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Death and Devices
16-year-old Cole Erickson didn’t know an internship at the world’s leading AI Lab meant unearthing a warlock’s legacy… a legacy that turns out to be his own.
Cole’s life with his friends at Vendler Academy, a former Kirkbride insane asylum turned STEM school, is a haven from his absent mother and addict father. Starved for a sense of belonging at home, Cole jumps at the chance to apply for an internship at an AI Lab developing an algorithm that opens communication with the dead.
But between the Lab owner’s hidden agenda and Vendler Academy’s haunted past, Cole and his friends are plunged into a world of mystery and black magic that ends up threatening everything Cole holds dear.
The layered mystery of Piranesi meets the binge-worthy action of A Deadly Education and the heart-warming friendships of Harry Potter in this dark academia mystery for adults and young adults. Buy now before the price changes!
Cole’s life with his friends at Vendler Academy, a former Kirkbride insane asylum turned STEM school, is a haven from his absent mother and addict father. Starved for a sense of belonging at home, Cole jumps at the chance to apply for an internship at an AI Lab developing an algorithm that opens communication with the dead.
But between the Lab owner’s hidden agenda and Vendler Academy’s haunted past, Cole and his friends are plunged into a world of mystery and black magic that ends up threatening everything Cole holds dear.
The layered mystery of Piranesi meets the binge-worthy action of A Deadly Education and the heart-warming friendships of Harry Potter in this dark academia mystery for adults and young adults. Buy now before the price changes!
362 pages, Paperback
Published December 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 19, 2026
Excellent book! Great read for young and older adults alike. A book that ignites conversation and discussion. The way Anna writes is beautiful and rich, not only in imagery but also in meaning.
January 17, 2026
I only really write reviews when I encounter spectacular books. Death and Devices is one of those. Anna Vander Wall paints with her words— you feel like you’re in the room with the characters and feel what they feel. The plot itself is absolutely gripping and I had a hard time putting this book down. My only qualm is that I don’t have book 2 on my shelf. Absolutely recommend.
January 22, 2026
My ultimate sleeper pick. This book just showed up at my house the other day and I picked it up on a whim. Characters and friendships 10/10, plot 8.5/10
January 9, 2026
Welp, my fingernails are gone.
May 10, 2026
I confess that I read this book a few months ago and immediately wanted to write a review. And yet I didn’t, because for the first time in a long time, I wanted to savor the reading experience for myself and because I needed to think about what I wanted to say.
Talking to a friend immediately after I finished, I raved about how much I liked it. “What did you like about it?” she asked. And my first response was, “I liked that it was unexpected.” I gave her a quick answer. The ending was unexpected, the tragedy was unexpected, Cole’s vulnerability without being a weak lead was unexpected. The seamless layering of mystery, quest, and pressing social questions was unexpected too.
Now that I’ve had more time to think about this fantastic novel, I realize that the thing that struck me most was that unlike so many other stories for this age group in this genre, it wasn’t facile. This book asked something of its reader, it asked for engagement and deep thought and in return it offered something abiding and beautiful.
For our effort, though it feels effortless, we are rewarded with lovely writing and an intriguing sense of suspension between worlds, between current reality and the dangerous supernatural, between what is real and what is fabricated, between a sense of true self and a distorted vision of self, between life as we know it and a more complex world that we cannot truly know in this life but can get only get glimpses of, and the distorted ways we pursue that truth.
While this could be categorized as a coming-of-age story, it also subtly and beautifully reminds us that the pressing darkness is always with us, not only as we transition to adulthood, and that there is much to overcome in this life. We are all, always, coming to the self-revelation necessary to move through this world. Cole’s father struggles with alcoholism. Bridget is struggling with loss and depression. Instead of offering trite platitudes, we are given thoughtful friendships, adults who are present and caring, and most importantly faith. Despite the dark themes and events, this book manages to find the right balance between the grim realities of life and hopefulness. And isn’t that what teens need as they begin to strike out on their own?
Thinking about the friendship between Cole, Bridget, Joanna and Jude, I was reminded of one my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, “Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do.” It’s difficult to fight the dark forces within us and arrayed against us, but boy is it worth the fight. These high schoolers are trying to navigate their way into their future selves, and they are flawed and uncertain in the process, yet they do it anyway.
The book has been making its way through the three teens in my house and the reports I’ve received back have been glowing. My fourteen-year-old boy loved the risks Cole and his friends took, and as his mother, I’m grateful for a book that shows him how to take such risks, what risks are worth taking and what’s at stake in this life and how to be brave in a way that is good and not at all preachy.
I’m so glad this is the first book in a series. I have a household of eager readers waiting for the next installment.
Talking to a friend immediately after I finished, I raved about how much I liked it. “What did you like about it?” she asked. And my first response was, “I liked that it was unexpected.” I gave her a quick answer. The ending was unexpected, the tragedy was unexpected, Cole’s vulnerability without being a weak lead was unexpected. The seamless layering of mystery, quest, and pressing social questions was unexpected too.
Now that I’ve had more time to think about this fantastic novel, I realize that the thing that struck me most was that unlike so many other stories for this age group in this genre, it wasn’t facile. This book asked something of its reader, it asked for engagement and deep thought and in return it offered something abiding and beautiful.
For our effort, though it feels effortless, we are rewarded with lovely writing and an intriguing sense of suspension between worlds, between current reality and the dangerous supernatural, between what is real and what is fabricated, between a sense of true self and a distorted vision of self, between life as we know it and a more complex world that we cannot truly know in this life but can get only get glimpses of, and the distorted ways we pursue that truth.
While this could be categorized as a coming-of-age story, it also subtly and beautifully reminds us that the pressing darkness is always with us, not only as we transition to adulthood, and that there is much to overcome in this life. We are all, always, coming to the self-revelation necessary to move through this world. Cole’s father struggles with alcoholism. Bridget is struggling with loss and depression. Instead of offering trite platitudes, we are given thoughtful friendships, adults who are present and caring, and most importantly faith. Despite the dark themes and events, this book manages to find the right balance between the grim realities of life and hopefulness. And isn’t that what teens need as they begin to strike out on their own?
Thinking about the friendship between Cole, Bridget, Joanna and Jude, I was reminded of one my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes, “Peter did not feel very brave; indeed, he felt he was going to be sick. But that made no difference to what he had to do.” It’s difficult to fight the dark forces within us and arrayed against us, but boy is it worth the fight. These high schoolers are trying to navigate their way into their future selves, and they are flawed and uncertain in the process, yet they do it anyway.
The book has been making its way through the three teens in my house and the reports I’ve received back have been glowing. My fourteen-year-old boy loved the risks Cole and his friends took, and as his mother, I’m grateful for a book that shows him how to take such risks, what risks are worth taking and what’s at stake in this life and how to be brave in a way that is good and not at all preachy.
I’m so glad this is the first book in a series. I have a household of eager readers waiting for the next installment.
June 1, 2026
Cole Ericson is top of his class at a prestigious private school in Pennsylvania, and his dearest wish is to win a once-in-a-lifetime internship at Orion Saint-Pierre's cutting-edge AI lab. But Cole isn't a rich little snot, as you might assume. In fact, his home life is in shambles. He lives with his neglectful, alcoholic father, while his mother is busy with her new husband across the country. Cole is a high achiever, but he's also an "orphan" in many respects, so he immediately earned my sympathy.
On his birthday, a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger plunges Cole into the weirdest circumstances, spiraling in ways that I didn't expect. I enjoyed experiencing the plot with no spoilers, so I won't give anything away, but there were some spooky, nail-biting sequences that ventured into the paranormal realm. But, things never went too dark for me, which was a relief.
The real strength of this book is the friendship quartet that Cole has with Jude, Joanna, and Bridget. They each emerge as distinct individuals with distinctive personalities, and the dynamics between them push the story forward.
Orien Saint-Pierre is a tech genius who wants to create an AI that is capable of love. Vander Wall never tells us that we should recoil at this, but we do. The teenagers, Cole foremost, are awed by him and consider winning his internship a high honor. Saint-Pierre is trying to create an artificial interface that allows people to experience companionship on their own terms, without anger, disagreements, or disappointments. Adult readers can see through Saint-Pierre, but the target audience (young people) has the opportunity to grapple with Orien themselves.
Ultimately, this novel is about death—why we fear it and the lengths we go to avoid it. One of the backstory characters, Vincent Vender, tried harnessing science to elude death—or resurrect from it. Saint-Pierre is obsessed with optimizing his health for longevity. Meanwhile, Cole's mom is living in the moment without thought for much else, and his dad is drinking himself into an early grave. As you can imagine, there is a lot to think about here.
At first, I wanted to call this book "paranormal" because of the spooky, otherworldly elements, but it's not at all a paranormal romance in the Twilight sense. Nor is it straight fantasy, as it's set in the real world. Magical realism, maybe?
On his birthday, a chance meeting with a mysterious stranger plunges Cole into the weirdest circumstances, spiraling in ways that I didn't expect. I enjoyed experiencing the plot with no spoilers, so I won't give anything away, but there were some spooky, nail-biting sequences that ventured into the paranormal realm. But, things never went too dark for me, which was a relief.
The real strength of this book is the friendship quartet that Cole has with Jude, Joanna, and Bridget. They each emerge as distinct individuals with distinctive personalities, and the dynamics between them push the story forward.
Orien Saint-Pierre is a tech genius who wants to create an AI that is capable of love. Vander Wall never tells us that we should recoil at this, but we do. The teenagers, Cole foremost, are awed by him and consider winning his internship a high honor. Saint-Pierre is trying to create an artificial interface that allows people to experience companionship on their own terms, without anger, disagreements, or disappointments. Adult readers can see through Saint-Pierre, but the target audience (young people) has the opportunity to grapple with Orien themselves.
Ultimately, this novel is about death—why we fear it and the lengths we go to avoid it. One of the backstory characters, Vincent Vender, tried harnessing science to elude death—or resurrect from it. Saint-Pierre is obsessed with optimizing his health for longevity. Meanwhile, Cole's mom is living in the moment without thought for much else, and his dad is drinking himself into an early grave. As you can imagine, there is a lot to think about here.
At first, I wanted to call this book "paranormal" because of the spooky, otherworldly elements, but it's not at all a paranormal romance in the Twilight sense. Nor is it straight fantasy, as it's set in the real world. Magical realism, maybe?
December 31, 2025
"Life teaches us to do what is impossible." --Death and Devices
I was given an advanced reader copy of this little gem of a debut mystery by a thoughtful young writer who surely has a future as a serious fiction author. Death and Devices satisfactorily checks all the genre boxes for dark academia-- mystery, intellectualism, a quasi-creepy setting, and bright, contrasting characters. And, of course, villains painted despicably enough that you just love hating them. Mystery is hard; so easy to leave holes in the plot. This one fills every chink for me.
Despite the thought-provoking story around the ethics of the ever-encroaching presence of AI, I was even more interested by the unraveling darkness around the protagonist Cole and his alcoholic father. The heart of life is relationship, and relationships can go remarkably sideways. Author Vander Wall thoughtfully handles the brutal unpredictability of living with an addictive parent in ways younger readers struggling with the same thing will appreciate.
There’s everything to like about this smart mystery. I was sad when, like all good things, the story came to an end. Happily, the last chapter hints at what will be an excellent sequel.
I was given an advanced reader copy of this little gem of a debut mystery by a thoughtful young writer who surely has a future as a serious fiction author. Death and Devices satisfactorily checks all the genre boxes for dark academia-- mystery, intellectualism, a quasi-creepy setting, and bright, contrasting characters. And, of course, villains painted despicably enough that you just love hating them. Mystery is hard; so easy to leave holes in the plot. This one fills every chink for me.
Despite the thought-provoking story around the ethics of the ever-encroaching presence of AI, I was even more interested by the unraveling darkness around the protagonist Cole and his alcoholic father. The heart of life is relationship, and relationships can go remarkably sideways. Author Vander Wall thoughtfully handles the brutal unpredictability of living with an addictive parent in ways younger readers struggling with the same thing will appreciate.
There’s everything to like about this smart mystery. I was sad when, like all good things, the story came to an end. Happily, the last chapter hints at what will be an excellent sequel.
December 20, 2025
It’s a book that basically defies genre. It’s a dark academia book with creepy atmospheric vibes. It’s an AI/technology thriller. It’s a layered mystery. It’s got Egyptian mythology in its blood. It has the best, most heart-warming young adult friendships since Harry Potter. And it’s utterly amazing. You need to read it.
January 25, 2026
This book is a debut from a young author with obvious talent. It got off to a bit of a rocky start, and some of the plot points felt a little contrived, but it was very strong and poignant throughout the rest of the book. There are real emotions here, real adventures, real friendships. I highly recommend it to all readers and especially to YA readers.
January 13, 2026
Wow an incredible book, I could barely put it down!
Came for the AI mystery thriller aspect and was blown away by the complex and beautiful relationships between characters!
Absolutely incredible work, I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one!
Came for the AI mystery thriller aspect and was blown away by the complex and beautiful relationships between characters!
Absolutely incredible work, I’ll be waiting on the edge of my seat for the next one!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews