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Devil's Nightmare #1
Devil's Nightmare
Detective Aaron Sanders is up against a murderous demonic force in this suspenseful blend of mystery and horror. Nothing could have prepared the seasoned detective for the mutilated remains of an eleven-year-old boy's parents or the equally vicious deaths of three more victims at a nearby cemetery. As Aaron works to solve the homicide cases and protect his only witness, Cody Sumner, he realizes a disturbing connection between the orphaned child and all five victims. Cody's testimony is beyond belief, but when Aaron comes face to face with the perpetrator, he's left questioning everything he's ever believed. True evil often hides in plain sight.
Devil's Nightmare is an occult suspense horror novel by Robert Pruneda, who shakes readers with his visually graphic scenes, supernatural twists, and disturbing settings in this first installment of the Devil's Nightmare series.
Devil's Nightmare is an occult suspense horror novel by Robert Pruneda, who shakes readers with his visually graphic scenes, supernatural twists, and disturbing settings in this first installment of the Devil's Nightmare series.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2013
397 people are currently reading
974 people want to read
About the author
Robert Pruneda
8 books130 followersRobert “Sharky” Pruneda is a native Texan, video game “enthusiast” [addict], and fan of all things horror. He left a career in the newspaper industry in 2011 to pursue the life of a nocturnal author, brainstorming new and creative ways to creep out his readers. He doesn’t only write horror though. He also pens the occasional family-oriented tale just to keep from going completely nuts with all those creatures of the night whispering in his ears. When he’s not pulling ideas out of his twisted brain, you’ll likely find him on social media or fighting alongside his fellow gaming buddies where they all get shot up into Swiss cheese (or turned into little bite-sized chunks because of “Sharky’s” obsession with explosives). Medic!
Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.
Pursue your dreams . . . and never look back.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
September 12, 2020
Ok read....
This was a quick read, I read it in a day as I wanted to see what happened It had a good suspense. I liked Aaron, the detective. He was kind of fun.The constant Spanish that his chief spoke was annoying. The story was a bit over the top. I mean how many people can die in one town in a week or so? Certain things were not explained well and left me wondering. Three stars.
This was a quick read, I read it in a day as I wanted to see what happened It had a good suspense. I liked Aaron, the detective. He was kind of fun.The constant Spanish that his chief spoke was annoying. The story was a bit over the top. I mean how many people can die in one town in a week or so? Certain things were not explained well and left me wondering. Three stars.
March 2, 2013
Horror is not usually my genre, and anything by Stephen King just doesn't do it for me, but as an Amazon download for 20p, I thought I couldn't lose. Although I'm not a fan of 1st POV, this book was easy to read, and at times I had to continue reading because I wanted to know what happened next. The ending had a twist that even I didn't see coming. However, in places the story did stretch my imagination (and believe me as a writer of erotic romance, I have a very vivid imagination). Personally, I would say this wasn't really a classic horror, more like crime with the devil thrown in.
November 7, 2016
This was a great paranormal read! Very in-depth characters and storyline with lots of creepy heebie-jeebies added in for flavor. I read this back in 2014 and it was a grab you by the seat of the pants kind of book! I just found out that there is a second book, so I just bought that to find out what happens to the characters that were in the first book. It was definitely a five star scary read.
July 28, 2015
Gotta love an in your face beginning and this has a humdinger. I’ll warn ya, it’s a blood bath.
Cody somehow makes it home. But he’s not safe. Whatever tore apart his friends in the cemetery is hot on his heels. He crawls back through his bedroom window, the noise alerting his parents. They rush in to discover a muddy, bloody Cody cowering on the floor, unable to get a word out about what just happened. It doesn’t matter, as the thing that followed him home makes it’s presence known, crashing through the window and tearing his parents apart.
Detective Aaron Sanders, assigned to the case, is amazed to discover that the young boy, Cody, survived the brutal attack. As the forensics come in, indicating a possible animal attack, he is forced to stretch his belief. Especially after some scary encounters and his shared nightmares with Cody.
Aaron came across as very genuine. He’s all alpha male, yet his own ties to the orphanage Cody is sent to make him vulnerable. He grew up at Brackenridge and his memories aren’t pleasant. He doesn’t always handle events that well because of it, losing his cool and almost losing his job.
Poor Cody. I can see where he’d shut himself off from people after what he witnessed. And his secrets, while haunting him, scare him senseless.
I enjoyed the love/hate relationship between Maria Jiminez, Cody’s social worker, and Detective Aaron Sanders. I think they like each other, but Aaron’s copness might hamper this one. Maria is a tough cookie.
Things don’t get easier as the case gets stranger and stranger. Whatever unearthly is doing the killing won’t stop and can’t be killed.
These types of stories are a favorite of mine. Give me something unearthly, a beast from hell or whatever, and I’m rubbing my hands together in fiendish glee. I’m not squeamish, so the bloodshed only adds to the creep factor.
Throw in some sweet innocent victims and prey, some feisty, tough protagonists, plus a suspicious character or two, and you’ve got the makings of a great chiller.
A hellish feast of horror, to be sure.
I received this book for my honest review.
Cody somehow makes it home. But he’s not safe. Whatever tore apart his friends in the cemetery is hot on his heels. He crawls back through his bedroom window, the noise alerting his parents. They rush in to discover a muddy, bloody Cody cowering on the floor, unable to get a word out about what just happened. It doesn’t matter, as the thing that followed him home makes it’s presence known, crashing through the window and tearing his parents apart.
Detective Aaron Sanders, assigned to the case, is amazed to discover that the young boy, Cody, survived the brutal attack. As the forensics come in, indicating a possible animal attack, he is forced to stretch his belief. Especially after some scary encounters and his shared nightmares with Cody.
Aaron came across as very genuine. He’s all alpha male, yet his own ties to the orphanage Cody is sent to make him vulnerable. He grew up at Brackenridge and his memories aren’t pleasant. He doesn’t always handle events that well because of it, losing his cool and almost losing his job.
Poor Cody. I can see where he’d shut himself off from people after what he witnessed. And his secrets, while haunting him, scare him senseless.
I enjoyed the love/hate relationship between Maria Jiminez, Cody’s social worker, and Detective Aaron Sanders. I think they like each other, but Aaron’s copness might hamper this one. Maria is a tough cookie.
Things don’t get easier as the case gets stranger and stranger. Whatever unearthly is doing the killing won’t stop and can’t be killed.
These types of stories are a favorite of mine. Give me something unearthly, a beast from hell or whatever, and I’m rubbing my hands together in fiendish glee. I’m not squeamish, so the bloodshed only adds to the creep factor.
Throw in some sweet innocent victims and prey, some feisty, tough protagonists, plus a suspicious character or two, and you’ve got the makings of a great chiller.
A hellish feast of horror, to be sure.
I received this book for my honest review.
July 29, 2013
This is a Horror story. I used to read nothing but Horror stories from authors like Stephen King, Peter Straub, and Clive Barker. In recent years I've moved more to Thrillers, but this was a fun jump back to the Horror stories I used to read. The story is compelling from the very first line where "A young boy ran frantically in the rain past rows of tombstones, in the old, dark, cemetery." Just that line alone throws you into the memory of so many horror movies that you can barely remember which one it's most like. And this book does run across a lot of typical horror movie/book scenarios but it does it in a very compelling way that keeps you very engages and frantically turning pages. I always know how into a book I am by how fast I'm reading it, if it's taking me forever to read a books, it's because the book isn't that good, but if I'm flying through it, like I did with this one, it's because its a really entertaining book. That being said it's not perfect. I thought the main character Aaron Sanders was too combative, and in real life would have been tossed off the police force for multiple incidents described throughout the book. And the end that came after the more natural ending just didn't sit well with me, especially since there were so many other ways it could have been ended so much better. But those two points don't drag me away from my recommendation that this is a completely entertaining and fun book to read, as long as you understand it's a horror novel, and as such has some of the most horrific descriptions I've ever read, so go in with your eyes open…and maybe the lights on.
June 19, 2022
It got me hooked and I read it in a day and a half. It was a 5 stars read until the last two chapters ruined it as it became ridiculous and unbelievable (as if it was believable from the beginning!) . Might buy the sequel because it really got me out of my reading slump.
April 10, 2014
If you're anything like me, before reading this book grab a bible, a sturdy crucifix, a clove of garlic for good measure, and please, please, don't forget the Holy Water. Last but not least, if you feel or see anything you shouldn't inside the room you're in while reading, toss the Holy Water in its direction and yell, 'The power of Christ compels thee!'
This book truly scared me at times. And why the heck was I reading late at night before going to sleep???
What I liked is how this author, similar to Thomas Harris, had a way of making you feel for most of the characters, including the ones you suspected were the 'bad guys.' With a little levity thrown in, and a few moments where you yell, 'Oh, crap!,' while your eyes bugged out, a large portion of the book actually played with your psyche. Trying to figure out who all the bad people were was difficult for me, so my thoughts got carried away as I tried to predict the novel's bloody ending, and those thoughts frightened me more. A lot of gore, but not at all a bore, this book kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next to the lead adult character and the creepy kid associated with all good horror books.
This was the first time I read a novel and wanted to jump inside the pages to help investigate and shake the crap out of a kid. The fact that the author was able to give it the ended it deserved made me cheer him on with gusto. Yes, this book made me emotional!
I'm an avid reader, and author of thriller/suspense novels, and I gotta say that Pruneda did a good job with this one. But guess what? He did such a good job that I won't be reading another horror book for a while! If I my bible, crucifix, clove of garlic and Holy Water had souls, each of them would be panting for breath right now, wanting a reprieve from being held so tightly.
If you want a scary nighttime read that have all the elements of a good read, try this book. Go on. I dare you. Trust me, you'll be listening to even the smallest sounds, staring at inanimate objects that you thought for certain moved and leaving the lights on longer than usual.
This book truly scared me at times. And why the heck was I reading late at night before going to sleep???
What I liked is how this author, similar to Thomas Harris, had a way of making you feel for most of the characters, including the ones you suspected were the 'bad guys.' With a little levity thrown in, and a few moments where you yell, 'Oh, crap!,' while your eyes bugged out, a large portion of the book actually played with your psyche. Trying to figure out who all the bad people were was difficult for me, so my thoughts got carried away as I tried to predict the novel's bloody ending, and those thoughts frightened me more. A lot of gore, but not at all a bore, this book kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next to the lead adult character and the creepy kid associated with all good horror books.
This was the first time I read a novel and wanted to jump inside the pages to help investigate and shake the crap out of a kid. The fact that the author was able to give it the ended it deserved made me cheer him on with gusto. Yes, this book made me emotional!
I'm an avid reader, and author of thriller/suspense novels, and I gotta say that Pruneda did a good job with this one. But guess what? He did such a good job that I won't be reading another horror book for a while! If I my bible, crucifix, clove of garlic and Holy Water had souls, each of them would be panting for breath right now, wanting a reprieve from being held so tightly.
If you want a scary nighttime read that have all the elements of a good read, try this book. Go on. I dare you. Trust me, you'll be listening to even the smallest sounds, staring at inanimate objects that you thought for certain moved and leaving the lights on longer than usual.
June 20, 2015
I wanted so badly for this book to be much better than it was. I read several reviews and believed the hype that it drew with its massive sales numbers on Amazon. However, I was severely disappointed.
Lets start with the good: the story was not overly long, and it was somewhat original in the way it was told.
Now the bad: pretty much everything else. This book is essentially comprised of bad cop cliches and misguided Satan worship ideals. I should have known when, within the first ten pages, the main character said "I'll be the one asking the questions" to someone how had neither asked a question nor even really spoken; that this book would not be a good one. It seems to be written with the competency of a freshman or possibly sophomore in high school. The word choice is extremely simplistic, the characters are flat cliches, the story arch exactly follows the bell curve we were all given as a "guide" for writing, the monster(s) are essentially useless, the settings are one dimensional and required little to no imagination whatsoever. I found myself skimming or even skipping whole sections because of the extreme level of repetition. In all honesty, this book could have been about 150 pages and still told the same flat story, with the same cardboard cutout characters and stand in locations, and the reader would have been no worse for it. I found myself, over the last 100 pages or so, mentally preparing this review and realizing that I was wasting my time with this book.
I impressed myself that I was able to finish it and I am very glad that I did not spend any money on this book. If you want something that deals with demons and the occult; go read Dan Brown because honestly, you'll get a better scare out of Angels and Demons that you ever would out of this story.
Lets start with the good: the story was not overly long, and it was somewhat original in the way it was told.
Now the bad: pretty much everything else. This book is essentially comprised of bad cop cliches and misguided Satan worship ideals. I should have known when, within the first ten pages, the main character said "I'll be the one asking the questions" to someone how had neither asked a question nor even really spoken; that this book would not be a good one. It seems to be written with the competency of a freshman or possibly sophomore in high school. The word choice is extremely simplistic, the characters are flat cliches, the story arch exactly follows the bell curve we were all given as a "guide" for writing, the monster(s) are essentially useless, the settings are one dimensional and required little to no imagination whatsoever. I found myself skimming or even skipping whole sections because of the extreme level of repetition. In all honesty, this book could have been about 150 pages and still told the same flat story, with the same cardboard cutout characters and stand in locations, and the reader would have been no worse for it. I found myself, over the last 100 pages or so, mentally preparing this review and realizing that I was wasting my time with this book.
I impressed myself that I was able to finish it and I am very glad that I did not spend any money on this book. If you want something that deals with demons and the occult; go read Dan Brown because honestly, you'll get a better scare out of Angels and Demons that you ever would out of this story.
February 16, 2013
I first became a fan of Mr. Pruneda after reading his first novel, Pursuit of a Dream. I was highly impressed with his knack for dialogue and uncanny ability at penning a well-written and engaging story that kept my attention throughout the book.
Yes, I liked Pursuit of a Dream, but I LOVED Devil's Nightmare. It seems, with this book, Mr. Pruneda has found his calling and I truly believe great things are in store for this author in the horror genre.
In Devil's Nightmare, Detective Aaron Sanders finds himself thrust in the middle of an investigation involving a string of mysterious, and incredibly horrific murders, beginning with the discovery of three children in a graveyard and a young boy's mother and stepfather (who I can't say as I was all too sad to see be disemboweled). Newly orphaned Cody is the sole witness to the murders, but is too traumatized to speak of them no matter how hard Detective Sanders gets him to open up. Yet, at night, the boy is plagued by such disturbing nightmares that whatever has rendered him a virtual mute during the day is forgotten, and Detective Sanders is given some valuable clues as to the horrors Cody has encountered. What secret does Cody hold, and will Detective Sanders figure it out before the body count rises?
Devil's Nightmare contains several plot twists that are far from predictable, which I love considering I can usually figure out twists coming from a mile away. Just when you think the story is over and the case solved, it's not. And the final outcome will leave you breathless.
I'm not personally a big fan of horror, but after reading Devil's Nightmare, I will certainly be reading more books in this genre and, hopefully, another one from Mr. Pruneda in the near future. Watch out, Stephen King, here comes Robert Pruneda!
Yes, I liked Pursuit of a Dream, but I LOVED Devil's Nightmare. It seems, with this book, Mr. Pruneda has found his calling and I truly believe great things are in store for this author in the horror genre.
In Devil's Nightmare, Detective Aaron Sanders finds himself thrust in the middle of an investigation involving a string of mysterious, and incredibly horrific murders, beginning with the discovery of three children in a graveyard and a young boy's mother and stepfather (who I can't say as I was all too sad to see be disemboweled). Newly orphaned Cody is the sole witness to the murders, but is too traumatized to speak of them no matter how hard Detective Sanders gets him to open up. Yet, at night, the boy is plagued by such disturbing nightmares that whatever has rendered him a virtual mute during the day is forgotten, and Detective Sanders is given some valuable clues as to the horrors Cody has encountered. What secret does Cody hold, and will Detective Sanders figure it out before the body count rises?
Devil's Nightmare contains several plot twists that are far from predictable, which I love considering I can usually figure out twists coming from a mile away. Just when you think the story is over and the case solved, it's not. And the final outcome will leave you breathless.
I'm not personally a big fan of horror, but after reading Devil's Nightmare, I will certainly be reading more books in this genre and, hopefully, another one from Mr. Pruneda in the near future. Watch out, Stephen King, here comes Robert Pruneda!
March 29, 2014
Have to admit that I wasn't expecting a lot from this book, what with it being the author's first horror novel, I assumed that it would be full of clichés but I'm really glad I went ahead as it is much more than that.
There are clichés of course as it is almost impossible to write anything in a particular genre without resorting to at least some clichés, but oddly most of the obvious ones are not from the horror aspect, but the initial chapters that come across very much like a standard cop-chasing-serial-killer and in particular with the descriptions of the hero as a loner, maverick, wisecracking cop, but this is soon forgotten as he goes through the many twists and turns of the plot, that make him both nice and horrible, depending who he's talking to. Or in other words, just like a real person.
Other characters are mostly nicely rounded out, for the most part although there are a couple of exception and one that goes through something of a personality transplant at different times in the book, that could have done with a bit of cleaning up.
That and a few other minor errors mentioned by other reviewers aside, the plot is really rather good even if it does appear to borrow from several source such as 11970's horror movies, and a certain "I see dead people" film but that doesn't matter as this mix all pretty much works, and works really well.
In fact - and this isn't something I would say about a lot of books - I would even dare to suggest that there could be a sequel to be had, with the same characters (well those that made it to the end of the book, obviously).
There are clichés of course as it is almost impossible to write anything in a particular genre without resorting to at least some clichés, but oddly most of the obvious ones are not from the horror aspect, but the initial chapters that come across very much like a standard cop-chasing-serial-killer and in particular with the descriptions of the hero as a loner, maverick, wisecracking cop, but this is soon forgotten as he goes through the many twists and turns of the plot, that make him both nice and horrible, depending who he's talking to. Or in other words, just like a real person.
Other characters are mostly nicely rounded out, for the most part although there are a couple of exception and one that goes through something of a personality transplant at different times in the book, that could have done with a bit of cleaning up.
That and a few other minor errors mentioned by other reviewers aside, the plot is really rather good even if it does appear to borrow from several source such as 11970's horror movies, and a certain "I see dead people" film but that doesn't matter as this mix all pretty much works, and works really well.
In fact - and this isn't something I would say about a lot of books - I would even dare to suggest that there could be a sequel to be had, with the same characters (well those that made it to the end of the book, obviously).
July 6, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was eagerly awaiting to download the entire book after the tantalizing sample I read from Amazon. Once I downloaded "Devil's Nightmare" I could not put it down! Page after page captivated my imagination and I became so immersed in the story, before I knew it, it was 6am and I was on the last page! I highly recommend this book for any one looking for a great spooky adventure! Thanks Robert for sharing your work!
June 23, 2015
Love it
Loved this book. Recommend it to mystery book readers. Will look for more books by this author. Thanks for the read.
Loved this book. Recommend it to mystery book readers. Will look for more books by this author. Thanks for the read.
February 23, 2019
More like a 3.5 ★
This was a fairly decent supernatural thriller, with a good blend of horror and mystery. The main reason this didn’t get a higher rating was because of how much I disliked the main detective. Most of the time he frustrated me with his inconsiderate and rash attitude, to the point where I ended up putting the book down a few times, unconvinced I was going to bother picking it back up. Apart from that and a couple of cliche moments, this was a fast-paced thriller with a gripping story. Not too bad for a freebie.
This was a fairly decent supernatural thriller, with a good blend of horror and mystery. The main reason this didn’t get a higher rating was because of how much I disliked the main detective. Most of the time he frustrated me with his inconsiderate and rash attitude, to the point where I ended up putting the book down a few times, unconvinced I was going to bother picking it back up. Apart from that and a couple of cliche moments, this was a fast-paced thriller with a gripping story. Not too bad for a freebie.
July 27, 2015
“Your nightmares follow you like a shadow, forever. ” - Aleksandar Hemon, The Lazarus Project
Aaron Sanders is a seasoned detective of the Austin Police Department but nothing prepares him for the horrific deaths that would question his integrity and sanity. Cody Sumner, his only witness and hope, refuses to cooperate at first but when Cody starts to talk, Aaron must suspend his disbelief and trust his instincts if he wants to save Cody, his town and himself from an adversary spawned from the deepest pits of hell.
first, a word of caution: Robert Pruneda's first installment in his Devil's Nightmare series is not for the squeamish. the author minces no words and makes no excuses. this is pure disturbing, visceral, graphic horror that delivers a punch yet provides entertainment value as well.
the pacing is fast and the plot thickens as the story moves along. there are layers upon layers of secrets in it and just when i thought i had the answers, i was proven wrong with its twists and surprises.
the major players, with their flaws and positive attributes, are well-drawn and realistic enough. i like Aaron's personality. he is tough, stubborn and dedicated to his job. he has a soft side, though, which he tries to hide but when he allows it to come out, he emerges as a different man especially when he starts to fall for Maria Jimenez, Cody's case worker. Aaron's attempts to woo her are humorous at times. although, i found the romance angle a little enforced at first, it still came out as a pleasant relief from all the horror plaguing Aaron, Cody and the other characters.
as a linguaphile, i also enjoyed the dialogs with its smattering of Spanish and some Latin phrases. even if someone has no knowledge of these languages, they could still be understood either by being stated in context or translated directly. these multi-lingual elements were also integral to the storyline.
the remaining chapters were some of the best parts of the book for me. things were resolved to my satisfaction even if i knew that there was a lot more to expect in the sequel Devil's Nightmare: Premonitions.
overall, an entertaining book for those who somehow manage to still get a good night's sleep in spite of their predilection for horror and supernatural stories.
*received a copy for review but i also own an ebook
Aaron Sanders is a seasoned detective of the Austin Police Department but nothing prepares him for the horrific deaths that would question his integrity and sanity. Cody Sumner, his only witness and hope, refuses to cooperate at first but when Cody starts to talk, Aaron must suspend his disbelief and trust his instincts if he wants to save Cody, his town and himself from an adversary spawned from the deepest pits of hell.
first, a word of caution: Robert Pruneda's first installment in his Devil's Nightmare series is not for the squeamish. the author minces no words and makes no excuses. this is pure disturbing, visceral, graphic horror that delivers a punch yet provides entertainment value as well.
the pacing is fast and the plot thickens as the story moves along. there are layers upon layers of secrets in it and just when i thought i had the answers, i was proven wrong with its twists and surprises.
the major players, with their flaws and positive attributes, are well-drawn and realistic enough. i like Aaron's personality. he is tough, stubborn and dedicated to his job. he has a soft side, though, which he tries to hide but when he allows it to come out, he emerges as a different man especially when he starts to fall for Maria Jimenez, Cody's case worker. Aaron's attempts to woo her are humorous at times. although, i found the romance angle a little enforced at first, it still came out as a pleasant relief from all the horror plaguing Aaron, Cody and the other characters.
as a linguaphile, i also enjoyed the dialogs with its smattering of Spanish and some Latin phrases. even if someone has no knowledge of these languages, they could still be understood either by being stated in context or translated directly. these multi-lingual elements were also integral to the storyline.
the remaining chapters were some of the best parts of the book for me. things were resolved to my satisfaction even if i knew that there was a lot more to expect in the sequel Devil's Nightmare: Premonitions.
overall, an entertaining book for those who somehow manage to still get a good night's sleep in spite of their predilection for horror and supernatural stories.
*received a copy for review but i also own an ebook
March 21, 2018
I liked it a lot, good horror novel without being over the top gore. I will certainly read the next one.
December 4, 2013
A great story that brings you into the genre of horror, sci-fi/religious undertones and detective/mystery. I found myself wondering do I go on, what is this thing? Am I ever going to know? There were a few things that tripped me up, but nothing to detract from the story too much. It was well edited, which is a huge plus.
I mentioned religious undertones, the perspective is that of the detective searching for himself in that aspect. I found myself very comfortable in his role/eyes and grinned at the digs at "regions"..I wont explain for fear of revealing too much. There was a great twist, which unfortunately had to be revealed a little too soon, still I liked that. And the epiloge was a perfect wrapping and tying with a bow. ;)
However, I am still left to wonder a few things about the story, the connection between the detective and the boy and this thing...hmm
I mentioned religious undertones, the perspective is that of the detective searching for himself in that aspect. I found myself very comfortable in his role/eyes and grinned at the digs at "regions"..I wont explain for fear of revealing too much. There was a great twist, which unfortunately had to be revealed a little too soon, still I liked that. And the epiloge was a perfect wrapping and tying with a bow. ;)
However, I am still left to wonder a few things about the story, the connection between the detective and the boy and this thing...hmm
January 13, 2013
Wow, my heart's still beating out of my chest!
I really enjoyed reading Devil's Nightmare. I was hooked at the prologue; then it's fast pace proceeded to yank me through one heck of a scary thrill ride! This is a difficult review to write without spoilers, but what I can say is that the characters are fleshed out well, description and dialog paint the story vividly, and the mystery takes twists and turns that kept this reader guessing. I'm not a horror fiction fan; however, I'm a fan of Mr. Pruneda's work and this occult thriller seriously kept my heart pounding every step of the way. I could easily see Devil's Nightmare being made into a film and I recommend that you read it...with the lights on of course!
I really enjoyed reading Devil's Nightmare. I was hooked at the prologue; then it's fast pace proceeded to yank me through one heck of a scary thrill ride! This is a difficult review to write without spoilers, but what I can say is that the characters are fleshed out well, description and dialog paint the story vividly, and the mystery takes twists and turns that kept this reader guessing. I'm not a horror fiction fan; however, I'm a fan of Mr. Pruneda's work and this occult thriller seriously kept my heart pounding every step of the way. I could easily see Devil's Nightmare being made into a film and I recommend that you read it...with the lights on of course!
February 4, 2016
Such a refreshing change to find a book written with the right pace and level of descriptive narrative. I really enjoyed this book, the author add some real authenticity to the setting and detective work whilst keep the story moving at a great pace. Spooky, chilling and compelling, with a story line that makes you want to keep turning the pages. I read it in a week and really enjoyed it!!
More please..
More please..
January 25, 2016
wowza! I was engrossed from page one! could not put it down! Robert brings it and then some!!! Love his style of writing, it's hugely competitive with the evil Master Stephen! just enough to suck you in and keep you eagerly turning the pages and feed your evil! highly recommend this book for you evil lovers out there!
May 9, 2016
Excellent. Suspenseful. Thrilling. Mysterious. Unpredictable. This was a fun ride and very hard to put down. A bit of Greek/Christian mythology, set in contemporary times, throw in a mystery murder serial killer and a detective, and you have Devil's Nightmare. Quite a big surprise at the end. Great book. Highly recommended. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
September 30, 2023
*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
It is a good read.
It is a good read.
January 27, 2018
Beast.
This book was exciting. Could not put it down. Beginning to end. Excellent. Would recommended for faints of heart.love it.
This book was exciting. Could not put it down. Beginning to end. Excellent. Would recommended for faints of heart.love it.
November 15, 2015
Very good story with lots of blood and gore which puts a different spin on demons.
January 19, 2019
Sorry, I Couldn't Do It
I hate to leave negative reviews for aspiring authors, but this book needs a lot of work. I could only make it the first thirty or so pages in before I had to stop. The dialogue is pretty wooden, including a police chief who randomly throws in Spanish to "teach the main character Spanish". The descriptions constantly overdone. A mild example is: "I stepped out of my black, '81 Corvette Stingray" this coming form an on-duty detective arriving at a double homicide. Surely, that is not the time to go into detail on the character's car.
Most frustrating is the completely illogical thought process of the above mentioned main narrator. Again for example, he arrives at the house of a potential witness or victim in a homicide. He notices the front door open slightly, announces himself and goes in. He gets what amounts to a funny feeling and get ready to draw his weapon. He then notices a deer out of the corner of his eye and spends a paragraph lamenting how he wants to move to the country so he can have the same experience. What about the scary feeling that made you want to pull your gun?
Sorry, I couldn't continue after that.
I hate to leave negative reviews for aspiring authors, but this book needs a lot of work. I could only make it the first thirty or so pages in before I had to stop. The dialogue is pretty wooden, including a police chief who randomly throws in Spanish to "teach the main character Spanish". The descriptions constantly overdone. A mild example is: "I stepped out of my black, '81 Corvette Stingray" this coming form an on-duty detective arriving at a double homicide. Surely, that is not the time to go into detail on the character's car.
Most frustrating is the completely illogical thought process of the above mentioned main narrator. Again for example, he arrives at the house of a potential witness or victim in a homicide. He notices the front door open slightly, announces himself and goes in. He gets what amounts to a funny feeling and get ready to draw his weapon. He then notices a deer out of the corner of his eye and spends a paragraph lamenting how he wants to move to the country so he can have the same experience. What about the scary feeling that made you want to pull your gun?
Sorry, I couldn't continue after that.
June 2, 2017
I don't run into a pure horror novel very often. Most of the time these days you get haunted house, spooky goings-on stuff that skirts around the truly nasty stuff. This book is good old fashioned in your face horror. Demons and devils and blood and gore and viscera flying everywhere. This book is not for the faint of heart, nor for those who are bothered by satanic themes. I think at times the author was a little too enthusiastic about the amount of nastiness he piled on, but that's a personal opinion. For me, i like the unapologetic horror of it, and also thought it was too much at times. Definitely not for everyone.
September 5, 2019
Horror isn’t a genre I’ve given much attention to. This was a free download, so I thought it was worth a try. I was hoping to be more affected by the book, but sadly it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It was ok for a crime thriller with a paranormal twist, but I wouldn’t say this was horror. Saying that, it’s pretty gruesome in places and the author doesn’t discriminate on who gets killed; men, women and children alike.
On a positive note, I liked the banter between main character Aaron and social worker Maria. Their banter was amusing and added a light note amongst all the blood and satanism! Not bad, but not inspiring enough to tempt me with book 2 (unless it’s free of course!)
On a positive note, I liked the banter between main character Aaron and social worker Maria. Their banter was amusing and added a light note amongst all the blood and satanism! Not bad, but not inspiring enough to tempt me with book 2 (unless it’s free of course!)
October 11, 2017
I decided to binge read scary books for October and boy does this one fit the bill! It starts off a little slow and is more like a police procedural at first. There was a crime (no spoilers here!), the detective investigates, things don't add up, strange things start happening and then BOOM! All heck starts breaking loose and things get crazy. There were a couple of twists I didn't see coming and I really liked the ending. Scary read.
For those who want to know: This one has graphic violence and gore, some language and occult aspects. Definitely an 18+ read.
For those who want to know: This one has graphic violence and gore, some language and occult aspects. Definitely an 18+ read.
August 6, 2021
This book was just okay for me. Satanism, a monster from Hell wreaking havoc, that's why I started the book in the first place, I wanted to read a good horror story. But as I said, it was meh. First off, the cop, basically the main character is not very likeable, he hates bullies, but he happens to be one of them. And as much as the story involving the little boy was pretty good, the whole ending just had me scratching my head in wonder. Suffice it to say that I will not be reading volume 2.
October 17, 2018
First time reader of this author and now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative series. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this series.
January 2, 2019
When I first picked this up, I found the voice of the main character a little unsettling however, as I kept reading I found myself more and more engrossed in the book - I couldn't put it down. Detective Aaron Sanders gets more than he bargained for when he ends up involved in a case with a young boy and several gruesome deaths, including facing his own past. Gripping read.
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