The Button

by D.L. Finn

Lynn Hill left a difficult childhood behind when she turned eighteen. The 1980s were going to be the beginning of a great life. Then what started as an ordinary evening out with her best friend, Stacy, turns into a nightmare. Lynn hears warnings: “Go!” “Leave!” Believing she is hearing things after partying too much, she goes back for one more drink before going home. That decision sets off a chain of events that nothing could have prepared her for. While humans and not-so-human beings are attempting to either help or harm her, Lynn risks everything to find the only person she trusts, Stacy. Who can help her? The stepbrother who shows up right when she needs him or the attractive, helpful bartender who gives her his phone number? Lynn must learn to trust again. Her survival depends on it in this paranormal thriller.

280 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2022

About the author

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her. You can learn more about Ms. Finn at her website: www.dlfinnauthor.com , or email her at: d.l.finn.author@gmail.com

Reviews

[Miriam Hurdle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Button, D. L. Finn portrayed Lynn’s anger toward her dysfunctional and abusive family. The anger was reflected on a button with a negative message. Lynn pinned the button outside her bag so schoolmates could see. When she turned eighteen and worked in a hair salon, she pinned the button inside the purse, but her anger was still there.

Lynn and her best friend and roommate Stacey had a night out in the bar and tried to get free drinks from the guys. The girls were drugged and taken away. That was the beginning of the twists and turns of this thrilling and suspenseful story. Lynn didn’t know whom to trust or distrust including family members she encountered on her spinning ride.

There were two angels provided suggestions in the form of bringing back memories or audible nudging. Lynn learned to use them to make her own decisions. And the evildwel dwelt in the bad guys urged them to commit evil deeds. In this roller coaster ride, Lynn started to trust Kent and had a romantic relationship. The story came to a bright ending and Lynn got a new button with a happy message.

The author D. L Finn skillfully started the story with an angry button and ended it with a happy button. I like this story and highly recommend it.

[Vashti Quiroz-Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lynn grew up in an abusive home. She tried to commit suicide when she was only fourteen years old. When she turned eighteen she left home and tried to make a better life for herself. She began to think that the worse was behind her, until one night out partying with her best friend Stacy turned her life into a whirlwind of nightmare proportions filled with murder, drugs, fear and so much more.

Lynn has two guardian angels looking over her but their actions are limited due to the fact that they cannot interfere with mankind’s free will. They leave clues for her and communicate one-word warnings to try to help her any way they can. Will this be enough to save her from the demon behind all the chaos?

The Button by D.L. Finn is a suspenseful, well-written story that at moments will have you sitting at the edge of your seat. The characters are well developed and interesting. Lynn and her best friend are very relatable and I found myself rooting for them. The evildwel is a great villain––one you’ll love to hate. Overall, this book is a fun and entertaining Paranormal Suspense story that I highly recommend.

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn has grown up in an abusive family with a mother who drinks heavily and a step-father who is physically and verbally abusive towards both Lynn and his biological son, Warren. She escaped home as quickly as she could and is living on with her best friend, Staci, and working as an assistant hairdresser.

Unknown to her, Lynn has a pair of guardian angels who have been watching over her for years. The angels are aware that terrible events lie in Lynn's immediate life path and they are tasked with trying to help her avert the worst outcome. The angels can only guide and are unable to overtly change the course of Lynn's life; she has to make her own choices from her own free will.

One evening Lynn goes out partying with her friend, Staci, and things get wildly out of hand with alcohol and drugs. Lynn wakes up in a strange house next to the body of a dead young man. Staci has disappeared subsequent to leaving the bar with an unknown but gorgeous stranger. Lynn decides against reporting the death to the police and this decision sets in motion a series of events which may or may not have turned out differently had she made a different choice. Lynn is pulled into a frightening struggle to find her friend and save both their lives with a little bit of help from her angels.

I enjoyed Lynn's character and how she stepped up as the plot unfolded, learning to rely more on her instincts or the guiding voices she hears and learning to first love and secondly forgive. The book has quite a significant family drama side story and I enjoyed discovering bits and pieces of information about her family and seeing it all come together neatly at the end.

Kent, Lynn's friend, cum boyfriend, is a lovely character. Patient and kind he evolves as the perfect soulmate for Lynn and it is pleasant to watch their romance coming into fruition.

The supernatural elements are clever and well written, making the story quite believable. Aside form the angels, there is also the evildwel that takes possession of "host" humans whom it can manipulate into fulfilling its evil desires. The descriptions of the evildwel were deliciously creepy, especially the glimpses of it that Lynn catches in the eyes of its current host who is stalking her.

All in, a fast moving and entertaining story which lovers of paranormal thrillers will enjoy.

[Please Pass the Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Button by D.L. Finn is a paranormal thriller surrounding a young adult named Lynn Hill in a small, unincorporated suburb on the outskirts of San Francisco, CA. Lynn graduates from high school and has every reason to hope that the turn of a new decade and the dawn of the 80's will provide the life she was determined to build for herself. Beginning with a night out with fake ID's and her friend Stacy, Lynn drinks the night away, sniffs blow, flirts with an encouraging bartender, and...starts to hear voices. In a terrifying haze of events, Lynn's auspicious start to a new life starts to quickly unravel, forcing her to confront dangers - both real and imagined - with fatal consequences. The forces of the paranormal, messages from the other side, and a series of suspenseful occurrences leave her with little choice than to trust those who may or may not be friend or foe.

I was already half-sold on D.L. Finn's The Button when I read its description, but went absolutely all-in when on the first page I saw that it was set in Castro Valley, California...where both of my parents were born and raised! Finn does a great job moving between her point of view characters, which helps in a story line that would otherwise be pretty complex to follow. The dialogue is natural even when the themes run through the supernatural, creating a tale that feels authentic. I'd classify The Button within the realm of literary fiction as much as paranormal since the approach toward the latter has an intelligence to its application not found in the usual thriller genres with simple jumps and goosebumps. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a good read and some really fun 80's pop-culture.

Review written for Readers' Favorite.

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great mashup of genres. This well-polished novel has a little bit of everything. Want adventure, thriller and mystery? Check. How about a supernatural element that includes angels and a sinister creature of darkness? Check. Romance? A fabulous friendship? It's all here.

Author D.L.Finn delivers a fast-paced tale that begins with a casual night out between friends and spins into a nail-biter of intrigue, a mob-like hierarchy, a supernatural chess match of good vs. evil, and characters that feel like your next door neighbors. Lynn and Staci are wonderful and highly relatable. I loved the references to old TV shows, Alfred's cats, and the family history/dynamics the author built for her main character. The way it shifted and evolved was especially rewarding. This is an entertaining read that will appeal to readers of multiple genres. Well done!

[Robbie Cheadle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynn has grown up in an abusive family with a mother who drinks heavily and a step-father who is physically and verbally abusive towards both Lynn and his biological son, Warren. She escaped home as quickly as she could and is living on with her best friend, Staci, and working as an assistant hairdresser.

Unknown to her, Lynn has a pair of guardian angels who have been watching over her for years. The angels are aware that terrible events lie in Lynn's immediate life path and they are tasked with trying to help her avert the worst outcome. The angels can only guide and are unable to overtly change the course of Lynn's life; she has to make her own choices from her own free will.

One evening Lynn goes out partying with her friend, Staci, and things get wildly out of hand with alcohol and drugs. Lynn wakes up in a strange house next to the body of a dead young man. Staci has disappeared subsequent to leaving the bar with an unknown but gorgeous stranger. Lynn decides against reporting the death to the police and this decision sets in motion a series of events which may or may not have turned out differently had she made a different choice. Lynn is pulled into a frightening struggle to find her friend and save both their lives with a little bit of help from her angels.

I enjoyed Lynn's character and how she stepped up as the plot unfolded, learning to rely more on her instincts or the guiding voices she hears and learning to first love and secondly forgive. The book has quite a significant family drama side story and I enjoyed discovering bits and pieces of information about her family and seeing it all come together neatly at the end.

Kent, Lynn's friend, cum boyfriend, is a lovely character. Patient and kind he evolves as the perfect soulmate for Lynn and it is pleasant to watch their romance coming into fruition.

The supernatural elements are clever and well written, making the story quite believable. Aside form the angels, there is also the evildwel that takes possession of "host" humans whom it can manipulate into fulfilling its evil desires. The descriptions of the evildwel were deliciously creepy, especially the glimpses of it that Lynn catches in the eyes of its current host who is stalking her.

All in, a fast moving and entertaining story which lovers of paranormal thrillers will enjoy.

[Karen Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of good and evil, angels and demons, murder and abuse, and a little romance. A well-written story centering around Lynn whose life changes dramatically in one night. A new romance, the disappearance of her best friend, her step-brother showing up, and her grandfather comes back into her life.
A page-turner with lots of twists and turns.

[John W. Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued from the beginning of The Button reading the prologue. Usually, these things put me to sleep, but D.L.Finn packed hers with information about the paranormal side of this story that became the handbook for the rest of the tale. We readers were brought in early to the fact that the protagonist was a depressed person who had no regard for her life. We were also given the inside information that the two angles who are casually discussing the protagonist’s future are tasked with helping avoid a soulful disaster. It is not often I read a prolog that is useful, but this one is excellent.

I enjoyed this book. There was enough excitement, intrigue, mystery, and paranormal maneuvers for anyone to enjoy. The characters were well defined and carried a depth that was utterly satisfying. The pace of the book was just right to keep the reader involved while still getting enough of the details into the scenes to make them live.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well-written story that is very hard to put down.

[Jan Sikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story from D.L. Finn. I loved the way she portrayed the Angels that watch over humans and how they can only give nudges and leave random clues, but can never interfere with human's free will. The author made it all surreal and yet believable. She also depicted the evildwel very well and it explains why some people are dedicated to doing horrible things to others. I also loved how the Angels made the evildwel uncomfortable, yet they couldn't interfere or prevent her from propagating evil. When Lynn and her best friend Stacy go out for a night on the town, neither of them can imagine what is about to transpire. The author kept the tension high and the story moving forward with every scene. When Kent appeared in the story, I was unsure as to his motives but loved the character he turned out to be. Of course, it was only natural that he and Lynn would fall in love. This story came to a most satisfying conclusion with the author wrapping up all the loose ends. I highly recommend it!

[Jacquie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a night out partying with her friend, Stacy, Lynn Hill awakens in a strange bed with a dead man she barely remembers from the evening before. Freaked out, and scared to go to the police Lynn tries to reconnect with Stacy but can’t find her anywhere. She vaguely recalls her friend leaving with a gorgeous stranger, but not much else, and is afraid their drinks were drugged, and Stacy could be in real danger.

Sick and frightened, Lynn goes home only to find her apartment ransacked. She spends a cold and miserable night in her car and only dares to return home during the day to get cleaned up. When her troubled stepbrother appears at her door assuring her his life has changed for the better, she lets him in and that decision leads to grave consequences.

Lynn comes from an abusive background and tries to commit suicide as a young teen. She overcomes her situation and manages to create a good life for herself, but it seems as though bad forces outside of her control are out to destroy her life. Now, she must decide who she can trust and how she can overcome the evil powers set to steal her soul.

This is a gripping thriller set out in the classic struggle of good versus evil. The author does a wonderful job portraying two helpful angels and the evildwel they must protect their human from. The suspense is high in the recommended read!

[Karen Ingalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murder, abuse, love, angels, and evil-doers all wrapped into one fast-paced story. The author keeps the reader guessing as to how the story will end. This is a page-turning story with lots of twists and turns.

[K.J. Simmill]

Lynn hadn't had an easy life, but a failed suicide attempt left her able to hear the voices of angels, or more specifically the voices of those who watched over her, Thomas and Zelina. Long ago Thomas had made a mistake, one that had consequences on Lynn's life, and he was determined to set things back on track, but they could only guide her, it was up to her if she listened. When Lynn wakes next to a dead body with no idea how she got there she begins to panic. There was a reason Lynn's life had been difficult, she was firmly in the sights of Dian, an evildwel, a being that lives of fear and anger, and it has attached itself to someone in her life, but something bigger is in the works, a hidden quest, the kidnapping of her friend Stacy, and the strange shooting of 'good cops'. Is it all connected, or is this just another unlucky run in the tragedy that became Lynn's life?

The Button is a thrilling and tense paranormal mystery / romance by D.L. Finn. It focuses around Lynn, the two angels watching over her, and the evildwel and alternates between their point of view whilst remaining in a gripping third-person narrative. Lynn is a good protagonist for this story, and you'll spend the first half of the book wondering who she should put her trust in Kent, the handsome bartender met the same night she was drugged to wake up next to a dead drug dealer, or her step-brother Warren, who has returned into her life. I enjoyed the guessing and air of mystery, as well as the tense and escalating plot. Action, terror, adventure, and tragedy combine to make a tense tale of trust, betrayal, and a little dose of divine intervention.

[TMDGReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynn has quite an adventure in this story, along with her best friend, Stacy. She wakes up next to a dead body after a night of liberal drinking and drug use; she can't find Stacy, and she doesn't know whom to trust. Her building a tolerance to drugs played a role in the results of her situation on more than one occasion. There are several complicated relationships, visible and hidden, between the characters of the book that you may question when all is revealed. There are also good and evil forces in play. Angels who look over the girls try to help them make good decisions and positively change their outcome. I would have liked it if the story had begun with Lynn waking up in bed next to the dead guy, the beginning felt slow and a little muddled for me when the angels are discussing what has happened and what will happen. The evil entity that used the villain as a host also confused me because they were a character and had thoughts or dialogue. It's presence alone was sufficient, but I believe it began that way to conceal the identity of the villain. The significance of the title, the button involved in the book (which I won't post the phrase here:) I recall seeing those buttons as a teenager. Movie quotes and other descriptions also fit within the year of the story. Once Stacy and Lynn are reunited, they are in for a fight of their lives.

[Jan Sikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this story from D.L. Finn. I loved the way she portrayed the Angels that watch over humans and how they can only give nudges and leave random clues, but can never interfere with human's free will. The author made it all surreal and yet believable. She also depicted the evildwel very well and it explains why some people are dedicated to doing horrible things to others. I also loved how the Angels made the evildwel uncomfortable, yet they couldn't interfere or prevent her from propagating evil. When Lynn and her best friend Stacy go out for a night on the town, neither of them can imagine what is about to transpire. The author kept the tension high and the story moving forward with every scene. When Kent appeared in the story, I was unsure as to his motives but loved the character he turned out to be. Of course, it was only natural that he and Lynn would fall in love. This story came to a most satisfying conclusion with all the loose ends wrapped up nicely. If you enjoy a story that incorporates the heavenly realm with earthly, you will love this book. I highly recommend it.

[Michael Eging · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.L. Finn is an author I have been following for quite some time. I very much enjoyed this shorter piece, and look forward to reading more of her work.

[TMDGReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lynn has quite an adventure in this story, along with her best friend, Stacy. She wakes up next to a dead body after a night of liberal drinking and drug use; she can't find Stacy, and she doesn't know whom to trust. Her building a tolerance to drugs played a role in the results of her situation on more than one occasion. There are several complicated relationships, visible and hidden, between the characters of the book that you may question when all is revealed. There are also good and evil forces in play. Angels who look over the girls try to help them make good decisions and positively change their outcome. I would have liked it if the story had begun with Lynn waking up in bed next to the dead guy, the beginning felt slow and a little muddled for me when the angels are discussing what has happened and what will happen. The evil entity that used the villain as a host also confused me because they were a character and had thoughts or dialogue. It's presence alone was sufficient, but I believe it began that way to conceal the identity of the villain. The significance of the title, the button involved in the book (which I won't post the phrase here:) I recall seeing those buttons as a teenager. Movie quotes and other descriptions also fit within the year of the story. Once Stacy and Lynn are reunited, they are in for a fight of their lives.

[D. Peach · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a night of drinking and partying, Lynn, a troubled young woman, wakes up next to a dead man, her apartment sacked, and her best friend Stacy missing. Complicated family histories, criminal kingpins, and a smattering of romance make for a wild story as good guys and bad guys navigate their way through repeated captures and escapes.

On top of that, paranormal forces are in play. A malicious spirit called an evildwel possesses the body of Warren, Lynn’s stepbrother, feeding off the rampant fear and chaos he generates. At the other end of the spectrum, are an angel-in-training and his supervisor who intervene in small ways to help Lynn.

The pace ranges from speedy action scenes at one end of the spectrum to moderate narration by the supernatural beings at the other. Other than Warren, who is a devious psychopath to the core, the characters are 3-dimensional and emotionally authentic. Stacy was my favorite with her sarcasm, but Lynn and her love-interest-rescuer Kent held close seconds. The friendship between Lynn and Stacy is endearing.

A thriller, family drama, romance, The Button has a bit of something for everyone.

[Gwendolyn Plano · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.L. Finn's Angel and Evildwel series is one to read. The Button kept me on my toes with its tense scenes and the intertwining paranormal mystery. I liked the play of good and evil, as well as the mystery. Thank goodness for angelic intervention. Well written, this novel grabbed my attention from the start and held it to the end.