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A creepy story of evil, this book takes us through the horrors of ClearStream, a town in the Appalachian Mountains, whose inhabitants were tortured, raped, and killed by the devil. But one brave man, John Abbott, was able to contain the demon and also helped to capture the Boleyn Red Witch. The book focuses on John's heroism and his family through the years and up to the current generation of John the XXVII and his participation in a witch convention. It further examines a down-on-his-luck man, Phil. Phil is a journalist, who while on vacation, becomes a part of the story as evil again raises its ugly head. More deaths, including crucifixions, a bevy of witches, a possession state, evil spells, and the importance of shoes (yes, shoes) round off the story.
A creatively written novel, the author's tale is filled with horror, terror, fear, and sometimes humor while also examining goodness and heroism. With deep descriptions of such malice and revulsion, it is also a story of hate, the outcomes from such loathing, and how one succumbs to the devil. The historically accurate depiction of how shoes and witches were connected in the past and how they are connected in the present adds a fascinating piece to this book. The book views all who practice witchcraft as evil. However, this is a story of past beliefs and prejudices that are examined in the light of our present day. The novel could have benefited by some additional editing. Yet overall, this is an engaging, mind-bending, scary, and multifaceted tale of the devil and hell on earth. Undoubtedly, many will find this a fascinating story that is best read while leaving on the lights at night and while tucking any and all shoes in the closet.