The Last Séance

Dark Covenant #1

by Dean Rasmussen

A séance gone wrong. A child lost forever.

Something evil answered the call. When a grieving father’s desperate bid to contact his deceased child goes horribly wrong, Nora scrambles to contain the fallout. But her fraudulent psychic career is the last thing she needs to worry about. Something was unleashed. Something vicious. Racing to make amends for the catastrophic failure in the parlor, she arrives too late. The man is dead. Adopting the man’s orphaned cat provides a path to redemption. And a fragile comfort for her lonely daughter. But the calm doesn’t last, and a relentless barrage of nightmares begin. With her family in danger, Nora enlists her savvy sister and a local aging priest. Together, they uncover a terrifying The spirit doesn’t want closure. It wants Nora dead.

The Last Séance is Book 1 in the Dark Covenant series—a chilling occult thriller packed with grief-fueled horror, forbidden rituals, and the devastating cost of opening the wrong door.

Genres: Horror

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Dean Rasmussen grew up in a small Minnesota town and began writing stories at the age of ten, driven by his fascination with the Star Wars hero's journey. He continued writing short stories and attempted a few novels through his early twenties until he stopped to focus on his computer animation ambitions. He studied English at a Minnesota college during that time.

He learned the art of computer animation and went on to work on twenty feature films, a television show, and a AAA video game as a visual effects artist over thirteen years. He currently teaches animation for visual effects in Orlando, Florida.

Inspired by his favorite authors, Stephen King, Ray Bradbury, Richard Matheson, and H.P. Lovecraft, Dean began writing novels and short stories again in 2018 to thrill and delight a new generation of horror fans.

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a spooky tale, of fraudulent mediums and demonic pussycats.

Grief can transform the soul, from loving parent to murderous vigilante.

A family of fraudulent psychics attempt to reunite a grieving father with his recently deceased daughter. The seance goes wrong and their falsehoods are exposed. The distraught client vows revenge and storms out into the night. He later commits suicide and then the fun really begins.

This was a dark and spooky tale, a warning perhaps, of what may happen if the ancient gods are rashly invoked. Whatever the justification.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be reading the next in the series!

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine just not great. I liked it enough to finish the book but not enough to continue the series.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swirling fog, old-fashioned mirrors, velvet curtains and flickering candles. This book surrounded me with a delicious feeling of old time carnivals and the wonderfully mysterious tarot readers, mediums and charlatans that proliferated such places. The two sisters running such a parlour gave me those exact same vibes and I fell into their story with a sense of anticipation for all the ghostly happenings about to unfold. Alas, it's not long before things much worse begin to slither and creep through "Madame Lenora's" life and she and her sister must take drastic measures to save themselves, those they love and everything they hold dear. This is the first book in a new series by a very well-loved author and I can't wait to read the next.

***I received an ARC from the author. My review is strictly voluntary.***

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Séance
Dark Covenant Series, Book 1

By: Dean Rasmussen
Narrated by: Melissa Connell

Dark Shivering Perfection!

Overall: 5 of 5 stars Performance: 5 of 5 stars Story: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed: 04-08-26

Gabriel, wracked with grief, desperately seeks a Séance to contact his recently deceased daughter. The scene is set … The Parlor, Madam Lenora, ALL the tricks and trappings of a pseudo psychic business … then disaster strikes … and Gabriel flees enraged! Days later, when Nora tries to make amends … she finds out how deeply “The Last Séance” affected Gabriel … and how dangerous a Dark Covenant can be … I was transported into a dark world of deception, manipulation, pain, and regret, then buoyed by hopes of promise and redemption! I fell SO deep into THIS story, SO completely captivated by THESE characters! I can’t give any more details on the story without playing spoiler, just know the ride is WILD, the journey WELL worth a listen, the writing SO good that no question will be left unanswered, AND you will FEEL, a lot! The characters, some initially dear to my heart, others not so much, struck the PERFECT balance between sinner and saint! I was fascinated by their depth as they grew and changed with the development of the story, the collective group drawing me DEEPLY into the dark world created by our author, AND brought magnificently to life by clear, mesmerizingly emotional, AND engaging narration! This entire production was STELLAR, stunning, shivering, perfection! Five fantastic stars! I loved everything about “The Last Séance”!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book & i'm not entirely sure what it was that didn't do it for me but it fell short for me personally. The main character is Nora who is a fake psychic and runs her family’s fake seance business - passed down from her mother and father. Her sister is also in the business with her. One appointment ends badly with a man catching them in the scam & that ends up with Nora being “haunted” and in possession of his cat - who for 90% of this story is presumed to be evil I think? The whole thing with the cat is very odd and I don’t fully understand what the point of it actually is. Anyways the plot progresses at a quick pace for what the plot is but that is my main complaint; the plot of this story is all over the place and yet goes nowhere all at the same time.

Maybe this just wasn’t for me. Maybe I picked a bad time to read it? Either way I just could not get into it and could not find anything to get excited about while reading yet due to my brain being my #1 enemy I also could not DNF the book. The author has a great skill with writing - there was some genuinely great sentences inside these pages but the delivery just was not there.

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars bc Goodreads can not get with the times to give is half ratings.

[Jennifer Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this story combines so many elements, especially the paranormal and grief. After losing my only son at 11 years old to a horrifying disease, I understand the lengths someone would go to not only save their child but to just see them one more time. I would like to think I wouldn’t ever turn to the demonic but I can’t judge either. I just might have. I know how grief can cloud your judgement to the point of your own peril. I won’t lie, I have seeked out mediums before so I totally felt a connection when the father went to the medium to seek out his daughter, Anna. I felt so sorry for him when he was swindled. I am glad things were set straight but the twists and turns it took to get there were filled with dread and fear. This is quite the page turner and I can’t wait to dive into the second book!

[Brian Lobodzinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and enjoyable supernatural horror story concerning a family of séance fraudsters find themselves confronting a real ghost. He committed suicide after they swindled him and is determined to make them pay.

The author manages to keep the tension going using the ghost as a poltergeist, haunting animals and a child as well as committing murder to terrify and destroy his intended victim. The climax of the final bloody séance where a resolution is arrived was worth waiting for.

I realise I'm being vague but I would hate to suck out the fun you will have reading the book if I summarised it. A good read for a dark winter's night!

I received an ARC copy but the views are my own.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: My attention was gripped by this horror story from the beginning. I liked how the story started out about a family who was relatively normal, but then as the story unfolded the reader learned that the family's business was something bordering on society's fringes. I admired the author's skill in that the horror started out as chills running up and down my back and slowly built up into a crescendo. I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I thought Melissa Connell's narration was great as her performance portrayed the story's tension. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

[Debi]

As an ARC reader for Dean Rasmussen, I found myself completely captivated by this book. I typically refrain from reiterating plot details, as numerous other reviewers have likely done so. However, I was particularly drawn into the narrative of an imposter medium confronting the repercussions of her deception, including threats to her family.

For those who appreciate the horror genre, this particular work is highly recommended. I eagerly anticipate delving into the second installment to witness the unfolding aftermath. Dean Rasmussen demonstrates a compelling writing style that will undoubtedly appeal to enthusiasts of horror fiction.

[Portia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about 2 sister’s who own a séance family fraud business. After an incident with one of their client’s, a real ghost arrives..

I gave this book 3 stars. Also this is the 1st book of a trilogy. And yes I’ll be reading the other books, I did like the writing in this though here’s the thing, I’m picky with my horror so take this with a grain of salt. Just because it was average for me, doesn’t mean I think everyone else won’t like it. The atmosphere and the tension this book has was there, there was just 1 scene where, for me, wasn’t really that mysterious. And instantly knew shit was about to hit the fan real quick.

[JWo1855 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up in the Bible Belt, seances have always scared me, and The Last Séance: Dark Covenant Series Book 1 did not fail to deliver.

Dean Rasmussen was able to make me feel for all of the characters.

Nora’s frustration with her father and his “that’s now how we did it,” and her husband his wanting her to change careers.

Gabriel’s grief of losing his daughter (Anna) was so painful, as was his intense anger at Nora for tricking him.

The temptation to connect with loved ones who have passed on is so tempting, God knows I have some I would love to speak with again, but the fear of opening the wrong doors keeps me from trying.

[William P. Gerace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Seance A true twist on the medium world A++++

This was an excellent read on the psychic world. I loved the characterization, the plotting and setting. Every page had me on the edge of my seat. It was hard to put this book down. It had me gripped and committed to the characters and plot from page one. The first night I read the book I nearly read eighty pages it had me so involved. A cat owner myself I loved how Blanco was weaved into the story and especially loved the ending for him. Fantastic read can't say how much I enjoyed this story. Looking forward to the next book in the series. A++++++++++

[Rhonda Almodovar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Light Rules Out The Dark

This is my first book by this author that I’ve read. Clearly, it won’t be my last. Talk about major creep factor?! It didn’t "scare" me so if that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t find it in this book. But if you’re into thought provoking creep factor due to some great, descriptive verbiage, then this author has got you covered. I definitely recommend this book. I’m on to the next book in this series.

Que "The Evil That Men Do" by Iron Maiden.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Séance keeps the tension dialed up the entire time. From the first strange moment to the final pages, there’s this constant sense that something isn’t right—and it never really lets you relax.The suspense doesn’t come in waves; it just lingers, building and tightening as the story unfolds. Every chapter adds another layer of unease, making it one of those reads where you keep saying “just one more chapter” because you need to know what’s coming next. Quick, creepy, and consistently tense—this one holds onto you the whole way through.

[Kia Hebb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting start for a series

I liked this book. It ticked off a lot of what I'm looking for in a book: the characters are interesting and flushed out enough to be endearing while also keeping you wanting more; the story was interesting, though I will say for future readers that this contains animal abuse.

[Hannah Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly drawn in!

I was instantly drawn into this book with only the first few lines. The whole thing of the business being passed down, hustling as a reader, passing out flyers, drawing clients in …. I didn’t care for some parts of the book but all in all a good read. Disappointed at the ending. I was waiting for something dark and creepy, but all in all I enjoyed it.

[MRS G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a great starter to get into the characters, sisters Nora & Ally.

The initial smoke & mirrors fake medium services their family business offered, becomes a dark scary reality. (Which is where things really start to heat up.)😏

I'd definitely read the follow on stories. 👍👍👍👍

[Christina Londick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good paranormal story

This was a good paranormal story. It did not have a lot of creepy moments, there was a few. I do prefer books that freak me out so much that I need lights on to read. But if you are just sticking your toe into paranormal stuff this is a good jump off book. I will read the second book in the series to tie up loose endings.

[Emily Haynes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seance

Nora and her sister Ally do seance for their business. They are fake. Now, they must figure out how to do a real one. An entity is after them. Can it be stopped before it takes everything important. Spine chilling

[Nikki O'Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

She was living the American dream. Still, she couldn’t help but feel there was something missing.

I cracked this baby open and read the whole thing in one sitting. It was more of a cute and cozy book than scary story but still worth the read. I’ll be reading book #2 next.

[Stna45601hotmail.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book I read by this author

I found this book on tik tok and didn't think it was going to be any good. To my surprise it was amazing! Definitely kinda creeped me out reading this in the dark alone. And I dont get creeped out.

[Lisa Maher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not my favorite of the books by this author, but it wasn't bad either. I just felt lost at various points in the story and trying to keep things straight as to what was actually going on. I did like how the narrator brought the story to life though.

[Sharon Weeks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow read

Three times i was going to give up on this but kept going back to it hoping it would get better.Takes ages to get to the interesting part.Did think it was going to take a more interesting direction.Not going to bother with book 2 if it is going to be as slow as this one.

[Ashley Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded to 4⭐️
This was a fun story with possession, occultism, and what happens when fake physics get a taste of the real thing.

This one was unique with its use of animals. It was a little repetitive in some areas but overall I enjoyed it!

[LizKat · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 30% of this book was really good! Sadly then it started falling apart- people knew things they shouldn't, things began not to make sense and I getting taken out of the story because of those inconsistencies. I ended up DNF'ing around 46% in.

[Rowan Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully captivating horror story that keeps readers glued to the pages, blending gothic ambience, tarot readings, and eerie paranormal encounters. A hauntingly good read.

[Loren · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an ok storyline but it becomes a little drawn out and repetitive.

[Stacy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read! The sisters learn the consequences of playing on the emotions of the grieving under the pressure of their father.

[Lauren Fitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6 stars