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Devilish Dust

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BETTER TURN YOUR LIGHTS OFF...

The multi-award-winning author of Garbageman, Wraith and Cryptic is back with another chilling page-turner.

This weekend, on Arizona’s freeway between Tucson and Phoenix, several drivers will be trapped in a deadly dust storm.

"Pull off the road and turn off your lights!"
That's what the transportation authorities encourage drivers to do.
So no one will rear-end their vehicle, they say.

But that isn’t the only reason.
There's something else they're not telling travelers.

But they'll find out soon enough...
They'll come face to face with the evil that lurks within the dust storm.
And it's something they could never have imagined.

Get your copy!

Other Books by ERIK

WRAITH
GARBAGEMAN
CRYPTIC
CRUEL and UNUSUAL
CRUELER and MORE UNUSUAL

Visit Erik Dean's
www.authorerikdean.com

Audible Audio

Published April 14, 2025

6 people are currently reading
5 people want to read

About the author

Erik Dean

17 books14 followers


Biography
Erik Dean is an Arizona native and a multi-award-winning author. He is also an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Independent Author Network.
In his spare time, Erik enjoys trying to solve escape rooms, playing the guitar, and spending time with his family and pets. Erik strives to write unpredictable novels with memorable characters.
Awards and Recognitions:
Finalist, Horror - 2018 Book of the Year Award, Independent Authors Network (Cryptic)
Finalist, Action/Adventure - 2018 Book of the Year Award, Independent Authors Network (Garbageman)
First Place - 11th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards (Cryptic)
Official Selection, Horror - 2017 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing (Cryptic)
Official Selection, Horror-2018 New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing(CruelerandMoreUnusual) Gold medal winner, Horror-2022 Global Book Awards (Wraith) Gold winner, Horror-2022 Global Book Awards (Devilish Dust) Finalist, Fiction-Anthology-2018 Readers Favorite ( Crueler and More Unusual) Bronze medal winner, Young Adult Horror-2022 (Devilsh Dust)

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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Stacy Charles.
199 reviews5 followers
April 13, 2022
Devilish Dust was set in Phoenix, Arizona where the characters experience strange phenomena. There are dangerous weather conditions predominant in the area, but the dust storms are deadly.

The author shares the point of view of several characters as they are caught in the dust storm on the I-10 freeway between Tucson and the greater Phoenix area. Each person’s experience and account of what transpired varies however, one thing was constant: this dust storm was not ordinary. There exists something sinister within the dust storm that possesses individuals and causes them to go on a murderous rampage against their will, which sometimes ends in suicide.

“His eyes were no longer brown; they were an inky black – even the whites of his eyes were dark. He had a maniacal expression on his face.”

There are ghost phantoms that are part of the dust storm, they live in the dust, and they are the dust. The ghosts are attracted to light, and it appears that the government has been covering up the truth. There are cautionary advisories in place for unfortunate travelers caught in the dust, but people don’t heed caution because they don’t believe anything would happen to them. People think the storm poses no real threat.

The story climaxes moderately and the plot is revealed in the early chapters of the book. Readers must delve deeper into the story to discover more about the dust devils. The story was interesting and reading about each individual’s experience with a dust devil added to the overall appreciation of the body of work. The author shares details to create background knowledge about how the characters got on the I-10 highway but these details were unnecessary. The book was still engaging amidst the extra details. This book would be great for readers who enjoy a little fantasy.
871 reviews28 followers
April 12, 2022
“Devilish Dust” by multi-award-winning author Erik Dean is a captivating and thrilling story that should keep readers on their toes the entire time. At least, that happened to me when reading it!

This author perfectly masters the suspense and mystery, taking horror genre to the next level. The writing is so descriptive and graphic that I could perfectly imagine the chilling scenes and be immersed in the thrilling atmosphere. In addition, the book is cunningly plotted. Once I started reading it, it was difficult to stop because I wanted to know what will happen next.

To sum up, I strongly recommend this intriguing and cohesive horror story, but I warn readers that it will be difficult to put down!
Profile Image for Ivan M.
838 reviews22 followers
April 13, 2022
Devilish Dust is a great title for this novel. Erik Dean, the writer, takes the reader to a journey through Arizona, a hard place to live climatically speaking. The book follows the story of Richard, a patrol officer in charge of the high road, involved in traffic accidents and sand storms as the prime issues. He already has a traumatic past happening during a sand storm, he's sure he could see an entity inside it, a non-human one. After being treated about it, he goes back to the force, only to discover that it might have not been the product of his imagination.

I find this book very intriguing; the suspense and the intensity of the writing take the reader to the edge of the seat. Definitely recommended!
Profile Image for Aparna Preethi.
Author 1 book56 followers
April 15, 2022
Devilish Dust written by the Award-Winning author Eric Dean is a compilation of spine-chilling accounts amidst dust storms that bring along some uncanny experiences for the passers-by. With strange entities crossing paths along with the read, this surely is a plot to grab your hands on. With a nerve-wracking thrill and obliviously scary storyline, this book is a mind-bending storehouse of fun, goosebumps, curiosity, and adventure. Give it a read and you’ll definitely find yourself rushing through the pages, flipping your way right towards the end. It’s just that good! It’s breath-taking yet impactful at the same time. Supernatural characters will leave the readers, gaping at the book from the very first chapter. A must-read for ones who love reading this genre!
Profile Image for S Tyty.
1,280 reviews29 followers
April 15, 2022
I have had the chance to read some works by author Dean and here, once again, he has been able to put together a gripping and tension-filled ghost fiction that did not let me stop flipping pages.
Devilish Dust revolves around a sand storm and how people who are suffering from it try to figure out what to do. The narrative is filled with horror, but not in a deadly kind of way, being afraid of what may happen next is what actually paved the way for a perfect ending and what definitely keeps readers hooked to its pages. Also, the way it is written, in the first person and in a dialogue-based form, and without complicated or twisted expressions and sequences of events, has also helped me feel caught by this story. Totally worth it!
Profile Image for Huda.
362 reviews14 followers
April 10, 2022
This was a different but fascinating read in some ways. The character chemistry and depth was deep and showcased a range of human emotions, conflict, and the reaction in a flight or fight mode. It had a lot of suspense, thrill, and a little bit of the unknown which would probably appeal to readers that prefer an adrenaline rush. The descriptive imagery about the weather and its unpredictable patterns was intriguing. The foreshadowing throughout the book was strong, even within the first chapter and scene with Richard and Alice, you can sense the onset of something scary and unheard of. The author blends this foreshadowing in a tactful way for the readers to predict the plot and storyline.
Profile Image for Candice Barbara.
168 reviews3 followers
April 11, 2022
Will you dare to enter the story Devish Dust written by Erik Dean. This story opens with thoughts of dust storms. Many face dust storms while driving in certain locations. However, these storms are not any other. What will become of the people that are traps? Different stories will open your mind to new adventures. I love books with a variety of stories. The stories will flip your emotions. One may have an ending with death or a cliffhanger? Do you choose to enter each adventure? These adventures also remind me of stories from Are you Afraid of the Dark. Stories that will pull you in and leave you wanting more! I hope some will go along for the ride of adventure!! :)
Profile Image for Aneley Sánchez.
988 reviews24 followers
April 13, 2022
Very thrilling!

Devilish Dust is a horror novel written by multi-award-winning author Erik Dean. The novel develops in Arizona, when a deadly dust storm breaks. "Pull off the road and turn off your lights!" This is the transportation authorities' advice for drivers to avoid accidents. But it is not the only reason. There are more terrifying things.
I like horror stories but I get very scared. Even so, this book completely caught me and I couldn't stop reading it. I think the author got a great result with the plot, it is very exciting and thrilling. Also, the characters are very well described and I could feel their feelings. I definitely recommend it to lovers of the horror genre.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
1,280 reviews27 followers
April 14, 2022
This is the first book I've read by author Erik Dean and I have to say that I’m astonished! What an incredible introduction it was to his work! I felt anxious to finish this title and chose another of his books since he rocks!
First of all, I found the atmosphere to be all-encompassing at all times! A deadly dust storm on Arizona’s freeway - what a fantastic idea!! I can think of no better setting for the story to unfold. The intrigue around the weather is exquisite and there were moments when I was truly frightened.
This is a great novel from beginning to end. I enjoyed it immensely and I highly recommend it!
Profile Image for Juan.
425 reviews5 followers
April 15, 2022
As soon as I saw the title of this novel it caught my attention but I wasn’t sure about it because of the confusing cover, which, in my opinion, is important too. However, I decided to give it a try and without any doubt it didn’t disappoint me. I really enjoyed “Devilish Dust”. It’s very well written, full of suspense, mystery and action that left me speechless in more than one opportunity.
The plot is about a deadly dust storm in which several drivers were involved in and the strange things that occurred in the middle of such a phenomenon.
This novel totally grabbed me. There are many twists and secrets which kept me guessing and intrigued me at the very end.
Profile Image for Dani Savante.
804 reviews24 followers
April 16, 2022
This is a great suspenseful novel that soon becomes spine-tingling and terrifying.
The protagonists of this story didn’t expect that an ordinary road trip through Arizona would become a scene taken from a horror film. A and strom surprises them and little by little they discover that the storm is not the only thing haunting them.
I haven't read many horror books but this one has the perfect balance between action and suspense. I enjoyed it a lot and I couldn’t stop reading until I finished it.
The characters are well defined, and the plot and scenes are perfectly constructed and described. I recommend it to all those who like suspense and excellent novels.
Profile Image for Moni A..
49 reviews
April 26, 2022
This is quite a page turning story I couldn’t stop reading. I was captivated by the description of the book, so I decided to read it and once I started I knew I had chosen a good one. Multi award winning author Erik Dean created such a captivating story with great descriptions, well created characters and a plot that hooked me from beginning to end.
I will certainly keep on reading more books by this author because I really enjoyed his way of telling things and the characters’ dialogues. The central idea for the plot, this dust storm, was something I didn’t expect and that I liked a lot. This is an unputdownable reading that I will recommend to those who enjoy this genre.
Profile Image for Brenda.
1,358 reviews25 followers
April 18, 2022
I've wanted to read a horror book for a while, but nothing caught my attention before until I read this title. It's simple but it carries a lot of mystery and I love that.

The plot is very good; the idea of a dust story being more than just that gives the readers a lot of curiosity to keep reading, to really know what really goes on in there. "Devilish Dust" has a very good description and the pace works really well with the style and tempo the author has.

To sum up, a great book I highly recommend to readers who enjoy a good horror story with a lot of enthralling moments.
Profile Image for Kourtney Bradley.
481 reviews11 followers
April 20, 2022
intense thriller!

To set the scene for potential readers, this story gave me an intense feeling of claustrophobia due to not only the pending dust storm but what the authorities in the story are leaving out for the travelers. The scenes are depicted so well throughout this story that I could actually feel like I was trapped in those vehicles with the characters and could sense the trouble that I'm sure they felt. This one is a rather quick read at only about 200 pages, but that doesn't take away from its ability to pull a reader in quickly and keep them on their toes through the finish. I would highly recommend this one to readers who enjoy thrillers with a sense of urgency.
Profile Image for Chico's Mom.
967 reviews9 followers
April 20, 2022
Made me more scared of sandstorms

Devilish Dust is an interesting read about the characters that encounter a not so ordinary sand storm. It is a bit creepy, because sandstorms are real and what if that would really infect us with visions or thoughts of doing not so good things. The plot is very intriguing but also scary because it's like the idea of the Bermuda triangle but in the form of a sand storm. Where do people who get trapped go to? It is a thought provoking read that I would recommend for those who like psychological thrillers. The story development is really fast paced, it doesn't linger or prolong the agony, it just hits you there; he dies, or she is trapped forever. Scary in a way that this could happen to us, or to you. But in the end it's still fiction :)
534 reviews10 followers
May 6, 2022
This book was very disappointing. It sounded so good but failed. not scarey, nabt short stories, which threw me off because I thought it a full length novel, many characters weren't even very good or likable. And it was annoying that author didn't use contractions. no one talks like that. anyway, a waste of time I am sad to say, very disappointing.
50 reviews
October 8, 2023
Some of the writing is a bit sophomoric. I think that a good editor would have fixed this. This is a story told from multiple characters' points of view. Some of the backstories went on too long. Each of the stories continues through the crash on the interstate. It would be a better story if the author built all of the back stories, and then had the stories converge on the scene of the crash.
There's a bit of a surprise ending that is clever.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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