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The Devil's List
"When it comes to scenes of brutal horror and storytelling as sharp as a machete's edge, Terry M. West is one of the masters." - Bob Milne, Beauty in Ruins
The Devil's List is a dark tale of insanity and horror from Terry M. West. In the small Texas town of Pleasant Storm during the summer of 1985, Chuck Beall embarks on a journey of brutality and madness. Convinced he's possessed by a demon that compels him to kill, Chuck's murderous attention shifts from random transients to those he blames the most for his abusive past.
The Devil's List is a dark tale of insanity and horror from Terry M. West. In the small Texas town of Pleasant Storm during the summer of 1985, Chuck Beall embarks on a journey of brutality and madness. Convinced he's possessed by a demon that compels him to kill, Chuck's murderous attention shifts from random transients to those he blames the most for his abusive past.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2020
3 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Terry M. West
198 books133 followersTerry M. West is an American horror author. His best known works: What Price Gory, Car Nex, Dreg and his Night Things series. He was a finalist for 2 International Horror Guild Awards and he was featured on the TV Guide Sci-Fi hot list for his YA graphic novel series, Confessions of a Teenage Vampire. Terry was born in Texas, lived in New York for two decades and he currently hangs his hat in California.
www.terrymwest.com
www.terrymwest.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 11, 2020
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I am schizophrenic
and so am I.
For what it was, I would usually go with three stars. But this story was really well written, so I am adding one.
Look, you can approach this from either a thriller angle (schizophrenia) or a horror (the monster is real), but there was nothing really surprising about it.
This might not be a bad choice when you are looking for something short to read between books.
Violets are blue,
I am schizophrenic
and so am I.
For what it was, I would usually go with three stars. But this story was really well written, so I am adding one.
Look, you can approach this from either a thriller angle (schizophrenia) or a horror (the monster is real), but there was nothing really surprising about it.
This might not be a bad choice when you are looking for something short to read between books.
August 23, 2020
In this terrifying novella you'll learn what Chuck turned into a killer. You'll read about his dead eye, his family, his paw paw and why he always was bullied in school. What's up Chuck? Now the tables have turned. Body for body Chuck is finishing with his old life. What about Plat-Eye, the evil demon inside of Chuck? You won't put down this shocking and revealing narration. Recommended!
July 19, 2020
THE EVIL INSIDE
Pleasant Storm, Texas - 1985
Mama was the only one who loved him, but she's been gone for a good while now. She could really tell some ghost stories too, with ancient creepy legends and all. One in particular, the Plat-Eye, has always stayed with him.
Left with daddy and three siblings who constantly berate and abuse him, Charles/Chuck Beall, sometimes referred to as up-Chuck....or "what's up-Chuck" decidedly flees to take care of his ailing Paw Paw.
Now Paw Paw wasn't exactly docile, but they got on all right, and his secluded property suit Chuck's needs just fine....that need to satisfy the evil inside....that need to eliminate those he thought sinners and those who've done him wrong.
***Be forewarned, THE DEVIL'S LIST is a dark, graphic, disturbing, even disgusting at times work of horror***
The writing, however, is good and the ending excellent!
December 7, 2021
3.5/5 was a fun book but did get confusing at times and honestly I would have liked to known more about the killer. I believe it would be a 4.5/5 if it would have been a full length novel instead of a novella. I've also tried researching the killer but can not find any information on him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 10, 2020I've really enjoyed the other stories I've read from Terry M. West, so I had very high hopes for The Devil's List, and while it sadly wasn't a new favorite for me, I did still have a lot of fun reading it! It takes place in the 80s and in a very rural, "country" sort of setting, and the language — not only in the dialogue, but in the narrative voice as well — reflects that flawlessly. I was amazed at how totally absorbed into the setting I felt.
I also loved the idea of this demon swaying this young man to do its bidding, and the fact that it seemed so inspired by the boy's late mother's terrifying stories she used to tell him. With such an unreliable narrator, I spent so much of the story wondering if the demon even truly existed, and while I won't spoil anything, I will say that I'm still reeling from some of the back story surrounding this guy!
All of that aside, my only real struggle with The Devil's List is that I didn't enjoy the slur usage or the fact that our murderer spent so much time targeting gay men. This is one of those stories where I'm glad it wasn't the first thing I picked up from West, because I knew enough to rest easy feeling that it was only a way of vilifying the narrator, and not the author's own personal viewpoints.
These complaints aside, I'll still heartily recommend Terry M. West as an author, and I can't wait to read more from him. I know my complaints are the sort of thing that a lot of other horror readers will be able to more easily separate themselves from while reading, so definitely give this or another of Terry's stories a chance if you're looking for a fun, incredibly engaging little horror read.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I also loved the idea of this demon swaying this young man to do its bidding, and the fact that it seemed so inspired by the boy's late mother's terrifying stories she used to tell him. With such an unreliable narrator, I spent so much of the story wondering if the demon even truly existed, and while I won't spoil anything, I will say that I'm still reeling from some of the back story surrounding this guy!
All of that aside, my only real struggle with The Devil's List is that I didn't enjoy the slur usage or the fact that our murderer spent so much time targeting gay men. This is one of those stories where I'm glad it wasn't the first thing I picked up from West, because I knew enough to rest easy feeling that it was only a way of vilifying the narrator, and not the author's own personal viewpoints.
These complaints aside, I'll still heartily recommend Terry M. West as an author, and I can't wait to read more from him. I know my complaints are the sort of thing that a lot of other horror readers will be able to more easily separate themselves from while reading, so definitely give this or another of Terry's stories a chance if you're looking for a fun, incredibly engaging little horror read.
Thank you so much to the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 27, 2020
* Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! *
4.5/5
Last year I was introduced to Terry’s work, with his release ‘Transfer‘ being one of the best things I read in 2019. He kindly sent this along and I’ve seen him describe it as ‘very dark’ and ‘brutal.’ Those two descriptions alone had my interest and I was excited to dive in.
This is a very fast read, I think it took my about 45 minutes from start to finish. That’s not a negative – in fact that speaks to just how engrossed in the story I was, as well as Terry’s writing in this makes you read it quickly.
What I liked: I also saw Terry mention that this was loosely based on a serial killer from the area where he’d grown up and that he had gone to school with them. I’ve yet to research into the real-life version of our main character, but after reading this, I’ll be checking the Wikipedia link Terry posted.
We are immediately thrown into the darkness as we get introduced to Charles or Chuck to some. We get some back story and some family history before we are given some folklore occurrences. Does this sound vague? Yup. Can I be more specific? Nope. Charles is a monster, but a character you feel empathy for and want to see how things play out.
What I didn’t like: In the grand scheme of things, I do wish this was a bit longer and we saw more of Charles metamorphosis and internal battles, but what’s presented works really well. Terry has a way with dark descriptions and some of the extremes here are very extreme, which was great.
Why should you buy it: As mentioned, this is a very fast read, which can be great for slump-busting, but the story itself needs to be read and while some may suggest it reminds them of ‘Kin‘ by Kealan Patrick Burke, I found the struggle with the internal versus the external to be more in line with ‘Brother‘ from Ania Ahlborn. Either way, you can’t go wrong by reading this one.
4.5/5
Last year I was introduced to Terry’s work, with his release ‘Transfer‘ being one of the best things I read in 2019. He kindly sent this along and I’ve seen him describe it as ‘very dark’ and ‘brutal.’ Those two descriptions alone had my interest and I was excited to dive in.
This is a very fast read, I think it took my about 45 minutes from start to finish. That’s not a negative – in fact that speaks to just how engrossed in the story I was, as well as Terry’s writing in this makes you read it quickly.
What I liked: I also saw Terry mention that this was loosely based on a serial killer from the area where he’d grown up and that he had gone to school with them. I’ve yet to research into the real-life version of our main character, but after reading this, I’ll be checking the Wikipedia link Terry posted.
We are immediately thrown into the darkness as we get introduced to Charles or Chuck to some. We get some back story and some family history before we are given some folklore occurrences. Does this sound vague? Yup. Can I be more specific? Nope. Charles is a monster, but a character you feel empathy for and want to see how things play out.
What I didn’t like: In the grand scheme of things, I do wish this was a bit longer and we saw more of Charles metamorphosis and internal battles, but what’s presented works really well. Terry has a way with dark descriptions and some of the extremes here are very extreme, which was great.
Why should you buy it: As mentioned, this is a very fast read, which can be great for slump-busting, but the story itself needs to be read and while some may suggest it reminds them of ‘Kin‘ by Kealan Patrick Burke, I found the struggle with the internal versus the external to be more in line with ‘Brother‘ from Ania Ahlborn. Either way, you can’t go wrong by reading this one.
May 1, 2020
Like the main protagonist, this one will leave you feeling hung out to dry and blowing in the wind. We all have an inner demon and Terry West shows us what happens when we let it out.
The Devils List takes place in the summer of 1985 in the small town of Pleasant Storm. Chuck, convinced that he’s possessed by a demon, starts a brutal killing spree, starting at first with random people then on to the people he blames most for his abusive past.
Terry does a fantastic job of letting you in to the killers mind to personally experience the torment he’s thinking and feeling. This story does have some graphic and disturbing parts which might deter some readers, but I think it will also attract others. I believe it makes the story have that much more of an impact.
Sometimes an ending can make or break the whole experience and in this case I found the ending to be satisfying.
An interesting fact for you as well; this is based on an actual serial killer that Terry knew and had actually crossed paths with in Texas 😳. When a story is based on true events, for me, it makes it even more unsettling! 😱.
Overall I gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and look forward to reading more of Terry’s work! This one will be out on ebook and in print May 29th and there will be an audiobook to accompany it 😊. Preorders are open now as well.
The Devils List takes place in the summer of 1985 in the small town of Pleasant Storm. Chuck, convinced that he’s possessed by a demon, starts a brutal killing spree, starting at first with random people then on to the people he blames most for his abusive past.
Terry does a fantastic job of letting you in to the killers mind to personally experience the torment he’s thinking and feeling. This story does have some graphic and disturbing parts which might deter some readers, but I think it will also attract others. I believe it makes the story have that much more of an impact.
Sometimes an ending can make or break the whole experience and in this case I found the ending to be satisfying.
An interesting fact for you as well; this is based on an actual serial killer that Terry knew and had actually crossed paths with in Texas 😳. When a story is based on true events, for me, it makes it even more unsettling! 😱.
Overall I gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and look forward to reading more of Terry’s work! This one will be out on ebook and in print May 29th and there will be an audiobook to accompany it 😊. Preorders are open now as well.
May 12, 2020
I see the sign welcoming me to Pleasant Storm and I get a warm, fuzzy feeling. It feels like coming home, and this is right where I’m supposed to be. It’s good to be back.
Chuck Beall has been picked on his whole life. Family, school mates, town folk, no one missed a chance to remind he was different, unwanted, and unloved. They beat it into him hard enough that he’d never forget.
Tormented, and wandering around late one night out by the old Campbell property, Chuck comes face to face with a demon his mama used to tell legends about – The Plat-Eye
Now that he’s not walking alone anymore, it’s time to turn the sins back onto the sinners, and everything is about to change. Revenge is going taste sweet, and warm.
Full, unedited, NSFW review posted
here.
Chuck Beall has been picked on his whole life. Family, school mates, town folk, no one missed a chance to remind he was different, unwanted, and unloved. They beat it into him hard enough that he’d never forget.
Tormented, and wandering around late one night out by the old Campbell property, Chuck comes face to face with a demon his mama used to tell legends about – The Plat-Eye
Now that he’s not walking alone anymore, it’s time to turn the sins back onto the sinners, and everything is about to change. Revenge is going taste sweet, and warm.
Full, unedited, NSFW review posted
here.
August 4, 2020
A dark, disturbing journey into the mind of a killer.
Packing the narrative to the brim with his characteristically electrifying prose, author Terry M. West weaves a frightening, deeply unsettling tapestry of murder and psychosis as he guides the reader through the twisted psychology of a serial killer in his latest grim masterpiece, "The Devil's List."
Using a series of real life crimes as his inspiration, West introduces us to and then allows (forces?) us to become intimate with the long gestating darkness inside one Charles Richard Beall. With his trademark descriptive passages crackling with rich detail across the page, the author chronicles the events that transpire as Beall comes to a final reckoning with his personal demons, one of whom - a charred monstrosity he knows as "The Plat-Eye " - may or may not be an actual demon.
Extremely gruesome and absolutely blood chilling, "The Devil's List" is not at all recommended for anyone who likes their horror polite and congenial. This is pure nightmare fuel, grounded in grotesque plausibility and alive with an almost tangible atmosphere of inevitable damnation.
It is also one of the best short stories I've ever read and an absolutely stunning example of how to do pure, adult horror right. Once again, Terry M. West has upped his game and the rest of us are scrambling to keep up. If you like your horror hard and real, you won't find a better read this year.
***** out of ***** . The Devil's List isn't pleasant and it will under no circumstances make you feel better when you've finished it. By the same measure, it's an energized, utterly horrific and unrelentingly gripping tale that stands as one of West's finest achievements to date and is hands down my favorite read of 2020 so far. This has my highest recommendation.
Packing the narrative to the brim with his characteristically electrifying prose, author Terry M. West weaves a frightening, deeply unsettling tapestry of murder and psychosis as he guides the reader through the twisted psychology of a serial killer in his latest grim masterpiece, "The Devil's List."
Using a series of real life crimes as his inspiration, West introduces us to and then allows (forces?) us to become intimate with the long gestating darkness inside one Charles Richard Beall. With his trademark descriptive passages crackling with rich detail across the page, the author chronicles the events that transpire as Beall comes to a final reckoning with his personal demons, one of whom - a charred monstrosity he knows as "The Plat-Eye " - may or may not be an actual demon.
Extremely gruesome and absolutely blood chilling, "The Devil's List" is not at all recommended for anyone who likes their horror polite and congenial. This is pure nightmare fuel, grounded in grotesque plausibility and alive with an almost tangible atmosphere of inevitable damnation.
It is also one of the best short stories I've ever read and an absolutely stunning example of how to do pure, adult horror right. Once again, Terry M. West has upped his game and the rest of us are scrambling to keep up. If you like your horror hard and real, you won't find a better read this year.
***** out of ***** . The Devil's List isn't pleasant and it will under no circumstances make you feel better when you've finished it. By the same measure, it's an energized, utterly horrific and unrelentingly gripping tale that stands as one of West's finest achievements to date and is hands down my favorite read of 2020 so far. This has my highest recommendation.
June 14, 2020
The Devil's List, by Terry M. West is a brutal, pull no punches novella.
Chuck believes himself to be possessed by a demon. A demon that compels him to murder. Whether or Chuck is possessed, or his own mind is rotten, one thing is for sure, you don't want to cross path's with him.
I enjoyed this take on a serial killer, one that was inspired by true events. West puts you right there in the drivers seat with Chuck. He does an excellent job putting you in Chuck's brain, a place that you don't want to be to begin with. The kills are quick and brutal and also help expose you to Chuck's fragile mind. I wasn't sure how this one was going to play out, but by the time I was finished, I was left satisfied, but yearning for more. I find that a testament to the writing on display, not a knock on the length of the book.
I devoured this short book in one reading session and would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in serial killers, both real, and fictional. I'll be on the lookout for more books by Terry M. West
Chuck believes himself to be possessed by a demon. A demon that compels him to murder. Whether or Chuck is possessed, or his own mind is rotten, one thing is for sure, you don't want to cross path's with him.
I enjoyed this take on a serial killer, one that was inspired by true events. West puts you right there in the drivers seat with Chuck. He does an excellent job putting you in Chuck's brain, a place that you don't want to be to begin with. The kills are quick and brutal and also help expose you to Chuck's fragile mind. I wasn't sure how this one was going to play out, but by the time I was finished, I was left satisfied, but yearning for more. I find that a testament to the writing on display, not a knock on the length of the book.
I devoured this short book in one reading session and would recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in serial killers, both real, and fictional. I'll be on the lookout for more books by Terry M. West
June 3, 2020
We all have a demon inside. Or, on our left shoulder. Or, that we picked up at the site of some horrible event. We’ve all wanted to murder someone. Right? For a second or two? We think about it. Some of us entertain it further through fantasy. But there’s something that holds us back from carrying out our deepest vicious desires. Until we meet the Plat-Eye. It doesn’t take much to resist, but when you’re the victim of your own loved ones, its easier to give in. In Terry M. West’s book, The Devil’s List, Charles Richard Beall gave in, and I can’t blame him...
Read the rest of my review at Horror Geek Life:
https://www.horrorgeeklife.com/2020/0...
Read the rest of my review at Horror Geek Life:
https://www.horrorgeeklife.com/2020/0...
May 3, 2020
Take a ride in a serial killers mind in this short and brutal story
Excellent narration from Paul his voice was perfect for this
I highly recommend checking out Terry’s work you won’t be disappointed
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
Excellent narration from Paul his voice was perfect for this
I highly recommend checking out Terry’s work you won’t be disappointed
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
May 11, 2020
This was a decent short story. It was an audiobook and the only issue I had with the performance was the voice of the demon. Overall, the plot and the way it unfolded was well written. It was a sad story, really. Strange to feel bad for Chuck as he is a pretty messed up character.
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May 1, 2021Terry M. West’s brutal novella, “The Devil’s List” takes place in the 1980’s in Pleasant Storm, Texas, and alludes to West’s acclaimed “CarNex” story. Chuck, a poor, disabled young man, cares for his dying Paw Paw- until he can’t. Throughout the novella, Chuck’s deeds define his character. He battles a demonic “Plat-Eye” that encourages terrible deeds. His deceased Mama had warned him against the creature and the “red dreams” it brings. However, this insidious, shape-shifting, one-eyed evil preys on Chuck’s hatred toward homosexuality, prostitution, and whatever he feels are “sins.” When confronting a bully, Chuck admits, “You can’t see the scars I have. I got them on the inside.”
Beside the already mentioned possible triggers, “The Devil’s List” includes rape, murder, and abuse of a corpse.
When reading this novella, look for the “evil light in the good eye,” and realize it begins with an Oscar Wilde quote, “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.”
Beside the already mentioned possible triggers, “The Devil’s List” includes rape, murder, and abuse of a corpse.
When reading this novella, look for the “evil light in the good eye,” and realize it begins with an Oscar Wilde quote, “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.”
June 8, 2020
I read “the devil’s list by @terrymwest “ . Chuck the main character is possessed by the Plat-eye who is made up of legends. The Plat-eye using Chuck’s past abuse to drive him to commit a series of murders until it becomes personal. This is an extreme horror so it is graphic and meant to be ugly at times. It also shows what happens when the main character is pushed to his breaking point and would let a demon take the wheel on his inner desires. I had some downfalls with this book but I feel that it was more of a personal reading preference and could very much be seen differently by other readers. One being, I wasn’t a fan of the beginning of the story and I felt the it was rushed. Second, I wish this story would have made me feel more connected or sympathize with the main character. I did enjoy the writing by this author and the ending was great. This is all in personal opinion nothing ill towards the author and this book did receive high marks on goodreads from other readers. I gave it a 2.5/5 🌟.
October 3, 2022
I went into listening to this audiobook without realizing that it would be such a graphic horror story. Chuck has been abused and mistreated by everyone in his family except for his mother and most of the town calls him names. When he becomes "possessed" by a demon called Plat-Eye, Chuck can begin to take revenge on those who have done him wrong. In fact, he calls on the demon to help him take care of business.
I felt like the author delved into some areas way more than was necessary, but that is my personal opinion. The story was part horror, part serial killer, part madness. If you aren't bothered by graphic gore, you would probably appreciate this book more.
The narrator did a good job, but honestly, Chuck's voice sounded like someone who was about 90 years old, not a young man. In fact, most of the voices were overdone IMO (and I'm from the deep south). I was given the chance to listen to this book through the author/publisher/narrator and chose to review it.
I felt like the author delved into some areas way more than was necessary, but that is my personal opinion. The story was part horror, part serial killer, part madness. If you aren't bothered by graphic gore, you would probably appreciate this book more.
The narrator did a good job, but honestly, Chuck's voice sounded like someone who was about 90 years old, not a young man. In fact, most of the voices were overdone IMO (and I'm from the deep south). I was given the chance to listen to this book through the author/publisher/narrator and chose to review it.
May 10, 2020
The story was short, not my usual thing. I like relatable killers.... haha! As in Dexter style. This was not a killer anyone could relate to. Ok be mad at your family for treating you like crap but all of this was a bit much. I did like the DFW setting. I frequently go out in some of the cities mentioned in the story.
Paul Burt did an excellent job narrating.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
Paul Burt did an excellent job narrating.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews