Conjuring the Demon

by John Durgin, Crystal Lake Publishing

Sometimes, to end a curse, you have to return to where it began.

“Epically brutal and genuinely chilling, this one demands a standing ovation from all horror fans.”—Nick Roberts, author of The Exorcist’s House and Mean Spirited

2024
Howie Burke swore he’d never go back to Newport after the childhood murders that shattered his life. But twenty-five years later, a desperate call from his mother drags him home—and straight into the horrors he thought he left behind.

The town feels wrong the moment he arrives. Old ghosts lurk in the shadows, and something far darker has been growing in his absence. The secrets he and his childhood friends uncovered were only the beginning.

1978
Jessica and Henry Black move to Newport searching for a fresh start. For Jessica, it’s a chance to escape her fanatical upbringing and finally choose her own path—but the town offers a new kind of one built on secrets, sacrifice, and blood.

As the townsfolk take a chilling interest in her, Jessica begins to understand the she isn’t just welcome here.
She’s wanted.
She’s chosen.
She’s necessary.

Two timelines. One curse.
And the only way out… is through the coven that began it.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Where Stories Come Alive!

Genres: Horror

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2026

About the author

John Durgin is a proud active HWA member and lifelong horror fan. Growing up in New Hampshire, he discovered Stephen King much younger than most probably should have, reading IT before he reached high school—and knew from that moment on he wanted to write horror. He had his first story accepted in the summer of 2021 in the Beach Bodies anthology through DarkLit Press. His debut novel, The Cursed Among Us was released June 3, 2022, and went on to become an Amazon bestseller. Next up, his sophomore novel titled Inside The Devil’s Nest, released in January of 2023, followed by his debut collection, Sleeping In The Fire in June of 2023. In 2024 he released two more novels, Kosa and Consumed by Evil through Crystal Lake Publishing.

Twitter- @jdurgin1084
Website- www.johndurginauthor.com
Instagram- @durginpencildrawings
TikTok- @johndurgin_author

Reviews

[John Durgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it so much, I read it 6 times! And that was before even sending it to my editor 😂

[Christopher Dahman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe it’s over! I just finished an ARC of Conjuring the Demon, the third and final installment of The Newport Curse series, and wow, what a finale. We’re thrown right back into the chaos of Newport, meeting new characters while reuniting with familiar faces across two timelines that are years apart. It’s everything I love about this series turned up a notch.

I’ve praised Durgin’s writing before, and he proves it again here. He moves between POVs so seamlessly that the tension never dips. The atmosphere stays creepy, intense, and downright addictive. I was barely into the prologue before I said to myself, "YES, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO GOOD!!!"

No spoilers, but fans of Durgin’s work are in for a treat because there’s some fantastic crossover with Inside the Devil’s Nest that made the experience even more fun. This finale is packed with wild events, demons, cults, and all the supernatural madness you’d hope for in a Newport book.

If you haven’t picked up the first two installments yet, you’ve still got time before this one releases on FRIDAY THE 13TH in February 2026.

[NH MotherTucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conjuring the Demon is the 3rd book of the series, so you definitely want to read the first two.
The first two books are based in the same timeframe for the main characters. This book is 25 years after all the chaos that took place in Newport NH. This one also leads you to more of Jessica's story.
She was where this Newport Curse started. John does such a great job with character development and keep you hooked from start to finish 👏🏻 in 👏🏻 any 👏🏻 book 👏🏻
Demons? ✅
Cult? ✅
Lots of supernatural elements?? ✅✅✅
This is possession horror at its finest and a great way to end the series!

[Stefanie Silvestri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third and final installment in The Newport Curse series. This series was a wild ride. Howie Burke returns to the town he fled after experiencing a traumatic childhood, only to discover that the town's problems have intensified. Jessica Black arrives in Newport in 1978, seeking freedom from her past, but the town's dark forces pose a horrifying obstacle. Both storylines unveil a sinister cult that has controlled the town's residents through ritualistic practices for decades.
This final book is packed with demons, cults, and all sorts of supernatural elements that you would expect and want to find in a great book. From start to finish, this book completely captured my attention and kept me hooked. Unfortunately, I'm really sad that this series has come to an end.

[Michael Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Conjuring The Demon
What a conclusion for Howie, Bethany and everyone fighting to save Newport! This is a classic coming of age story in a way but in this story not everyone makes it! Conjuring starts with Howie 25 years later still struggling with what happened to him, his friends and their town back in middle school and high school. He is floating through life avoiding Newport in fear the coven will return. All the while Howie’s mom has to live where all these bad things happened which is what finally pulls Howie back to Newport. From there things continue to spiral for Howie and others fighting to save Newport and perhaps the world!

I won’t go any further as I don’t want to give anything away. But I keep jumping from book to book as to which John Durgin book is my favorite. It was, of course, The Cursed Among Us, on to Kosa and The Devil’s in the Next Room, Devil’s Nest, The Envelope, which is amazing, but wow Conjuring the Demon brought tears to my eyes. I love possession horror and the struggle between good and evil, and especially like it when there is some gray on who is good and who is evil and the end isn’t wrapped up in a pretty bow. Read all of this series, The Cursed Among Us, Consumed By Evil and this one, but if you want to enjoy this writers journey start from the beginning and work you way through all of his work as some don’t relate but others give you information about settings in this trilogy among other tings. Either way I don’t think you will regret taking the journey!

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this being the conclusion of the series, I can honestly say that these characters became a part of my life. As I delved deeper into this final novel I was reminded of how small towns can hide deep secrets. I grew up in a small town and I remember the rumors that spread amongst us kids. There were stories of haunted places, eerie streets and forests full of secrets. I survived some traumatic events a child and those memories were brought out as I read this novel. I was reminded of how short life really is and to not take advantage of loved ones. Even though this book had many gory, horrific scenes; I still became emotional as I reached the final chapters. Howie was an exceptional human being due to the fact he did whatever it took to save the ones he loved. His ultimate sacrifice saved his hometown from the relentless horror that a demon caused. This book was a treasure for sure.

[Carisa Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive this ARC. This is the third and final book in the Newport Curse series. The story follows two different timelines: Howie Burke twenty-five years after the murders of his childhood and Jessica Black in the past after she leaves her strict family and moves to Newport for a fresh start.

If you're like me and thought about Howie long after finishing The Cursed Among Us and Consumed by Evil, make sure you pick this one up on February 13th. Durgin really knows how to write characters. This was the perfect end to the story of the Newport curse.

[Jasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

After swearing he would never return to Newport, Howie finds himself dragged back to the least happy place on earth by forces he cannot escape. The narrative skillfully weaves between Howie’s return in 2024 and the arrival of Jessica and Henry in 1978. Every page is filled with apprehension and devastation. There’s even some devilish connections to a glowing lake filled with terrors to rend the human mind.

My interest in it did not waver a single time throughout the entire book; every chapter ended in a way that I couldn’t put it down. I also think it's impressive that some of it was so brutal that I had audible reactions to it. The series concludes with an incredible finale that leaves lasting emotional damage (thanks for that haha.)

I feel a series has been done right when the conclusion of a series makes you immediately want to restart the entire thing. This accomplished that, it’s one of the, if not the, best coming-of-age series I've ever read.

This will be released on Friday, the 13th, in February. If you like your horror to be horrific, I could not recommend this one more — and if you haven’t read the first two, you have more than enough time to correct your mistake! Thanks to John Durgin for the ARC, it was a wild ride.

[Bradford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge shout-out to the author for providing me with an ARC of this one!

This is the epic conclusion of the Newport Curse Series and it did not disappoint.

The book is a prequel and sequel to the other two books in the series. It dives into what happens many years after the second book and many years before the first. I loved the dual timelines as they gave insight into each other and the original two books.

The characters continue to be amazing. The storyline was excellent. The gore and disturbing images depicted were well-written. This is not a light read, so buckle up.

I loved the connection to Inside The Devil's Nest and nod to Kosa in the book (2 other books by Durgin). I would highly recommend reading Inside The Devil's Nest before reading this, it will make it so much better. You should also read The Cursed Among Us and Consumed by Evil, the first two books, before reading this.

I'm giving this 5⭐️s and I believe every book in this series I also gave 5⭐️s. And to be honest, I think I've rated every book I've read by John Durgin 5⭐️s. So just read everything he writes.

[Don Anelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, this was a really solid and likable edition to the series. The clever storyline, mixing together the different storylines and time periods involved in this one with the connection to the previous books and returning characters getting introduced following the earlier events in the childhood sections, as well as continuing the storyline in the modern setting, offers up quite a lot to like. The remnants of the coven still lingering over the town and impacting the lives of the survivors who are unwilling to be around it anymore, unless they absolutely have to be, create an intriguing setup that touches on the same type of demonic influence that the rest of the series employed, so everything comes together to offer up some fun elements. Since it follows the surviving members of previous encounters as they go on with their lives after these events, carrying the sense of trauma and cursed narrative beats alongside the new characters who come to visit and fall under the spell lording over the town.

As a result of this, the fact that this one comes off as well as it does with the light, airy writing style for the kind of atmosphere-heavy approach favored here. Everything is given a nice touch with the presentation, favoring the atmosphere and tone of the community as time goes on, working through the old-school characters growing up and trying to come to terms with their new life, while the past comes creeping back into their lives. The dread explicitly favored here is enhanced with the secondary storyline involving a series of reveals about how one of the past characters became involved in the origins of the demonic coven that's at the center of everything, which helps to tie together the different storylines interconnected throughout here, which is the main drawback with this one overall. Since it relies so heavily on the connections to the past, it manages to be a bit awkward and confusing for those not familiar with their story that ties everything together, but as that is the main issue here, it's not that detrimental overall.

4.5/5

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conjuring the Demon by John Durgin
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is an amazing supernatural horror book! It’s a creepy read that is full of terror, demons, cults and possession!

This book takes place 25 years after book 1, and Howie has come back home to Newport because he was worried about his mom.

John Durgin knows how to tell a story!!! It’s so engaging and packed with entertainment from start to finish! The imagery is great and I enjoyed the multiple timelines!!

This book ends the series perfectly, and I didn’t want to put it down! I was lucky to get an arc of this fantastic book!!

This is Book 3, and the final one, in The Newport Curse series:
1.) The Cursed Among Us
2.) Consumed by Evil
3.) Conjuring the Demon

😈**It’s a must read series!!** 👿

[Steffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished Conjuring the Demon by John Durgin! The final book in the Newport Curse Trilogy + it ties into one of his other books 😍 I LOVED the dual timelines, really helped build the tension, especially towards the end, with parallel climaxes. Everything was expertly thought out but I don't want to say too much in case of spoilers territory! Definitely a great ending to this series! 👏

[Jesse Bollinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great ending to the trilogy. It was bittersweet, but I think the way it ended was very fitting. There were some very horrific images throughout. The demon in the story was downright terrifying. I will definitely be reading more by this author and I’m sure I’ve alwill revisit this series again someday

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Howie returns home and things get out of control. Demon's from the past are waking up. They want to finish what was started.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, mind blowing ending to this trilogy!

[Trisha Tropiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read The Newport Curse trilogy, I’d highly recommend it! The third book, Conjuring the Demon, is the perfect ending to this small town horror.

Conjuring the Demon flips between two timelines and gives some backstory to some of the characters introduced in the first book. We go back to 1979 to learn how Jessica Black first becomes involved with the coven, then to 2024 when Howie and Bethany come back to Newport 25 years after the events of the first two books. It has some fun little Easter eggs and connections to Durgin’s other books, if you’ve read them! I loved the first two books, but I’d have to say this one was my favourite. Over 400 pages, but I finished it in 2 days because I just could not put it down! It’s a fast-paced read and full of surprises, making it easy to fly through. Everything ties together at the end, making for one epic finale!

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an epic conclusion to an amazing
series. Each book gets better and better.
I loved every book in this series, but I
think this one might be my favorite.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The journey is over. "Conjuring the Demon" is the finale of the "Newport Curse" occult horror series: it started with "The Cursed Among Us," the author's debut novel, which was followed by "Consumed by Evil," both books delivering chilling small town horror revolving around a coven and its plan to summon a powerful demon. "Conjuring," however, reveals several fascinating connections to a couple of Durgin's other books, thus bringing his stories far closer than initially realized. To put it bluntly, it doesn't hurt to have read "Kosa" and "In the Devil’s Nest" before tackling this book, though the tightest connection is to "Devil’s Nest," a riveting supernatural horror book in itself. Of course, reading the other books after "Conjuring" is also possible - especially since the former's heartbreaking ending will leave one asking for more Durgin, more of that "old school horror" feel, more of those exciting and thrilling ideas that have put his horror books on the must-read of every horror fan's TBR list today!

"Conjuring," in my opinion, is the best book in the series, even better than the first volume's sequel, which I loved. There's a very dark and unsettling atmosphere throughout, as the main characters are now adults - we are 25 years later - and everyone is playing for keeps, at any cost, so no kid games this time around. Adult themes prevail, adult worries preoccupy the minds of our characters, though there's also space for nostalgia, guilt, and regret: dead childhood friends, rotten relationships, bad memories, and a lot of sorrow can be found within this book's pages. Howie, the unfortunate star of the previous two books, is now working in finance, having left Newport far behind. No Bethany seems to be around, either. Howie has apparently moved forward. Or has he? His determination will be tested when his mum asks him to come back to Newport, implying great danger to her life. When Howie does decide to visit, it's already too late: his mom is gone. And thus begins Howie’s nightmarish journey to find answers: what happened to his mom? What's going on with the town itself? It has been devastated by drugs, especially by one mysterious substance that seem to have taken over and corrupted the townspeople. Most importantly, is the coven back?

Interestingly, Howie’s story isn't the only one in the book: there's also a second story running in parallel, the story of Jessica in 1979. Jessica is a very familiar character from the books, her crucial ties to the coven, however, mostly left unexplored. At last we see in detail what happened to her and how she ended up being the one major player throughout the entire story. Her tale is neither pretty nor a happy one; in fact, it's a very dark and quite brutal possession story. But it perfectly fits into Durgin's wider exploration of the battle of good versus evil as it affects families, couples, friends and siblings. I wouldn't say that it makes things easier to swallow, but it does bring some much needed moral ambiguity in what looked like a black and white area before.

Short chapters and clean prose make this a quick and enjoyable read, despite its length. The story is anyway fast-paced, with many unexpected turns and plenty of surprises to keep everyone's interest right to the end. The conflicts are many-layered, yet always clear; you always know what's at stake, and you have a pretty good idea of what it'll take to move the story forward: it's not so much about conspiracy or evil plots this time as about who is going to reach first the finish line!

I eagerly recommend the book to readers of supernatural thrillers, small town horror and demon possession stories: "Conjuring the Demon" lives up to its name, delivering hellscapes of both the heart and the mind!

[Carrie Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒈𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟗 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆, 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅. 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.

This installment brings John Durgin’s masterful trilogy to a close, returning to Newport for one final descent into its history and its horrors. In the present day, Howie Burke is forced back to the town he fled after childhood murders destroyed any sense of safety he once knew. What he finds waiting for him is not closure, but a deeper rot that has been festering for decades. Running parallel is the story of Jessica Black in 1978, who arrives in Newport hoping to escape a controlling past filled with religious ideology, only to discover that the town has plans of its own. What unfolds across both timelines is the slow revelation of a curse rooted in sacrifice, devotion, and a coven that has been shaping lives for generations.

The dual timelines work beautifully, each one enhancing the other. There is a strong sense of nostalgia threaded throughout the book, echoing the emotional core of the first installment even as the characters are separated by both years and experience. The author clearly understands the power of memory in horror, using it to blur the line between past and present until they feel inseparable. Even with time separating the core events, that same sense of childhood fear, loyalty, and loss is still present; now it's just filtered through time and regret.

This conclusion honors everything that came before it and delivers a finale that feels deeply satisfying, even if I wasn’t ready to let it end. Saying goodbye to a series this immersive is bittersweet, especially when the characters feel this real. I loved this book, I loved this series, and I’m going to miss Newport and the people who lived there. For readers who have been here from the beginning, this ending is both devastating and complete. Damn you, Durgin. Thank you for allowing me an early copy and for having me on your ARC team. This one publishes February 13, 2026.

[Brandon Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

**ARC Review**
Author: John Durgin
Book: Conjuring the Demon
Book Rating: 4.5 Stars
Genre: Horror
 

This is how you close out a series! Durgin has always been one of my favorite indie horror authors and if he just keeps releasing banger after banger, I might as well just give him my paycheck.


We are once again Reunited with Howie Burke as he is called back to Newport when his mother passes away. He had made it a goal to never step foot in the town again, but it seems like the past is calling him, and he soon finds himself reliving the past. We also delve into the history of Newport and we get to follow Jessica Black and the events that happened leading up to The Cursed Among Us.

Durgin was able to weave not only a masterful story with brilliant characters and a thrilling plot, but also an excellent conclusion to a series. He even drew in another book and added it along, answering questions that came up at the end of his novel Inside the Devils Nest.

One of the things I loved about this book, and about Durgin in general, is he doesn't pull punches especially when it comes to death. No one is off limits in his story, and that makes it to where you never know what's going to happen next.

Conjuring the Demon is such a great book and I encourage everyone to read the entire Newport Curse series! It is all available now on Amazon and KU. I promise, you have your new favorite horror author!

[Meredith Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conjuring the Demon by John Durgin was a really fun horror read. I’ve been waiting for this since it was announced, and before I knew it, I was already done. This time around, Howie returns 25 years later and gets pulled right back into the nightmares he thought he left behind, only to find something even darker and more sinister waiting for him. Some of the same characters return and you’re introduced to some new ones. Jumping between past and present adds a ton of background and clears up a lot of stuff you didn’t even realize you wanted answers to.

Since this is an ARC review, I’m purposely leaving out details. The fun is in discovering these things for yourself. There’s a fun little easter egg in there if you’ve read his other books. IYKYK. And honestly, it turned out amazing. Yeah, I know I’m being vague, but I don’t want to spoil anything.

As with all of John’s books, I highly recommend this one. I do think you should start with the first book in the series—it really is that good. I even went back and reread the first two just to get back into Newport, and they’re still as fun as they were the first time.

[Alison Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The finale to the Newport Curse series. Durgin has written another horror book full of action, vivid imagery and plenty of twists. Conjuring the Demon tells the story of Howie’s return to Newport following a frantic call from his mother. Soon Bethany arrives and we see some familiar faces appear as they fight the same evil in different forms. Durgin also gives us Jessica Black’s backstory which enables you to gain a perspective not given in the previous books.

This is a fast paced read with plenty of showdowns and creepy scenes. It’s a constant assault on the senses from the visualizations given, and even the smell and feel the characters are experiencing. I both love and hate when an author uses smell descriptions well because I can’t help but imagine them which is super effective in horror. Conjuring the Demon was both a new story yet completed the trilogy in a way that felt both complete and cyclical. If you enjoyed Durgin’s previous Newport Curse works then this will definitely be a worthy end to the trilogy. If fast paced action with demons, weird new drugs and culty small town covens are a vibe then I’d recommend this series. Plus the 90s nostalgia was *chefs kiss.*

[Aaron Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an ending. This trilogy was a wild ride. I fell in love with the first two books and when I had the opportunity to read an ARC of the third and final book, I jumped on it! Durgin wraps up this story in an amazing way. There are no loose ends and the end is the end. The crossing over from "Inside The Devil's Nest" is amazing as well. I love the flashbacks from the past and the present. Following Howie as an adult in present day is also an amazing way to wrap up this story. As much as I wish there would be more, Durgin wraps the Newport story with perfection. Thank you to Crystal Lake Publishing for providing me with an ARC for this amazing book!

[Brittani Button · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an AMAZING end to this series! I really enjoyed the flashbacks finally finding out the story how Jessica Black got involved in the cult and started this crazy story. Also, we have Howie and Bethany reuniting in an emotional rollercoaster filled with love, fear, and the courage to put an end to the curse of Newport.

This review is bittersweet as I would love to explore this universe more. However, John Durgin did a great job of exploring relationships, dealing with trauma and loss, and overcoming the worst in people.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

What a journey this has been, with Howie and company. I fell in love with these characters in the first book, so the fact that this trilogy has ended is a bit bittersweet. This book is as wonderfully written as the previous two. The story sucked me right in from the beginning and there were definitely a few OH! moments. The ending hurt my feelings a bit, but it was also kind of perfect. 5 stars

[K.L. Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible ride this book is. It doesnt just anwser the burning questions from the first two books. As well as connecting it to Inside The Devils Nest.

Newport has brought Howie back with a vengeance, and there is only so much one man can take. .

This is as close to the perfect trilogy as you can get. Go out and buy it now. Cults, demons, and betrayal. Oh my.

This is tied for best book I have read this year.

5 stars, go buy it today!

[Emily Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took my time reading this because I wasn’t ready for the series to end! The tie in with Inside the Devil’s Nest was so creative and the duel timelines in the story were written seamlessly and never confusing at all. Creepy, atmospheric and very well written. Sad it’s over, but this was the perfect final book!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

- I just got finished with Conjuring the Demon by John Durgin, the last in the Newport Curse book series, and I absolutely loved it. I’ve really enjoyed this whole series and this finale was not a disappointment in the least!
The trilogy tells the story of a place haunted by the actions of the Black Heart Killer twenty years ago, suddenly put back into danger when a group of kids awaken a sinister force. (That’s all I’m saying, no spoilers!) The first two books were fantastic and I was really excited to read the last one.
Conjuring the Demon not only tells us of the story now, but enlightens us on past events too, making the whole story complete.
Excellent characters, a well-created plot, and awesome atmospheric writing made this a definite five star read for me.
5⭐️

[Michael Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like Nick Roberts’ The Exorcist’s House franchise, Durgin’s The Newport Curse Trilogy is a must read for any serious indie horror consumer. The trilogy has everything—coming of age, supernatural terror, characters you’ll love to route for, huge stakes and payoffs.

Bravo!

[Nick Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A flawless wait to end an epic trilogy of terror.