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Day of Evil #1
When the Day of Evil Comes
Bizarre Encounter Initiates Extreme Spiritual Battle
Dylan Foster’s carefully constructed, orderly world begins to fray, thread by thread, the day the eyes of hell turn upon her. After a chance encounter with a creepy, sickly looking stranger, her days become punctuated with disturbing, inexplicable events. Desperate for answers, Dylan seeks not only to extricate herself from the nightmare, but to separate the spiritual from the earthly, friend from foe, angel from devil, good from evil. She’s smack in the eye of the battle with only God-issued spiritual armor and her own wits to protect her.
I saw the first fly alight on the edge of my plate during supper. This was no ordinary fly. It was huge. The size of a small Volkswagen. I could have painted daisies on it and sold rides to small children.
Hotter than the eyes of hell...
School is back in session, but for psychology professor Dylan Foster, the promise of a new semester is dying in the heat of the late Texas summer. First, there is the bizarre encounter with a ghastly pale stranger. Then her mother’s engagement ring turns up—the same ring that was buried with her mother two years before.
Soon, Dylan’s carefully ordered world is unraveling, one thread at a time. A former patient accuses her of impropriety, putting her career in jeopardy. A suicide plunges her deeper into shadow. Relationships with colleagues start to crumble. And then there are those flies in her house...
Dylan Foster is about to get a crash course in spiritual warfare—and a glimpse of her own small but significant role in a vast eternal conflict. But when the dust settles, will anything be left of her life as she knows it?
Dylan Foster’s carefully constructed, orderly world begins to fray, thread by thread, the day the eyes of hell turn upon her. After a chance encounter with a creepy, sickly looking stranger, her days become punctuated with disturbing, inexplicable events. Desperate for answers, Dylan seeks not only to extricate herself from the nightmare, but to separate the spiritual from the earthly, friend from foe, angel from devil, good from evil. She’s smack in the eye of the battle with only God-issued spiritual armor and her own wits to protect her.
I saw the first fly alight on the edge of my plate during supper. This was no ordinary fly. It was huge. The size of a small Volkswagen. I could have painted daisies on it and sold rides to small children.
Hotter than the eyes of hell...
School is back in session, but for psychology professor Dylan Foster, the promise of a new semester is dying in the heat of the late Texas summer. First, there is the bizarre encounter with a ghastly pale stranger. Then her mother’s engagement ring turns up—the same ring that was buried with her mother two years before.
Soon, Dylan’s carefully ordered world is unraveling, one thread at a time. A former patient accuses her of impropriety, putting her career in jeopardy. A suicide plunges her deeper into shadow. Relationships with colleagues start to crumble. And then there are those flies in her house...
Dylan Foster is about to get a crash course in spiritual warfare—and a glimpse of her own small but significant role in a vast eternal conflict. But when the dust settles, will anything be left of her life as she knows it?
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
10 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Wells
3 books40 followersMelanie Wells began her writing career by telling lies on the playground. An accomplished fiddle player (she went to SMU on a music scholarship), she is the author of the critically acclaimed Dylan Foster series of psychological thrillers: When the Day of Evil Comes, The Soul Hunter, and My Soul to Keep (Waterbrook/Multnomah, a Division of Random House). Melanie holds two masters degrees and is a licensed psychotherapist and licensed marriage and family therapist. She is the founder and director of The LifeWorks Group, P.A., a collaborative, creative community of psychotherapists (www.wefixbrains.com), with offices in Dallas and Ft. Worth. She lives in Dallas with her dog, Gunner, who wishes she would not spend so much time at her computer. Fun fact: Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl Keen have both signed her fiddle case.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 10, 2025
3.5⭐️
First person.
Decent mystery mixed with the spiritual word (mostly demons; 1 angel).
Strange things happen around Dylan after her encounter with a very odd man. On top of the weird happenings, Dylan, a psychologist, is being sued after false allegations and a subsequent suicide by one of her teenaged clients.
First person.
Decent mystery mixed with the spiritual word (mostly demons; 1 angel).
Strange things happen around Dylan after her encounter with a very odd man. On top of the weird happenings, Dylan, a psychologist, is being sued after false allegations and a subsequent suicide by one of her teenaged clients.
February 6, 2009
Prior to meeting Peter Terry, psychologist and professor Dylan Foster's biggest worries were dealing with her father's impending remarriage and the start of a new semester at college. However, Dylan's perspective endures a radical shift when she meets Terry at a faculty retreat. The encounter with the gaunt, white-skinned man with a deep, violent horizontal scar on his back leaves Dylan unsettled, but it's not until her well-ordered life begins to spiral out of control that she realizes the full scope of the role Terry is playing in her rapidly unraveling life. Soon Dylan finds herself inexorably drawn into a decades-old web of violence and tragedy, weaving the threads of her life with struggling college students and the dangerous patriarch of a wealthy Chicago family. Demonic warfare has turned her life upside down, and Dylan must scramble to save her life and salvage her career while taking her faith in God to a deeper level in order to survive. The spiritual armor of Ephesians chapter six becomes more than just words on the page to Dylan -- they're her battle plan for survival.
I packed this novel in my carry-on for my trip to Chicago last week. In spite of a forty-five minute delay taking off and the flight itself, the time absolutely flew by -- I couldn't put this book down. This is the best novel I've read in quite some time that deals with the issue of spiritual warfare -- in fact, I'd say it stacks up with the best of them, including classics like Frank Peretti's Piercing the Darkness and This Present Darkness. I loved how Wells' focused on Dylan's perspective (as opposed to giving the reader a demon or angel's point of view), particularly her view of the supernatural occurances she encounters. Dylan's character is oh so very real. Wells deals with heavy subjects throughout the novel, but balances these with wonderfully light touch as seen in Dylan's self-deprecating sense of humor. I absolutely loved the hint of a romance between Dylan and the small-town funeral home director (who is just happens to be hilarious). When the Day of Evil Comes is one of those books that has it all -- fast-paced action, crisp dialogue, well-developed characters, and nail biting suspense balanced with a dash of humor. Highly recommended.
I packed this novel in my carry-on for my trip to Chicago last week. In spite of a forty-five minute delay taking off and the flight itself, the time absolutely flew by -- I couldn't put this book down. This is the best novel I've read in quite some time that deals with the issue of spiritual warfare -- in fact, I'd say it stacks up with the best of them, including classics like Frank Peretti's Piercing the Darkness and This Present Darkness. I loved how Wells' focused on Dylan's perspective (as opposed to giving the reader a demon or angel's point of view), particularly her view of the supernatural occurances she encounters. Dylan's character is oh so very real. Wells deals with heavy subjects throughout the novel, but balances these with wonderfully light touch as seen in Dylan's self-deprecating sense of humor. I absolutely loved the hint of a romance between Dylan and the small-town funeral home director (who is just happens to be hilarious). When the Day of Evil Comes is one of those books that has it all -- fast-paced action, crisp dialogue, well-developed characters, and nail biting suspense balanced with a dash of humor. Highly recommended.
November 22, 2012
If you're a Christian, you might like this book as long as you can handle a plot without resolution and a heroine who does nothing but pray and follow her "instincts" without any real thought.
If you're not a Christian, it is a fantasy novel with a weak plot and a main character who has very little common sense.
When I realized that the author's bio on the back of the book almost identically matched the description of the main character, I was rather disgusted.
When I then realized that the majority of this novel was set-up for a sequel and gave no real answers to the questions it proposed, I was annoyed.
When the author repeatedly commented on "lumpy people" (I think I found eight derogatory references to overweight people throughout the novel)I was done. Partially because I'm overweight myself (along with 60% of Americans- way to go on insulting a majority of your readers!) but because it was so obviously the author's actual prejudice... since, as I've already noted, the main character IS the author. Not a whole lot of creativity going on there. Basically an autobiography with a weak demon character thrown in.
Not a "novel of suspense" as advertised on the cover, but rather a book full of loose ends that are never addressed.
Reading this was a waste of my time.
If you're not a Christian, it is a fantasy novel with a weak plot and a main character who has very little common sense.
When I realized that the author's bio on the back of the book almost identically matched the description of the main character, I was rather disgusted.
When I then realized that the majority of this novel was set-up for a sequel and gave no real answers to the questions it proposed, I was annoyed.
When the author repeatedly commented on "lumpy people" (I think I found eight derogatory references to overweight people throughout the novel)I was done. Partially because I'm overweight myself (along with 60% of Americans- way to go on insulting a majority of your readers!) but because it was so obviously the author's actual prejudice... since, as I've already noted, the main character IS the author. Not a whole lot of creativity going on there. Basically an autobiography with a weak demon character thrown in.
Not a "novel of suspense" as advertised on the cover, but rather a book full of loose ends that are never addressed.
Reading this was a waste of my time.
December 13, 2008
To simply say, 'I didn't like it'....doesn't BEGIN to cover it! This is the second worst book I've EVER read!!! (The grand prize for *suckage* goes to 'One Thousand White Women'. In case you were wondering. And I'm sure at least ONE of you wondered.)
Melanie Wells should have kept to her day job. (although, I have my suspicions she sucks at THAT, as well)
The story meanders, BORES, confuses, LOSES YOU OUTRIGHT, and dangles. The only REMOTELY intriguing feature of the book is the idiot on the cover. But, IS HIS STORY LINE RESOLVED??? NO!
On the last page of the book, you're told you can read more about Mr. Evil...if you buy another one of Melanie's books.
*gagging on a chainsaw*
NNNNNNO THANK YOU!
This book should only be 'enjoyed' if you are on a deserted island, and you need kindling. :P
Melanie Wells should have kept to her day job. (although, I have my suspicions she sucks at THAT, as well)
The story meanders, BORES, confuses, LOSES YOU OUTRIGHT, and dangles. The only REMOTELY intriguing feature of the book is the idiot on the cover. But, IS HIS STORY LINE RESOLVED??? NO!
On the last page of the book, you're told you can read more about Mr. Evil...if you buy another one of Melanie's books.
*gagging on a chainsaw*
NNNNNNO THANK YOU!
This book should only be 'enjoyed' if you are on a deserted island, and you need kindling. :P
November 8, 2016
Okay, I admit it. Sometimes I read junk. I have an adolescent fixation on horror fiction that I sometimes feed. This was an odd horror/christian literature mix. Every time you turned around there was praying, which didn't keep the demon out of the bathroom or the swimming hole (the bathroom scene caused me a little problem staying by myself in a hotel in NY-close the door-don't close the door....what to do.
Can't recommend. and insult to injury, it is a series, so it just ended.....
Can't recommend. and insult to injury, it is a series, so it just ended.....
April 18, 2019
When seeing reviews for this book, so many commented on the lack of creativity as the main character is obviously the author. However I think by making herself the main character actually displayed a sense of vulnerability and was actually a beautiful spin. I rated this 4 starts over 5 because I am the target audience. I live in Dallas, so the places she talked about going to, I’m familiar with. I attended bible college and find the supernatural exciting and interesting. For someone without this common ground, I’m not sure it would be as intriguing. If you believe in angels and demons though, this is an interesting fictional take on the spiritual realm!
November 2, 2011
"Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys." Screwtape to Wormwood in The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
I didn't want to keep fighting this fight. I didn't want to go inside the building. I wanted to sit there, on the steps of the library in the hot sun, and disappear. I wanted my old, easy, comfortable life to materialize, and for this all to have been some horrid bad dream.
But it wasn't a dream....my formally ordered life was coming apart around me, pieces of it flying off in every direction. There was nowhere to go but forward.
p. 244 "I was one of them (cellmates)."
I didn't want to keep fighting this fight. I didn't want to go inside the building. I wanted to sit there, on the steps of the library in the hot sun, and disappear. I wanted my old, easy, comfortable life to materialize, and for this all to have been some horrid bad dream.
But it wasn't a dream....my formally ordered life was coming apart around me, pieces of it flying off in every direction. There was nowhere to go but forward.
p. 244 "I was one of them (cellmates)."
March 8, 2011
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. The pacing is consistently suspenseful and the end was satisfying. I don't often go for spiritual warfare books so this was a new style but Wells' voice is very sincere and pleasing. I look forward to the next two in the series.
August 14, 2011
This is my number one favorite book! Great twists, great description of a demon! Great character as a therapist! THIS IS THE BOOK THAT MADE ME BE A WRITER!! I LOVE IT BEYOND EVERY BOOK! I have read this book at least four times, it's that awesome!
January 1, 2016
I picked this book up in Singapore, with the second one The Soul Hunter, and read it on the plane ride home. Thank God, a supernatural novel with something other than vampires, werewolves or ghosts. A unique story.
February 14, 2018
A re-read. I adore the plot and the simplistic idea of the story and its characters. I bought all three on amazon so I shall now chomp into the second book.
January 4, 2019
I'll begin with the cons of the story: first, the ominous title (with the sub-comment of "a novel of suspense") is slightly misguided. I did not find any part of this book suspenseful or scary; rather, I found it more... mysterious? Character-driven? Something like that. But suspense... no.
While the novel does begin with something rather spooky, I feel that the antagonist, namely his physical description, is as underwhelming as it is an overused trope. (A slash on his back representing the tearing away of his wings? Yawn.) He's more of a vaguely threatening force that, rather than striking with outward violence and fear, kind of... messes with the peace of mind of the protagonist, Dylan Foster.
Then, there were some plot holes - too many friendly and helpful folk, conveniently having someone to bail you out of jail, a too-clever and spiritual child, never explaining Earl's significance - that irritated me. The conclusion of where the gifts (the faculty members all received weird gifts in the beginning) allegedly came from didn't satisfy me. Too neat, tidy, and convenient. Convenience was a big, aggravating theme in this novel.
I also didn't expect it to be so pro-Christianity - not that that's a bad thing, but as a not-particularly-religious individual, it was tedious. (I rolled my eyes a lot.)
However...
I liked it well enough that I ordered the rest of the books. I think Melanie Wells created a story that is well-paced and a little creepy (that bathroom/hotel scene, in particular). The second-hand stress for the main character, Dylan, when things would go awry was palpable. Dylan is a believable character because she's flawed - she has that Christian "holier than thou" attitude, she's impulsive, she's a (sometimes) liar, she's somewhat foolhardy. Flaws, perhaps, that Wells can relate to.
Wells seems to be getting a lot of flack for creating a protagonist that is so close to herself, but that does not necessarily correlate with lazy writing or lack of creativity. (Ernest Hemingway and Walt Whitman only wrote about themselves or what they knew.) Could Wells have branched out? Yeah, for sure. Does it kill the story that she didn't? No.
While the novel does begin with something rather spooky, I feel that the antagonist, namely his physical description, is as underwhelming as it is an overused trope. (A slash on his back representing the tearing away of his wings? Yawn.) He's more of a vaguely threatening force that, rather than striking with outward violence and fear, kind of... messes with the peace of mind of the protagonist, Dylan Foster.
Then, there were some plot holes - too many friendly and helpful folk, conveniently having someone to bail you out of jail, a too-clever and spiritual child, never explaining Earl's significance - that irritated me. The conclusion of where the gifts (the faculty members all received weird gifts in the beginning) allegedly came from didn't satisfy me. Too neat, tidy, and convenient. Convenience was a big, aggravating theme in this novel.
I also didn't expect it to be so pro-Christianity - not that that's a bad thing, but as a not-particularly-religious individual, it was tedious. (I rolled my eyes a lot.)
However...
I liked it well enough that I ordered the rest of the books. I think Melanie Wells created a story that is well-paced and a little creepy (that bathroom/hotel scene, in particular). The second-hand stress for the main character, Dylan, when things would go awry was palpable. Dylan is a believable character because she's flawed - she has that Christian "holier than thou" attitude, she's impulsive, she's a (sometimes) liar, she's somewhat foolhardy. Flaws, perhaps, that Wells can relate to.
Wells seems to be getting a lot of flack for creating a protagonist that is so close to herself, but that does not necessarily correlate with lazy writing or lack of creativity. (Ernest Hemingway and Walt Whitman only wrote about themselves or what they knew.) Could Wells have branched out? Yeah, for sure. Does it kill the story that she didn't? No.
December 23, 2020
I both liked and disliked this book. The title and teaser intrigued me, the character of Dylan (female) made me laugh out loud. I really appreciated the parallels between the character and author and felt as though I'd gotten to know Melanie fairly well. The pacing is good, each chapter has enough intrigue to keep the reader going. These are all the aspects I really loved about this book.
What I didn't like was the way in which Dylan and the other characters treated the entire situation revolving around Peter Terry and Joe Zocci. It seems, in short, how to deal with evil is to arm oneself with cleaning products, read Ephesians 6 and occasionally pray, but mostly hope for Earl to show up and God to grant a parking space.
Granted, Dylan admits to having a bit of a stale and private (I took to mean embarrassed of) faith, so her actions and reactions are plausible. But her theology professor friends also seem to be missing the mark with providing solid advice on what to do in this situation.
I think that's the issue I have, is that even though this is a fantastical fiction, there are so many elements of the characters and their reactions which seem to be based off truth that it's a little disconcerting to have the finality of this book consist of cleaning products and the demon to magically disappear whilst characters are actively angry and witholding forgiveness and love from other characters. In my experience, witholding forgiveness and living in bitterness is a foothold in which evil loves to wreak havoc. And the book does not address this at all.
So, while I loved the beginning, the ending was disappointing. I am curious to see what happens in the sequals, but I'm not anticipating theologically-sound decisions by the characters.
What I didn't like was the way in which Dylan and the other characters treated the entire situation revolving around Peter Terry and Joe Zocci. It seems, in short, how to deal with evil is to arm oneself with cleaning products, read Ephesians 6 and occasionally pray, but mostly hope for Earl to show up and God to grant a parking space.
Granted, Dylan admits to having a bit of a stale and private (I took to mean embarrassed of) faith, so her actions and reactions are plausible. But her theology professor friends also seem to be missing the mark with providing solid advice on what to do in this situation.
I think that's the issue I have, is that even though this is a fantastical fiction, there are so many elements of the characters and their reactions which seem to be based off truth that it's a little disconcerting to have the finality of this book consist of cleaning products and the demon to magically disappear whilst characters are actively angry and witholding forgiveness and love from other characters. In my experience, witholding forgiveness and living in bitterness is a foothold in which evil loves to wreak havoc. And the book does not address this at all.
So, while I loved the beginning, the ending was disappointing. I am curious to see what happens in the sequals, but I'm not anticipating theologically-sound decisions by the characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2017
When I picked this book up I did not expect what I got. I loved the idea, and the story telling of the book, but I had very minor complaints.
The main character is great. She is religious, but doesn't rely on that fact through the entire book. Yes, she does pray to help get her though things, but she also understands that she has to put her own work into what she wants done. She has believable flaws, and this made me like the character a lot.
She is the only GOOD character though, the rest seem to be... Forced into the story. Including the evil force.
Speaking of said evil force, half the reason I continued reading the book; It shows up for maybe half the book, then it is very scarce, and you don't see it again the rest of the book.
The ending seems very rushed, and there is kind of a forced love interest? They don't show up but for maybe 3 instances though so they can't really be considered a flaw. (it may be forced but there was no SEX! YAY)
Otherwise, the book was great! I knew almost all the locations in the book, due to the setting mostly being in Dallas, Texas.
A very believable, flawed, character, and great story telling was what kept me hooked to this book, and what, in the end, made me like it a lot more than I thought I would.
The main character is great. She is religious, but doesn't rely on that fact through the entire book. Yes, she does pray to help get her though things, but she also understands that she has to put her own work into what she wants done. She has believable flaws, and this made me like the character a lot.
She is the only GOOD character though, the rest seem to be... Forced into the story. Including the evil force.
Speaking of said evil force, half the reason I continued reading the book; It shows up for maybe half the book, then it is very scarce, and you don't see it again the rest of the book.
The ending seems very rushed, and there is kind of a forced love interest? They don't show up but for maybe 3 instances though so they can't really be considered a flaw. (it may be forced but there was no SEX! YAY)
Otherwise, the book was great! I knew almost all the locations in the book, due to the setting mostly being in Dallas, Texas.
A very believable, flawed, character, and great story telling was what kept me hooked to this book, and what, in the end, made me like it a lot more than I thought I would.
February 22, 2021
3.5
I do think I may pick up the sequels to this but I’m also okay without doing so. It was a lot more churchy than I had expected from the back which made it a little less interesting to me. It did however remind me a wee bit of the tv show Evil due to it dealing with demons and the church and her being a psychologist as well. All in all I felt compelled to finish the book and felt the urge to keep reading to find out what was going to happen, unfortunately it ends without fully tying everything up so as to make you buy the next book. Which I don’t plan to do but may get it from the library if it’s available and I’ve read all my other books that currently await me.
I do think I may pick up the sequels to this but I’m also okay without doing so. It was a lot more churchy than I had expected from the back which made it a little less interesting to me. It did however remind me a wee bit of the tv show Evil due to it dealing with demons and the church and her being a psychologist as well. All in all I felt compelled to finish the book and felt the urge to keep reading to find out what was going to happen, unfortunately it ends without fully tying everything up so as to make you buy the next book. Which I don’t plan to do but may get it from the library if it’s available and I’ve read all my other books that currently await me.
August 13, 2021
Spiritual warfare is not typically a genre I read, but this one was worth it. What originally presented itself as a normal issue quickly takes a turn for the worst. I was absolutely captivated by the plot of this story. One thing after another happens and it absolutely swept me up and carried me throughout the entire story. This is a book I would recommend to people who love creepy stories that still have a criminology background to it.
September 20, 2022
Psychologist Dylan Foster is in the spiritual battle of her life. Everything of importance, including her own freedom, is at risk. At the center of the conflict is the wealthy Zocco family and their unspoken secrets. On the lower end of the spectrum lies a pale stranger, Peter Terry, who haunts Dylan and her patients. But she is not completely defenseless. Another stranger, Earl just happens to be standing by when things get dicey.
July 28, 2019
Mesmerizing Read for a Hard to Please Book Junkie
I couldn’t put this book down and it’s been a long time since that has happened for me. It was interesting from the opening chapter and I stayed up until the middle of the morning reading the ending.
Also being native to Dallas, I loved all the local references in the book.
I couldn’t put this book down and it’s been a long time since that has happened for me. It was interesting from the opening chapter and I stayed up until the middle of the morning reading the ending.
Also being native to Dallas, I loved all the local references in the book.
May 26, 2022
Absolutely loved this book! The whole series, really. I love how Melanie Wells writes. I love Dylan so much and I feel like I relate to her on so many levels. (Looking at you top ten terrible traits).
Such a fun story and wonderful book! I thought it was going to be more "spiritual" but I liked that it was mainly mystery and solving the case. Seriously, 10/10 totally recommend!
Such a fun story and wonderful book! I thought it was going to be more "spiritual" but I liked that it was mainly mystery and solving the case. Seriously, 10/10 totally recommend!
June 5, 2019
This was my first read by Melanie Wells and certainly won't be my last! I was instantly swept into the story and had a hard time putting it down. I can't wait to read the sequel... in fact I just bought it. 😊
October 5, 2021
3.5 stars. This was an interesting book. Part horror. Part religion. I enjoyed it, the mystery and how it all came together. I liked the theological aspect and how her faith brought her through. And it was set in Dallas so that was a bonus.
March 9, 2017
Wonderfully scary!
July 17, 2017
3.5 * pretty good book... kept me reading long into the night and actually scared me or maybe I should say made me feel uneasy!!! Books typically don't scare me but this one is pretty creepy!
July 19, 2017
good build up but the ending never really wrapped things up.
January 9, 2019
Captivating.
April 17, 2020
Well written. A spiritual battle we all must face at some point in our lives. Some make it, some don't. Melanie Wells is now one of my favorite authors.
October 26, 2021
Spooky book. Really good read, and it takes an unexpected turn, which seems typical nowadays, but this is different. Better. Well written... I look forward to reading more from this author.
January 9, 2022
I liked it! Beautifully written, a little frustrating finding out it is part of a series… but a good thriller nonetheless!
April 17, 2024
Interesting story of people plagued by a demon and how it affected many families.
September 11, 2024
Decent story. Horrible ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews