jesuit priest named Father Michael Kinney testifying as a witness to a horrific crime involving a teenage boy and his two parents, appearing in court against the wishes of the church. In response, Father Michael’s superiors transfer him to rural Georgia immediately after the trial, forcing him to leave his old parish in Manhattan. Believing his exile to be a result of church politics, Father Michael is stricken when he discovers the truth about the dark, terrible secrets in his family’s past and that his transfer might in fact be no accident at all.
Meanwhile, a journalist in California receives some shocking news. Randa is informed that her friend and former lover Cam Landry, a man she had always known to be a kind and mild-mannered pacifist, is dead by suicide after robbing a liquor store and killing an employee. After promising to return Cam’s belongings to his brother in Georgia, Randa ends up meeting Jack Landry, the last surviving member of their notorious family. Everyone in town is familiar with the name Landry—the father Will was an abusive alcoholic who took out his awful anger on his wife and sons; youngest brother Ethan’s death was a suicide, though rumor has it that his father killed him; oldest brother Tallen went on a murder spree at a church during Christmas services and was then convicted and executed by the state; and their mother took her own life one year later. Now Cam is gone too, and friends close to him told Randa that he was acting strange and having bad dreams before he snapped. Jack is the only one left, and he is terrified of growing close to anyone, convinced that the Landry curse will claim him next and make him lose control.
If you enjoy experiencing the disturbing feelings of unease or creeping dread brought on by the atmosphere of old-school horror movies, then Dark Debts is for you. It is a very subtle novel, and those looking for more of the in-your-face horror elements will probably have to look elsewhere. There is a supernatural aspect to the story involving satanic cults and demonic possession, but at its heart this book reads a lot more like a slow-burn mystery-suspense rather than a straight up horror novel. There’s also a thread of romance woven in as a spark ignites between Randa and Jack, despite the latter’s reticence and fear to let anyone new into his life.
In particular, I really liked reading about the characters in this book. They are all wonderfully flawed and complicated, as evidenced by the prime example of Father Michael Kinney, a Catholic priest whose devotion to his faith often clashes with his progressive views. He has even broken his vow of chastity and is secretly carrying on a relationship with a woman in New York, and every day he fights an internal battle that challenges his relationship with God. This undoubtedly is the cause of some conflict as he is called upon to perform an exorcism, for how is he to vanquish others’ demons when he is still clearly dealing with his own?
If I had any complaints about this book at all, it would have to do with the story’s pacing. I gave a nod to the slow-burn effect, but I still felt the narrative took an inordinate amount of time to establish the two storylines (one featuring Father Michael, the other focusing on Randa and Jack) and the question of how they are related was not answered until much later. Also, I’d expected this book to be a lot more chilling and disturbing from its cover and the blurbs. While I certainly don’t mind that Dark Debts turned out to be more of a supernatural mystery with a greater emphasis on suspense than actual horror, I still can’t help the twinge of disappointment that this was not as scary as I had hoped.
I spent a lot of time thinking about this book after I was finished though, and realized that even in light of the pacing issues, Dark Debts kept me engaged from cover to cover. The research that went into it must have been tremendous. I didn’t even know until later that the downtown Atlanta fire at the Winecoff Hotel, which was central to Father Michael’s story, was in fact a real event, the deadliest hotel fire in US history claiming 119 victims back in 1946. I looked it up after finishing Dark Debts, and reading the details of the disaster sent shivers up my spine. It makes me wonder what else I might have missed.
Whether you’re new to this book, an old fan interested in seeing some of the updated changes, or just an avid reader of horror/mystery/suspense in general, I definitely recommend checking out this edition of Dark Debts if the story intrigues you. An impressive novel featuring great atmosphere, multilayered characters, and a number of complex themes surrounding the conflict of good versus evil.
August 30, 2016
EDIT: This is a rewrite of my review of this book as I have now read the original version and feel I can better comment on the 2016 20th anniversary edition.
A cult favorite of 90s horror, the 1996 version of this book is one well worth reading: chilling, scary, and memorable. The 2016 version, however, reads like an expendable rehash of The Exorcist. It is one best resigned to the horror trash heap of forgotten books.
The most noticeable difference is the absence of extreme vulgarity in the book. Nowhere does the word "fuck" or any of its derivatives appear in this new narrative. In most cases, word "fuck/-ing" has been replaced by "damned"; but in one silly case the phrase "fucking bastards" become "stupid bastards." While such profanity is hardly the sole criteria of a novel's quality, here the omission downplays the desperation these characters feel and gives the story a banality that borders on uninteresting.
The author removed some minor characters and added a major character who plays an important part in the third act of the novel. The characters that have been removed are the children of unmarried women. One of them is the teen-age son of a woman who is ultimately killed during the course of the book and the other is the 2o-something daughter of a reporter from Los Angeles. Why these characters should be removed is a mystery to me. While they are not really necessary to the plot, both give added dimensions to the characters of their mothers. The character that was added is an experienced exorcist who aids in the final exorcism. The addition of this character does nothing more than give this rewrite a stale, unoriginal tone. All of these decisions reek of dogmatic prejudices.
The author also excised several scenes for the novel that give the reader insights into the characters. For example: a scene in which Randa Phillips (a reporter for a Los Angeles alternative newspaper) is confronted by her co-workers about the suicide of her ex-boyfriend is cut ridiculously short. In the original, she puts up with their condescension until she can't take it anymore and then unloads on them verbally before walking out; scenes of intimacy between two characters improbably coming together are removed completely; passages detailing the Jesuit priest's complaints about the Catholic church are minimized; and the vision that Michael has of his mother during his bout with rheumatic fever is cut down to just a few lines ;and a more graphic description of the priest lusting after his secretary--just to list a few.
The author also removes a lot of the humor of her earlier novel: When Father Michael meets Danny Ingram for the first time (to determine if he is possessed of not), he notes the heavy metal band posters and hand-drawn pictures of skeletons and winged demons that adorn the walls of his room. But in the rewrite she omits the next few lines of her original text:
"Any good Republican would have hit the door saying "I told you so," but Michael could still remember ,too clearly, Vincent's horror during Michael's celebrated Elvis period. (During that time, Vincent had probably thought Michel was possessed, too.)"
Also, when relating the battle between the teen-age Michael and his raging hormones, the author replaces:
"Unfortunately , no one bothered to explain the Lays potato-chip principle to him at the time."
with
"But 'just this once' hadn't worked. Neither had 'just a few times' of 'just until I enter the novitiate.'
I could go on and on, but it's getting boring for me and probably the reader who has made it this far with me. So, finally, the author lumps chapters together and removes a lot of the narrative breaks. This causes much annoyance as sometimes I read a couple paragraphs before I realized the subject had changed. Was she trying to get this manuscript in under a page limit?
The author explained the changes she made to her text in a NY Times article: Dark Debts (2016) . The most disturbing thing that occurred to me after reading this was that she made her 20th anniversary edition to conform with her current feelings and understanding of Catholicism. Now I'm not going to criticize the author for attempting to square the books with her maker for perceived past sins, but I will criticize her for taking a powerful novel and making it as sterile and oppressive as a lot of people already feel organized religion is.
I've included my original review as a footnote.
A cult favorite of 90s horror, the 1996 version of this book is one well worth reading: chilling, scary, and memorable. The 2016 version, however, reads like an expendable rehash of The Exorcist. It is one best resigned to the horror trash heap of forgotten books.
The most noticeable difference is the absence of extreme vulgarity in the book. Nowhere does the word "fuck" or any of its derivatives appear in this new narrative. In most cases, word "fuck/-ing" has been replaced by "damned"; but in one silly case the phrase "fucking bastards" become "stupid bastards." While such profanity is hardly the sole criteria of a novel's quality, here the omission downplays the desperation these characters feel and gives the story a banality that borders on uninteresting.
The author removed some minor characters and added a major character who plays an important part in the third act of the novel. The characters that have been removed are the children of unmarried women. One of them is the teen-age son of a woman who is ultimately killed during the course of the book and the other is the 2o-something daughter of a reporter from Los Angeles. Why these characters should be removed is a mystery to me. While they are not really necessary to the plot, both give added dimensions to the characters of their mothers. The character that was added is an experienced exorcist who aids in the final exorcism. The addition of this character does nothing more than give this rewrite a stale, unoriginal tone. All of these decisions reek of dogmatic prejudices.
The author also excised several scenes for the novel that give the reader insights into the characters. For example: a scene in which Randa Phillips (a reporter for a Los Angeles alternative newspaper) is confronted by her co-workers about the suicide of her ex-boyfriend is cut ridiculously short. In the original, she puts up with their condescension until she can't take it anymore and then unloads on them verbally before walking out; scenes of intimacy between two characters improbably coming together are removed completely; passages detailing the Jesuit priest's complaints about the Catholic church are minimized; and the vision that Michael has of his mother during his bout with rheumatic fever is cut down to just a few lines ;and a more graphic description of the priest lusting after his secretary--just to list a few.
The author also removes a lot of the humor of her earlier novel: When Father Michael meets Danny Ingram for the first time (to determine if he is possessed of not), he notes the heavy metal band posters and hand-drawn pictures of skeletons and winged demons that adorn the walls of his room. But in the rewrite she omits the next few lines of her original text:
"Any good Republican would have hit the door saying "I told you so," but Michael could still remember ,too clearly, Vincent's horror during Michael's celebrated Elvis period. (During that time, Vincent had probably thought Michel was possessed, too.)"
Also, when relating the battle between the teen-age Michael and his raging hormones, the author replaces:
"Unfortunately , no one bothered to explain the Lays potato-chip principle to him at the time."
with
"But 'just this once' hadn't worked. Neither had 'just a few times' of 'just until I enter the novitiate.'
I could go on and on, but it's getting boring for me and probably the reader who has made it this far with me. So, finally, the author lumps chapters together and removes a lot of the narrative breaks. This causes much annoyance as sometimes I read a couple paragraphs before I realized the subject had changed. Was she trying to get this manuscript in under a page limit?
The author explained the changes she made to her text in a NY Times article: Dark Debts (2016) . The most disturbing thing that occurred to me after reading this was that she made her 20th anniversary edition to conform with her current feelings and understanding of Catholicism. Now I'm not going to criticize the author for attempting to square the books with her maker for perceived past sins, but I will criticize her for taking a powerful novel and making it as sterile and oppressive as a lot of people already feel organized religion is.
I've included my original review as a footnote.
June 10, 2023
Pretty easy to see why this became a cult classic in the mid 90s; probably the best Catholic horror novel since The Exorcist. That stated, there are two versions of this book and this review is for the original 1996 edition; Hall radically edited the '20th anniversary' edition and fellow GR member Squire has an excellent take on the differences and you can find his review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dark Debts makes for a compelling read on a number of levels. First, Hall deeply explores the hypocrisy of the Catholic church and organized religion in general here, largely via the musings of one of our leads, the Jesuit priest Father Michael. Being raised a Catholic and still struggling to not feel guilty about everything, I definitely related to this aspect! Second, this is a tale of demonic possession that is unique and makes the Exorcist look tame. Third, Hall drops in a romantic aspect that, while helping to develop the characters and plot, I did not really care for that much. Priests in love and all that, plus instant 'love at first sight' type deals. Please.
Hall builds the story around a handful of main characters that you know will eventually meet-- the aforementioned Father Michael, a LA reporter named Randa, and Jack Landry, the sole Landry left from a clan of ne'er-do-wells deep in the Georgia sticks. Father Michael works well as the skeptical priest and is definitely the most developed. Randa enters the scene after her ex boyfriend took a header from 15 stories after calling her to come over. Jack, ex-con handyman, is back in his home town after a stint in jail and just living day by day. Jack's family reeks of trouble, with both his parents killing themselves, one brother who was executed for a mass murder in a church, another brother that was probably killed by good ole dad. The only one who 'made it' was Cam, and he was the one who took a dive from 15 stories.
The prose flows nicely along with the super pacing. I thought the ending felt a little rushed and perhaps a little twee, but so be it (this was one the things heavily modified in the re-release). While this is Hall's only book, she is no stranger to storytelling after writing and producing TV shows like M*A*S*H and Hill Street Blues and it shows. Very dark at times with lots of existential angst coupled with faith and meaning really make this stand out from the pack. 4.5 Dark Stars!!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dark Debts makes for a compelling read on a number of levels. First, Hall deeply explores the hypocrisy of the Catholic church and organized religion in general here, largely via the musings of one of our leads, the Jesuit priest Father Michael. Being raised a Catholic and still struggling to not feel guilty about everything, I definitely related to this aspect! Second, this is a tale of demonic possession that is unique and makes the Exorcist look tame. Third, Hall drops in a romantic aspect that, while helping to develop the characters and plot, I did not really care for that much. Priests in love and all that, plus instant 'love at first sight' type deals. Please.
Hall builds the story around a handful of main characters that you know will eventually meet-- the aforementioned Father Michael, a LA reporter named Randa, and Jack Landry, the sole Landry left from a clan of ne'er-do-wells deep in the Georgia sticks. Father Michael works well as the skeptical priest and is definitely the most developed. Randa enters the scene after her ex boyfriend took a header from 15 stories after calling her to come over. Jack, ex-con handyman, is back in his home town after a stint in jail and just living day by day. Jack's family reeks of trouble, with both his parents killing themselves, one brother who was executed for a mass murder in a church, another brother that was probably killed by good ole dad. The only one who 'made it' was Cam, and he was the one who took a dive from 15 stories.
The prose flows nicely along with the super pacing. I thought the ending felt a little rushed and perhaps a little twee, but so be it (this was one the things heavily modified in the re-release). While this is Hall's only book, she is no stranger to storytelling after writing and producing TV shows like M*A*S*H and Hill Street Blues and it shows. Very dark at times with lots of existential angst coupled with faith and meaning really make this stand out from the pack. 4.5 Dark Stars!!
January 2, 2017
4 stars--I really liked it.
This book is completely over the top and definitely has a pro-Catholic slant to it. However, I liked the ridiculousness (family curses, satanists, epic battles between priests and demons) and the Southern-gothic feel of this book. It won't be everyone's cup of tea (and it's violent, as these things tend to be, if you're squeamish!), but I had fun reading it.
This book is completely over the top and definitely has a pro-Catholic slant to it. However, I liked the ridiculousness (family curses, satanists, epic battles between priests and demons) and the Southern-gothic feel of this book. It won't be everyone's cup of tea (and it's violent, as these things tend to be, if you're squeamish!), but I had fun reading it.
September 20, 2010
What would you do if your entire family was gone -- all victims of unspeakable violence or suicide? What if you thought insanity ran in your family, and that all the men killed people after having gone crazy? What if you thought you were losing your mind and and were desperately afraid of what you are capable of? And what if you thought you had met the love of your life just as you were losing your mind?
Dark Debts begins with the story of Jack Landry. Jack is the last living member of a family referred to in town as "those Landrys". His youngest brother, dead - he thinks by his father's hand. His father, an abusive alcoholic, suicide. His oldest brother - executed by the state for a mass murder he had no recollection of committing. His mother, a suicide on the 1 year anniversary of Tallen's execution. And his youngest brother Cam. The golden child - best-selling author, the one who got out. A suicide, from the window of his high-rise apartment. Jack is barely existing - no steady job, no friends, no contact with anyone. He is having headaches and nightmares - visions so real they leave marks when he wakes up. He is certain that he is losing his mind and following the path set by the rest of his family. He is desperately afraid of what he will do if he ever loses control of himself. He hasn't killed himself yet; he "wasn't sure it was because he was gutless (yes, you chickenshit coward ) or just that he wasn't convinced that it was the only answer."
Randa is Cam's former lover - and received a call from him the night of his death asking her to see him. When he didn't show up, she goes to his home and is met by flashing red lights and the news that Cam has jumped to his death from his window. She has to identify his body and is questioned by the police, who think that Cam robbed a liquor store and killed the clerk prior to his suicide. Cam's best friend tells her how strange he had been acting - nightmares, feeling that he was 'going somewhere in his sleep' - including believing that he had seen his dead brother Tallen. Fortified by grief and 2 pitchers of sangria Randa goes to Cam's apartment - for closure, she thinks. Instead she sees Cam's uncle Rylan. He urges her take Cam's family albums to his brother Jack in Georgia - and to give him a message.
"I want you to give Jack a message for me. Word for word, please." He was looking her dead in the eye. "Tell him that the thing is real. You have to make him believe that, no matter what it takes."
What we discover, in the second half of the book, is that 'the thing' is indeed real. And it means business.
Father Michael Kinney is a Jesuit priest from Manhattan. He writes for a magazine and, like any good Jesuit, he doesn't believe in the devil. Until a friend asks for help with his teenage son and Father Michael is fighting something he didn't think he even believed in. It ends horribly and Michael defies his superiors by testifying about those events in court. It changes him forever and when we meet him he is teeteering on the verge of a crisis of faith. It doesn't help matters, of course, that Father Michael has fallen in love. And that conflict is added to the ever-growing pile of doubt that he carries. He is punished by the church by being exiled to a parish in rural Georgia - where the Catholic community is small and stories about "those Landry's" are fodder for coffee shop gossip.
Father Michael's beloved Uncle Vincent passes away and leaves him with a cryptic audio message about having done something terrible. Michael tries to unravel the mystery of Vincent's message, a mysterious woman kept by Vincent in secret and the events surrounding his parents' death in a hotel fire when he was a baby. As he gets closer to uncovering Vincent's past Michael is horrified to learn that nothing in his life is as it seems - and he questions everything he has ever believed in. Vincent, his God, his choices. As he uncovers Vincent's terrible secret and the 'debt' that is owed (the title for the novel is taken from a poem by executed murderer Gary Gilmour - "too few dark debts are ever paid". How apt.) he realizes that his story is irrevocably tied to Jack's - and that he must save Jack in order to save himself.
I struggle to find the words to describe this book, or why I like it so very much. It's not because it's an "Exorcist" type novel - although it is. It's not because it's a mystery/thriller - and it has those elements. And finally, it's not because I love romance novels - and that's what this one is as well.
The book in written in a style that I particularly like - I'm not a writer nor do I have an english degree so I don't know how to describe it - it's like third person, but their thoughts are right there in front of you. And they are so REAL. And sometimes funny. The narrative is engaging and draws you right in from the first page. I loved all of the characters in the novel and found something to identify with with each of them, no small feat when there are four.
I read that the author spent five years researching and writing the book and it shows. Her knowledge of the Catholic church, demonology and exorcism and the Jesuits was remarkable. Even the hotel fire, a major event in the novel, was real - the worst hotel fire in US history.
As much as I liked the characters in the novel, and how the story itself kept me turning pages long into the night until I finished it, ultimately for me the story was one about faith. It came from Michael's perspective -- his questions about his beliefs, his faith and how he resolves them in a way that he can live with. This book made me re-examine my own faith and affected me long after I was done reading the book. Some of it, in fact, made me feel as though I had undergone a fundamental shift in my way of looking at it. I could almost literally feel the shift as I read the book. It was one passage in particular that did it:
"A sudden force slammed into Michael, pinning him against the furnace....But the physical pain was nothing compared to the other - the aloneness. Total. Absolute. A black pit with no end. Everything within him cried out in an ancient plea: Why have you forsaken me?
The pain was so intense, it was all Michael could do not to scream.
And then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. And Michael realized it had not come from the demon.
Had Jesus expected a deal, too?
Didn't that question imply an expectation? In fact, the same expectation as Michael's: "I did what You wanted, so why aren't You here to save me?"
What answer did Jesus get?
None.
Anybody show up to save Him?
No.
And what did He do next, Michael asked himself. He'd said "Into Your hands I commend my spirit." In that moment, when He could have condemned God with as much justification as anyone in history, instead He announced - to all present, and to generations to come - that He still chose to trust God. There never was a transition, Michael realized. There was simply a choice.
Maybe God had not lived up to his end of the deal because there had never been a deal. And maybe that was the entire point. A new thought came to Michael, fully formed.
The jump is not a leap of faith. Not really. It's an acknowledgement that there's a gap between us that nothing can fill. Uncrossable, by any means we understand. All we can do is declare ourselves to be on the other side. Like Jesus. ."
I spent a lot of time thinking about what that meant - and I look at the whole meaning of the word 'faith' differently because of it. Christ is the ultimate example of faith - and if you look at it from the p.o.v. that maybe He DIDN'T know what exactly His Father had in store for Him...it's staggering.
Anyway. I don't consider myself a overtly religious person and this book affected me in a way no other book ever has. I think it is brilliant. I've read it many times since it was published and I haven't changed my opinion one iota.
If I were to recommend this book to anyone, I would borrow the words of Donna Seaman of Booklist: Hall should be applauded for writing genuinely entertaining commercial fiction grounded in serious thought instead of wasting paper on more pulp nonsense.
Dark Debts begins with the story of Jack Landry. Jack is the last living member of a family referred to in town as "those Landrys". His youngest brother, dead - he thinks by his father's hand. His father, an abusive alcoholic, suicide. His oldest brother - executed by the state for a mass murder he had no recollection of committing. His mother, a suicide on the 1 year anniversary of Tallen's execution. And his youngest brother Cam. The golden child - best-selling author, the one who got out. A suicide, from the window of his high-rise apartment. Jack is barely existing - no steady job, no friends, no contact with anyone. He is having headaches and nightmares - visions so real they leave marks when he wakes up. He is certain that he is losing his mind and following the path set by the rest of his family. He is desperately afraid of what he will do if he ever loses control of himself. He hasn't killed himself yet; he "wasn't sure it was because he was gutless (yes, you chickenshit coward ) or just that he wasn't convinced that it was the only answer."
Randa is Cam's former lover - and received a call from him the night of his death asking her to see him. When he didn't show up, she goes to his home and is met by flashing red lights and the news that Cam has jumped to his death from his window. She has to identify his body and is questioned by the police, who think that Cam robbed a liquor store and killed the clerk prior to his suicide. Cam's best friend tells her how strange he had been acting - nightmares, feeling that he was 'going somewhere in his sleep' - including believing that he had seen his dead brother Tallen. Fortified by grief and 2 pitchers of sangria Randa goes to Cam's apartment - for closure, she thinks. Instead she sees Cam's uncle Rylan. He urges her take Cam's family albums to his brother Jack in Georgia - and to give him a message.
"I want you to give Jack a message for me. Word for word, please." He was looking her dead in the eye. "Tell him that the thing is real. You have to make him believe that, no matter what it takes."
What we discover, in the second half of the book, is that 'the thing' is indeed real. And it means business.
Father Michael Kinney is a Jesuit priest from Manhattan. He writes for a magazine and, like any good Jesuit, he doesn't believe in the devil. Until a friend asks for help with his teenage son and Father Michael is fighting something he didn't think he even believed in. It ends horribly and Michael defies his superiors by testifying about those events in court. It changes him forever and when we meet him he is teeteering on the verge of a crisis of faith. It doesn't help matters, of course, that Father Michael has fallen in love. And that conflict is added to the ever-growing pile of doubt that he carries. He is punished by the church by being exiled to a parish in rural Georgia - where the Catholic community is small and stories about "those Landry's" are fodder for coffee shop gossip.
Father Michael's beloved Uncle Vincent passes away and leaves him with a cryptic audio message about having done something terrible. Michael tries to unravel the mystery of Vincent's message, a mysterious woman kept by Vincent in secret and the events surrounding his parents' death in a hotel fire when he was a baby. As he gets closer to uncovering Vincent's past Michael is horrified to learn that nothing in his life is as it seems - and he questions everything he has ever believed in. Vincent, his God, his choices. As he uncovers Vincent's terrible secret and the 'debt' that is owed (the title for the novel is taken from a poem by executed murderer Gary Gilmour - "too few dark debts are ever paid". How apt.) he realizes that his story is irrevocably tied to Jack's - and that he must save Jack in order to save himself.
I struggle to find the words to describe this book, or why I like it so very much. It's not because it's an "Exorcist" type novel - although it is. It's not because it's a mystery/thriller - and it has those elements. And finally, it's not because I love romance novels - and that's what this one is as well.
The book in written in a style that I particularly like - I'm not a writer nor do I have an english degree so I don't know how to describe it - it's like third person, but their thoughts are right there in front of you. And they are so REAL. And sometimes funny. The narrative is engaging and draws you right in from the first page. I loved all of the characters in the novel and found something to identify with with each of them, no small feat when there are four.
I read that the author spent five years researching and writing the book and it shows. Her knowledge of the Catholic church, demonology and exorcism and the Jesuits was remarkable. Even the hotel fire, a major event in the novel, was real - the worst hotel fire in US history.
As much as I liked the characters in the novel, and how the story itself kept me turning pages long into the night until I finished it, ultimately for me the story was one about faith. It came from Michael's perspective -- his questions about his beliefs, his faith and how he resolves them in a way that he can live with. This book made me re-examine my own faith and affected me long after I was done reading the book. Some of it, in fact, made me feel as though I had undergone a fundamental shift in my way of looking at it. I could almost literally feel the shift as I read the book. It was one passage in particular that did it:
"A sudden force slammed into Michael, pinning him against the furnace....But the physical pain was nothing compared to the other - the aloneness. Total. Absolute. A black pit with no end. Everything within him cried out in an ancient plea: Why have you forsaken me?
The pain was so intense, it was all Michael could do not to scream.
And then, as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. And Michael realized it had not come from the demon.
Had Jesus expected a deal, too?
Didn't that question imply an expectation? In fact, the same expectation as Michael's: "I did what You wanted, so why aren't You here to save me?"
What answer did Jesus get?
None.
Anybody show up to save Him?
No.
And what did He do next, Michael asked himself. He'd said "Into Your hands I commend my spirit." In that moment, when He could have condemned God with as much justification as anyone in history, instead He announced - to all present, and to generations to come - that He still chose to trust God. There never was a transition, Michael realized. There was simply a choice.
Maybe God had not lived up to his end of the deal because there had never been a deal. And maybe that was the entire point. A new thought came to Michael, fully formed.
The jump is not a leap of faith. Not really. It's an acknowledgement that there's a gap between us that nothing can fill. Uncrossable, by any means we understand. All we can do is declare ourselves to be on the other side. Like Jesus. ."
I spent a lot of time thinking about what that meant - and I look at the whole meaning of the word 'faith' differently because of it. Christ is the ultimate example of faith - and if you look at it from the p.o.v. that maybe He DIDN'T know what exactly His Father had in store for Him...it's staggering.
Anyway. I don't consider myself a overtly religious person and this book affected me in a way no other book ever has. I think it is brilliant. I've read it many times since it was published and I haven't changed my opinion one iota.
If I were to recommend this book to anyone, I would borrow the words of Donna Seaman of Booklist: Hall should be applauded for writing genuinely entertaining commercial fiction grounded in serious thought instead of wasting paper on more pulp nonsense.
September 18, 2011
Anne Rice on her facebook page asked the question "What is your favorite ghost story and why?" A lot of people added the usual responses... Stephen King, Shirley Jackson etc. And quite a few people said "Ghost Story" by Peter Straub, which in my opinion is the most overrated horror novel that I've read. I thought it was boring and a convoluted mess. But that's just my opinion. And I was thinking about horror novels that I thought were brilliant and didn't set the bestseller lists on fire. Karen Hall's Dark Debts is one of those books. Beautifully written (her style actually reminded me a lot of Pat Conroy), scary (and my favorite horror sub-genre "demon-related), and the plotting was perfect. If you haven't read this one take my advice and pick up a copy you won't be sorry.
March 6, 2012
I picked up this book in the bargain books section of my local bookstore…and I am so happy I did, even though I had never heard of this author and the cover freaked me out a bit.
This is a great novel. More than just a supernatural story where good versus evil. A story filled with sadness, hope, love, curses, Satanist cults, demon possessions, suicides, painful memories and much much more.
There are two parallel storylines that are connected by some of the characters in the book.
Jesuit priest, Michael Kinney, is in love with Tess and going through a faith crisis. Fighting against the duplicity of the church and archaic rituals and rules, he begins to question his own beliefs. Never believing in the idea of someone possessed by demons, he soon becomes realizing that there is something evil in the voices he has been hearing lately. He is torn between his love for Tess, who brings love and peace into his life and his love for the church and finds it difficult to make a decision in his life.
Jack Landry has suffered through so much in his life that at times I found myself thinking how unfair it was for him having to endure more grief and pain. He is the last remaining Landry…his father, a cruel evil monster, who Jack believes killed his brother even though it was ruled he drowned committed suicide. One of his brothers was sentenced to death by electrocution after going through a killing spree. His fragile mother killed herself on the anniversary of his death. The one brother who managed to get away from the horrors of their childhood eventually committed suicide as well. He keeps hearing voices in his head and believes that he is going to go the same ways as his family did….be killed or kill himself.
Randa Phillips, a New York writer and ex lover of Cam, Jack’s brother, who had killed someone in a robbery and then killed himself, decides to go to Georgia to find Jack and give him Cam’s family albums.
From the moment they meet, there is an incredible connection. I loved the scene where they both are unable to understand their feelings…..they feel such love for each other. It was really touching and poignant.
In the beginning I couldn’t see the connection between the characters but soon you discover that there is something really scary, chilling but in the end, love between two of the people.
The story is so well paced with some great, witty, and at times humorous dialogue and imaginative writing. The characters come alive. You want them to win and find happiness. There was quite a lot of research done on the subject of the story but the way we learn so much about the church, demons and more.
I couldn’t put this book down. I kept reading every page and found myself impatient to go back to it when I had a chance between work times.
I just wish that she had written a few more novels.
This is a great novel. More than just a supernatural story where good versus evil. A story filled with sadness, hope, love, curses, Satanist cults, demon possessions, suicides, painful memories and much much more.
There are two parallel storylines that are connected by some of the characters in the book.
Jesuit priest, Michael Kinney, is in love with Tess and going through a faith crisis. Fighting against the duplicity of the church and archaic rituals and rules, he begins to question his own beliefs. Never believing in the idea of someone possessed by demons, he soon becomes realizing that there is something evil in the voices he has been hearing lately. He is torn between his love for Tess, who brings love and peace into his life and his love for the church and finds it difficult to make a decision in his life.
Jack Landry has suffered through so much in his life that at times I found myself thinking how unfair it was for him having to endure more grief and pain. He is the last remaining Landry…his father, a cruel evil monster, who Jack believes killed his brother even though it was ruled he drowned committed suicide. One of his brothers was sentenced to death by electrocution after going through a killing spree. His fragile mother killed herself on the anniversary of his death. The one brother who managed to get away from the horrors of their childhood eventually committed suicide as well. He keeps hearing voices in his head and believes that he is going to go the same ways as his family did….be killed or kill himself.
Randa Phillips, a New York writer and ex lover of Cam, Jack’s brother, who had killed someone in a robbery and then killed himself, decides to go to Georgia to find Jack and give him Cam’s family albums.
From the moment they meet, there is an incredible connection. I loved the scene where they both are unable to understand their feelings…..they feel such love for each other. It was really touching and poignant.
In the beginning I couldn’t see the connection between the characters but soon you discover that there is something really scary, chilling but in the end, love between two of the people.
The story is so well paced with some great, witty, and at times humorous dialogue and imaginative writing. The characters come alive. You want them to win and find happiness. There was quite a lot of research done on the subject of the story but the way we learn so much about the church, demons and more.
I couldn’t put this book down. I kept reading every page and found myself impatient to go back to it when I had a chance between work times.
I just wish that she had written a few more novels.
January 11, 2023
Read in 1996. Hall masterfully combines horror, southern gothic, romantic comedy and mystery in a wildly original theological thriller. Brilliantly imagined and compulsively readable. One of my favorites that year.
February 9, 2025
1.5/5 (rounded up for GoodReads)
Man, I really wanted to like this but it was a total slog. This could have been condensed to 200-250 pages and as a result would have had made a much better impact. The exorcism happens in the last quarter of the book after a rather overwhelmingly laborious back story of both main characters. It was just a lot of effort for little pay off. By the time I got to the “good stuff” I was so emotionally checked out from the story that I just didn’t care enough anymore for it to make a big enough impact to save this read for me.
We read this for a Bookclub and a member said this book should have been called “How Father Michael got his Faith Back” and I couldn’t agree more. I will say that it reads easy, and the writing is well done it just needed heavy story editing in my personal opinion. The twist at the end about Father Michael as well was lacklustre and I was really taken out of the exorcism scene when the demon calls out his relationship with a woman and it completely stops the whole exorcism because the other priest is so upset about it. Like give me a break. You’re talking to a demon and you’re worried about that? Ugh. I wouldn’t recommend this one honestly I think there’s way better, more interesting demon/exorcism books out there than to waste your time on this read but it’s up to you!
Man, I really wanted to like this but it was a total slog. This could have been condensed to 200-250 pages and as a result would have had made a much better impact. The exorcism happens in the last quarter of the book after a rather overwhelmingly laborious back story of both main characters. It was just a lot of effort for little pay off. By the time I got to the “good stuff” I was so emotionally checked out from the story that I just didn’t care enough anymore for it to make a big enough impact to save this read for me.
We read this for a Bookclub and a member said this book should have been called “How Father Michael got his Faith Back” and I couldn’t agree more. I will say that it reads easy, and the writing is well done it just needed heavy story editing in my personal opinion. The twist at the end about Father Michael as well was lacklustre and I was really taken out of the exorcism scene when the demon calls out his relationship with a woman and it completely stops the whole exorcism because the other priest is so upset about it. Like give me a break. You’re talking to a demon and you’re worried about that? Ugh. I wouldn’t recommend this one honestly I think there’s way better, more interesting demon/exorcism books out there than to waste your time on this read but it’s up to you!
dnf
March 23, 2016I never read the original and hadn't even heard of this book before but because I'm such a huge fan of horror and that this was apparently called the ‘terrifying horror thriller of the last decade’ made me jump on the opportunity to read it. Clearly in the same vein as The Exorcist, Dark Debts is about the ongoing battle between good and evil and a family haunted by a demonic curse.
Randa receives a call in the middle of the night from her ex-lover Cam urgently asking her to come see him. By the time she gets to him, he has committed murder and then taken his own life. Not believing that he could be capable of such a thing, Randa seeks out the only family member he had left: his estranged brother Jack. There's a side story as well concerning a priest by the name of Michael Kinney and his story ends up intertwining with that of Jack and Randa. Completely interesting in theory, however, the prolonged introduction before you got to the actual meat of the story was more than I could continue tolerating. Jack and Randa needed to have been far more intriguing individuals to make it all worthwhile but unfortunately I ended up DNF-ing at 38%.
Randa receives a call in the middle of the night from her ex-lover Cam urgently asking her to come see him. By the time she gets to him, he has committed murder and then taken his own life. Not believing that he could be capable of such a thing, Randa seeks out the only family member he had left: his estranged brother Jack. There's a side story as well concerning a priest by the name of Michael Kinney and his story ends up intertwining with that of Jack and Randa. Completely interesting in theory, however, the prolonged introduction before you got to the actual meat of the story was more than I could continue tolerating. Jack and Randa needed to have been far more intriguing individuals to make it all worthwhile but unfortunately I ended up DNF-ing at 38%.
August 26, 2016
This book is full of a raw and edgy power that doesn't so creep up on you, as slam into with the force of a Mack truck. It's not perfect, but it is perfectly scary and unsettling. I could feel the desperation of these characters as they battled against forces they barely understood. The only part of the novel that did not "feel" right was a section in which a lecture is given is on the nature of possession. The over-intellectualization of the subject falls flat. But the rest of it is unrelenting. Definitely not a rehash of The Exorcist.
Highly recommended to horror fans.
Highly recommended to horror fans.
March 14, 2016
So Dark Debts was first released in 1996 and it's being re-released this year (March 15th) with a new ending. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read Dark Debts, in exchange for an honest review. I didn't know it existed until it was up as a giveaway last month but the cover and description got me interested. All southern and creepy, it's like True Detective meets Gillian Flynn (the not Gone Girl stuff), so yeah I was into it.
Dark Debts is split into three sections. The first section feels like it's going to turn into one of those kind of romantic but also totally freak nasty erotica's but disappointingly it doesn't. The love stuff just feels weird, the whole time. The second bit, on the other hand, totally enthralled me. It was all about God vs evil, demon fighting business. I found myself really enjoying all the catholic talk. A lot of the questions and issues that people have with the catholic church were brought up, while also still being pro God, if that makes sense. I am not anywhere close to being Catholic but I didn't find it preachy at all. The third and last part of the story is where the first two stories and characters meet up and finish the job. Straight up exorcist shit. Most of the questions were answered. It wrapped up pretty quickly. Hi demon, bye demon. But I was super into it until the very last page. Love. Gross. I am very curious about the original ending. I'll have to look into it.
Overall I really enjoyed Dark Debts. It is exactly what I am into. A bit more God-y than I am normally interested in and I think that's what made it fun. The author's feelings about religion were obvious but in a way I can respect. Warning: it is very male-centric (tying into catholicism I suppose)
Dark Debts is split into three sections. The first section feels like it's going to turn into one of those kind of romantic but also totally freak nasty erotica's but disappointingly it doesn't. The love stuff just feels weird, the whole time. The second bit, on the other hand, totally enthralled me. It was all about God vs evil, demon fighting business. I found myself really enjoying all the catholic talk. A lot of the questions and issues that people have with the catholic church were brought up, while also still being pro God, if that makes sense. I am not anywhere close to being Catholic but I didn't find it preachy at all. The third and last part of the story is where the first two stories and characters meet up and finish the job. Straight up exorcist shit. Most of the questions were answered. It wrapped up pretty quickly. Hi demon, bye demon. But I was super into it until the very last page. Love. Gross. I am very curious about the original ending. I'll have to look into it.
Overall I really enjoyed Dark Debts. It is exactly what I am into. A bit more God-y than I am normally interested in and I think that's what made it fun. The author's feelings about religion were obvious but in a way I can respect. Warning: it is very male-centric (tying into catholicism I suppose)
June 3, 2021
I read the 1996 version.
It started off pretty well, I'm a fan of "southern Gothic" type novels but I prefer to have them with more detailed descriptions of the surroundings. I appreciate when an author shows me where the story is unfolding by fleshing out those details, whereas these characters seem to be traveling quickly all over the place. Ok.
The female characters are hollow and horny and keep saying stuff like "what, I can't, because I don't have a dick?" Pretty tired. And the scene where Randa and Jack confess their love to each other after, according to the description, violently banging it out (she actually tells him to hurt her) while they softly cry in each other's arms made my eyes roll. Yeesh.
I don't mind being beaten over the head a bit with the religious concepts (thanks to my own complicated and masochistic relationship with faith), and thought they were probably the best part of the book, but when we get to the ending, what the hell?
Jack, possessed by demons, murders a group of Chinese people, including a *child* and the priest decides this is... fine? Because it wasn't him that murdered 5 innocent people, it was the demon, so he lies to the cops and helps them escape justice to go live their lives together as Jesus appears in the crowd and tells him he was their alibi or some crap.
This actually pissed me off. Clearly I'm not a writer but this ending sucks and I can't recommend the book. Curious what changed in the 2016 re-release, but not enough to put myself through this again.
It started off pretty well, I'm a fan of "southern Gothic" type novels but I prefer to have them with more detailed descriptions of the surroundings. I appreciate when an author shows me where the story is unfolding by fleshing out those details, whereas these characters seem to be traveling quickly all over the place. Ok.
The female characters are hollow and horny and keep saying stuff like "what, I can't, because I don't have a dick?" Pretty tired. And the scene where Randa and Jack confess their love to each other after, according to the description, violently banging it out (she actually tells him to hurt her) while they softly cry in each other's arms made my eyes roll. Yeesh.
I don't mind being beaten over the head a bit with the religious concepts (thanks to my own complicated and masochistic relationship with faith), and thought they were probably the best part of the book, but when we get to the ending, what the hell?
Jack, possessed by demons, murders a group of Chinese people, including a *child* and the priest decides this is... fine? Because it wasn't him that murdered 5 innocent people, it was the demon, so he lies to the cops and helps them escape justice to go live their lives together as Jesus appears in the crowd and tells him he was their alibi or some crap.
This actually pissed me off. Clearly I'm not a writer but this ending sucks and I can't recommend the book. Curious what changed in the 2016 re-release, but not enough to put myself through this again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2012
I read this book when I was 13 and on a family vacation. I plucked it out of a bargain bin on our wat to Tennessee. I remember being completely captivated by it, at the time. I stayed up late in the cabin reading it and loved when we were going somewhere with a long drive so I'd have time in the car to devour the book and try to figure out the end. I even called it my favorite book for a long while after I finished it. I plan on going back and re-reading it soon. Maybe it's not as good as I remember, but maybe it's better.
October 24, 2013
This was the only book, besides The Shining by King, to actually scare me. It is amazingly written and edge on seat suspenseful. One of my favorites.
June 25, 2019
The best book I've read since the Summer Solstice. In a cover blurb Stephen King says, "I loved this book." Me too, Steve.
March 20, 2022
I gave it 5 stars because I think Goodreads average if 3.63 is too low
February 19, 2018
Definitely a page turner, especially towards the end. This has a little bit of a lot of things; the occult/satanism, Catholicism, lapsed Catholicism, romance boarding on the ridiculous and needy, pride, lust...you get the picture.
Sadly, I haven’t read the original version from the 90s. From reviews I’ve seen, sounds like it might be a touch better.
But for a “faith grab” (unfortunate phrase in this case) from a bookstore display; a fun, quick read.
3/5
Sadly, I haven’t read the original version from the 90s. From reviews I’ve seen, sounds like it might be a touch better.
But for a “faith grab” (unfortunate phrase in this case) from a bookstore display; a fun, quick read.
3/5
February 8, 2024
I never thought I’d read another horror novel that would rival the masterpiece that is “The Exorcist,” but “Dark Debts” blew me away. Author Karen Hall weaved together a brilliant southern gothic thriller with spine-chilling horror that kept me wanting more.
August 11, 2017
Sort of literary horror, it held my interest!
October 13, 2019
This was one of my Halloween reads for 2019. I would actually give this 3 1/2 stars I think. It was good, but I had higher hopes for it since it’s supposed to be a cult classic. I read the original version, because I read quite a few reviews of the revised one that were pretty bad.
Basically, it’s about a cursed family, a reported who is involved with the family, and a priest who is questioning his faith. Oh, and an exorcism, but that’s only a small part of it really. There are plenty of synopses to read...
It started out a little cheesy, the dialog wasn’t great, but it did seem to get better (or I got used to it?), and was pretty funny at times. There was a lot of character development, I did care about what happened to them. She spent a LOT of time on the characters. All the flying back and forth from Atlanta to NY was a bit unnecessary I think. I wish she had spent more time on the first exorcism and/or the satanic backstory. I think more details about the whole family history would have made it much more interesting and scary. I just feel like it was a little short on the details, but strong in characterization. I may read the new one eventually, out of curiosity.
Basically, it’s about a cursed family, a reported who is involved with the family, and a priest who is questioning his faith. Oh, and an exorcism, but that’s only a small part of it really. There are plenty of synopses to read...
It started out a little cheesy, the dialog wasn’t great, but it did seem to get better (or I got used to it?), and was pretty funny at times. There was a lot of character development, I did care about what happened to them. She spent a LOT of time on the characters. All the flying back and forth from Atlanta to NY was a bit unnecessary I think. I wish she had spent more time on the first exorcism and/or the satanic backstory. I think more details about the whole family history would have made it much more interesting and scary. I just feel like it was a little short on the details, but strong in characterization. I may read the new one eventually, out of curiosity.
December 4, 2016
I picked up this book because I saw it on a list of "the scariest books ever written" and of course I had to read them all! Disappointingly, it wasn't very scary. If you think demonic possession and exorcisms are frightening then maybe you will be afraid, but I just didn't get creeped out at all which I think is the mark of a great horror novel. Despite a lack of terror the story of good vs. evil, Devil vs. God was fairly compelling and kept me reading. There was something about the writing that made this a really slow read for me. Every sentence was packed with description and kind of clever, witty dialogue. The author was a TV writer and I think this really shows in the writing style. This was also written almost 20 years ago so some of it is a bit dated. I hear the author is updating it for a re-release next year.
July 30, 2011
A pleasant, undemanding supernatural-ish novel. In the first few chapters two of the main characters Randa and Jack are introduced separately and I really liked both characters and was involved in their stories.
As the novel progressed however a Jesuit priest emerges as a major character. This priest is a having a crisis of conscience in that he does not really believe in god and no longer has faith in the pope. While not bad characterisation, the notion of priests losing their faith has very little grabbing power for me possibly as I have no christian background. The priests agonising over everything went on for a bit too long and was a bit tedious but obviously necessary as a plot builder. Otherwise well worth reading.
As the novel progressed however a Jesuit priest emerges as a major character. This priest is a having a crisis of conscience in that he does not really believe in god and no longer has faith in the pope. While not bad characterisation, the notion of priests losing their faith has very little grabbing power for me possibly as I have no christian background. The priests agonising over everything went on for a bit too long and was a bit tedious but obviously necessary as a plot builder. Otherwise well worth reading.
July 9, 2013
I picked up this book at a friend's home we were staying in a few weeks ago. I didn't have my Kindle. But then I got into it. It's a good old fashioned possessed novel. Super fun! Well written. Quick summer read. I enjoyed it!
January 3, 2016
A Jesuit priest who has his own interpretation of the catholic religion and a family whose members are dying one by one in rather suspicious circumstances. This is the basic stuff for an amazing thriller.
Good story line, dark and mysterious. Just read and enjoy it.
Good story line, dark and mysterious. Just read and enjoy it.
August 28, 2012
Great southern gothic story.
December 27, 2015
I just read there is to be an updated version of this book - written with a new ending and new characters. Since I don't remember much about the first go round. I'm marking this back to Want To Read.
February 11, 2015
What an amazing book! I will def. be looking for her other books. It speaks to the way I think most of us think about religion and God. Def. top in the books I've read recently!
May 8, 2016
In this supernatural thriller, possession and serial murder, are founded in Satanic rites and a complex family history.
September 25, 2016
Like most southern Gothic, the buildup was much better than the climax. Religious ridiculousness aside, this is an outstanding piece of entertainment.
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