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Divine Evil
A decade ago, sculptor Clare Kimball fled Emmitsboro, Maryland, to take the art world by storm. Now she’s celebrated as the artist of her generation. But no amount of success can eclipse the nightmares that haunt her—or the memories of her father’s suicide. Just as her star is shining brighter than ever, Clare leaves it all behind to face her demons.
Emmitsboro sheriff Cameron Rafferty loved Clare from afar all through high school. Now that she’s back, they form a bond that grows stronger each day—fueled by an attraction that’s been simmering for years. But Clare’s past soon rises up with a vengeance, rocking the town with a sinister murder that is clearly linked to her return. As an investigation gets under way, Clare and Cameron will learn that evil can linger anywhere—even in those you love and trust the most. But it’s a discovery that may come too late to save them.…
Emmitsboro sheriff Cameron Rafferty loved Clare from afar all through high school. Now that she’s back, they form a bond that grows stronger each day—fueled by an attraction that’s been simmering for years. But Clare’s past soon rises up with a vengeance, rocking the town with a sinister murder that is clearly linked to her return. As an investigation gets under way, Clare and Cameron will learn that evil can linger anywhere—even in those you love and trust the most. But it’s a discovery that may come too late to save them.…
577 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 1992
1846 people are currently reading
6567 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,209 books59.6k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 991 reviews
October 31, 2017
Clare Kimball is a sculptor whose work has gained notoriety and success in the art world. Just as she should be basking in the acceptance of critics and buyers, Clare abruptly decides to leave New York and return to her Emmitsboro, Maryland, her hometown and site of so many painful memories. After having worked as a detective in Washington, DC, Cameron (Cam) Rafferty has also returned to Emmitsboro as the sheriff, escaping to a much quieter life on the streets and in his home. Neither Clare or Cam could have foreseen the evil that lived inside of the town, even though her nightmares were born there.
What a truly creepy story! At least 13 men in that town were practicing satanic rituals incognito but it seemed to me it was a cover for some kinky behavior, that is until it took a murderous turn. Before I reached the end, I’d guessed the identities of most of them but was stunned by the twist at the end. Very, very clever Ms. Roberts and message received. Evil doesn’t necessarily show up in plain sight or stereotypically sinister. I enjoyed listening to the story as the narrator delivered an excellent performance. Even though this is an older book, it didn’t have many dated moments, if you exclude the obvious absence of cell phones. Highly recommend this book and the audio format. 4.5 stars
What a truly creepy story! At least 13 men in that town were practicing satanic rituals incognito but it seemed to me it was a cover for some kinky behavior, that is until it took a murderous turn. Before I reached the end, I’d guessed the identities of most of them but was stunned by the twist at the end. Very, very clever Ms. Roberts and message received. Evil doesn’t necessarily show up in plain sight or stereotypically sinister. I enjoyed listening to the story as the narrator delivered an excellent performance. Even though this is an older book, it didn’t have many dated moments, if you exclude the obvious absence of cell phones. Highly recommend this book and the audio format. 4.5 stars
June 24, 2008
There are quite a few negative reviews for this book - which surprises me a little, but at the same time, I can also understand. Divine Evil is a rather atypical for Roberts as its much more descriptive and gruesome than her other books. The plot deals with a Satanic cult that abuses and tortures young women/girls and Roberts is surprising graphic in her detailing of those situations. It creeped me out a bit, but not nearly enough to stop reading the book or to refuse to read another Nora Roberts book (as some reviewers said they have done). Personally, I thought the descriptiveness added to the reality of the story and created a great dark and twisted nuance. But if you are one who is squeamish, then you probably should steer clear of this book.
As for the romance. I really enjoyed it quite a bit. I loved the first scene between Clare and Cam. It was rather amusing. On the whole, there's a great chemistry between the two and I liked reading about the progression of their relationship. (I'd say more, but it's been ages since I last read this book). Clare was an interesting heroine to read about - her repressed memories, how they've haunted her and affected her work as an artist. She's a heroine that you can really root for.
I think my only complaint overall about the book was the very end. There was just a not-so-little detail that really rather bugged me....but I won't say what so I don't give away anything. I would rather Roberts not have done what she did. It left me wondering too much. But I still loved the book. It's definitely one of my all-time keepers and Nora Roberts favorite.
As for the romance. I really enjoyed it quite a bit. I loved the first scene between Clare and Cam. It was rather amusing. On the whole, there's a great chemistry between the two and I liked reading about the progression of their relationship. (I'd say more, but it's been ages since I last read this book). Clare was an interesting heroine to read about - her repressed memories, how they've haunted her and affected her work as an artist. She's a heroine that you can really root for.
I think my only complaint overall about the book was the very end. There was just a not-so-little detail that really rather bugged me....but I won't say what so I don't give away anything. I would rather Roberts not have done what she did. It left me wondering too much. But I still loved the book. It's definitely one of my all-time keepers and Nora Roberts favorite.
October 15, 2021
This was so long and tedious. Also there's barely any romance and what there is you quickly forget about it when it comes to reading about the group sex, rapes, murders, and animals being killed. Heck we even get a scene of a man being beaten to death which actually turned my stomach. I don't think the main characters or secondary characters were very developed. And there's a topic of racism introduced and dropped quickly which was odd. The ending was a total nonstarter. I can see if Roberts had wrote a sequel to this, but since she didn't, this book has an odd and menacing ending.
Clare Kimball is a sculptor living in New York. Even though she is on the cusp of making a name for herself she still feels unsettled by her father's death years earlier. Coming home she found him dead of what looked to be an apparent suicide. And a dream she had as a child which comes back to her now and again haunts her. When her mother remarries and goes on her honeymoon, Clare decides to return to her former home in Emmitsboro, Maryland. She thinks she can stay there and work on new pieces and maybe come to terms over her father's death and her anger towards her mother for moving on.
So Clare sucks. She has a best friend named Angie, who runs an art gallery with her husband Jean-Paul. Apparently she has no other friends though her twin brother Blair makes random appearances. She also is divorced though you don't hear much about her first marriage. You quickly find out that Clare is angry/upset about her mother and her moving on. She feels stuck and thinks returning to a town she hasn't lived in in about a decade is definitely the answer. When she returns she runs into Cameron (Cam) Rafferty. Cam has also returned to the hometown after being a cop in DC. He's now the new sheriff and is dealing with a lot of bad memories due to his mother and his stepfather.
Obviously theses two are romantically interested in each other. But Roberts breaks that up with allowing readers POV of a young woman being raped and murdered and then a young teen boy who is apparently into Satanism and is obsessed with Clare.
Clare hides what she starts to discover about her father's interest in the occult. And Cam gets into it with his stepfather and locks him up. When the man is found naked and beaten to death more things come to light in the supposed sleepy rural town.
I honestly felt like this was two stories meshed into one. Either Roberts should have had Clare investigating once she realized some truths about her father. Or Cam should have been the focus with him trying to reconcile with his mother. Instead neither characters are center stage in this book. I felt more for Cam especially when there's a reveal about how his father died and I hated that I don't think he was told during the course of the story. I did want him and his mother reconciled but sadly that doesn't happen.
Either way Clare does her sculptures and then all of a sudden gets emeshed in a case when a young woman she accidentally hits with her car that was running from men in the woods. Though she still wants to hide any thoughts about her father. Her brother and then Angie and Jean-Paul are in Emmitsboro trying to keep and eye on Clare. It honestly doesn't make any sense why anyone is afraid of Clare's return. She doesn't go around asking questions or anything related to her father. Whatever.
Can I say that these Satanists are stupid? Who goes around abducting and murdering people thinking they will get away with it? And these seem like 80s TV movie versions of Satanists. I wish Roberts had introduced more information on how these dumb men were even lured to do things like this. Roberts tries to with the ending, but it was so out of left field I rolled my eyes.
The setting of this small town didn't feel like Maryland to me. It felt more Midwest to me. With the talk of the smallness of the town and barely any stores or shops and small farms I had a hard time with that.
As I said above, the ending left things open ended and was a weird note to end this book on. I don't recommend this.
Clare Kimball is a sculptor living in New York. Even though she is on the cusp of making a name for herself she still feels unsettled by her father's death years earlier. Coming home she found him dead of what looked to be an apparent suicide. And a dream she had as a child which comes back to her now and again haunts her. When her mother remarries and goes on her honeymoon, Clare decides to return to her former home in Emmitsboro, Maryland. She thinks she can stay there and work on new pieces and maybe come to terms over her father's death and her anger towards her mother for moving on.
So Clare sucks. She has a best friend named Angie, who runs an art gallery with her husband Jean-Paul. Apparently she has no other friends though her twin brother Blair makes random appearances. She also is divorced though you don't hear much about her first marriage. You quickly find out that Clare is angry/upset about her mother and her moving on. She feels stuck and thinks returning to a town she hasn't lived in in about a decade is definitely the answer. When she returns she runs into Cameron (Cam) Rafferty. Cam has also returned to the hometown after being a cop in DC. He's now the new sheriff and is dealing with a lot of bad memories due to his mother and his stepfather.
Obviously theses two are romantically interested in each other. But Roberts breaks that up with allowing readers POV of a young woman being raped and murdered and then a young teen boy who is apparently into Satanism and is obsessed with Clare.
Clare hides what she starts to discover about her father's interest in the occult. And Cam gets into it with his stepfather and locks him up. When the man is found naked and beaten to death more things come to light in the supposed sleepy rural town.
I honestly felt like this was two stories meshed into one. Either Roberts should have had Clare investigating once she realized some truths about her father. Or Cam should have been the focus with him trying to reconcile with his mother. Instead neither characters are center stage in this book. I felt more for Cam especially when there's a reveal about how his father died and I hated that I don't think he was told during the course of the story. I did want him and his mother reconciled but sadly that doesn't happen.
Either way Clare does her sculptures and then all of a sudden gets emeshed in a case when a young woman she accidentally hits with her car that was running from men in the woods. Though she still wants to hide any thoughts about her father. Her brother and then Angie and Jean-Paul are in Emmitsboro trying to keep and eye on Clare. It honestly doesn't make any sense why anyone is afraid of Clare's return. She doesn't go around asking questions or anything related to her father. Whatever.
Can I say that these Satanists are stupid? Who goes around abducting and murdering people thinking they will get away with it? And these seem like 80s TV movie versions of Satanists. I wish Roberts had introduced more information on how these dumb men were even lured to do things like this. Roberts tries to with the ending, but it was so out of left field I rolled my eyes.
The setting of this small town didn't feel like Maryland to me. It felt more Midwest to me. With the talk of the smallness of the town and barely any stores or shops and small farms I had a hard time with that.
As I said above, the ending left things open ended and was a weird note to end this book on. I don't recommend this.
February 2, 2024
A real great book! ❤️📖❤️
Want to read
September 18, 2025What a book! What a book! I can't sleep because all I'm thinking about is what happens next!
Clare is an artist living in New York, she is a successful sculptress, from a little town called Emmitsboro, 28 years old redhead and haunted by weird nightmares of her childhood, she is messy, smokes, and lives in her own head and tries to move away from her past.
In Emmitsboro, a cult is murdering again and cop Cam is on it! But like almost all of Nora's books, there are two crimes happening at once which confuses the investigation.
Clare is an artist living in New York, she is a successful sculptress, from a little town called Emmitsboro, 28 years old redhead and haunted by weird nightmares of her childhood, she is messy, smokes, and lives in her own head and tries to move away from her past.
In Emmitsboro, a cult is murdering again and cop Cam is on it! But like almost all of Nora's books, there are two crimes happening at once which confuses the investigation.
did-not-finish
June 9, 2015A sect of Satanic worshipers who rape and kill women in a small town in the middle of nowhere.
Not my thing. This book is too disturbed for me :(
But it is shockingly similar to the movie Hot Fuzz :DDDDD
June 5, 2008
I am a huge NR fan, but I never did like this one. It's conclusion was very disturbing to me, and I actually had nightmares. I am very against disposing of books in general, but this one hit the trash bin with amazing speed. I'm just glad it didn't turn me off of her writing for good, and I still collect anything and everything else she's written, even when they aren't my favorites. I definitely would NOT reccomend this book to others. In fact, I usually tell people to stay away from it.
December 6, 2018
Nora Roberts' books are my go-to guilty pleasure books, but this one did not work for me. This is one of her older works (early 90's), and it shows. The characters smoke like chimneys, for one thing. I don't keep up with trends in romances, but I would think that is unusual these days.
The whole cult thing was just so melodramatic and over-the-top. I know there are active cults in our country and that Satanism is a thing, but really? A secret Satanist cult that literally rules the town? Almost every figure of authority in the town is involved! The former sheriff, the mayor, a deputy, the town doctor, etc. And no one caught on in all those years? And all these older men are recruiting a high-school kid to be their leader? If they're dumb enough to not only trust their lives to this kid who could destroy them by revealing their secret but to want him to LEAD them and make decisions for them, then it's pretty clear that their days are numbered anyway! I didn't mind the graphic violence or gory parts; the believability factor was my main issue.
I guess the setting is the most believable part. After all, Children of the Corn taught us all how sinister fields of produce can be. So Satanic robed figures skulking among the cabbages is not that surprising anymore!
Anyway, I finished this, but the only character I really liked was Cam. Angie and Jean-Paul might have been fun, but they appear too briefly. I never really warmed up to Claire, and the bad guys were just a hair too close to moustache-twirling to suit me. I still love Nora, but for me, she missed the boat on this one.
The whole cult thing was just so melodramatic and over-the-top. I know there are active cults in our country and that Satanism is a thing, but really? A secret Satanist cult that literally rules the town? Almost every figure of authority in the town is involved! The former sheriff, the mayor, a deputy, the town doctor, etc. And no one caught on in all those years? And all these older men are recruiting a high-school kid to be their leader? If they're dumb enough to not only trust their lives to this kid who could destroy them by revealing their secret but to want him to LEAD them and make decisions for them, then it's pretty clear that their days are numbered anyway! I didn't mind the graphic violence or gory parts; the believability factor was my main issue.
I guess the setting is the most believable part. After all, Children of the Corn taught us all how sinister fields of produce can be. So Satanic robed figures skulking among the cabbages is not that surprising anymore!
Anyway, I finished this, but the only character I really liked was Cam. Angie and Jean-Paul might have been fun, but they appear too briefly. I never really warmed up to Claire, and the bad guys were just a hair too close to moustache-twirling to suit me. I still love Nora, but for me, she missed the boat on this one.
February 21, 2016
2.5 stars. Claire is an absolute idiot. I couldn't stand her. In fact most of the women in this book are unbearably stupid and/or horrible people. The plot wasn't bad and I liked Cam but overall I have to give it a thumbs down
May 19, 2024
My second Nora book, the writing style, is one that is easy to read despite the gory cult Satanic detail. Its main characters are Clare Kimball, a sculptress who returns to her hometown, and Cameron/Cam Rafferty, the town sheriff. Their romance develops quickly. Clare has nightmares from childhood and can't understand her fathers death. Cam also returned, once the local bad boy, and now turned good. It was written in the 90s, and parts of it I found quite dated, especially the amount of smoking. I also wasn't keen on how Cam wouldn't listen to Clare and how quickly they jumped into love you's. The pacing was a bit off. For a long book, the ending felt rushed compared to its slow start. I do like the mystery and love story mix, typical of both books I've read. I did guess who the main Satanic leaders were, fairly early on, which was disappointing. I prefer more twists, if I'm honest, although I didn't guess the last few pages. I have a bagful of her books given to me, so I'm sure I'll read more, but I'm not in any great hurry to get round to them. Overall, it was readable if a little dated.
August 15, 2013
4.5 stars.
This is my mums book. I ran out of books to read so she lent it me.
I really enjoyed this book. I found it hard to put it down. The story was really interesting and mysterious. At first, I was a little shocked at how dark it was. The plot is a lot darker than the blurb lets you believe.
I liked the characters, including Clare and Cameron. I liked reading their relationship and liked how it progressed throughout the book. My favourite character has to be Annie though. She was so sweet and I couldn't help but smile at the parts she was in.
The reason I gave it 4.5 stars was because I wasn't keen on the ending. I still have questions that need to be answered. What happened to the men? What happened to Ernie? How did people react? What happened with Clare and Cameron? I felt that the book could have done with one last chapter, maybe about what had happened when it all came out, how people reacted etc.
It was a really good book with a lot of surprises. If you're interested in mystery books with romance, this would be a good book to read.
This is my mums book. I ran out of books to read so she lent it me.
I really enjoyed this book. I found it hard to put it down. The story was really interesting and mysterious. At first, I was a little shocked at how dark it was. The plot is a lot darker than the blurb lets you believe.
I liked the characters, including Clare and Cameron. I liked reading their relationship and liked how it progressed throughout the book. My favourite character has to be Annie though. She was so sweet and I couldn't help but smile at the parts she was in.
The reason I gave it 4.5 stars was because I wasn't keen on the ending. I still have questions that need to be answered. What happened to the men? What happened to Ernie? How did people react? What happened with Clare and Cameron? I felt that the book could have done with one last chapter, maybe about what had happened when it all came out, how people reacted etc.
It was a really good book with a lot of surprises. If you're interested in mystery books with romance, this would be a good book to read.
May 14, 2019
A book that reminded me of Brotherhood in Death which I read recently and also involves a .
Clare, an artist famous for her dark work, returns to the town where she grew up in order to face the nightmares of her past that include her father's suicide. There she reunites with Cameron, a bad boy of their high school days who is now the town sheriff.
The two share some pretty intense attraction and soon start a relationship, that eventually help Clare deal with her past trauma and Cameron discover the truth about .
Romantic suspense heavy on the mystery and darkness, especially considering the happy but also creepy ending.
Clare, an artist famous for her dark work, returns to the town where she grew up in order to face the nightmares of her past that include her father's suicide. There she reunites with Cameron, a bad boy of their high school days who is now the town sheriff.
The two share some pretty intense attraction and soon start a relationship, that eventually help Clare deal with her past trauma and Cameron discover the truth about .
Romantic suspense heavy on the mystery and darkness, especially considering the happy but also creepy ending.
March 15, 2018
I have not read ONE Nora Roberts Crime Thriller that I didn't thoroughly enjoy. She always finds a way to give you a lovable heroine and a charming Male protagonist. This was a great story about hoe darkness can lie in any small town. By the end of it you knew pretty much everything going on, so there was no real "AH HA!" moment. However the closing scene did throw in a nice little twist. Highly recommended for Crime Thriller lovers.
April 12, 2021
I love you Nora Roberts. I love your 1992 interpretation of the Satanic Panic. I love your World Famous Young Feminist Sculptor heroine. I even love your stupid cop love interest unfortunately.
https://www.frowl.org/worstbestseller...
https://www.frowl.org/worstbestseller...
December 22, 2023
Nelabai mėgstu knygų apie sektas, ritualines žmogžudystes.
Knygos veikėjai per daug užsiėmę vienas kitu, savo jausmais, kad pastebėtų aplink tvyrantį blogį. Blogis, kuris sklinda nuo pat pirmų knygos puslapių.
Šiaip knyga gana vidutiniška, yra keletas vietų, kurias perskaitęs nesupranti apie ką parašyta. Perskaitai iš naujo, bet visvien lieka neaišku. Ištisi sakiniai niekaip nesiklijuoja. Manau, tai vertėjo klaida. Lyg baltais siūlais susiūta.
Knygos veikėjai per daug užsiėmę vienas kitu, savo jausmais, kad pastebėtų aplink tvyrantį blogį. Blogis, kuris sklinda nuo pat pirmų knygos puslapių.
Šiaip knyga gana vidutiniška, yra keletas vietų, kurias perskaitęs nesupranti apie ką parašyta. Perskaitai iš naujo, bet visvien lieka neaišku. Ištisi sakiniai niekaip nesiklijuoja. Manau, tai vertėjo klaida. Lyg baltais siūlais susiūta.
October 15, 2018
So I had another deja vu moment with a NR book. Pretty sure I read back in 2010 before GRs for me. Anywho, so many years in books between, I wasn’t certain of the story and still enjoyed.
I did dislike Cam’s mom and Claire at times. The whole head in the sand routine plucked my nerves, especially Cam’s mom and all of her actions.
Claire at least saw reason.
Overall good book. Good narration.
I did dislike Cam’s mom and Claire at times. The whole head in the sand routine plucked my nerves, especially Cam’s mom and all of her actions.
Claire at least saw reason.
Overall good book. Good narration.
December 14, 2008
Emittsboro, MD, is a small town where every body knows everybody and their business. But this town holds a dark secret.
Clare iss now a successful artist that has been living in New York City. She has now come home to Emmitsboro to settle her past. She's been having recurrent nightmare about her father, and something she saw as a small child.
Cam is a former bad boy that left town to become a DC detective. He too has come home, but he is running from a horrible memory in DC. He's now the sheriff of Emittsboro.
He had a crush on Clare when they were teens, but she never new it. Cam never quite new it either until he sees her again.
They are thrown together to solve what is happening in the town. Murders, disappearnces, possible Satan worship. What is going on?
I liked the story, though it had a ton of characters to follow and keep straight.
I recommend for any romantic suspense fans. However, it contains rape scenes and satantic worship as well.
Clare iss now a successful artist that has been living in New York City. She has now come home to Emmitsboro to settle her past. She's been having recurrent nightmare about her father, and something she saw as a small child.
Cam is a former bad boy that left town to become a DC detective. He too has come home, but he is running from a horrible memory in DC. He's now the sheriff of Emittsboro.
He had a crush on Clare when they were teens, but she never new it. Cam never quite new it either until he sees her again.
They are thrown together to solve what is happening in the town. Murders, disappearnces, possible Satan worship. What is going on?
I liked the story, though it had a ton of characters to follow and keep straight.
I recommend for any romantic suspense fans. However, it contains rape scenes and satantic worship as well.
October 1, 2017
3.5 STARS
I found the audio version while cruising OverDrive and couldn't resist. This is by far the darkest book I've read from NR. It wasn't bad but definitely dated. I probably would have enjoyed it much more 15 years ago.
Audio - Katie Firth is an excellent narrator. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to her again.
I found the audio version while cruising OverDrive and couldn't resist. This is by far the darkest book I've read from NR. It wasn't bad but definitely dated. I probably would have enjoyed it much more 15 years ago.
Audio - Katie Firth is an excellent narrator. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to her again.
September 23, 2020
Goodness! That one took you to the "dark" side. Cults. Scary how we have so many these days.
April 4, 2021
This was so weird and it also didn't age well...
April 23, 2019
* 4.5 out of 5 Stars
Initial Thoughts
I knew before going in that it won’t be a typical romantic suspense read for me – it’s not fantasy or paranormal but it deals with ‘evil’ powers and Satanic cult stuff – makes me feel a little uneasy/weird. But it’s a Nora Roberts book and I was going to pick it up and read it.
The Writing
The writing was dark – very dark – and intense at times, slightly repetitive but that was required to set the scene and establish the patterns for the rituals. It was just a bit hard to read about all the evil stuff that was happening.
It is a very atmospheric read though. The temperature has been rising steadily here but while reading this book, I could almost feel a charge in the air around me. It was like my personal dark cloud shielding (blocking) me from the sunlight. It kept the worst of the heat out. 🤷♀️
The Plot
I really enjoyed the plot and pacing of the story despite it being creepy and unbelievable at times – not that the events that took place are impossible to happen in real life but it was hard for me to imagine them being real even though I know such things do happen a lot more often than I get to know about them.
Regardless, I couldn’t stop reading it. Sometimes I would be so creeped out that I could feel something cold and wet slithering down my spine and want to take a warm bath but I also wanted to know who was behind it all.
The story was quite engaging – and the small town setting is one of my favorites to read about even though a certain type of characters ever-present in such settings annoy me a little – you know, the nosy busybodies and gossip-mongers that are characteristic of small towns where everybody has to know everybody’s business.
The Characters
Why did she put herself through this? Each time, every time, it felt as though she had ripped out her feelings, her fantasies and fears and put them on public display. And it never got better, never got easier.
Clare Kimball is a famous sculptor who immerses herself in her work to get through the days. She’s been through a lot since she was kid plagued with nightmares that still haunt her. She returns to her hometown for a while to find some inspiration and maybe make peace with the past but the town isn’t as quiet and safe as she remembers.
Strange things have been happening and Sheriff Cameron Rafferty is uneasy about the whole thing. But he is amazing – returned to his hometown for a quiet life but now his cop’s instinct is tingling and things are getting worse is his quaint town but he’s smart, brave and kind and willing to do what it takes to protect his town.
He brought her hands to his lips, brushed a kiss over her knuckles in a quietly romantic gesture that brought tears to her eyes.
Clare, on the other hand, annoyed me a lot. It was frustrating to see her make the wrong choices repeatedly, hiding from the truth, keeping secrets, running scared. She does have a good heart, however naive she may be. She’s also, strong, fierce and loyal. It was nice to see how patient and sweet Cameron is with her and how much she grows throughout the course of this book.
He pulled her close again, ignoring her rigid stance. “I’ll just wait you out, Slim,” he murmured. “You can step back, build a wall, run away, and cover your trail. I’ll just wait you out.”
Final Thoughts
It was a hard book to read but had an engaging story-line. And I shouldn’t have waited so long to write this review. There were a lot of feelings floating inside me when I finished this book that I’m unable to recall them in their entirety now.
I will say that I’m not completely satisfied with the ending. I liked the twist, came out of nowhere. It just leaves room for an epilogue, a follow-up novella or even a full-fledged sequel but seeing as how long it’s been since this book was published, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Recommended To… Fans of adult romantic suspense or Nora Roberts, though you might want to avoid it if any of the following trigger you: violence, physical/sexual assault, rape, murder, animal cruelty, suicide, abduction, death.
Initial Thoughts
I knew before going in that it won’t be a typical romantic suspense read for me – it’s not fantasy or paranormal but it deals with ‘evil’ powers and Satanic cult stuff – makes me feel a little uneasy/weird. But it’s a Nora Roberts book and I was going to pick it up and read it.
The Writing
The writing was dark – very dark – and intense at times, slightly repetitive but that was required to set the scene and establish the patterns for the rituals. It was just a bit hard to read about all the evil stuff that was happening.
It is a very atmospheric read though. The temperature has been rising steadily here but while reading this book, I could almost feel a charge in the air around me. It was like my personal dark cloud shielding (blocking) me from the sunlight. It kept the worst of the heat out. 🤷♀️
The Plot
I really enjoyed the plot and pacing of the story despite it being creepy and unbelievable at times – not that the events that took place are impossible to happen in real life but it was hard for me to imagine them being real even though I know such things do happen a lot more often than I get to know about them.
Regardless, I couldn’t stop reading it. Sometimes I would be so creeped out that I could feel something cold and wet slithering down my spine and want to take a warm bath but I also wanted to know who was behind it all.
The story was quite engaging – and the small town setting is one of my favorites to read about even though a certain type of characters ever-present in such settings annoy me a little – you know, the nosy busybodies and gossip-mongers that are characteristic of small towns where everybody has to know everybody’s business.
The Characters
Why did she put herself through this? Each time, every time, it felt as though she had ripped out her feelings, her fantasies and fears and put them on public display. And it never got better, never got easier.
Clare Kimball is a famous sculptor who immerses herself in her work to get through the days. She’s been through a lot since she was kid plagued with nightmares that still haunt her. She returns to her hometown for a while to find some inspiration and maybe make peace with the past but the town isn’t as quiet and safe as she remembers.
Strange things have been happening and Sheriff Cameron Rafferty is uneasy about the whole thing. But he is amazing – returned to his hometown for a quiet life but now his cop’s instinct is tingling and things are getting worse is his quaint town but he’s smart, brave and kind and willing to do what it takes to protect his town.
He brought her hands to his lips, brushed a kiss over her knuckles in a quietly romantic gesture that brought tears to her eyes.
Clare, on the other hand, annoyed me a lot. It was frustrating to see her make the wrong choices repeatedly, hiding from the truth, keeping secrets, running scared. She does have a good heart, however naive she may be. She’s also, strong, fierce and loyal. It was nice to see how patient and sweet Cameron is with her and how much she grows throughout the course of this book.
He pulled her close again, ignoring her rigid stance. “I’ll just wait you out, Slim,” he murmured. “You can step back, build a wall, run away, and cover your trail. I’ll just wait you out.”
Final Thoughts
It was a hard book to read but had an engaging story-line. And I shouldn’t have waited so long to write this review. There were a lot of feelings floating inside me when I finished this book that I’m unable to recall them in their entirety now.
I will say that I’m not completely satisfied with the ending. I liked the twist, came out of nowhere. It just leaves room for an epilogue, a follow-up novella or even a full-fledged sequel but seeing as how long it’s been since this book was published, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Recommended To… Fans of adult romantic suspense or Nora Roberts, though you might want to avoid it if any of the following trigger you: violence, physical/sexual assault, rape, murder, animal cruelty, suicide, abduction, death.
October 31, 2017
What a great (and seriously creepy) Nora Roberts book! Wow. Especially for being one of her older publications, I'm surprised to have loved this as much as I did. I usually don't like her 80s and 90s books as much - they feel too dated, and her heroes are typically too alpha for my liking. Not the case here! A perfect story to have finished on Halloween - with a really eerie/evil story line, and an open-ended, unsettling ending.
The romance played second fiddle in this novel about a quaint little Maryland town, harboring the evil secret of a Satanic cult that meets in the woods, sacrifices animals, and rapes and murders women. Many otherwise upstanding men in the town of Emmitsboro are part of this cult, and no one has any idea. (Sure, a little far-fetched, but an awesome idea nonetheless).
Our heroine, Clare Kimball's own father was one of those men, but she doesn't want to admit it to herself. She wakes during the night - even years later - because of the recurring nightmare, in which she sees her father among other men, chanting in the woods, wearing black robes and animal masks, and doing unspeakable things to a naked woman in the middle of the circle... But he's long-since been dead (having committed suicide when she was just a teenager). And the thought of him having had anything to do with the occult is simply out of the question.
Now, Clare is back in Emmitsboro, after years of being a successful artist in NYC. She is reconnected with Cam Rafferty (a fantastic hero), the town sheriff, just as things begin to go awry in the community. Girls go missing, bodies turn up in cow fields and woods. Cam's own stepfather is found brutally murdered. And to top off the creepiness, the teenage boy across the street from Clare won't stop stalking her - and people are suddenly very aware of the pentagram he wears around his neck.
This is, being a Nora book, a romance novel. But more than that, it's a delightfully creepy story of a small town with big secrets - a lot of murder, a lot of rape, a ton of danger. It's one of Nora's edgier, more graphic stories, and definitely not for the faint of heart, or anyone who's scared to read about a little devil worship. This is maybe the darkest novel of hers that I've read, but I loved it and couldn't put it down. The final pages (which some reviewers have disliked) left me with a chill up my spine -- a great ending!
If I had one complaint, it would be that the ending DID feel rushed. I have unanswered questions (Where's Clare going to live? Are she and Cam going to get married? What about Angie and Jean-Paul? Will she reconnect with her mother? Etc.). I can infer a lot of this, and I think I'm supposed to - but it's definitely not neatly wrapped up like most Nora Roberts books. The evil twist is how she chooses to finish it instead.
A fantastic October read, and a new one to be added to my "best of Nora" list. Highly recommend!
The romance played second fiddle in this novel about a quaint little Maryland town, harboring the evil secret of a Satanic cult that meets in the woods, sacrifices animals, and rapes and murders women. Many otherwise upstanding men in the town of Emmitsboro are part of this cult, and no one has any idea. (Sure, a little far-fetched, but an awesome idea nonetheless).
Our heroine, Clare Kimball's own father was one of those men, but she doesn't want to admit it to herself. She wakes during the night - even years later - because of the recurring nightmare, in which she sees her father among other men, chanting in the woods, wearing black robes and animal masks, and doing unspeakable things to a naked woman in the middle of the circle... But he's long-since been dead (having committed suicide when she was just a teenager). And the thought of him having had anything to do with the occult is simply out of the question.
Now, Clare is back in Emmitsboro, after years of being a successful artist in NYC. She is reconnected with Cam Rafferty (a fantastic hero), the town sheriff, just as things begin to go awry in the community. Girls go missing, bodies turn up in cow fields and woods. Cam's own stepfather is found brutally murdered. And to top off the creepiness, the teenage boy across the street from Clare won't stop stalking her - and people are suddenly very aware of the pentagram he wears around his neck.
This is, being a Nora book, a romance novel. But more than that, it's a delightfully creepy story of a small town with big secrets - a lot of murder, a lot of rape, a ton of danger. It's one of Nora's edgier, more graphic stories, and definitely not for the faint of heart, or anyone who's scared to read about a little devil worship. This is maybe the darkest novel of hers that I've read, but I loved it and couldn't put it down. The final pages (which some reviewers have disliked) left me with a chill up my spine -- a great ending!
If I had one complaint, it would be that the ending DID feel rushed. I have unanswered questions (Where's Clare going to live? Are she and Cam going to get married? What about Angie and Jean-Paul? Will she reconnect with her mother? Etc.). I can infer a lot of this, and I think I'm supposed to - but it's definitely not neatly wrapped up like most Nora Roberts books. The evil twist is how she chooses to finish it instead.
A fantastic October read, and a new one to be added to my "best of Nora" list. Highly recommend!
August 6, 2015
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger br>It's not often when I come across a Nora Roberts novel that I haven't read. When I first discovered adult romance, Roberts was one of the first authors I ran across. I found out I loved her work, and basically read any and all of her books that I could get my hands on. I purchased Divine Evil in a used bookstore and thought I hadn't read it, so I snatched it up. About half way in, I realized I had read it before, but it didn't stop me from enjoying it! Especially since the book featured a ritualistic cult killing off members left and right. If you are a fan of Nora Roberts - especially her romantic suspense - and haven't read this one yet, you definitely should pick it up. It was so good, I read this 500+ page (568 pages to be exact) book in less than 20 hours!
October 9, 2015
I had some troubles with this book, some of them can be found in other Nora's books, even though I am a huge fan of hers.
The romance was was pretty much typical of her stories; Clare really got on my nerves most of the time with her attitude and her insistence in keeping important things (regarding the satanic ritual which was responsible for killing all people in the book) from Cameron. I understood it was kind of a big deal because of her father, but come on, women were being kidnapped, raped and murdered. Incentive much?
Anyway, the plot was amazing. Nora can give someone the shivers when she wants to, and this was most definetely one of the darkest stories she has ever writen. Disturbing, but brilliant.
4 stars.
The romance was was pretty much typical of her stories; Clare really got on my nerves most of the time with her attitude and her insistence in keeping important things (regarding the satanic ritual which was responsible for killing all people in the book) from Cameron. I understood it was kind of a big deal because of her father, but come on, women were being kidnapped, raped and murdered. Incentive much?
Anyway, the plot was amazing. Nora can give someone the shivers when she wants to, and this was most definetely one of the darkest stories she has ever writen. Disturbing, but brilliant.
4 stars.
June 19, 2016
I usually adore the great NR, But, for this one, the heroine kept ticking me off. Seems Cam wanted a girl like his Mom, the ostrich type. Everyone knows about the cult thing, but Claire, who actually saw it, and has been having nightmares her whole life. She says "pfft" and hides her head. Nora usually writes great heroines, but this one jumped around so much in personality, I kept wanting to slap her on the back of the head and yell, "wake up, idiot!"
October 18, 2014
Nora takes on the subject of perfect daddy and satianism. It was a good read, even though I figured it all out half way through.
January 10, 2018
Man, I was glad when this thing was over. Clare was so overdramatic about everything and Cam was way too alpha male.
March 21, 2020
Нора Робъртс определено успя да ме спечели като читател.
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November 8, 2024
I've read quite a few of Nora Roberts novels and loved so many but not this one. I liked her characters Cameron and Clare but felt there was very little romance written into the story which is one of Nora Roberts staples in her books. The other characters were annoying me. The ending also felt rushed and typical. It wasn't exciting and very long to get through.
September 22, 2021
Gostei, mas acho que o final foi um bocado apressado. Senti que houve momentos em que estava a demorar e o final devia ter sido diferente.
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