The Devil's Heirloom

by Mark Corrigan

Daniel Brennan never expected to inherit an estate from a man he had never met.

Hidden deep within the remote Irish countryside, Glenmór Hall stands over a land steeped in silence, superstition, and generations of sacrifice. Hoping to uncover the truth behind his mysterious inheritance, Daniel travels to the isolated village of Kilthorne alongside his friend Maeve Doyle.

The locals are far from welcoming.

The manor itself feels wrong; its halls steeped in history and memories, its walls hiding traces of ritual and bloodshed long buried beneath the estate. As Daniel begins to unravel the history of Glenmór, he discovers that his inheritance is tied to something far older and far more dangerous than he could have imagined.

Something beneath the land is waiting.

As visions intensify and the secrets of his bloodline emerge, Daniel realizes the estate was never meant to make him its master.

It was meant to claim him.

The Devil’s Heirloom is a chilling folk horror novel rooted in Irish mythology, gothic atmosphere, and slow-burning dread; perfect for readers of atmospheric horror, occult mysteries, and dark ancestral secrets.

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 10, 2026

Reviews

[Patrick Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! I’m not very familiar with Irish folklore so it was refreshing to read about something new. I would definitely describe this as a slow burn horror type of situation. That being said, when it started to pick up it really captivated me in a way that books don’t often do! A specific theme in this book that I like is the flashbacks into history that help you better understand what’s going on. Excited to see what this author creates next!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Niamh O'toole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an advance copy of this book and am providing a voluntary review

This is a solid and well paced read, it blends mystery, horror and Irish folklore in a way that is highly readable

I liked Maeve as a character and felt she was great as a character giving an outside perspective

The dark and foreboding atmosphere is present from the start and builds to an exciting ending

Well worth a read

[Sid · Rating 4 out of 5]

{3.75}

So grateful to have been sent this ARC because as soon as I heard about this book I was really excited to read it! While this wasn’t an all-time favourite for me, I still thought it was a really solid debut. It had a very spooky, atmospheric feel and definitely did a good job of pulling me into the story and keeping me intrigued about what was going on.

I do think the characters could maybe have been expanded on a little more as I didn’t always feel super connected to them, and at times the writing felt a bit repetitive. Aside from that though, I thought this was a really good first novel and I’m interested to see what the author does next.

[Nikki O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully written debut novel is a stunning blend of Irish folkloric horror and mythology, brought to life through lyrical, evocative prose. Mark's writing style immediately drew me in, with vivid descriptions and an atmosphere that felt both enchanting and deeply unsettling.

The pacing was excellent throughout. It begins at a measured pace, allowing time to become immersed in the setting and to get to know the characters, while subtle moments of unease hint at the darkness to come. From there, the tension steadily builds, culminating in a gripping and satisfying finale that crescendos perfectly.

The characters were wonderfully developed, making it easy to become invested in their journeys. I felt that both Daniel and Maeve were strong well rounded protagonists, and I was fully invested in their journeys. Couple that with some strong side characters and a truly menacing and dark presence, I feel like the character work here was perfection! Although I had plenty of suspicions along the way, the story continually kept me guessing, which made the mystery all the more compelling.

For a debut novel, this is incredibly impressive. Rich in mythology, beautifully atmospheric, and masterfully paced, it was an engrossing read from beginning to end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to see what this author writes next!

Thank you so much to Mark Corrigan for the ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Haly Hoards Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆
The Devil's Heirloom is a tale of gothic terror, Irish folklore and a fantastic way to spend a rainy afternoon reading! I started reading and couldn't quit.

Haven't we all fantasized about inheriting either a fortune or a grand house? Daniel inherits an estate from a man he never knew. What he really inherits is a nightmare of Druidic rites, ghosts and shifting reality.

Corrigan has taken the history of the Abhartach and given it a little bit of a twist that grew into a new type of horror creature. Adding in symbols of the lamb, wolf, bull and stag helped the story along.

I received an advance review copy (ARC), for free, through Booksirens. I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Mark Corrigan, Dingle Publishing and Booksirens for this opportunity.

I enjoyed reading this book because of the folklore and gothic vibe. I always like reading a story that includes lost diaries, hidden documents and carefully hidden relics.

Favorite Quote:
"History is what happened. Folklore is what people believe what happened."
Maeve Doyle

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Devil’s Heirloom is a solid debut horror novel by Mark Corrigan. It starts with Daniel getting a letter stating he has inherited an estate named Glenmór Hall in the remote village of Kilthorne. Yet he has never heard of the individual who previously owned the house, nor has any knowledge of this manor. He and his close friend Maeve travel to Glenmór Hall, where they encounter an old and dark evil; one that has been awaiting their arrival.

This novel had a decent amount of tension and suspense that continued to build until the very end. The combination of using Irish folklore and horror was excellent. It was easy to figure out the mystery of why Daniel inherited the estate. I do wish Daniel and Maeve were a little more developed, as I found myself not having any real investment into what their outcomes would be. In addition, the novel needs to have another round of editing as there were quite a few spelling error or incorrect words utilized. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Justine King · Rating 5 out of 5]

After two nights of reading this I had to switch to daytime ! i’m not easily scared but this spooked me. This brilliantly entertaining and suspenseful horror is excellent. It features two main characters Daniel and his friend Maeve. Daniel has unexpectedly inherited’Glenmore Hall’ in a stranger’s will and visits to see what is now legally his. After many generations of secrets this house will let them in but will it let them go?

This is well written with great plot and ending ! The Author has combined a fast moving story with a atmospheric, suspenseful and creepy vibe all the way throughout the book. I loved this and definitely recommend! Thank you so much Mark for giving me the honor of reading an e-copy of this book it was well worth it! I will definitely be reading more of your amazing work. #Markcorrigan #TheDevilsHeirloom

[Gracie McLaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that kept me entertained and wanting to see how it unfolds. It had enough mystery and likable characters that truly made me enjoy the story. I liked the influence of mythology and folklore while also having the spookiness of a classic ghost story. I really enjoyed the authors pacing and I felt I knew the characters even in a short time. I enjoyed the friendship and relationship between Maeve and Daniel. I can’t wait to read more by him.

I received a free advance read copy and am reviewing voluntary

[Fionnuala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as an ARC in return for an honest review.
This book had all of my favourite elements , suspense and horror blended with Irish mythology. The build up to the climatic conclusion had me on tenterhooks and the setting just drew me in. I will definitely be reading this again during the winter months just to add to the overall vibe of the book . Amazing book from Mark Corrigan and I look forward to any furthe writing of his.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book, I finished it within a day.

This is my first time reading an Irish foke law book. I don't want to give too much away as I would highly recommend reading this book as it's so different from what I normally read.

I really liked the MMC and the FMC in this book, the story is an original idea as I have not come across this before and was written really well and easy to read.

What a great first novel from Mark Corrigan.

[Moontale]

The narration felt too impersonal and repetitive (especially "not X, but Y" kind of sentences). There wasn't much inner personality built for the characters. And for a horror it wasn't very suspenseful.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.