Smart as the Devil

by Felice Picano

A novel about a twelve-year-old boy's devilish alter ego, in mortal confrontation with a very modern psychologist. The doctor needed a diagnosis - dual-personality? Possession? His search for the truth unfolds a death and several little horrors, immersing himself, the boy and the inhabitants of a sedate Connecticut household to the limits of rationality.

Genres: Horror

236 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Felice Anthony Picano was an American writer, publisher and critic who encouraged the development of gay literature in the United States. His work is documented in many sources.

Reviews

[Cody]

DNF. A boring book that tries to be a conglomeration of Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, and The Other while never living up to the promises it makes. Bargain bin ‘70s horror at its worst.

[Richard K.]

OMG this was just DREADFUL!

So if you take the year 1975, throw in some wanna be horror rip off of any thriller released that summer year....and this is what you come up with! For being a book by an author I usually enjoy, this was just dreadful! 12 year old Nicholas is extremely mature for his age, well that is what the author wants you to think, very good looking and sensual, and just a spoiled rich kid. He goes to a very expensive private school, and all his teachers both female and male are entranced and obsessed with him.....why? It is never explained. Throw in some stupid scenes with dumb adults and an Ouija board, and just plain bad connections with supposed witch craft and a 300 year old spirit of a manboy who could have been a witch.....and there you have it; 'Smart As The Devil'. It ended up being the worst waste of time.....and the book has the worlds fucking smallest print ever.......don't waste your time, you cannot get it back.

1 🤦‍♂️

[Jen]

Unfortunately too much of a slow burn to hold my interest.

[Ronald Wilcox]

I read this novel the first time as a teenager about 30-35 years ago. I remembered that I enjoyed it but could not remember much details so decided to read it again. Enjoyable suspense novel about an well-behaved adolescent who suddenly begins having violent attacks. Enter Peter Mazur, a child psychologist of the school district. He decides that the child has a dissociative personality and tries to bring the two personalities together. Or is he wrong? Is it a possession of the spirit of an evil youth from 300 years before? Mazur has to evaluate the youth and decide what needs to become to help him.

[Michael Kerjman]

Whatever strange, different, not convincing sometimes, this story grasps a reader on a first page to finał one steadily while a hidden contempt of quackery disguised with white robes of medicine psychiatry located customarily within, is especially vivid in a covid-tale enchanted world nowadays.

[Jacob B]

Not horrible, not very fun.

[David Lewis]

Disappointing...interesting premise, but too many unbelievable plot twists.

[Alexa]

This was a great read all the way up until the last section of the book where it quickly came to an end and left me with more questions than answers.

[Michael Webster]

Very Well written, but needed speeding up. On the Horror front not a lot happened, 3 stars .

[Charles]

Another evil child kind of story, but it held my attention.

[Beckey]

If you like Damian the movie or other similar to that then this maybe a book for you. Interesting ...

[Stephen Ezute]

i read this book in 1995 and i loved it