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The Devil's Hour
My name is Samuel Drake and this is my final testament. I doubt there is time to write all there is to write or say all that I want to say. They have been working at the door for over an hour. I secured it pretty well with nails, and a hairbrush jammed between the floor and door's bottom, but nothing lasts forever and I am certain they will break through before I finish. There's a little voice in my head that keeps telling me their delay is purposeful, that they only pretend to struggle with my barricade so I have longer to consider my end. I'm trying hard not to think about that possibility, but I am haunted by the sense of truth in it.
Before they got Victoria, I had a reason to a foolish notion that some decision, that some action, could lead us from this terrible place. But Victoria is dead and my hope died with her. All my neighbors are dead...or something worse, and I have no doubt that I will soon be among them. The waiting is the worst part. I could just surrender—open the door and let them in—but even in the absence of hope I'm too damned afraid of those…demons…that pursue me from behind the door. I've seen horrific things, but the thought of all those awaiting hungry eyes prevents me from ending my terrifying captivity on my own.
So I'll just continue to tell my story. I'll ignore their voices, their giggles and their constant taunting. When the last nail falls and the door opens, I'll keep my head down and continue to write until… well, until whatever comes after that. I hope I don't scream, though. It bothers me, the thought of my own screaming, but I think I will anyway—I don't think I'll be able to stop it.
Before they got Victoria, I had a reason to a foolish notion that some decision, that some action, could lead us from this terrible place. But Victoria is dead and my hope died with her. All my neighbors are dead...or something worse, and I have no doubt that I will soon be among them. The waiting is the worst part. I could just surrender—open the door and let them in—but even in the absence of hope I'm too damned afraid of those…demons…that pursue me from behind the door. I've seen horrific things, but the thought of all those awaiting hungry eyes prevents me from ending my terrifying captivity on my own.
So I'll just continue to tell my story. I'll ignore their voices, their giggles and their constant taunting. When the last nail falls and the door opens, I'll keep my head down and continue to write until… well, until whatever comes after that. I hope I don't scream, though. It bothers me, the thought of my own screaming, but I think I will anyway—I don't think I'll be able to stop it.
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First published February 22, 2014
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About the author
Raymond Esposito
6 books23 followersRaymond Esposito is an award-winning dark fiction author and Amazon bestseller.
His Creepers Saga series, The Devil’s Hour, and his short stories have won various awards from Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards, The Wishing Shelf, Indie Fab, and Writer's Digest.
His articles and interviews have appeared in a variety of publications including Family Circle and Sanitarium Magazine.
He has a degree in Cognitive Psychology and has spent over 25 years as a criminal behaviorist.
He is the co-host of Writers After Dark, The Wit Without Wisdom Podcast, and works as a global director of marketing.
His Creepers Saga series, The Devil’s Hour, and his short stories have won various awards from Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards, The Wishing Shelf, Indie Fab, and Writer's Digest.
His articles and interviews have appeared in a variety of publications including Family Circle and Sanitarium Magazine.
He has a degree in Cognitive Psychology and has spent over 25 years as a criminal behaviorist.
He is the co-host of Writers After Dark, The Wit Without Wisdom Podcast, and works as a global director of marketing.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 9, 2016
It begins with a wall of smoke and a car accident.
Or maybe it begins when the darkness of our souls are turned inside out....
Sam Drake is a divorced writer living in a Florida development, and along with his closest neighbors, he’s taken on a horrific journey when a wall of smoke engulfs the world he has come to know. Him and his neighbors find themselves in what seems like a different dimension that is filled with their worst nightmares.
Imagine a place where your darkest secrets haunt you...even when they’re long forgotten. A place where you’re just not safe. Or are you? At times I could swear the author was playing a cruel psychological game with me as a reader. And he was. Once you’ve read it you’ll see what I mean. I found myself speeding through the pages, even when fear was sitting on my lap, mocking me. I couldn’t help the curiosity Mr. Esposito inspired with his fast tempo writing. I was certainly pulled into the wall of smoke right along with Sam and his neighbors. The character development in this book was amazing. There are so many layers and intertwined events, all done perfectly.
This is an absolutely FANTASTIC horror novel. If you are even remotely interested in this genre you should definitely read this book. It isn't a genre I normally read, but I could not put this book down. I now have to get my hand on Mr. Esposito first two books (not from this series) You and Me Against the World and All Our Foolish Schemes.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book. Ponder this:
“Truth is an ideal we pretend to desire, but so much of it is purposefully stacked away on high shelves and in unopened cupboards. And on those occasions when a dark container spills, we quickly sweep its unexamined contents into a trash bag held open by the very ones we love most dearly.”
Or maybe it begins when the darkness of our souls are turned inside out....
Sam Drake is a divorced writer living in a Florida development, and along with his closest neighbors, he’s taken on a horrific journey when a wall of smoke engulfs the world he has come to know. Him and his neighbors find themselves in what seems like a different dimension that is filled with their worst nightmares.
Imagine a place where your darkest secrets haunt you...even when they’re long forgotten. A place where you’re just not safe. Or are you? At times I could swear the author was playing a cruel psychological game with me as a reader. And he was. Once you’ve read it you’ll see what I mean. I found myself speeding through the pages, even when fear was sitting on my lap, mocking me. I couldn’t help the curiosity Mr. Esposito inspired with his fast tempo writing. I was certainly pulled into the wall of smoke right along with Sam and his neighbors. The character development in this book was amazing. There are so many layers and intertwined events, all done perfectly.
This is an absolutely FANTASTIC horror novel. If you are even remotely interested in this genre you should definitely read this book. It isn't a genre I normally read, but I could not put this book down. I now have to get my hand on Mr. Esposito first two books (not from this series) You and Me Against the World and All Our Foolish Schemes.
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book. Ponder this:
“Truth is an ideal we pretend to desire, but so much of it is purposefully stacked away on high shelves and in unopened cupboards. And on those occasions when a dark container spills, we quickly sweep its unexamined contents into a trash bag held open by the very ones we love most dearly.”
February 10, 2017
I absolutely loved this book! Raymond Esposito is a great writer,absolutely creepy!
The Devils Hour is about a group of neighbors who live in a houseing complex when a dark gloomy cloud invades their sky. but whats in the cloud, is whats scary!!!
The Devils Hour is about a group of neighbors who live in a houseing complex when a dark gloomy cloud invades their sky. but whats in the cloud, is whats scary!!!
September 25, 2021
The monsters are so imaginative! Loved this book as it had so many different twists and turns. The final outcome i was not expecting!
March 20, 2016
I’ve received a free printed copy from the author. No review of the book was ever mentioned, but hey, I loved it so of course I’m going to share my thoughts.
This is one of those rare books that although written in first POV, you can’t tell if the protagonist will survive or not. Neat huh?
The book starts with Sam Drake barricaded in a room. The ‘whatever is after him’ is/are at the door making their way in. Sam is a writer so he uses what might be his last moments to pen down all that happened, all that lead him to barricade himself in that room. We already know that his neighbors/friends are dead but how? That’s what he’s telling us.
That might also be what tugged at me. I think I would have preferred not knowing, so I would have had a little hope. The story starts with so many characters and to know already that they die/disappear or whatever Sam will tell us along the way was hard to swallow for me. I learn to like many of them along the way so knowing they’d go at some point made it harder to give into the story fully, yet, when I was away from the book, all I wanted was to read and discover what really happened, so albeit my reserve it didn’t diminish my interest.
Over all, it’s well written, the story keeps you guessing (aside from the inevitable that you already know). Sam is rambling at times, and the descriptions of some of the beasts are a bit long, yet it gives the reader a clear idea of what the characters are dealing with, what they are seeing, so it’s not a bad thing either.
Without giving spoilers, I can say that it’s one of those books that after you reached the end, you feel like reading it again in the hope you might catch something. So it’s definitely a story that will stay with you for a while, that’s for sure.
This is one of those rare books that although written in first POV, you can’t tell if the protagonist will survive or not. Neat huh?
The book starts with Sam Drake barricaded in a room. The ‘whatever is after him’ is/are at the door making their way in. Sam is a writer so he uses what might be his last moments to pen down all that happened, all that lead him to barricade himself in that room. We already know that his neighbors/friends are dead but how? That’s what he’s telling us.
That might also be what tugged at me. I think I would have preferred not knowing, so I would have had a little hope. The story starts with so many characters and to know already that they die/disappear or whatever Sam will tell us along the way was hard to swallow for me. I learn to like many of them along the way so knowing they’d go at some point made it harder to give into the story fully, yet, when I was away from the book, all I wanted was to read and discover what really happened, so albeit my reserve it didn’t diminish my interest.
Over all, it’s well written, the story keeps you guessing (aside from the inevitable that you already know). Sam is rambling at times, and the descriptions of some of the beasts are a bit long, yet it gives the reader a clear idea of what the characters are dealing with, what they are seeing, so it’s not a bad thing either.
Without giving spoilers, I can say that it’s one of those books that after you reached the end, you feel like reading it again in the hope you might catch something. So it’s definitely a story that will stay with you for a while, that’s for sure.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews