Necessary Evil

by David A. Van Meter

"Gentlemen, meet the real Billy McIlvain, Creator of Heaven and Earth. . . ." So proclaimed Bill McIlvain to the friends who'd gathered for his sixth birthday party. No one could have imagined on that festive day the twisted future that lay in store for young Billy. Billy's pedigree was distinguished. He was bright and well mannered. If little Billy McIlvain was guilty of anything, it was that he loved too much and too well. But then Billy watched helplessly as the person dearest to him was brutally murdered. The killers not only went free but cashed in on what they had done. The system had failed. For Billy, it would always fail. He was too young to have his revenge, but he would have it when the time was right, no matter the cost. Until that day, he could only wait. His family collapsed. Billy's mother, Grace, survived by plunging into a new career. She was away on business the day Billy's mind began to invent its own reality, the day he began his descent into evil. The papers and TV shows screamed the news of his "inhuman act." He was a celebrity. Girls he didn't know sent him love notes and pictures of themselves naked. They sent him to prison, and he lost a decade and all hope of a normal life. "They say that if you live long enough, you become the person you hate the most. . . ." On his own at last, grown-up Billy is now thirty-three. The all-American boy has become the all-American killer. Necessary Evil is the riveting, demonic tale of one man's obsession with justice in a corrupt world. For Billy McIlvain, justice is out of reach. He must settle for revenge. In the end, no one was safe from him. No one. Anywhere.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1994

Reviews

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this book was like 20 years ago but man I've read it twice since then ... I love this book I don't know what it is about it exactly but the first time I read it (it was recommended by a friend, she let me borrow it), I knew it was a book I'd be able to read again.
About ten years later something made me think of it and I couldn't remember the name but I just kept googling stuff about the book til I found it, and I bought it on Amazon. I moved probably less than six months after that and lost it. Now here it is about 8 years or so later and I was thinking, I've read waaaay more books than I have listed on here so I was thinking of random books I've read, and I'm not embarrassed to say I got overly excited when I remembered this book.

[Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, WOW! I am in love with this book. It is beyond creepy. The ending is totally unexpected, and you get a lot of mixed feelings involved like shock and sadness. With that said, the author did a great job on controlling what he wants the reader to feel. The character is pure evil, but he wasn't always like that. It began with a horrific event that happened to him as a child. It lets you get into the mind of a murderer. The chapters are not in sequential order which gives the read a sense of confusion in the beginning. Don't worry though, the building blocks fall into place. I give this book a 5 stars, and recommend it for adults and young adults who enjoy thrillers.

[Succubus121 Salah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, terrifying & sad. I never expected to love & hate a killer as much as I did here. This was the most engaging reading experience I've ever had with a character in a book. I felt lost, drained & sad after finishing the book.

[Robby · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Cassie Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, just wow. This book is engaging in ways I don’t quite understand. You truly see how someone can become a psychopath when this is the life they are forced to lead before old enough to make decisions on their own. You truly feel sympathy for the mc, and hating his parents as much as he does is easy. It’s a disturbing and creepy ride that this book provides, and exceptionally fitting for reading on a cool fall day with a cloudy sky and a cup of tea.

[John Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what makes a killer? Necessary Evil takes us inside the mind of a killer, telling us the story that leads the main character, Billy, down the path of madness.

It would be easy to say that Billy was impacted by a traumatic incident as a child, but there are other details that show that there may be more to his journey than just a single moment. It's a fascinating study of the human mind and how it can fracture and end up as a vessel for evil.

[Cheyenne Shuman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is wild. There are a bunch of trigger warnings that are in this book that I wish I looked up before reading. If you’re a fan of novels that involve psychopaths, this one is for you. It was honestly a really heavy read and some parts of the book were hard to get by. The ending is super graphic and definitely horror content.

[Shay Soleil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, this book had me keeping one eye open at night. It was sad and frightening, ruthless and full of revenge but it had me picking up the book, rushing to finish it. I had to find out what happened next. I know it's just the author's imagination, but no child should ever have to witness something that horrific to someone they love. David A. Van Meter's style of writing is to the point and described vividly. I am a new fan! I love this book!



Necessary Evil

[Nerissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dark. A friend gave it to me or I would never have bought it myself. It's about the inner workings of the mind of a killer.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am probably really weird, but I loved this book. I read it over and over - trying to figure out the main character's psychology. Asking myself "How could he?"

[Marci · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book about 3 years ago. I can't remember much about the story. I do recall that it is rather violent and graphic.

[Kit★]

This was in a box of books my sister-in-law gave me. Looks... interesting. Tossing it on the TBR mountain.

[Jan Ganda]

Mr.David was a great author!!