The Girl from Dark Dakota

by Bryan Devore

In Williston, North Dakota, nearly a year has passed since Annabel Heller's murder last Halloween. Now four lives will be forever changed. High school senior Rachel Black hears Annabel's ghost crying out in her dreams. Madam Bovell, a medium who sells fraudulent readings since losing her gift years ago, finds her abilities mysteriously returning—and guiding her to Rachel. Jason Hardy, an auditor up from Chicago, sees inexplicable things while working late in Williston's old hospital wing. And Dr. Donovan Graves, bereaved father and renowned debunker of paranormal research, feels his son's spirit urgently trying to reach him. Only five days before the next Halloween, time is running out for all four to uncover the secrets of a small town, and the lurking evil that threatens everyone in it.

Genres: Fiction, Horror, Paranormal

550 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2021

About the author

Bryan Devore was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. He received his Bachelor's and Master's in Accountancy from Kansas State University. He also completed an exchange semester at the Leipzig Graduate School of Management in Leipzig, Germany. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

He welcomes comments and feedback, and can be contacted at www.bryandevore.com.

Reviews

[Mackey · Rating 2 out of 5]

What began as an intense, dark ghost story with very frightening elements collapsed in on itself about midway through into a ghost busting mess of good versus evil featuring the Devil as the boogeyman. The story was far too long and badly in need of editing and the author really should have decided up front whether he wanted to write a book about religion or magick because the combination of the two was a nauseating dish of waste. Also, the book is about high school kids; kids whose parents allow to stay out all hours of the night even after they have nearly been killed. Sure. Kindly note that I have marked the book as YA despite the fact that it is marketed as "horror." It is definitely not horror. I cannot believe that this was recommended to me by a literary society. If you ever doubt that the US is being dumbed down, look no further than book recommendations like this one.

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devore's The Girl from Dark Dakota is a delightfully dark paranormal suspense mystery. We, along with our major characters, are drawn into the story of Annabel and Rubin, victims of a Halloween murder- suicide. Nearly a year has passed and as the anniversary draws nigh, Rachel, a psychic sensitive, and her group of ghost hunter friends carry out a clandestine stakeout at the hospital where Annabel drew final breath. Here they stumble across Jason, an accountant called in to do an audit. He doesn't want to believe, but ends up neck deep despite himself. The final players are Dr Graves, once of the SPR, and Madam Bovell, a disgraced medium. Pulled together, at this time and in this place, each has lessons of faith and trust to learn as they unravel the truth of Annabel's death.

I was immediately drawn into this story! I enjoy the paranormal, and am always up for a good mystery. I most enjoyed puzzling out the actual case. I liked the argument made towards the end, that Lucifer is how he is because there are things God wants done but doesn't want to be responsible for doing. It made me think of Loki and Odin. Also, the notion that, at least in terms of Christian faith/ religion, the reason there is evil in the world is because that's how God wants it because he wants free will in the world. I've always been of the mind that that's pretty fecked up. But then, I'm pagan, and Rokkatru to boot. I know the true value of the Trickster, and the Destroyer who is, by virtue of destroying, also a consummate Creator. That's not quite how the message was intended here though, and other parts of the story were a bit heavy in the Christian good vs evil dichotomy.

I did come across one point that kicked me out of the story. A character fell asleep for twenty minutes and had what he called a nightmare, but said it was impossible because REM sleep is part of deep sleep, and occurs 90 mins into a sleep cycle. REM sleep isn't part of deep sleep at all. It is the deepest, or fourth level, of sleep, but very different from what is properly called 'deep sleep'. Also, while *most* dreaming, including nightmares, occurs during REM, that's not always so, and I've had plenty of vivid dreams/ nightmares during 15 to 30 min catnaps. Myriad factors play into this, and we know relatively little about sleep in truth.

Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and shows like Supernatural, X-Files, and Dark.

****Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do a teen with burgeoning psychic abilities, a professor of parapsychology, a washed-up medium, a skeptic accountant, and a group of young ghost hunters have in common? You will want to read this book to find out! This epic supernatural thriller follows several characters as they investigate paranormal activity in the small town of Williston, North Dakota. As Halloween approaches, they investigate a local ghost story, unravel hidden secrets, and unwittingly reveal an evil that threatens life as they know it. The cover of this book has an eerie paranormal feel that fits the story. Even though this is a substantial book, it is an easy read. My heart raced and at times my mouth hung open, which my husband thought was pretty comical. There is humor, suspense, action, and lots of paranormal elements. The story flows well and kept me glued to the pages. The length of the chapters is good, with endings that leave you wanting to read more. I loved the characters; they were well developed and endearing. I was invested in them from each introduction and rooted for them throughout the story. The dialogue between the characters was believable and did not feel forced. Sometimes, when you have multiple storylines, some details get lost; however, that is not the case with this book at all. I thought the plot of this novel was well thought out, and even though there are lots of moving parts, the author did a great job of weaving them all together. The intertwining storylines keep the reader guessing to the very end. At first, I was afraid that the momentum of the story would slow halfway through, but it did not. The suspense built, then ebbed, then continued to build to the conclusion. The climax of the story did not disappoint and, although I usually enjoy more follow up and resolution, I was pretty satisfied with the ending. An experienced ghost hunter may be able to pick apart some of the details, but as someone who avidly watches ghost-hunting shows, I could find no fault in the descriptions. I can’t say enough about how much I loved this book. It’s right up there with other thrillers I’ve read by Dean Koontz and Stephen King. I am definitely interested in reading other novels by this author. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal thrillers, ghost hunting, or generally spooky stuff.

[Dalyn Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl from Dark Dakota is a haunting, atmospheric blend of paranormal mystery and psychological tension. Bryan Devore masterfully intertwines four compelling storylines each character uniquely affected by past trauma, ghostly encounters, and the chilling secrets buried in Williston. The pacing is tight, the suspense is relentless, and the eerie setting amplifies every twist. This is the kind of horror novel that lingers long after you finish it, balancing emotional depth with supernatural dread. A captivating, dark, and memorable read for fans of small town mysteries and paranormal suspense.

[Kaye Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating and intense.

I have read everyday in almost every genre for over 65 years. This book was absolutely fascinating. The plot and characters were so well developed and so engaging I struggled to put it down even when I needed to. The setting was unbelievably beautifully done with a range from heaven to hell and back again. I’ll buy a physical copy for my shelf, to enjoy again. I look forward to the next one. A CPA? Wow. What do his spreadsheets look like?

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I did not think it was too long, like some others have commented. I did get a little distracted by the part of the book that involved a conversation with the Devil, but I really enjoyed all of the characters, and the mystery that needed to be solved. The scenes of haunting and horror were frightening without being too gory. I recommend this book for people who enjoy horror books about hauntings, but don't like graphic descriptions.

[The Other One · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by Bryan Devore, but I'm sure it won't be the last. The characters were so well written, and I really cared what was happening to them. His descriptions of events were painted so beautifully, that I could picture them so vividly in my mind, descriptions of heaven, hell, and worlds in between. There were times, when Rachel and her friends were in trouble, that I actually caught myself holding my breath.

[Lisa Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

best I have read this year

If you’re getting tired of the old rehashed stories in the horror genre this is the book for you it is not easy to read and your mind will go places that maybe you don’t want it to go but this is a book you can’t put down and that could just possibly change your mind about life after death read it

[ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helping find peace

Ghost stories nice with kids and with finding great love is the best. Always more interesting with a red murderer still doing his thing. This Arthur did it all beautifully.

[Lou Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very scary good book!

The best thing about this book is the fact that at the end it was easy to see the difference between good and evil. Well written with easy to read prose.

[Susan M Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believable

I've always loved books about good and evil. And it was encouraging to read about young people fighting that battle. I liked how Mr. Devore explained Heaven and He'll.

[cheri barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book to reason a dark stormy night

Excellent story kept me interested and dying to find out what happened next very different with all the spiritual and medium details

[Joy Jurich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting tale

A mystery that will slowly unravel to the end. The characters tell the tale so well that you almost feel you have joined the ride. The ending is a great surprise.

[Donna Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frightening Story

This is the most interesting and scary book that I’ve read in a long time. Kudos to the author on an authentic read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

This is one of the best paranormal books I've read in awhile. This book could SERIOUSLY be made into a movie.

[Debra G · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was really good. It kept me guessing about who was doing the killing. But what really got me was ghost hunters

[Lorrie Dewar · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! If you're into the paranormal, this book is for you! Never a dull moment, just constant action. It's a story of a girl coming to terms with her abilities while helping others. I loved this book, it was very hard to put down!

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my normal genre. I had a tough time the first few chapters, but then I was hooked and could hardly make myself stop reading to be "more productive".