Necessary Evil: A Novel

by David A. Van Meter

Young Billy McIvain has faced the worst experience a child can face--the murder of his grandfather, the only person who had ever cared for him. When the killers not only get away with it, but profit from their crime, Billy's whole life changes. The making of a killer has begun. Abandoned by his violent father and neglected by his acoholic mother, Billy starts down a path of destruction. He lashes out at the injustice of the world and winds up in jail as a teenager. Now, at 33, he is on the loose with only one thing on his mind--revenge. And all those responsible for his pain will pay dearly. HC: Little, Brown.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

282 pages, Hardcover

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!!