What do you think?
Rate this book
Devilwood
Not yet published
Expected 4 Feb 27A horrifying crime brings a long legacy of evil to light in this chilling Southern noir from the beloved, New York Times bestselling author of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.
There’s something wrong in those woods . . .
Deep in the woods of rural Alabama, Officer Wilbur “The Cow Man” Miller and his dog, Trixie, stumble upon a nightmare scene of chaos and carnage. Local outcast Shirley Dye lies dead on the floor of her home, her body mangled by the blood-crazed cats locked inside with her. But was her gruesome death a tragic accident, or something far more sinister?
Having grown up in the same woods, raised on legends of deadly black panthers and insidious demons, Miller is no stranger to the darkness that gathers beneath the trees. But as he gets pulled into the investigation, the boundaries between reality and myth blur: a feral white cat haunts the crime scene, delivering grotesque offerings to the dead woman’s door, and inhuman screams echo in the darkest hours of the night, leaving Miller to wonder exactly what kind of monster Shirley faced.
Not all monsters are supernatural though: the Dye home has long been a refuge for shady characters including two desperate cousins on the run from the law, a local undertaker with secrets he’s keeping close to his chest, and a charismatic preacher who warns that the Devil himself lurks just inside the tree line. Shirley’s death isn’t the first that cursed corner of the woods has seen, and as the mystery deepens, Miller must untangle the blood-soaked history of the land from the crimes of the present.
With lyrical storytelling and razor-sharp prose, Devilwood is a masterfully tense novel where the lines between human predator and supernatural evil blur, and where the sins of the past are never, ever buried deep enough.
There’s something wrong in those woods . . .
Deep in the woods of rural Alabama, Officer Wilbur “The Cow Man” Miller and his dog, Trixie, stumble upon a nightmare scene of chaos and carnage. Local outcast Shirley Dye lies dead on the floor of her home, her body mangled by the blood-crazed cats locked inside with her. But was her gruesome death a tragic accident, or something far more sinister?
Having grown up in the same woods, raised on legends of deadly black panthers and insidious demons, Miller is no stranger to the darkness that gathers beneath the trees. But as he gets pulled into the investigation, the boundaries between reality and myth blur: a feral white cat haunts the crime scene, delivering grotesque offerings to the dead woman’s door, and inhuman screams echo in the darkest hours of the night, leaving Miller to wonder exactly what kind of monster Shirley faced.
Not all monsters are supernatural though: the Dye home has long been a refuge for shady characters including two desperate cousins on the run from the law, a local undertaker with secrets he’s keeping close to his chest, and a charismatic preacher who warns that the Devil himself lurks just inside the tree line. Shirley’s death isn’t the first that cursed corner of the woods has seen, and as the mystery deepens, Miller must untangle the blood-soaked history of the land from the crimes of the present.
With lyrical storytelling and razor-sharp prose, Devilwood is a masterfully tense novel where the lines between human predator and supernatural evil blur, and where the sins of the past are never, ever buried deep enough.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 4, 2027
About the author
Tom Franklin
36 books1,161 followersTom Franklin was born and raised in Dickinson, Alabama. He held various jobs as a struggling writer living in South Alabama, including working as a heavy-equipment operator in a grit factory, a construction inspector in a chemical plant and a clerk in a hospital morgue. In 1997 he received his MFA from the University of Arkansas. His first book, Poachers was named as a Best First Book of Fiction by Esquire and Franklin received a 1999 Edgar Award for the title story. Franklin has published two novels: Hell at the Breech, published in 2003 and Smonk published in 2006. The recipient of the 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship, Franklin now teaches in the University of Mississippi's MFA program and lives in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife, the poet Beth Ann Fennelly, and their children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow Books for the ARC of this book.
Devilwood starts with a detective called the "Cowman" looking for a white cow but finds a dead body instead. The story goes back and forth from past to present and has different point of views from the characters.
For me this book was sort of basic. I think it is categorized as a horror, but it wasn't really scary or anything like that. The story was just a story, no big reveals, you know who the killer is from the start. I did appreciate how short the book was, it went by really fast.
Overall, I rate this book 3.25 stars. It was not bad, just average.
Devilwood starts with a detective called the "Cowman" looking for a white cow but finds a dead body instead. The story goes back and forth from past to present and has different point of views from the characters.
For me this book was sort of basic. I think it is categorized as a horror, but it wasn't really scary or anything like that. The story was just a story, no big reveals, you know who the killer is from the start. I did appreciate how short the book was, it went by really fast.
Overall, I rate this book 3.25 stars. It was not bad, just average.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I'm not actually a huge Southern-anything fan. Not was I familiar with Franklin's work going in. The lamentably bland cover didn't do much to build expectation either, but something drew me to this book, and I'm very glad it did.
The backwoods of Alabama are every bit as unwelcoming as I have ever imagined, but Franklin imbues them with additional sinister aspects so masterfully, that it becomes the eponymous Devilwood. Despite the book's much appreciated brevity, it offers a full story, complete with several POVs and three separate timelines, all to tell a dark mystery that may or may not have supernatural elements to it.
I will say though the book is marketed as horror and the author describes it as such, to me it read much more like a Southern noir mystery. A very good one. Not because it didn't rely on guts and gore and all the other nonsense most modern audiences associate with horror, but because of how the book was structured and the overall story and what was at the heart of it. There were certainly some psychological horror elements, but overall, the novel was structured as and around a murder mystery.
The biggest star here was the writing. Such good writing! The places Franklin describes come to life, the characters he writes are beautifully flawed and heartbreakingly real. Even if all their efforts come to the inevitable tragic endings, their journeys are compelling nonetheless.
What a great read! And a terrific introduction to a new (to me) author. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
The backwoods of Alabama are every bit as unwelcoming as I have ever imagined, but Franklin imbues them with additional sinister aspects so masterfully, that it becomes the eponymous Devilwood. Despite the book's much appreciated brevity, it offers a full story, complete with several POVs and three separate timelines, all to tell a dark mystery that may or may not have supernatural elements to it.
I will say though the book is marketed as horror and the author describes it as such, to me it read much more like a Southern noir mystery. A very good one. Not because it didn't rely on guts and gore and all the other nonsense most modern audiences associate with horror, but because of how the book was structured and the overall story and what was at the heart of it. There were certainly some psychological horror elements, but overall, the novel was structured as and around a murder mystery.
The biggest star here was the writing. Such good writing! The places Franklin describes come to life, the characters he writes are beautifully flawed and heartbreakingly real. Even if all their efforts come to the inevitable tragic endings, their journeys are compelling nonetheless.
What a great read! And a terrific introduction to a new (to me) author. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea as the pace was far too slow to really grip me. However, I think it was a cleverly written procedural with a solid mystery and entertaining (though not always likable) characters. This book bordered on horror, with a twinge of the supernatural, however I would’ve loved if it delved further into those two genres. It was as if I was given a taste of what could have been, but only fleetingly. Had it gone the extra mile I would have given it a fourth star.
I’m usually not a fan of books with multiple plot lines and POVs that jump back and forth in time, but Tom Franklin does a great job developing his characters and making them feel so lived in that each plot line is very distinct. Hats off to him for that!
If you’re a fan of procedurals then definitely pick this one up!
This book wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea as the pace was far too slow to really grip me. However, I think it was a cleverly written procedural with a solid mystery and entertaining (though not always likable) characters. This book bordered on horror, with a twinge of the supernatural, however I would’ve loved if it delved further into those two genres. It was as if I was given a taste of what could have been, but only fleetingly. Had it gone the extra mile I would have given it a fourth star.
I’m usually not a fan of books with multiple plot lines and POVs that jump back and forth in time, but Tom Franklin does a great job developing his characters and making them feel so lived in that each plot line is very distinct. Hats off to him for that!
If you’re a fan of procedurals then definitely pick this one up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4⭐️ 1🌶️ 1😱 2🌪️ 0😂 0😭 2🤗
Full disclosure: I came into Devilwood as a huge admirer (and frequent recommender) of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and with that comes the particular burden of high expectations. Unfortunately it did not hold up to those expectations especially since I was expecting more horror.
Instead, Devilwood is a slow burn thriller with a dual timeline structure that Franklin navigates with a steady hand — the two threads are laid out cleanly, the flow never falters, and twists land impeccably. The characters are well-drawn and the atmosphere is consistently strong. On its own terms, it's a competent and often engaging novel.
Where it lost me was in its restraint. I went in anticipating horror, and what I found were glimpses — tantalizing suggestions of something darker and supernatural that the novel ultimately pulls back from. Franklin seems to deliberately ground the story in realism, and I appreciate that. But I kept feeling that he could have pushed boundaries further, that the material was there for something that blurred the line between the grounded and the supernatural without fully crossing it. That particular brand of horror — rooted in real life but edged with something unnameable — felt within reach but just out of grasp.
A worthwhile read with real strengths, and Franklin's craft is never in question. I'll be following whatever he does next. I just hope next time he lets the darkness off its leash a little more.
Full disclosure: I came into Devilwood as a huge admirer (and frequent recommender) of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and with that comes the particular burden of high expectations. Unfortunately it did not hold up to those expectations especially since I was expecting more horror.
Instead, Devilwood is a slow burn thriller with a dual timeline structure that Franklin navigates with a steady hand — the two threads are laid out cleanly, the flow never falters, and twists land impeccably. The characters are well-drawn and the atmosphere is consistently strong. On its own terms, it's a competent and often engaging novel.
Where it lost me was in its restraint. I went in anticipating horror, and what I found were glimpses — tantalizing suggestions of something darker and supernatural that the novel ultimately pulls back from. Franklin seems to deliberately ground the story in realism, and I appreciate that. But I kept feeling that he could have pushed boundaries further, that the material was there for something that blurred the line between the grounded and the supernatural without fully crossing it. That particular brand of horror — rooted in real life but edged with something unnameable — felt within reach but just out of grasp.
A worthwhile read with real strengths, and Franklin's craft is never in question. I'll be following whatever he does next. I just hope next time he lets the darkness off its leash a little more.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
I found the premise interesting but unfortunately this missed the mark for me. It's marketed as "horror" but I just didn't find anything scary. There are moments where it feels like it's going to veer into supernatural territory but it never takes that leap which is unfortunate. I think it would have made a much more interesting story if it had.
I found the premise interesting but unfortunately this missed the mark for me. It's marketed as "horror" but I just didn't find anything scary. There are moments where it feels like it's going to veer into supernatural territory but it never takes that leap which is unfortunate. I think it would have made a much more interesting story if it had.
September 22, 2026
I won this book in a giveaway! First time ever winning something and boy am I glad it was this book.
This was such a great, captivating read. It usually takes me forever to read a whole book but I was glued to these pages. The way Tom Franklin writes truly makes you feel like you’re there as a fly on the wall watching everything unfold. Like I could breathe the Alabama air these characters lived in. I definitely need to look into his other work asap!
Thank you so much for doing this giveaway so I could read this incredible book. So excited for it to be released for everyone to enjoy :)
This was such a great, captivating read. It usually takes me forever to read a whole book but I was glued to these pages. The way Tom Franklin writes truly makes you feel like you’re there as a fly on the wall watching everything unfold. Like I could breathe the Alabama air these characters lived in. I definitely need to look into his other work asap!
Thank you so much for doing this giveaway so I could read this incredible book. So excited for it to be released for everyone to enjoy :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Devilwood, like much of Franklin’s oeuvre, is an ode to the south. Kudzu rich and full of a distinct beauty, the novel showcases multiple perspectives and alternating timelines woven together like a tapestry, but still retains a cohesive, easygoing narrational voice with a prominent southern lilt. We mainly follow officer Miller as he untangles the circumstances of a local woman’s grisly death. The imagery that accompanies his undertaking is stunning—cats rendered feral after being trapped for days with their dead owner, midnight shrieks and thunderous knocking at the door, black panthers and demons. Alabama, as depicted by Franklin, is palpable and candid, yet steeped with the slow creep of dread. There is a certain disquiet in the mundanity of southern life in this novel.
The characters are striking and vivid, with their own dubious motives. Complicated dynamics and relationships are revealed as the narrative progresses, and loose ends are tied together nicely, but are not all the way resolved by the end. An air of mystery lingers after the main conflict—one that leaves a hollowed-out feeling behind, that invites rumination on the bleak motifs throughout the pages. And though it may be dismal, the narrative is sure to remind us that there is one resounding notion: life goes on.
I really enjoyed this one. Recommended to those looking for an impressive, atmospheric southern noir.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book.
The characters are striking and vivid, with their own dubious motives. Complicated dynamics and relationships are revealed as the narrative progresses, and loose ends are tied together nicely, but are not all the way resolved by the end. An air of mystery lingers after the main conflict—one that leaves a hollowed-out feeling behind, that invites rumination on the bleak motifs throughout the pages. And though it may be dismal, the narrative is sure to remind us that there is one resounding notion: life goes on.
I really enjoyed this one. Recommended to those looking for an impressive, atmospheric southern noir.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had an absolute blast with this one. I couldn't put it down. Tom Franklin is one hell of a writer, and he creates such an immersive Southern Appalachian world filled with corrupt preachers, cult-like churches, criminals on the run, local legends, and a compelling whodunit. I was completely engrossed from beginning to end.
That said, I don't know that this worked as horror for me. It felt much more like a mystery with eerie, supernatural overtones, and honestly, I was perfectly happy with that. The investigation and the atmosphere kept me hooked.
My only real complaint is that, because I approached it as a mystery, I wanted a few more of the plot threads to be tied up by the end. I understand that the ambiguity is likely intentional and meant to enhance the unsettling atmosphere, but for me it came across more as loose ends than lingering dread. Your mileage may vary, especially if you enjoy stories that leave room for interpretation.
Even so, Franklin's writing is outstanding, the setting is richly realized, and the story pulled me along effortlessly. If you're a fan of Southern noir, Appalachian fiction, and mysteries with just a touch of the uncanny, this is well worth picking up.
That said, I don't know that this worked as horror for me. It felt much more like a mystery with eerie, supernatural overtones, and honestly, I was perfectly happy with that. The investigation and the atmosphere kept me hooked.
My only real complaint is that, because I approached it as a mystery, I wanted a few more of the plot threads to be tied up by the end. I understand that the ambiguity is likely intentional and meant to enhance the unsettling atmosphere, but for me it came across more as loose ends than lingering dread. Your mileage may vary, especially if you enjoy stories that leave room for interpretation.
Even so, Franklin's writing is outstanding, the setting is richly realized, and the story pulled me along effortlessly. If you're a fan of Southern noir, Appalachian fiction, and mysteries with just a touch of the uncanny, this is well worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A Southern Gothic tale told partly as a crime procedural, jumping back and forth in time to let the story unfold.
Tom Franklin did an amazing job making this book feel alive. All the people and places feel alive. Nobody feels unrealistic, no matter how briefly they're on the page. A very genuine portrayal of a very specific place.
I had a good time reading this book because all the characters were likeable. Or maybe enjoyable? Even the not-great people in the story were enjoyable to read. I kinda didn't care where the story went, though it was a good story, the cast did make it that much more enjoyable to continue reading.
This was like Mister Mercedes and Gummo had a baby. If that makes any sense. I kinda want the Fingers Keepers equivalent to Devilwood.
I'm gonna have to keep my eye on Tom Franklin.
Tom Franklin did an amazing job making this book feel alive. All the people and places feel alive. Nobody feels unrealistic, no matter how briefly they're on the page. A very genuine portrayal of a very specific place.
I had a good time reading this book because all the characters were likeable. Or maybe enjoyable? Even the not-great people in the story were enjoyable to read. I kinda didn't care where the story went, though it was a good story, the cast did make it that much more enjoyable to continue reading.
This was like Mister Mercedes and Gummo had a baby. If that makes any sense. I kinda want the Fingers Keepers equivalent to Devilwood.
I'm gonna have to keep my eye on Tom Franklin.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
An interesting novel that runs along a couple timelines from the always interesting Tom Franklin. Wilbur Miller, a widower and agricultural and rural crimes investigator, is known to his former cop colleagues as "The Cow Man." He finds himself investigating a human murder thanks, in part, to the fact that he's simply a better investigator than his former cop colleagues. There is some grit and some redemption at work in this novel, though I think it strikes a different (lighter) note than most of Franklin's fiction. Franklin flirts with the horror genre but ultimately grounds the story in realism. It's a good novel, fast-paced, and entertaining until the end. Not as sharp-edged as, say, Smonk or Poachers, but that's not a complaint. Recommended for anyone who digs rural noir.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wilbur ‘Cow Man’ Miller is an agricultural cop simply looking for a lost calf, but gets a call to check in on a suspicious murder instead. Told from different time lines, we learn about the painter, the pastor, and the devils that roam the woods that Shirley, our victim, grew up in and lived with during her childhood, inviting not so nice things into her life. The story is pieced together from Shirley’s childhood, 2 months before the murder, and present time to learn about the secrets of the woods and how a small town can get justice for the terror lurking in the trees.
I love stories that include a crime investigation. Devilwood bound the beliefs of what we learn when we are young to the horrors of the ‘real’ world to tell the story of what happens when we try to change the route of our lives. There is a cult theme that lies underneath but this read was very fast moving and the ending surprised me in a great way that I’m not even mad about it!
I love stories that include a crime investigation. Devilwood bound the beliefs of what we learn when we are young to the horrors of the ‘real’ world to tell the story of what happens when we try to change the route of our lives. There is a cult theme that lies underneath but this read was very fast moving and the ending surprised me in a great way that I’m not even mad about it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of Devilwood by Tom Franklin in exchange for my honest review.
Devilwood by Tom Franklin is many pov story set primarily in 1994. While it is marketed as a horror book, I found it more crime/police procedural. I've read a lot in this genre and I found this to be enjoyable. I don't think it will stand out in my head past this review, but it was an interesting read. It got a little confusing at times because there are so many characters that seem to tell their stories in chapters from a different character's pov. But I would recommend it to people who enjoy the genre.
Devilwood by Tom Franklin is many pov story set primarily in 1994. While it is marketed as a horror book, I found it more crime/police procedural. I've read a lot in this genre and I found this to be enjoyable. I don't think it will stand out in my head past this review, but it was an interesting read. It got a little confusing at times because there are so many characters that seem to tell their stories in chapters from a different character's pov. But I would recommend it to people who enjoy the genre.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I tore through this book. It grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go until the end. I loved how the author managed to weave the different plot threads together. I knew everything was connected, but I was never able to figure out how. This book is a cop procedural, but there's also a bit of supernatural mystery in there, too. Fantastic read.
Big thanks to the author and publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Big thanks to the author and publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Eerie. Well-written. Fully fleshed characters.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
ok keeps you on the edge of your seat anticipating whats next all the way through. Bingo
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews