Mark of the Beast: A Novel of Horror

Ruane the Witchfinder #1

by Brian N. Ball

Something goes drastically wrong at a séance, and suddenly Alan's wife Janice experiences a major personality change. These are signs that her husband just can't the strange new mark on her hand, the naked wanderings in moonlight, the blood stains on her clothes, not to mention the strange company she now keeps. Alan turns to an ex-Roman Catholic priest, Ruane, a man drained of self-respect, a drunkard, a reject--but the only one who seems to understand what's going on--and how to deal with it. Together they must confront the Evil from Beyond. A top-ranked horror novel by a master of the genre, now republished for the first time in almost four decades.

Genres: Horror

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Also writes as Brian Ball.

Reviews

[Peter]

The cover is quite spectacular but the story couldn't completely compete with it. Alan's wife Janice seems to be changed after a seance, possessed in a certain way. A colleague of her dies, the medium in the seance suffers from severe health problems and a local priest is seduced by two women in the church. Can this evil demon obviously seeking Janice's soul be overcome? What is Rouane's role, an ex-priest and alcoholic? Somehow a fast, eerie and entertaining read but I missed the details in certain scenes. The horror was a bit too superficial overall. Nevertheless a recommended classic!

[Mark H]

The 2009 Linford Mystery Library reprint claims to be ‘complete and unabridged’, but I seriously doubt that.