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The Devil's Blade
Drawn to a mysterious church in the heart of the city, photographer Kate Logan soon realizes that dark forces are at work. Her pictures show figures that shouldn't be there, figures that hint at the church's true nature. But by the time she understands what she's uncovered, it might be too late for Kate to escape.
Meanwhile, as she gets closer to the enigmatic John Dagwood, Kate comes to question her new friend's collection of medieval surgical equipment. Is Dagwood really just a man with a love of history, or is he involved with the same forces that lurk somewhere beneath the church?
The Devil's Blade - originally published as The Devil's Photographer - is a horror story about one woman's fight to avoid being used as part of a cult's terrible plan.
- GenresHorror
510 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2018
91 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Amy Cross
671 books1,700 followersAmy Cross writes novels and short stories in a number of genres, mainly horror, paranormal and fantasy. Books include The Farm, Annie's Room, The Island, Eli's Town and Asylum.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 4, 2019
Entertaining
Although there were way too many time jumps to keep up with, the story was good. All in all a creepy story.
Although there were way too many time jumps to keep up with, the story was good. All in all a creepy story.
July 2, 2018
Amy Cross usually has a good story line - this one was okay. It needs a lot of editing.
August 12, 2018
Proofreading
The story line is ok. What makes the book so difficult to follow are the mistakes. If her works were looked over before publishing they would be so much better.
The story line is ok. What makes the book so difficult to follow are the mistakes. If her works were looked over before publishing they would be so much better.
July 9, 2018
Good premise for the story but the story mechanics need a LOT of work. There were multiple inconsistencies, a lot of which could have been fixed with thorough editing. Also, the author kept the mystery at the heart of the story too vague. More details were needed at several spots toward the end.
Story inconsistencies:
- How old is Kate in the present day? She was given her camera for her 15th birthday and that’s 25 years ago. College and being with Mark are between 21 and 24 years ago. So she’s 40 in the present day? That’s not prime childbearing age, with or without a history of cancer.
- How old is Kate at the end? Bella says it’s Kate’s 65th birthday, and on the next page Kate says she’s 85. Yet her daughter is 20 and still in school (that’s not college)? If Late was 40 in the “today” sections and this is 20 years later, then Kate would be 60. The math doesn’t add up.
- Early on, Kate says that she and Bella came to NYC together and were roommates, but made it sound like they met on the bus. Then we get a flashback scene in high school where the two of them went to the mall. That didn’t make sense.
- There’s no evidence of Bella and Kate being roommates during the flashbacks to Kate’s time in college in NYC either. Kate describes living alone in her apartment a couple of times.
- The first time Kate goes to the university library, the librarian says that Kate didn’t graduate. Yet in the scene where Kate leaves Mark in bed (to be hit by a bus on her way home), he says she’s graduated so their relationship can be in the open.
- The librarian and Kate make vague references to Kate having a bad time while in college, but no more info is given. Again, this doesn’t make sense with Mark saying that she graduated.
- During dinner, Bella describes Mark as being useless when Kate had another bout of cancer. Bella also implies that Kate left Mark during her treatment. Later in the book, Kate breaks up with Mark after she is hit by the bus, which is 21 years before the “Today” sections - and there’s no mention of Kate having a bout of cancer while in college.
- There’s NO WAY that Kate would have been left alone by Bella during those last 6 months on the hospital before Dagwood convinced her to leave. Not from the way Bella shoved her way into Kate’s life in all the scenes she was in.
- The subplot of Bella having sex with the Broadway dancer who played the devil was unnecessary. It didn’t add to the story overall.
- There’s a huge plot turning point missing: Kate spends half a day with the book she spent 6 months trying to get, goes out to dinner with Dagwood, takes pictures at night in the church, then it’s 6 months later and she’s dying in the hospital. She says that she had to give up her research to start treatment immediately, but why??? From this point on, the man in the photographs barely matters.
- Amin Bell was alive when Kate was 15, so he clearly wasn’t the man in the photos. (How could he be a spirit if he was alive?) This could be a legit choice on the author’s part - Dagwood could have used Bell as a way to hide the fact that the Devil within Kate was showing up on film. But why have Bell talk to Kate after the had the hole made in her skull? Unless that was a hallucination? Bell could have been a big old red herring, but he seriously takes up the entire first half of the plot. To drop him as a plot device almost completely and without explanation was a waste of time for the reader.
- The book opens with a description of a photograph that Kate later implies she took of Mark holding their baby, and the man is in the background. There’s no explanation given of this photo, even though it comes up one more time in the story. It can’t be Sebastiene, because she said she was a single mother and there’s no mention of Mark.
- The conversation the last time Dagwood takes Kate out to dinner needs a LOT of work. He says almost nothing but gobbledygook. Either let him drop a couple of actual clues for the reader to follow or get rid of the scene and have him hit on her somewhere else.
- Kate took photos of 100 people coming out of the church, and she didn’t develop the photos and see if she could figure out who they were? I call bullshit.
- Kate’s parents lived in Kansas. The cult was in NYC. More explanation was needed about their connection. Why move Kate out of the city to have her grow up in Kansas?
Story inconsistencies:
- How old is Kate in the present day? She was given her camera for her 15th birthday and that’s 25 years ago. College and being with Mark are between 21 and 24 years ago. So she’s 40 in the present day? That’s not prime childbearing age, with or without a history of cancer.
- How old is Kate at the end? Bella says it’s Kate’s 65th birthday, and on the next page Kate says she’s 85. Yet her daughter is 20 and still in school (that’s not college)? If Late was 40 in the “today” sections and this is 20 years later, then Kate would be 60. The math doesn’t add up.
- Early on, Kate says that she and Bella came to NYC together and were roommates, but made it sound like they met on the bus. Then we get a flashback scene in high school where the two of them went to the mall. That didn’t make sense.
- There’s no evidence of Bella and Kate being roommates during the flashbacks to Kate’s time in college in NYC either. Kate describes living alone in her apartment a couple of times.
- The first time Kate goes to the university library, the librarian says that Kate didn’t graduate. Yet in the scene where Kate leaves Mark in bed (to be hit by a bus on her way home), he says she’s graduated so their relationship can be in the open.
- The librarian and Kate make vague references to Kate having a bad time while in college, but no more info is given. Again, this doesn’t make sense with Mark saying that she graduated.
- During dinner, Bella describes Mark as being useless when Kate had another bout of cancer. Bella also implies that Kate left Mark during her treatment. Later in the book, Kate breaks up with Mark after she is hit by the bus, which is 21 years before the “Today” sections - and there’s no mention of Kate having a bout of cancer while in college.
- There’s NO WAY that Kate would have been left alone by Bella during those last 6 months on the hospital before Dagwood convinced her to leave. Not from the way Bella shoved her way into Kate’s life in all the scenes she was in.
- The subplot of Bella having sex with the Broadway dancer who played the devil was unnecessary. It didn’t add to the story overall.
- There’s a huge plot turning point missing: Kate spends half a day with the book she spent 6 months trying to get, goes out to dinner with Dagwood, takes pictures at night in the church, then it’s 6 months later and she’s dying in the hospital. She says that she had to give up her research to start treatment immediately, but why??? From this point on, the man in the photographs barely matters.
- Amin Bell was alive when Kate was 15, so he clearly wasn’t the man in the photos. (How could he be a spirit if he was alive?) This could be a legit choice on the author’s part - Dagwood could have used Bell as a way to hide the fact that the Devil within Kate was showing up on film. But why have Bell talk to Kate after the had the hole made in her skull? Unless that was a hallucination? Bell could have been a big old red herring, but he seriously takes up the entire first half of the plot. To drop him as a plot device almost completely and without explanation was a waste of time for the reader.
- The book opens with a description of a photograph that Kate later implies she took of Mark holding their baby, and the man is in the background. There’s no explanation given of this photo, even though it comes up one more time in the story. It can’t be Sebastiene, because she said she was a single mother and there’s no mention of Mark.
- The conversation the last time Dagwood takes Kate out to dinner needs a LOT of work. He says almost nothing but gobbledygook. Either let him drop a couple of actual clues for the reader to follow or get rid of the scene and have him hit on her somewhere else.
- Kate took photos of 100 people coming out of the church, and she didn’t develop the photos and see if she could figure out who they were? I call bullshit.
- Kate’s parents lived in Kansas. The cult was in NYC. More explanation was needed about their connection. Why move Kate out of the city to have her grow up in Kansas?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2018
Interesting story. Do not read this if you do not want to know a part of ending.
I liked this story and it was interesting. My problem with this and a lot of Amy Cross books are that they aren't proof read properly. I find so many words that are wrong and I have to guess what is correct. At the end her friend said she would not miss her 65th birthday and then the main character was looking in mirror and said she was 85. How old was she really? Then she said the church incident happened 20 years ago , so she was pregnant at 45 or 65?? Then a sentence would be about a girl and then she would become a he or him. I am not wearing my glasses, so I am sure I made mistakes. I am not writing a book though. I like Any Cross stories, so I will continue to read them, but I wish there were less mistakes in the writing. I am also not a big fan of books that go back and forth from present to the past. I like to keep reading the present. She writes too many new books 📚 and I am still waiting for the sequel's to a few.
I liked this story and it was interesting. My problem with this and a lot of Amy Cross books are that they aren't proof read properly. I find so many words that are wrong and I have to guess what is correct. At the end her friend said she would not miss her 65th birthday and then the main character was looking in mirror and said she was 85. How old was she really? Then she said the church incident happened 20 years ago , so she was pregnant at 45 or 65?? Then a sentence would be about a girl and then she would become a he or him. I am not wearing my glasses, so I am sure I made mistakes. I am not writing a book though. I like Any Cross stories, so I will continue to read them, but I wish there were less mistakes in the writing. I am also not a big fan of books that go back and forth from present to the past. I like to keep reading the present. She writes too many new books 📚 and I am still waiting for the sequel's to a few.
November 13, 2018
Another Good One
I always enjoy Amy's books, obviously some more than others but they are always entertaining. This one is one that I enjoyed a lot. The storyline was interesting, it held my focus and I like the ending. It would be great if there were a follow up.
Unfortunately it contains the same continuity errors all of Amy's books have. Not as bad as some but they still jar me out of the story. At one point a person's age changes by 20 years in just a few sentences! It really feels like the important stages of proof reading and editing are rushed due to Amy's popularity. This is a huge disservice to an obviously talented writer - taking an extra few weeks to edit and tweak the text would make it that but more enjoyable. Certain scenes feel rushed at times, as if the writer used her first or second draft instead of perfecting it, as I'm sure she'd prefer.
I always enjoy Amy's books, obviously some more than others but they are always entertaining. This one is one that I enjoyed a lot. The storyline was interesting, it held my focus and I like the ending. It would be great if there were a follow up.
Unfortunately it contains the same continuity errors all of Amy's books have. Not as bad as some but they still jar me out of the story. At one point a person's age changes by 20 years in just a few sentences! It really feels like the important stages of proof reading and editing are rushed due to Amy's popularity. This is a huge disservice to an obviously talented writer - taking an extra few weeks to edit and tweak the text would make it that but more enjoyable. Certain scenes feel rushed at times, as if the writer used her first or second draft instead of perfecting it, as I'm sure she'd prefer.
December 8, 2023
I love Amy Cross, don’t get me wrong. But there were so many discrepancies in it. The ages were all over the place, she needs a proofreader so badly, and her parents living situation did not make sense. There were plot holes as well.
I have to be honest- she can write a good story. Cross is known for writing over 100 books, BUT, maybe she should slow down now and hire an editor. That would be a tremendous advantage.
I have to be honest- she can write a good story. Cross is known for writing over 100 books, BUT, maybe she should slow down now and hire an editor. That would be a tremendous advantage.
July 13, 2018
Awful editing
He becomes the and vice versa. The ending felt rushed and left me with a feeling of what? Nothing is explained or resolved. This author is one of my favorites but not this book. A word of advice, if you write about Americans, they say flashlight not torch, operating room not theater as well as many other little differences.
He becomes the and vice versa. The ending felt rushed and left me with a feeling of what? Nothing is explained or resolved. This author is one of my favorites but not this book. A word of advice, if you write about Americans, they say flashlight not torch, operating room not theater as well as many other little differences.
August 18, 2018
Another Amy classic
Loved this book. Have to give praise to Amy her stories are always riveting and this was no exception. It's about the Devil good versus evil. I will be downloading more.📕👍
Loved this book. Have to give praise to Amy her stories are always riveting and this was no exception. It's about the Devil good versus evil. I will be downloading more.📕👍
August 22, 2018
Loved and I ain't easy to please
Another good one by Amy Cross. I am so happy I discovered her! This book seemed predictable but as usual, it ain't! Love the end mind blown, but definite opportunity for a sequel!
Another good one by Amy Cross. I am so happy I discovered her! This book seemed predictable but as usual, it ain't! Love the end mind blown, but definite opportunity for a sequel!
September 2, 2018
Horror story
Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were quite a few misspellings and grammatical errors. What's up with that? But it was a good horror story and I would read more books by this author.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. There were quite a few misspellings and grammatical errors. What's up with that? But it was a good horror story and I would read more books by this author.
October 29, 2018
That was a real page turner.
Ignore the inconsistencies and the poor editing, this was a very good story. It reminded me of the film "Rosemary's Baby". The heroine wasn't a very likeable character but then, in an Amy Cross story, not many people are. Well worth reading.
Ignore the inconsistencies and the poor editing, this was a very good story. It reminded me of the film "Rosemary's Baby". The heroine wasn't a very likeable character but then, in an Amy Cross story, not many people are. Well worth reading.
December 6, 2018
A cracking read
I have read a number of Amy Cross books now ..to date this is my favourite .. the build up is steady ..the characters were really interesting .I would recommend this book to my friends
I have read a number of Amy Cross books now ..to date this is my favourite .. the build up is steady ..the characters were really interesting .I would recommend this book to my friends
June 9, 2019
Give or take punctuation problems & a storyline jump, this is up there with one of my favourite Amy Cross novels. I would love to read a follow on, as Amy does with many of her books. Couldn't put this one down & it comes highly recommended from me.
June 18, 2019
Borderline illiterate, with plot holes and inconsistencies you could drive a bus through! Amy Cross can write well but serving up books that obviously haven't been proofread or edited and expecting people to pay for them is a joke.
January 2, 2020
Did anyone actually edit this???
The story itself isn't bad but the book is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. There are elements of this that contradict eachother. One of which ruined the ending for me. It just seemed lazy. Did nobody proofread this book?
The story itself isn't bad but the book is riddled with grammatical and spelling errors. There are elements of this that contradict eachother. One of which ruined the ending for me. It just seemed lazy. Did nobody proofread this book?
June 18, 2018
Brilliant
Brilliant book, thought I had a favourite author in James Patterson until I discovered Amy cross. Never disappointed. Great twist at end of this book!
Brilliant book, thought I had a favourite author in James Patterson until I discovered Amy cross. Never disappointed. Great twist at end of this book!
July 21, 2018
Another Winner
Another unique novel from the talented and imaginative mind of author Amy Cross. I always look forward to where she will take her readers next.
Another unique novel from the talented and imaginative mind of author Amy Cross. I always look forward to where she will take her readers next.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews