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The shocking true case of demonic possession from the reporters who first covered it in the Boston Herald. The case was discussed and you can watch the real exorcism footage in the blockbuster horror film The Conjuring. When terrifying, bizarre things kept happening to a hard-working Massachusetts farmer, he did what anyone would do. First he went to the local police chief. Then he went to his priest. And then he went to Ed and Lorraine Warren, the world's most famous demonologists who investigated the The Amityville Horror and other terrifying cases of demonic possession. It was the Warrens who called in one of America's most renowned exorcists, Bishop Robert McKenna. What they all experienced is described in this extraordinary book. Absolutely terrifying. Absolutely true. Don’t miss the new film "The The Devil Made Me Do It” based on the Warrens’ case files.

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 1990

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About the author

Ed Warren

21 books441 followers
Edward "Ed" Warren Miney was an American paranormal investigator and author associated with prominent cases of haunting. He was a World War II US Navy veteran and former police officer who became a noted demonologist, author, and lecturer. He worked with his wife Lorraine Warren.

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265 (19%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
Profile Image for Alejandro.
1,420 reviews3,827 followers
May 27, 2018
Extraordinary and spooky book!


BETTER THAN I HOPED FOR

After reading The Demonologist, four years ago, I knew that I want to read the rest of books focused in cases involving the couple of Ed and Lorraine Warren. And finally I was able to read another one.

I expected to be good, but I never imagined that it would that good!

While I am clear that a bio-documentary book about a paranormal event, you can’t expected to be like reading a fiction horror novel, an amusing thing here, it was that the authors, Michael Lasalandra and Mark Merenda, reporters from Boston Herald and New York Times, not only wrote a throughly detailed account of the events, but cleverly they wrote in a novel-like style, therefore, you can experience the facts as you’d be there and living the chilling horror that happened.

It’s impossible to get a better access to the Theriault case in any other place than here, in this very book, since the authors did a complete job, detailing the life of Maurice Theriault, since he was a young kid, passing for his adult life, until reaching the boiling point where Ed and Lorraine Warren got involved along with their support team of volunteers.

During his whole life, Maurice Theriault, suffered of a demonic possession, where some events were so shocking that even of of those unspeakable acts, the authors didn’t dare to fully give us a picture of it, and I prefered in that way.

However, don’t get mistaken, since out of that rare moment, Lasalandra and Merenda, thanks to the cooperation of not only Ed and Lorraine Warren but also the assistance of the very Maurice and Nancy Theriault, they constructed the whole escenario of the paranormal case…

…where there were the already mentioned, but also members of police departments, the Catholic Church and others.

This is an eerie real life story, where you’ll think twice of speaking aloud a curse, along with pondering about that there aren’t not only paranormal demons, but also very human monsters that can make the life of others a real living hell.




Profile Image for Amalia (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤.
346 reviews79 followers
July 16, 2021
La mejor novela de toda la saga. Los sucesos que acontecen son terroríficos y surrealistas. Parece que estás leyendo una novela de ficción, en cambio, son hechos reales.
Profile Image for Sabrina Rutter.
617 reviews96 followers
September 30, 2010
This would be a good book to read if your someone who doesn't know much about exorcism. I myself am not sure what I think about this story. I guess I'm more of a seeing is believing sort of person, but I really don't want to see something like this if it does in fact exist so I guess I'll never know.The things described in this book are truelly frightening. I must admit I lost some sleep while reading this book. Although I have some strange fear of the dark I don't usually sleep with my light on, but I did last night!
This book leaves me with many questions, but I'm not sure these questions of mine are the sort that I really want answers to. I'm an inquisitive person, but I do remember that saying "Curiosity killed the cat " so I think this is one subject that I'll read only for the sensationalism. I know some people may think it wrong of me to read these types of books for the thrill factor, but let's face it I'm no demonologist nor do I plan on becoming one!
One thing that really bothers me about Maurice's story is the fact that there were some major crimes being committed. Did this man somehow trick all those who witnessed the paranormal phenomenon, or was there something truelly evil lving inside of Maurice Theriault? You read the book and be the judge!
Profile Image for Deity World.
1,477 reviews31 followers
May 15, 2024
Have enjoyed the whole series of these 6 books some were better than others but they are all worth a read and thanks to Ed and Lorraine for all they did
Profile Image for Britt Tynes.
23 reviews1 follower
March 26, 2015
Great book

I read this book not knowing what to expect, I have been an advent follower of ed and Lorraine Warren for many a year. I have read the comments by both sides of people who say they knew the family. Different views some say he faked it others stood up for him. I am not here to judge this man possession can make a man seem evil. I believe the story mainly because ed was a good man. So to all involved both living and deceased, may God be with you andd keep you safe.
Profile Image for Steve Wiggins.
Author 9 books95 followers
October 13, 2018
I'm surely not the only reader who, after watching The Nun, grew curious about Frenchie Theriault. Since I'm writing a book on demonic possession at the moment, this was actually a research question for me. I have stated elsewhere (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World that I knew of Ed and Lorraine Warren before The Conjuring was released. In fact, I have been trying to read through all the books they ghost-wrote over the years. Since there's not a whole lot of reliable evidence on them out there on the web, I've been reading the Graymalkin Media reprints of books attributed to them, always with co-authors and collaborators.

Satan's Harvest is the tragic story of Maurice (Frenchie) Theriault. Raised on a farm with an abusive father, he had early exposure to sex with animals (although cagily not explicitly stated here), whippings, and beatings. His father, like many controlling male figures, refused to let him leave until he couldn't legally prevent it. Even before leaving home Frenchie began having mystical experiences, which the authors attribute to demonic powers.

Part of the problem with this book is that it's padded out with information that isn't directly relevant to the story. One of those is the section on the Salem Witch Trials. Probably inadvertently, the authors suggest that Satan was really at work in Salem which, taken to its logical conclusion, suggests the "witches" might have been justly punished for inviting the Devil in. This is problematic on so many levels that it's difficult to sort out. The authors seem terribly credulous.

After leaving home, Frenchie had difficulties with women and employment. Married thrice, he had children that frequently go unremarked, and jobs that shifted when he moved. He also turned violent from time to time. The paranormal events dogged him, and, according to the accounts he bled from his eyes, scratches appeared on his body when nobody could have done it, and he had supernatural strength. The church did not wish to help, since they wanted to ensure this was demonic and not psychological. The Warrens got involved and their team members witnessed some of the paranormal events firsthand.

Finally, an exorcism was arranged. It mostly worked. There was apparently another episode later which, we are disturbingly told, is fairly common, until one's system is cleared of evil.

The book leaves many questions unanswered. Although written as a potboiler, it would be good to see a little skepticism and less of an attempt at easy answers. This was a tragic case, no doubt. Perhaps demons were involved. If the authors, however, can't separate that from the tragic miscarriage of justice at Salem, it is difficult to accept their other conclusions. The story's better told in The Nun where it's entirely fiction.
Profile Image for Riya Joseph Kaithavanathara.
Author 5 books18 followers
July 4, 2022
"But the strongest indication of possession is the ability to converse intelligently,
without repetitiveness, in a language the victim cannot possibly know."

BOOK: Satan's Harvest
AUTHOR: Michael Lasalandra & Mark Merenda ( Ed & Lorraine Warren)
GENRE: #horror
READTHON: #thewarrentales
RATING: 4 💫

When in times of absolute nothingness faith is what keeps us in line. Faith in oneselves, in supreme divinity and our close ones. Nancy & Maurice, a couple living in a farm, with Maurice being a farmer and Nancy a housewife is troubled by unexplainable occurances which becomes uncontrollable with time. When Ed & Lorraine warren comes to the picture, they find that the story doesnt begin with Maurice, it begins from his father and some occult going on in the town of warren. Who is responsible? Maurice? His father? Or somebody else?
19 reviews
September 12, 2017
While I don't think the story is true in the way it was presented, I enjoyed it. It was a little like reading a "found footage" possession story. I was engaged for most of it.
The general attitude of "atheists, scientists, and skeptics are heartless close minded people who tend to be rude and/or cruel" had me rolling my eyes at some points. It just seemed a little childish.
All in all it's a book I'd recommend to people who are interested in these things; even the ones who don't actually believe it.
Profile Image for TraceyL.
990 reviews166 followers
February 4, 2022
Meh. The Warrens come across as jerks in this one, which I didn't get from previous books. It didn't pull me in as much as the previous books either.
Profile Image for Pamela Murphy.
483 reviews30 followers
November 23, 2021
Este sexto libro de los investigadores paranormales Ed y Lorraine Warren fue un poco diferente a los anteriores. Los libros pasados de esta serie estaban narrados en forma documental y plagada de evidencias que ponían al lector a reflexionar sobre la existencia de seres paranormales, y fue justamente eso lo que me atrapó, pero este sexto libro sigue un hilo narrativo diferente, ya que esta expuesto como una historia, con diálogos y demás, como única fuente los investigadores y algunos de los supuestos involucrados y eso ya no me agrado tanto.

La cosecha de Satán narra la vida de un granjero cuya existencia ha estado llena de eventos paranormales, hasta que en su edad adulta estos eventos se vuelven insoportables, por lo que recurre a la ayuda de Ed y Loraine Warren.

Entre los eventos paranormales que podremos leer y que les pondrán los pelos de punta son pocesiones, estigmas, lagrimas de sangre, voces siniestras y supuestas muertes atribuibles a demonios.

Y aunque el formato narrativo no fue nada de mi agrado, la historia en si fue bastante interesante y sobre todo muy completa, por lo que sin duda esta serie de libros han ganado un lugar muy especial en mi librero.

Esa es mi opinión, pero como siempre digo, lean el libro y juzguen ustedes mismos.
♦SIGUEME EN MIS REDES SOCIALES: https://linktr.ee/cronicas.de.una.lec...
30 reviews
December 21, 2014
This is one creepy tale! I couldn't put it down but found myself sleeping with the lights on for weeks afterwards.

If true-- what an ordeal to go through
Profile Image for Sally.
97 reviews6 followers
August 15, 2017
great story but what the hell did he see in the barn?!
Profile Image for Lilian Catalan.
36 reviews
September 29, 2025
“La Cosecha de Satán”
Por Ed y Lorraine Warren, Michael Lasalandra y Mark Merenda con Maurice y Nancy Theriault

Este es el 3 libro de la serie de casos reales del matrimonio Warren que leo o que mejor dicho “devoro”. No los he leído en el orden de la serie (este realmente es el 6to y último de la Editorial Obelisco) pero sin lugar a dudas es el que más me ha gustado, so far…
La Narrativa es buenísima, fluida y espeluznante.
El caso de Maurice Theriault es comentado en la primera película del Conjuro (Expediente Warren) cuando el matrimonio está ofreciendo una conferencia y en la pantalla sacan imágenes reales de la posesión de Maurice. Después este mismo personaje es incluido en las dos películas de la Monja pero sin narrar a fondo su vida y el tema de su posesión.
Me encantó descubrir que este libro está dedicado completamente a la vida de Maurice, que sin tomar en consideración el tema de la posesión demoníaca, ya es una vida llena de penurias, de maltratos y abusos tanto físicos como psicológicos por parte de su padre Philipe (como lo odié).
Es triste que no hayan dedicado una película completa para este caso, pero espero que en la próxima serie televisiva que ya anunciaron, sí lo tomen en consideración porque vale la pena contarlo.

Sinopsis:
Cuando a un pobre granjero de Massachusetts le ocurren diversos sucesos extraños y aterradores, actúa como lo hubiese hecho cualquiera de nosotros. Primero acude a la policía local. Y, después, a un sacerdote. Posteriormente se pondrá en contacto con Ed y Lorraine Warren, los demonólogos más famosos del mundo, que participaron en la investigación del “Terror de Amityville”, así como en otros casos de posesión demoníaca. Y, a su vez, los Warren recurrirán al exorcista más renombrado de Estados Unidos, el obispo Robert McKenna. Este extraordinario libro relata sus insólitas experiencias.
Mi calificación ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 👍🏻👍🏻 y un extra “Hip Hip Hooray” por que pensé que ya no me podría gustar y sorprender más este libro que los anteriores.
Profile Image for Derek L..
Author 16 books15 followers
September 10, 2020
Out of all the Ed & Lorraine Warren books I have read so far, this is probably the best book in this "series." My absolute favorite case of theirs happens to be the haunted funeral home in Connecticut (In a Dark Place, which chronicles the horrors of the Snedeker family), and I was less familiar with the Maurice Theriault case. I knew nearly nothing about it going in, and when I came out of reading this book, I left knowing more than I ever dreamed of knowing, as well as leaving me terrified!

Maurice Theriault is a Massachusetts tomato farmer, who I ended up feeling horrible for as I read about his childhood. Without revealing too much information, he basically had a very nasty, evil father, which I believe was the core reason why Maurice became demonically possessed. Satan's Harvest did a great job in showing the progression from being oppressed to possessed, which is something that fascinates me, as an avid reader of demonologist literature.

I honestly could not find any fault in this book, other than Chief Jerry Siebert, who was an absolute prick. I understand that he was "only doing his job" and that he was "only looking out for the good of the community," but he comes across as a complete dick in the book. Even Ed Warren didn't think much of Siebert!

And I swear to the Lord Jesus Christ, if the Theriault case does not get the feature film treatment in The Conjuring series, I will complain to Warner Brothers! Seriously, this one terrified me with all the twists and turns, and I want to see it all take place on the big screen!
Profile Image for Angela Verdenius.
Author 66 books682 followers
March 18, 2019
Really interesting to watch this story unfold. Feel so sorry for the farmer (and anyone else) afflicted with possession. How it alsmot destroyed his life is just so sad. Also interesting to learn the way Ed & Lorraine approach possession and what the procedure is for an exorcism.
Profile Image for Claudia.
33 reviews
September 9, 2024
Las historias de los Warren siempre me dejan con mal cuerpo...Y pensar que son reales, aún más 😖
Profile Image for Sara .
582 reviews5 followers
July 14, 2026
Wow, this book was fantastic, however it was extremely sad to see what Frenchy and his poor family had to go through :(. This is a must read for fans who enjoy the paranormal.
44 reviews
February 5, 2026
Spoko, ale nie powala.
Na pewno była o wiele, wiele lepsza od mojej poprzedniej książki Warrenów i nieco bardziej przekonująca. Przez połowę czasu książka to po prostu opis życia patologicznej rodziny, ale nie zamierzam narzekać, bo dla mnie było to całkiem angażujące.
Profile Image for sliwula.
39 reviews2 followers
October 25, 2022
4.75 dałabym 5, ale niektóre literówki mnie strasznie denerwowały, ale tak to wszystko super!!!!🫶🫶🫶
Profile Image for JC’s Library.
18 reviews
October 10, 2023
First book I ever read on the Warrens, and one that I really hated. It’s supposed to be one of the scariest story they ever were a part of. But I can tell you that the devil had nothing to do with it, it’s clear, at least from the book, that Frenchie was a bad person that did bad things to people he was supposed to care of.

The story is about a French Canadian (Frenchie) called Maurice Thériault whom is supposed to be possessed by a demon. Weird things started happening when he was young and continued getting worse as he grew older. He did something in a barn, it’s never really told what it is, but we kind of have to guess that it was beastiality.

What I hated about the book is that nobody ever questions that there Ishtar be something else than the devil behind everything. Well there’s only one person, but we see his point of view only near the end to be cast aside very quickly.

Not a good book, poorly written and really not scary. I have a feeling that the Warrens might not be legit.
Profile Image for La sección prohibida Laura.
373 reviews29 followers
July 21, 2021
De nuevo nos encontramos con un caso más de los Warren. Igual de espeluznante e inquietante. En este caso nos encontramos con un hombre poseído que tiene una infancia poco prometedora y que su suerte la cambia demasiado de una etapa a otra. Quizá me ha ocurrido un poco como con Hombre lobo. En algunas ocasiones he sentido más lástima que miedo. Aunque una cosa no quita la otra, miedo también he pasado. Algunas escenas han sido un pelín impactantes y otras que no se describen, me han dejado sorprendida. No sé si es que mi imaginación va más allá pero si es lo que pienso, es impactante. Contiene como los otros ejemplares de la colección, fotografías que te muestran los lugares dónde ocurrió la historia y también a las personas reales implicadas en ella. Si disfrutas del terror, sin duda está recomendado. Es más, te recomiendo leer toda la colección de los Warren. Agradezco a David que planteara editarlos en español. ¡Lo que me hubiera perdido si no!
Profile Image for Ritman Books.
178 reviews102 followers
January 25, 2022
A diferencia de los libros anteriores basados en investigaciones llevadas a cabo por el matrimonio Warren, "La cosecha de Satán" sigue un hilo narrativo completamente novelado y, en mi opinión, pierde un poco esa esencia realista que desprende la narración más propia de los textos de investigación. Aún así, atrapa y logra poner los pelos de punta, pues es el más explícito y descriptivo de los seis libros (estigmas, voces siniestras, actos muy desagradables o violentos atribuidos a posesiones...) y transmite la desesperante situación que vivió el protagonista (y su familia).

No deja de ser un libro muy completo e interesante para los amantes de los temas paranormales, especialmente para los que estén interesados en conocer el universo del matrimonio Warren desde una perspectiva algo más "seria".
39 reviews1 follower
March 9, 2024
Ed Warren standing up for a child molester and attempted murder really left me with a bad taste in my mouth… Nonetheless, I did enjoy the story and actually found it slightly creepy. However, it felt padded and a little anticlimactic. Also, this comes off as Christian propaganda at times.

Lastly, the portrayal of the Warren’s in this, mixed with my own cursory research into the case of Maurice "Frenchie" Theriault, has begun to turn me against them.
Profile Image for Angie Webb.
109 reviews1 follower
December 13, 2018
Aye super scary!!!! I’ve read this before but recently watched THE NUN and that included Frenchie, who Satan’s Harvest was about. Crazy true story. Be careful what you say out loud. Don’t forget to always have Jesus included in your prayers. Like for real...... in Jesus name, Amen!
Profile Image for Megan.
503 reviews22 followers
July 31, 2019
Some of these books written for the Warrens are entertaining, but some (like this one) you can see through the bullshit paranormal stuff and see the scam being played.
Profile Image for Jeff.
172 reviews6 followers
January 14, 2019
INITIAL THOUGHTS:

I still like to believe that the Warren stories are true; mind you, I do believe that this CAN happen to people, but I feel like the Warrens have made a career out of mainstreaming exorcisms. I understand that these things happen, but the Warrens seem to have profited from mental illness in SOME instances.

Now, I feel like some people are going to get mad at me for this view, which I never had before. The Warrens always explained that they don't take any money besides travel and such, but they have used these instances (where SOME have taken back their claims of being possessed or, in some instances, admitted to faking everything). I am NOT saying that this doesn't happen OR that the Warrens having done good, but I did start to doubt what some of the claims were that I've read in the Warren books.

SUMMARY:

Satan's Harvest follows the life of Maurice Theriault and his awful childhood as the oldest son of Phil Theriault. While Maurice loved his mother, Phil was an abusive, awful man, who beat and, although it wasn't directly explained, introduced Maurice at the age of thirteen to something wrong and something he knew he shouldn't be doing. After a particularly hard day, Maurice was heard screaming the words, "I'd rather work for the devil than for you!" over and over again. From that moment on, seemingly good things started to happen, but they were definitely not normal; later on as an adult, Maurice said, after doing a fete impossible for any one man, that he'd just "called on the spirits to help him" and that he'd "been doing it all his life." Ed and Lorraine Warren were called in after a little while when the local priest realized that this man was going to need more than prayers to free him from the grasp of whatever was afflicting him.

For weeks, they waited for the church to give approval for an exorcist, the local sheriff continued to make inquiries to put Maurice behind bars. Everything seemed be working against Maurice and his wife, Nancy. It took weeks and, from the time the first MAJOR instances happened, years for Maurice to receive some kind of help from the church.

REVIEW:

Satan's Harvest was actually one of the stories that I was most excited to hear about. I know I'd heard Maurice's name mentioned in other stories and his seemed so interesting. I will say that I found Maurice's story to be a little less than what I expected. I feel like the author of this particular installment wasn't as invested in the story. A lot of it seemed lazy and I was really looking forward to it.

Overall, for this installment, I'll give it a B-. It had redeeming qualities, but it was, in no way, as comparable as Gerard Brittle's 'The Demonologist.' Despite this, it is an entertaining read. I wouldn't advise anyone against it, but just know that there are better books out there. If you have a choice between 'Satan's Harvest' and 'The Demonologist," choose the latter, please!
147 reviews1 follower
August 7, 2026
Right in the introduction, the author notes how important this story is in light of the rise in satanic cults across the country (circa 1989). This sets the tone for what this will be: satanic panic kindling.

I don't believe most of the events in this book happened. And I'm not just talking about the supernatural. The conversations, backstory, etc: people just don't act or talk that way. There is likely a grain of truth but the rest is the Warren's penchant for aggrandizing and cash-grabbing.

For instance, we get Maurice's backstory with his father. It reads like a vaudeville melodrama with his father all-but twirling his mustache as he forces Maurice to slave at the farm. I imagine the interviewer speaking with Maurice and him saying "my father was abusive, never showed me any love, only cared for the work I could do on the farm, made me leave school." All very believable. Then the author went and (poorly) wrote these little vignettes and dialogue to illustrate this grain of truth.

Also, to illustrate that Maurice is from a French-Canadian background, and despite the fact the family is living in extreme poverty with 15 children, his mother makes croissants constantly.

And that's before we ever get to the supernatural parts.
For instance:
- Did you know that, contrary to all evidence, the Salem Witch hysteria was because of real witchcraft?
- Did you know that millions of people believe in a literal devil, therefore it is definitely true?

To paraphrase Ross Blocher: I didn't know this, and I still don't.

The author can't even get their own facts straight...Maurice has a childhood experience being saved walking in a snow storm by a strange may (spoiler: it's Jesus). He's only six years old. Except that later he is remembering this incident and he was twelve years old...

Also, what do the Warrens even do here? Send a bunch of college students to sit in the house with recorders?

But that is the fun of the Warrens: the book is bad, but very enjoyable to read if you like a vaudeville melodrama. If you like to roll your eyes at the ridiculousness. The film adaptations went serious/horror, but the books are just silly. And I love them for it, though I doubt the Warrens would appreciate my appreciation - although I know their names and I did pay for the book, which is ultimately what they wanted.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews