The Devil You Know

Lonely Heart, Deadly Heart #3

by Mary Monroe

In the stunning climax of New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe’s Lonely Heart, Deadly Heart series, the tension—and the heat—reach unforgettable heights as two restless women go after the ultimate satisfaction . . . and a killer desire prepares to strike . . . 
 
For best friends Lola Poole and Joan Proctor-Riley, there’s never too much when it comes to online-dating rich, no-commitments lovers. It’s a fantasy come true that makes their unhappy lives bearable. But there’s no escape when Lola’s vicious relatives cheat her out of everything that’s hers, and Joan’s husband pulls a devastating betrayal. With nothing to lose, the two will do everything and anything to lock down Mr. Right and lifetime satisfaction . . .
 
With his scorching sexual healing and compassionate nature, handsome trucker Calvin Ramsey keeps coming out on top with Lola. And she’s this close to winning his love and finally getting the loving family of her dreams. But she doesn’t suspect that Calvin’s idea of making a woman his own is a fatal affair. Now, his gentle reassurances and sensual promises are spinning a web where Lola and Joan’s deepest longings could be the deadliest trap of all . . .

Genres: Fiction, African American, Urban, Suspense

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2017

About the author

I am the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of my family to finish high school. I never attended college or any writing classes. I taught myself how to write and started writing short stories around age four. I spent the first part of my life in Alabama and Ohio and moved to Richmond, California in 1973. I have lived in Oakland since 1984.

My first novel THE UPPER ROOM was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985 and was widely reviewed throughout the U.S. and in Great Britain. An excerpt is included in Terry McMillan's anthology BREAKING ICE. I endured fifteen years and hundreds of more rejection letters before I landed a contract for my second novel, GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. It was published in October 2000 by Kensington Books. GOD DON'T PLAY is my seventh novel to be published, and it landed me a spot on the prestigious New York Times Bestsellers list for the first time! My eighth novel, "BORROW TROUBLE," was released December 2006. My ninth novel, DELIVER ME FROM EVIL, was released September 2007 and my tenth novel, SHE HAD IT COMING, was released in September 2008, and my eleventh novel THE COMPANY WE KEEP, will be released March 2009.

I won the Oakland Pen Award for Best Fiction of the Year in 2001 for GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY. I won the Best Southern Author Award for GONNA LAY DOWN MY BURDENS, in 2004.

I am divorced, I love to travel, I love to mingle with other authors, and I love to read anything by Ernest Gaines, Stephen King, Alice Walker, and James Patterson. I still write seven days a week and I get most of my ideas from current events, the people around me, but most of my material is autobiographical.

Reviews

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmmm. It was okay, but it got too redundant for me. How many times did I have to read about Calvin wanting to kill Lola. I wanted to say "kill her already..lol."

[Antoinette Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this book went along telling the same story for 3 books up until the last 10 chapters! All of the action took place in the last 10 chapters and the epilogue. Ridiculous

[Lesa Divine · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ending to this series.

So much life drama with Lola and Joan but you gotta love their friendship. Their bond I loved that with these two ladies.

Secrets are kept.

So theres a killer loose.
Joan lovr life is only interesting to her in the arms of other men. Her hubby isn't what she want.

Lola is falling hard for Calvin but he isn't what he seems and she finds out why.

Enjoyed this 3 book series. Interesting...

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lola has her head in the clouds. Joan is jaded. Calvin is crazy but i agree with some of his complaints about Lola.

Just drama. Worth a read.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sooo good! KARMA will get you every time. When I asked for this book for review I had not read books one and two. I didn't feel lost at all. The Devil You Know is a rollercoaster. I knew things were getting weird when I started routing for the death of the characters. The suspense was killing me and seemed dragged out a bit to long.

The way Lola was treated by her step-siblings and Momma made me want to scream! I was fighting that sister in my seat while reading. Listening to Calvin speak aloud or in his head was surreal. He was delusional and beyond crazy. It was unfortunate that Lola was too desperate to get a clue. I recommend this title from Monroe.

I was first introduced to her by my eldest sister about 10 years ago. She read the God Don't Like Ugly series and loved it!

I received the eARC from Dafina Books via Netgalley

[Racine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ended off the series excellently. I am so happy that Bertha was killed off in this book, because I don't think I could take anymore ​of her. Mary Monroe did fantastic job.

[Joi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was good. It was very predictable but I still enjoyed it. I missed reading about Joan and Lola. Another problem I had with this book is the fact that this book was very repetitive. I'm glad that I finished this trilogy. It was completely worth my time.

[Michelle Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was only slightly better than the other two. It was repetitive, and went on far too long. Joan was just unrealistic and Lola is just plain dumb. I have never disliked a character as much as I disliked her. Lola was in love with Calvin who she went on maybe 3 dates with and was ready to marry him without knowing anything about him. She comes off desperate and stupid. Lola was basically a doormat for everyone in her life and seemed to thrive on this quest for love from a man, and for a mother, even though she had her mother in her life until her mother passed away. The Calvin character was ridiculous. The way he was written made no sense and really told me the author didn't really do her research on serial killers and how they thought. The author just put a serial killer in there it seems because she thought it would be a good twist....it wasn’t. The way he cussed was crazy! Who sits there and realistically says “slut, bitch, whore, wench” back to back just yelling out those words. Lola again just dumb who moves into a home next to a halfway house of convicts and is just fine and sleeping like a baby with a back door that doesn't even lock! No single woman would be ok with that. I also felt there were things that didn't make sense. So when Lola was put out of Bertha’s house by Libby she had no where to go and James felt bad about it but never mentions his dad owns an apartment building. Then all of a sudden when she’s almost killed his dad has this apartment building he's positive she can move into... why wasn’t this offered when he was so concerned about her being put out and living in a roach motel. Seriously!! It’s like this was just an idea that came up with not realizing it doesn’t go with the story. I also found inconsistencies within paragraphs. At one point Joan tells Lola, Reed will be camping and junior is sleeping at her parents house for the weekend. Then a few sentences later Joan comes home and says to herself shes happy to relax, and that Reed was out camping and Junior was in the bed sleeping, then not a few sentences later she calls Lola and says Junior is at her mothers. Did she forget where the character was supposed to be?? Did no one editing this see this glaring mistake? Then all of a sudden in the end Elbert is the man of Joans dreams and is no longer corny.. ok. I feel like parts of this book were just thrown together and maybe a deadline had to be met so it was whatever goes. Either way it turned me off and I wish I wouldn’t have wasted my time reading any of these books.

[Scented Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over all I loved this book and series. I am actually glad I read it out of order (started with the middle book) because idk, if I would have stuck with it if I hadn't. It took so long for Calvin to come in the first book and for the REAL action to get started, I almost lost interest during the first book. But because I KNEW the action was coming, I stuck with it, and it was worth it.
This book was great! Everything wrapped up well. I was SHOCKED at Reed's ol' tired lying ass. But I didn't think Joan should have told him she was cheating on him the WHOLE time (practically) that they were married. LMAOO!! Hooooooney Idda took that shit to my grave. SHE was already cheating, then HE turned around and left her for a younger women. ok, but isnt that what you wanted? To be OUT OF MARRIAGE that you were unhappy in? but for it to end in a guilt free way? For Reed to still be "happy" so that he wouldn't kill himself?? I wouldn't have told him SHIT and confirmed SHIT to him about what he already thought. Fuck REED!
However, I was SO disappointed in the anti-climatic "CLIMAX"! I feel just as unsatisfied, and just as bored as Joan when she f*cks Reed! LMAOO! I'm so MAD! I wish Mary would have elongated the climax! NOTHING HAPPENED! There wasn't even a fight or nothing between Calvin and Lola. I got more action out of Joan pepper spraying the HELL outta Reed then I did out of the situation with a man that's been LOATHING Lola and plotting her death for three WHOLE books! Lola didn't get tortured a little bit, or even smacked around. NOTHING! LMAOOO!!! It was a good book and excellent series, but i'm taking a star OWFF for that boring shit. LOOOOL. I loved it, and I can't wait to get back into The God Don't like Ugly series. This reminded me of just how much I used to love me some Mary Monroe and STILL DO!

[KayBee's Bookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audible book review comments
Would you try another book from Mary Monroe and/or the narrators?

Yes. Even though the author missed the mark with what should have been an explosive story.

What was most disappointing about Mary Monroe’s story?

The level of redundant material left little room for any real development or action.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The heroines were supposed to be young -ish women from California. I kept envisioning a matronly southern drawl person.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Devil You Know?

I would go thru each chapter and cut out the recap of each previous chapter.

Any additional comments?

There was no chemistry between any of the couples. Karma was doled out to the “bad guys”, but not to the 2 heroines who deserved it. They received HEAs. Neither Lola nor Joan had any growth until the epilogue, which was about the last 3 minutes of a 10 hour listen. The last 3 hours of the 10 hour listen was interesting and had my full attention. I felt sorry for Elbert and Reid’s ending. With this type of plot, this should have been an explosive story. The story bogged down with so much redundant rhetoric that it left little room for any actual movement or action to be told. It should have been one book, which had the “fat” been cut and the men focal point ( Elbert & Calvin) it would have been.

[Vnunez-Ms_luv2read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is how you end a series!!!! This book was the ultimate ending to a good series. This was a good series on internet dating and the possible consequences of some of our choices. I loved how the author gave pointers to any one thinking of taking this avenue to meet someone,. All internet dating is not bad, but if certain signs are there, one must pay attention. I have to say the ending I never saw coming and the series was wrapped up very nicely. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest revew.

[Zandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I only read this book because I read the other two. As with other two, this one was was repetitive. Almost each time Monroe switches between characters she gives a recap of things that have already been drilled into our heads. There wasn't anything compelling about this book. By this third book I grew to dislike Lola, who I felt was portrayed as week and delusional and Joan, I cant find any redeeming qualities for. She was selfish and not really a great friend, when you really think about it. At any rate, if you are a Mary Monroe fan you will love this book.

[Maudie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning

Wow After reading the first two I couldn't wait on this one to come out! This book was the type of book you hate to put down. Ms. Monroe really lot did herself with this series. She kept the readers attention from book one all the way through book three, her main characters were description of events were so clear that you could visualized the scenes as if you were standing in the room with them!

[Angie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book overall. The only thing I can say is the ending didn't have as much of a twist than I had imagined. What would have made it more interesting was Lola getting killed by Calvin and the Korean lady who survived the attack, would have came back later and served him some justice. Joan, definitely got what she deserved in some ways because she was out there messing around on Reed in the first place. Great read otherwise!

[Burgundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was okay. it was a little long-winded and I found myself wanting to skip parts. To me it didn't focus enough on Lola and Calvin and too much on Joan and her problems. Would I recommend it only if you have read the other parts of the series. If not you can skip it.

[Keesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every minute of it! Mary Monroe is always so funny and flawless in her depictions. Waiting to see how Lola and Joan would end up kept me reading every spare moment I had. No one does it like Monroe!

[Kaya W. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I HATED all the characters in this story. The only reason I even read this book was to see how the killer was going to kill his prey. *shrugs*
Sadistic...I know.

The book gets 2 stars because it was repetitive and boring.

[Arlene Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great end

I enjoyed this series, sorry the series ended but was happy with the ending. I would recommend this book (series) to all my friends that love reading novels.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

Really good read. It was sad, funny, and suspenseful. I read it in a day and a half. I couldn't put it down.

[RAWFIZZLE · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was a long and drawn out series! this cautionary tale could’ve been one book.

Lola & Joan were really working my nerves in the first two books, but i couldn’t help but to be on their side towards the end of this book. Calvin was such a perverted and disgusting creep!! reading his POV gave me the same skin crawling feeling that i got when i read YOU by Caroline Kepnes. i hated knowing his sick thoughts, but i know it was necessary for the plot. one minute he had good things to say about Lola and the next he was utterly disgusted. his obsession was driving me crazy!! the man was plotting on killing her for 3 books and it seemed like it took FOREVER for him to make his move. i honestly thought he was gonna back out for a second and just get with her. don’t even get me started on Libby, Bertha, & Reid! good riddance to all of them!

the characters frustrated me, but there’s a lot to take away from reading this series. people should be cautious with who they connect and meet with online. it’s not always the smartest decision to divulge every personal detail of your life to strangers. even offline, you never know what type of person you may be dealing with or what’s hidden behind the mask. a lot of times we put ourselves in compromising situations in pursuit of something innocent, but we have to use discernment. you can save yourself years of misery by standing up for yourself and remaining firm on your boundaries. i’m noticing that this is a common theme within Mary Monroe’s writing and that’s what makes me love it. her characters are extremely flawed and their shenanigans will certainly put you on an emotional rollercoaster, but they serve as a reflection of our own struggles and imperfections.

[Jadiasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

First I would like to say that I am so so so happy that I am done with this series. Joan made me so upset at the end with the Reed situation. I understand that she stayed due to his manipulation, but she has cheated on him throughout the marriage and was miserable. However, the moment he decides to leave due to him finding someone else she pitches a fit although she has been running circles around Reed for years. I am so happy Calvin finally decided to act on his plan with Joan, because I was sick of hearing about him wanting to kill her. I was tempted to do it myself. I’m also happy he made her realize how gullible and naive she was being as a thirty something year old woman. Like girl BFFR you met this man in a sex club, relax. I’m really upset that Elbert waited around for her. I felt so bad for him throughout this series, but I’m happy it all worked out. Didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would due to it being redundant, but it was an easy read.

[Princess Dionna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mary Monroe has always been one of my favorite authors, but I must admit that Book 3, "The Devil You Know," felt different from the earlier installments. After binge-listening to Books 1 and 2 over the last three days, I was surprised by the shift in character development and narrative style in this third book. It almost gave off ghostwriter vibes, as if a different person had taken over the story.

Kelvin's complex feelings towards Lola were intriguing yet frustrating. He loved her, but his hatred stemmed from her striking resemblance to his deceased wife, whom he had killed. This internal conflict could have been a rich area for exploration, but the execution felt lacking. To top it off, Kelvin marrying another character felt jarring and unsatisfactory.

Overall, while I appreciate Monroe's storytelling, this book didn't quite meet the expectations set by its predecessors. It left me feeling disconnected from the characters and their journeys.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️. Calvin and Lola inner thoughts had me rolling over with laughter. Lola treated Elbert like Calvin was treating her. I’m not sure who was more delusional, Calvin or Lola. Lola talked too much. Divulging information that put her in harms way. Of course Calvin being a serial killer and all, he prolonged his thoughts of killing Lola for 3 whole books! He got what he deserved. Although it wasn’t how she wanted to get divorced, Joan was finally set loose.
It’s disappointing that Lola got the short end of the stick when it came to Bertha’s death. But Lola finally got everything she wanted.

[Misse Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good closing to a suspenseful series!! I am happy with the ending. Lola and Joan had to endure so much in this installment to ultimately get to where they wanted to be in life and in love. And in the end, it is there friendship, courage and loyalty to one another that helps the to survive through it all. This could not have been a better closing for Calvin. He had escalated to a point of no return. I look forward to Mary Monroe's next work due out in the Spring.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was anticipating a great ending which I received. My negative views is that Calvin was too predictable and I wished that he was more mysterious. I found a few contradictions in the storyline which seemed accidental but nonetheless, they were noticeable. I got the authors idea in repeating the storyline from the previous books in case readers didn't car h on or read the first two but at certain points it was too much reflection. Otherwise I loved the storyline itself, great ending too.

[Katherine W. Mance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Page Turner

This last book of a total of three left me on the edge of my seat. It was amazing. These two young women lead a crazy childhood and life. I do not agree with the majority of it but I can understand their actions. When a person feels alone and hopeless who knows what they will do. I am glad that luck was on their side. I recommend this book to those with an open mind and an a sense of adventure.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil you know

After getting through all 4 books I couldn't put it down. I had to find out what would happen to Lola and Joan. What a wonderful friendship they shared. I was so worried abouT Lola because I felt like someone knew my life story but just rename the my character Lola. The hurt and pain poor Lola suffered with most of her life was heartbreaking but in the end goodness prevailed thank goodness.

[Carol Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star.
What the heck? I am obviously not the audience for this book. A serial killer fixates on and tracks down his fb determined to kill her to have one last kill before settling down in marriage. Add two bored women (one a housewife married to a dentist who neglects her and the other a cashier who is planning a wedding to the fb she has only seen three times) and over-the-top families and this is one crazy (and not in a good way) story.

[mytris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read nice storyline. People need to be more aware of this online dating and some of the dangers that's out there.

I chose this rating because I did like the storyline. I also feel that you just must be careful do your research when dating online. And be careful of the information that you give out. So happy that Lola had a beautiful ending.

[Joyce E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a compelling story. Lola finally realized nothing was as it seems. Calvin her perfect man was a serial killer. She missed all the signs. Elbert was a good man, but she couldn’t see it. She had to experience horrific things until she could see what was right in her face. She lost much, but in the end, she was able to maintain the love of those who really cared about her.