The Haunting of Elena Vera

by Steven Pajak, Crystal Lake Publishing

Evil never truly dies. It just waits to reclaim what it lost.When high school English teacher Elena Vera begins experiencing terrifying hallucinations and recurring nightmares of a demonic elderly woman, she fears she's losing her grip on reality. But after a horrifying incident at school leads to her forced medical leave, Elena discovers something far more sinister is at work. With the help of her best friend Carrie and student Maria, Elena uncovers a generations-old curse that has plagued her family.

The demonic entity known as la vieja malvada - the evil old woman - has returned to claim Elena's soul, just as it did when she was a child in Ecuador. As the supernatural attacks escalate and a mysterious black fungus spreads across her apartment, Elena's only hope lies in an excommunicated priest named Tomas, who carries his own demons from a failed exorcism that cost a young boy his life.

Racing against time as the entity's power grows stronger, Elena and her unlikely allies must confront both personal fears and an ancient evil in a desperate battle for her very soul. But even as divine intervention offers a chance at salvation, a chilling epilogue suggests that some evils can never truly be banished.

This supernatural horror novel weaves together themes of friendship, faith, and the price of confronting darkness, both external and within. Set against the backdrop of modern-day Chicago, "The Haunting of Elena Vera" explores how the sins and traumas of the past can reach across generations to claim new victims.

Genres: Fiction, Horror

245 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 23, 2026

About the author

Steven Pajak, a Chicago-based author, crafts stories that explore the depths of horror and the human psyche. With a pen that dances on the edges of darkness, Steven brings to life tales that challenge, terrify, and linger in the minds of readers. Drawing inspiration from the urban tapestry of Chicago, his work merges the pulse of city life with the eerie quiet of the shadows lurking within the darkest corners of our minds. Steven invites you into a world where fear meets courage, and the journey through his imagination proves as haunting as it is unforgettable.

Reviews

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know how a lot of times stories begin slowly by introducing characters and their families, locations, and settings? The Haunting of Elena Vera does not do this at all. With what I can only describe as the opposite of a "slow burn", Steven Pajak launches us immediately into a frightening trip into a creepy attic. Within the first paragraph, the novel's tone is set as a terrifying tale about an evil entity that sets its sights on our MC Elena.

Elena is a young high school English teacher. She has recently been plagued by recurring nightmares, which progress into waking hallucinations and periods of lost time. It seems apparent that something sinister is happening to Elena. Her best friend and fellow teacher, Carrie, along with one of her students, Maria, are there to witness and attempt to help Elena through her extremely scary ordeal.

I'm fairly new to Steven's work, but I quickly realized he has a talent for creating some incredibly scary imagery in his writing. The descriptions of Elena's experiences were so clear and vivid that I actually had a couple of nightmares myself while reading this book. As an avid fan of horror, this does not happen often. So, when it does, I am mightily impressed.

I very highly recommend this book to lovers of The Exorcist and fans of hauntings, possession stories, and books that make you read with the light on!

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will possess YOU!! Your thoughts and dreams….your very soul! It's creepy good, with Nightmare on Elm Street/Insidious vibes.

Fast paced, atmospheric, chilling and terrifying, complete with jump scares, definitely raised my heart rate and left me out of breath!

The story kicks off with a chillingly creepy opening chapter when Elena wakes from yet another night terror, something she hasn't suffered with for a long time. When she and her friend Carrie stop for coffee before work, time seems to stand still and things get very weird, very quickly, terrifying Elena and leaving a lasting impression. Are her nightmares becoming a reality?

After a similar incident at school, one of her students, Maria, becomes concerned and makes it her mission to look out for the teacher. She has heard about things like this happening before, and she has a ringside seat to Ms Vera’s unfortunate predicament.

But, it seems that anyone that might be able to help, doesn't want to, through their utter fear of this powerful and terrifying entity surrounding Elena, leaving Maria to figure it out on her own for a while, her own fear and panic increasing.

Unexpected aid from closer to home arrives eventually and after some persuasion, the exorcism can finally begin. But the demon wants to make sure that every single person suffers first….

Lots of suspense and tension build with the smooth narration, giving you a heart stopping adrenaline rush. Pajak goes straight in with the scares and the action and doesn't let up for a second. Great descriptive and detailed imagery makes this story extremely gripping and immersive, and the characters and the storyline are great too.

There are two rules in horror, don't go into the cellar and stay out of the attic……this will have you sleeping with the lights on and the closet door firmly latched!!

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first experience reading anything from Pajak, and I can honestly say he creeped me the hell out. At its core, The Haunting of Elena Vera is a great possession story. It has all the elements we know and love for that trope, creepy scenes, a bit of gore, the priest, and all the religious phrasing. What was a little different was the generational implications. At least, I've never encountered this before. Imagine a demon basically being your heirloom, how unfortunate!

I loved that all the main characters aside from the priest were women, Latinx women at that. And they were strong. They were determined and not backing down. I just love strong FMCs! Some readers may not enjoy the focus on these characters and their relationship with one another, but I loved this. Girl power! 😉

This book is fairly short, and you can read it very quickly. I personally can't wait to read more from Pajack. If you're looking for a fast paced possesion story with badass female characters, go ahead and grab a copy! Just maybe leave the lights on and say your prayers first! 🙏

I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elena thinks stress from breaking up with her girlfriend is driving her crazy, but it turns out she's been targeted by evil. The first chapter is vividly creepy! It then switches gears to introduce the characters. The dialogue between Elena and her best friend Carrie is realistic and sassy. The demonic possession happens in a blink of an eye. Pajak does an incredible job with researching Latin American traditional beliefs and treats them with respect. Overall, I really enjoyed this classic exorcism story! It's available for preorder and available April 1st.

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic possession tale, told masterfully with lots of great scares and characters you will fall in love with. I loved the casual queer representation, which is something we need more of in all genres in my opinion. This was my first read by this author but certainly won’t be my last!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was as good as Mad Swine: The Beginning, read a few years ago. Was hooked from the first sentence and kept reading on to see what would happen next. Now looking more from the author.

[Nita Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book started with the Goose bumps and ended with a no freaking way. This was definitely an awesome read, and I am so wanting a second book!!!

The suspense was delightful. The descriptions of the evil entity were gross and just perfection, and the storyline was heaven. It's a quick read that you never want to end

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Demonic possessions are so very hard for people to believe. I guess because then people would have to believe that good and evil really exists. I do not think you have to be religious to understand there are evil forces in our world. Once a person could convince others that they were possessed, how incredibly hard it would be to fight that entity. A person would have to be strong, at least spiritually, in order for that person to save another. This book describes how intent the demon was in obtaining Elena’s soul. I am not sure how I would have handled the experiences written about how quickly Elena descended into her possession. Elena definitely had a really good support system to fight the entity. This author has done a lot of research to make this story very believable. 5⭐️.

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Steven Pajak's 'The Haunting of Elena Vera' has very strong vibes of the early 2000s, reminiscent of that decade's plain horror movies with great jump scares and a rather straightforward, undemanding plot, just begging for a sequel! I enjoyed this, especially the Chicago feeling throughout, though at times it overstayed its welcome: there are some absolutely awesome horror scenes (the one in the attic was genuinely cinematic and gave me goosebumps!), but the second part drags a bit, repeating itself several times. The fast-paced first part ends up losing momentum, the second part focusing a bit too much on female friendship, girls' nights, and self-congratulatory remarks among the friends. That said, if you enjoy stories of sinister hauntings, nasty possession tales, with a somewhat ambiguous resolution, this one should be a must-read for you!

[Indieterror13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Haunting of Elena Vera by Steven Pajak. I had already read this and was planning to pick it up at Books and Brews in August, but I won it from signing up for Steven's newsletter!!!
I loved this book. The creep factor was excellent - so much so I made it a point to read it at night in the dark. I love a good possession story, and Steven nailed it with this one.
👻👻👻👻👻 Highly recommend.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished my first book by Steven Pajak, and it won’t be my last. The Haunting of Elena Vera was a very good possession story with some genuinely creepy moments, especially at the beginning when the inexplicable experiences began occurring. The characters were compelling and I was drawn into Elena’s plight from the prologue. This was largely a story of terror, but also of courage and hope in the face of pure evil. I definitely recommend this one if you like books about possession!

[Ben Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Steven, and I’m happy to say it delivered! Tons of effectively creepy scenes and imagery, along with a steady pacing made this a quick and enjoyable read. I’ll be eagerly waiting for his next.

[Lauren Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books was an excellent take on the classic possession story!! The way the author set the scenes in the book was amazing and I felt like I was there! Soooo creepy! Can’t wait to read more from him!

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent possession horror that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was fully invested in Elena’s story and loved the badass group of women she found herself facing the horrors with!

[Nicole Sonnenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an audible code from author Steven Pajak for The Haunting of Elena Vera. This book starts out by launching right into the action, bringing back a memory of Elena's from when she was five years old, and confronted with a vicious entity. We then fast forward to the present day, where Elena is now an English school teacher and begins to have haunting, realistic nightmares. She then begins to experience hallucinations and even lapses in time. Her best friend and fellow teacher, Carrie, as well as a star student, Maria, recognize the changes in Elena and attempt to do whatever it takes in order to get her well again. We witness the struggles Elena goes through during her possession, which are chillingly haunting and nightmare inducing.

I very much enjoyed this fast-paced possession story and could feel the anxiety, panic, and horror of this situation through the writing. I highly recommend checking it out, as it is a five out of five!

The narrator did a fantastic job as well and was a joy to listen to.

[Terry Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Steven Pajak's THE HAUNTING OF ELENA VERA. I found it another highly enjoyable from Crystal Lake Publishing. Like Nick Robert's THE EXORCIST'S HOUSE Series, this novel explores demonic possession. But while Robert's heavily relied on atmospheric horror, Pajak's novel focuses on the visual horror. It's filled with action and I dug the character development of Tomas, a excommunicated priest who deals with regret and self-doubt after a botched exorcism. If you're a fan of religious horror, and dug Robert's books, you should also check out this one. While they're vaguely similar, they're worlds apart, yet all spectacular reads!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steven Pajak is a word sleuth to be sure. I loved the women's relationships. The setting was a 10/10. I really felt like I was in that Starbucks, the school, downtown Chi.
There were two things I felt were missing or I felt like I needed expansion. Firstly, I need to know more about the demon haunting Elena. Where'd it come from? Besides Elena and her uncle who else has experiences with this demon. What prompted the demon to attack now? Secondly, I felt like the demon could have wreaked more havoc. Like really send Elena to a dark place both physically and mentally. Just my opinion.

[Lisa Robbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok possession story, but it didn't totally work for me. I would have liked more information on the demon. The reader learns that it has caused problems for her family in the past, but I wanted more. What caused the demon to attach to her family in the beginning? Why did the demon start bothering her when it did? It seemed sudden. I also thought the relationship between Elena and her student was weird. They went from teacher/student to suddenly practically best friends. The whole relationship just struck me as odd. Overall, it was an ok read, but not my favorite.

[Margaret Hamnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning I was a bit put off by the two women’s characters and the writing appeared a little repetitive but I’m glad I hung in there because this was creepy, addictive and completely absorbing.
The descriptions specifically of the angles of body parts in this was beyond imagination. The writing was so immersive, nothing was missed out. Smell, feel, consistency of icky substances. I feel like I can still taste some parts of this story!
The ending was satisfying and if there is a way a sequel can happen, I want it.

[Stephen Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book, it's a classic exorcism type story but with a gloss of new paint. I found the characters believable and likeable. The story rattles along at a fair pace with the action never letting up.
If you like a solid classic possession type horror then you really can't go far wrong with this book!

[Courtney Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite sub genre is demonic posession and I loved Steven’s vision of what posession could be like! I had to put it down a couple of times at night because it was freaking me out! This books starts at a run and does not stop. If you want to be paranoid about your attic spaces and closets this book is for you. Excellent story!

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark demon possession lurks into every generation of Elena Vera, and now it has found its way into her life. Elena's friends must rid her of this demon, or it will overtake Elena forever. No Spoilers! I highly recommend this horror filled book!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! With a first scene that plays out like it’s a movie in your head, it had me hooked from the get go. And it just did not let up. No pages and pages of filler between all the action, this starts with a bang and does not stop hitting. Excellent.

[Leanne Pert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this, and I must say it didn’t disappoint and had me hooked from the very first chapter. With hints of the exorcist, this is a pretty scary book at times.
I highly recommend this if you want a good possession story

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Pajak book and it did not disappoint! This story of posession started off strong and kept that energy throughout. It was full of creepy imagery and really made me feel immersed in this world.

[Emily Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy read. Full of haunting twists

[Ann Keeran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting novel with an astounding story. A fierce tale.

[Kristal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love Steven’s writing. This story is a possession story where Elena struggles with fighting the demon that is desperate to take her soul. A fallen priest, Thomas is sought out to help Elena. I love how the FMC is part of the LGBTQ+ community and she is a relatable and real character. She’s a high school English teacher that loves her job and her students. Surrounded by loved ones in a pursuit to conquer evil, will she survive?