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The Hand of the Devil
When young magazine journalist Ashley Reeves receives an intriguing letter he leaves his London office in the hope of reporting on an unusual species of insect - the Ganges Red. That evening he arrives on Aries Island and encounters the writer of the letter - Reginald Mather.
At first Mather seems no more than an eccentric collector, happy to live in isolation on the island. But when Reeves unearths the horrific truth he finds himself thrown headlong into a macabre nightmare that quickly spirals out of control. His life is in danger . . . and Mather is not his only enemy . . .
Both gruesome and compelling, chilling and page-turning, this much-anticipated thriller from Dean Vincent Carter will delight older readers.
At first Mather seems no more than an eccentric collector, happy to live in isolation on the island. But when Reeves unearths the horrific truth he finds himself thrown headlong into a macabre nightmare that quickly spirals out of control. His life is in danger . . . and Mather is not his only enemy . . .
Both gruesome and compelling, chilling and page-turning, this much-anticipated thriller from Dean Vincent Carter will delight older readers.
275 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2005
11 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Dean Vincent Carter
9 books17 followersI was born in July, 1976 in the West Midlands and spent the first six years of my life in Bewdley near Kidderminster, before moving to Tenbury Wells, Shropshire where many members of my family still live.
At around thirteen years of age I spent one bored Summer afternoon sitting in the back garden of a restaurant where my mother worked, reading a book my aunt had ordered by mistake from a book club. Stephen King’s Misery, wasn’t exactly her cup of tea, but it was, as I was soon to find out, mine. I devoured the novel and found within its pages the inspiration to write my own stories. The first, Revenge, was very much a tentative footstep in the general direction of storytelling, i.e. it’s not exactly my finest piece of work. The story lasted only six pages, (luckily) was very Misery-derivative, and more than a little contrived and predictable. But we all have to start somewhere, and there was as good a place as any.
During my last few years of high school I tried a few more short stories, then attempted a book, Carnival, which eventually ended up as a large short story, possibly a novella, about a travelling carnival of genetically modified animals and freaks. I still have a copy of it, typed out on an old Olivetti typewriter given to me by an uncle. Even now the smell of typewriters (a heady mix of ink and metal) brings back memories. Personal Computers will always be my weapon of choice when it comes to word-processing, but they have none of the excitement, the romance, the immediacy of typewriters.
Like Revenge, Carnival hasn’t really stood the test of time, but I was young… At least, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
Since 1991 I’ve written pretty much constantly. Through my college years in Worcester (1992-95), my university years (1995-98) and the years since, I’ve found it difficult to leave a keyboard alone.
The Hand of the Devil began as a short story entitled Epicure in the Terrible, which had a length of about eleven thousand words. The two stories are very similar in tone, but with notable differences. In the short story the main character is shipwrecked on the island after accidentally murdering a sailor, and is little more than food for the Ganges Red. Mather is present, though he has none of the depth he has in the book, and the ending of the short story is left open unlike the novel.
In 1999 I spent six months working as a temp for Transworld Publishers in Ealing, London. I worked in the post-room, and found the company, and indeed the industry, very much to my liking. I had ambitions back then to eventually write a book and submit it, but I had no idea of what was to come. In fact it would be four more years before I had my lucky break. I returned to Shropshire for a couple of years and worked for Hammicks Bookshop in Worcester, before being offered a permanent job back at Transworld, an opportunity I jumped at. So in 2002 I returned to London, having already begun adapting Epicure in the Terrible into a book, and a year down the line at a Transworld/Random House Children’s Books Christmas party I happened to sit at the same table as the wonderful, talented, and highly respected editor, Charlie Sheppard. A colleague and I were lingering at the bar, waiting for our drinks, and because of this ended up grabbing the last available table as people sat down to eat. A few other people joined us, including Charlie, and it soon became clear to her that I was the ‘Dean Carter’ who had been sending silly emails around the company. She asked if I’d written anything… And the rest is history.
The Bookseller Email has been in existence for over three years now, and began at the behest of my boss, to inform many members of staff that the trade magazine The Boookseller had arrived. For some reason, possibly because of general boredom and a writer’s irrepressible urge to make anything written more interesting, whether it be a letter, email or greetings card message
At around thirteen years of age I spent one bored Summer afternoon sitting in the back garden of a restaurant where my mother worked, reading a book my aunt had ordered by mistake from a book club. Stephen King’s Misery, wasn’t exactly her cup of tea, but it was, as I was soon to find out, mine. I devoured the novel and found within its pages the inspiration to write my own stories. The first, Revenge, was very much a tentative footstep in the general direction of storytelling, i.e. it’s not exactly my finest piece of work. The story lasted only six pages, (luckily) was very Misery-derivative, and more than a little contrived and predictable. But we all have to start somewhere, and there was as good a place as any.
During my last few years of high school I tried a few more short stories, then attempted a book, Carnival, which eventually ended up as a large short story, possibly a novella, about a travelling carnival of genetically modified animals and freaks. I still have a copy of it, typed out on an old Olivetti typewriter given to me by an uncle. Even now the smell of typewriters (a heady mix of ink and metal) brings back memories. Personal Computers will always be my weapon of choice when it comes to word-processing, but they have none of the excitement, the romance, the immediacy of typewriters.
Like Revenge, Carnival hasn’t really stood the test of time, but I was young… At least, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.
Since 1991 I’ve written pretty much constantly. Through my college years in Worcester (1992-95), my university years (1995-98) and the years since, I’ve found it difficult to leave a keyboard alone.
The Hand of the Devil began as a short story entitled Epicure in the Terrible, which had a length of about eleven thousand words. The two stories are very similar in tone, but with notable differences. In the short story the main character is shipwrecked on the island after accidentally murdering a sailor, and is little more than food for the Ganges Red. Mather is present, though he has none of the depth he has in the book, and the ending of the short story is left open unlike the novel.
In 1999 I spent six months working as a temp for Transworld Publishers in Ealing, London. I worked in the post-room, and found the company, and indeed the industry, very much to my liking. I had ambitions back then to eventually write a book and submit it, but I had no idea of what was to come. In fact it would be four more years before I had my lucky break. I returned to Shropshire for a couple of years and worked for Hammicks Bookshop in Worcester, before being offered a permanent job back at Transworld, an opportunity I jumped at. So in 2002 I returned to London, having already begun adapting Epicure in the Terrible into a book, and a year down the line at a Transworld/Random House Children’s Books Christmas party I happened to sit at the same table as the wonderful, talented, and highly respected editor, Charlie Sheppard. A colleague and I were lingering at the bar, waiting for our drinks, and because of this ended up grabbing the last available table as people sat down to eat. A few other people joined us, including Charlie, and it soon became clear to her that I was the ‘Dean Carter’ who had been sending silly emails around the company. She asked if I’d written anything… And the rest is history.
The Bookseller Email has been in existence for over three years now, and began at the behest of my boss, to inform many members of staff that the trade magazine The Boookseller had arrived. For some reason, possibly because of general boredom and a writer’s irrepressible urge to make anything written more interesting, whether it be a letter, email or greetings card message
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 29, 2016
When a young Journalist for a weird magazine known as Missing Links is told about a once in a life time story, he goes not knowing what dangers await him. It is only when he meets up with Reginald Mather who is an eccentric collector of insects and finds out a deadly secret with a killer mosquito that makes him fight for his life. Will he be able to survive? Read and find out for yourself.
I read this a while back when I borrowed this at my local library and it was a pretty good psychological thriller horror survival novel. If you like stories about killer bugs or just want to read something different, be sure to check this book out. This book can be found at your local library and wherever books are sold.
I read this a while back when I borrowed this at my local library and it was a pretty good psychological thriller horror survival novel. If you like stories about killer bugs or just want to read something different, be sure to check this book out. This book can be found at your local library and wherever books are sold.
November 11, 2020
Καλούλι για τις ηλικίες που απευθύνεται. Παρόλα αυτά, το ότι ένα βιβλίο απευθύνεται στις μικρές ηλικίες δεν του δίνει carte blanche για συμβιβασμούς στην ποιότητα, και αυτό το βιβλίο είναι σε διάφορα σημεία του (κυρίως πλοκής) μέτριο, επειδή απλά είναι. Άλλωστε, όλοι γνωρίζουμε δείγματα αριστουργημάτων στον τομέα του παιδικού βιβλίου που ποτέ δεν μπέρδεψαν την απλότητα με την απλοϊκότητα.
Δεδομένων αυτών, πιθανολογώ πως ένα παιδί 10-12 χρονών (δεν νομίζω ότι απευθύνεται σε νεώτερα άτομα) θα τρομάξει λίγο και θα το κρατήσει κολλημένο στις σελίδες.
Δεδομένων αυτών, πιθανολογώ πως ένα παιδί 10-12 χρονών (δεν νομίζω ότι απευθύνεται σε νεώτερα άτομα) θα τρομάξει λίγο και θα το κρατήσει κολλημένο στις σελίδες.
November 7, 2012
Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
Bugs. Honestly, I don't particularly care for them. They seem to like munching on me, even though I'm pretty sure I'm not the type who is made of sugar and spice. I also suffer from arachnophobia; I absolutely, positively despise spiders. Those hairy bodies, those spiny legs, those googly eyes. Spiders truly freak me out. So, I guess I should start by thanking Mr. Carter for not making the bug in his story a spider. On the other hand, he made the bug in his story this ginormous, otherworldly red mosquito who managed to give me nightmares. I guess that means his story was effective; it also means I'm suffering from hallucinatory mosquito bites just from reading THE HAND OF THE DEVIL.
Ashley Reeves is twenty-one, a bright guy who works as an investigative journalist for the magazine Missing Link. Where they once centered around inexplicable stories based on alien sightings and the like, they now focus on freak of nature stories that deal with facts and scientific proof. Ashley still finds himself dealing with a lot of hoaxes, so when he receives a letter from one Mr. Reginald C. Mather, he's undeniably excited. Mr. Mather has asked for Ashley to join him at his home on Aries Island to view the Ganges Red, a very unique mosquito that he claims to have in his possession. Curiosity piqued, Ashely sets off to visit Mr. Mather and his mosquito in the middle of Lake Languor.
It turns out that Reginald Mather was telling the truth. He does, in fact, own the Ganges Red, also known as The Lady or The Devil's Hand. Reginald delights in telling Ashley stories about his very unique, and slightly frightening, bug friend. Some of the stories seem outrageously fantastic, such as the fable that The Lady is the reincarnation of a woman from a Vietnamese tale. Or that the Ganges Red has been alive for hundreds of years, killing and destroying numerous humans on its voyage.
As Ashley finds himself trapped on Aries Island during a storm, he realizes that although The Lady seems to be more than just a simple insect, the danger he's finding himself in might actually be coming from Mather himself. It seems the former doctor, now turned recluse and devoted keeper of the Ganges Red, is hiding a murderous secret of his own, and it's just Ashley's luck to have stumbled upon it. As Ashley fights for his life from the wicked Mr. Mather, he will have to suspend everything he's ever thought to be true to understand the true nature of The Devil's Hand and her hold over Mr. Mather.
If you're looking for a book that will unnerve you, mess with your mind, and play on all of the fears you've ever had, then THE HAND OF THE DEVIL is definitely the book for you. Unable to stop reading even while I was scratching at my faux mosquito bites, this is one story that will stay with you long after you've finished it--whether you want it to or not.
Bugs. Honestly, I don't particularly care for them. They seem to like munching on me, even though I'm pretty sure I'm not the type who is made of sugar and spice. I also suffer from arachnophobia; I absolutely, positively despise spiders. Those hairy bodies, those spiny legs, those googly eyes. Spiders truly freak me out. So, I guess I should start by thanking Mr. Carter for not making the bug in his story a spider. On the other hand, he made the bug in his story this ginormous, otherworldly red mosquito who managed to give me nightmares. I guess that means his story was effective; it also means I'm suffering from hallucinatory mosquito bites just from reading THE HAND OF THE DEVIL.
Ashley Reeves is twenty-one, a bright guy who works as an investigative journalist for the magazine Missing Link. Where they once centered around inexplicable stories based on alien sightings and the like, they now focus on freak of nature stories that deal with facts and scientific proof. Ashley still finds himself dealing with a lot of hoaxes, so when he receives a letter from one Mr. Reginald C. Mather, he's undeniably excited. Mr. Mather has asked for Ashley to join him at his home on Aries Island to view the Ganges Red, a very unique mosquito that he claims to have in his possession. Curiosity piqued, Ashely sets off to visit Mr. Mather and his mosquito in the middle of Lake Languor.
It turns out that Reginald Mather was telling the truth. He does, in fact, own the Ganges Red, also known as The Lady or The Devil's Hand. Reginald delights in telling Ashley stories about his very unique, and slightly frightening, bug friend. Some of the stories seem outrageously fantastic, such as the fable that The Lady is the reincarnation of a woman from a Vietnamese tale. Or that the Ganges Red has been alive for hundreds of years, killing and destroying numerous humans on its voyage.
As Ashley finds himself trapped on Aries Island during a storm, he realizes that although The Lady seems to be more than just a simple insect, the danger he's finding himself in might actually be coming from Mather himself. It seems the former doctor, now turned recluse and devoted keeper of the Ganges Red, is hiding a murderous secret of his own, and it's just Ashley's luck to have stumbled upon it. As Ashley fights for his life from the wicked Mr. Mather, he will have to suspend everything he's ever thought to be true to understand the true nature of The Devil's Hand and her hold over Mr. Mather.
If you're looking for a book that will unnerve you, mess with your mind, and play on all of the fears you've ever had, then THE HAND OF THE DEVIL is definitely the book for you. Unable to stop reading even while I was scratching at my faux mosquito bites, this is one story that will stay with you long after you've finished it--whether you want it to or not.
August 24, 2014
I'm really surprised this book was picked up by a major publisher. Everything about it screams "self-published", from the ridiculous plot to the flimsy characters to the cliche ending.
December 3, 2017
When judging this book strictly based on entertainment, leisure of reading, and even the quality and intrigue of the plot, the book could easily score a 3 or a higher, but what makes the book difficult to read and the novel's overall feel ruins it.
Right off the get-go realize this book has minimal to absolutely zero depth to the theme of the book. In a general sense, "Hand of the Devil," is "just a story." The book's protagonist is shallow, boring, and so incredibly unintelligent (even for a horror story). The protagonist also narrates the story in real time; thus, making the storytelling feel as dull as him. The first 170 pages of the book feel like they never end and have little content interesting enough to keep you there. Either stuck between endless exposition in dialogue, or lackluster descriptions of literally just sort of 'what's going on' moments, the novel makes sure to allow you to fade away from it's childish, bizarre, smashed together plot.
The plot. I came into the book expecting something pretty original. The cover and descriptions gave me hopes with their descriptions of these threatening insects. Surprise! The person who has down the most sadistic things, is focused on the most, and injures the protagonist the most is...a serial killer. But, there is another threat, a magic, mind-controlling, giant mosquito. But guess what?! There is another creature whose tireless efforts are to stop these evil mosquito...a giant dragonfly that is actually a Genie. Oh, the mosquito is also a girl trapped in a mosquito's body and must suck the blood of her husband to become human again. What?
Ten additional lines must have formed on my forehead reading this book. Its so childish and mashed up that I can't wrapped my head around the fact that the publishers and creative advisory and editors of this book though this sounded good. While I realize it is directed towards a younger audience, it doesn't seem to hold back on descriptive violence too inappropriate for an age group that would adore the book.
But I must admit, I did get some enjoyment out the book. Occasionally I wanted to read on to see what happens to the characters in the book, and the book is fairly polished with vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. However, I don't recommend this book if you prefer your books to have some depth that can relate to real life, or if you actually like structured, sensical plots.
Now, I have to finish the project for this book I ill-fatedly picked up from the table of options.
Right off the get-go realize this book has minimal to absolutely zero depth to the theme of the book. In a general sense, "Hand of the Devil," is "just a story." The book's protagonist is shallow, boring, and so incredibly unintelligent (even for a horror story). The protagonist also narrates the story in real time; thus, making the storytelling feel as dull as him. The first 170 pages of the book feel like they never end and have little content interesting enough to keep you there. Either stuck between endless exposition in dialogue, or lackluster descriptions of literally just sort of 'what's going on' moments, the novel makes sure to allow you to fade away from it's childish, bizarre, smashed together plot.
The plot. I came into the book expecting something pretty original. The cover and descriptions gave me hopes with their descriptions of these threatening insects. Surprise! The person who has down the most sadistic things, is focused on the most, and injures the protagonist the most is...a serial killer. But, there is another threat, a magic, mind-controlling, giant mosquito. But guess what?! There is another creature whose tireless efforts are to stop these evil mosquito...a giant dragonfly that is actually a Genie. Oh, the mosquito is also a girl trapped in a mosquito's body and must suck the blood of her husband to become human again. What?
Ten additional lines must have formed on my forehead reading this book. Its so childish and mashed up that I can't wrapped my head around the fact that the publishers and creative advisory and editors of this book though this sounded good. While I realize it is directed towards a younger audience, it doesn't seem to hold back on descriptive violence too inappropriate for an age group that would adore the book.
But I must admit, I did get some enjoyment out the book. Occasionally I wanted to read on to see what happens to the characters in the book, and the book is fairly polished with vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. However, I don't recommend this book if you prefer your books to have some depth that can relate to real life, or if you actually like structured, sensical plots.
Now, I have to finish the project for this book I ill-fatedly picked up from the table of options.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2023
The Hand of The Devil by Dean Vincent Carter is about journalist Ashley Reeves who’s working for a small magazine gets a letter inviting him out to an island to view the Ganges Red, an unusual species of insect. After arriving on the island and meeting the man who sent the letter, thinking he’s just an eccentric collecter, things start to go bad then worse turning into a nightmare he’s not sure he’ll get out of.
I truly loved this Novel, the time span of the plot in the book is two or three days and I find that really pulled me in and made for a really fast read. The main character Ashley is a young twenty something who’s quite easy to relate too as you learn about him through these two/three very long days. I would give this book a 5 star rating, and would recommend reading it!
I truly loved this Novel, the time span of the plot in the book is two or three days and I find that really pulled me in and made for a really fast read. The main character Ashley is a young twenty something who’s quite easy to relate too as you learn about him through these two/three very long days. I would give this book a 5 star rating, and would recommend reading it!
May 28, 2018
A Really Fun and scary book.
The story starts out in London England but quickly moves to a remote location in the English countryside. The action mostly takes place on a small island and the main monster is something that you would never imagine yet somehow Dean Vincent Carter makes it believable. The story has a lot to offer because it has adventure, horror, mystery and some romance. I really loved this book because it was very scary, very weird , very gross and very easy to read. I also liked the story because the characters were interesting and the story was imaginative.
The story starts out in London England but quickly moves to a remote location in the English countryside. The action mostly takes place on a small island and the main monster is something that you would never imagine yet somehow Dean Vincent Carter makes it believable. The story has a lot to offer because it has adventure, horror, mystery and some romance. I really loved this book because it was very scary, very weird , very gross and very easy to read. I also liked the story because the characters were interesting and the story was imaginative.
June 26, 2020
This was full of suspense. Really, if your going to read it and have a desire to know what happens in books, get ready for the suspense. This is about a journalist who gets a letter from a guy named Mather who claims to have a worthwhile story. (Yes he definately does!) I found this a really unique story!
July 25, 2023
Books I've read and provided detailed reviews over the years but all data is lost after accidental deletion and GD refuse to restore it back.
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
Adding books back to my library for my own reference and tracking purposes
March 28, 2018
The book started out okay so i keeped on reading but towards the middle i noticed it was not gonna get exciting anymore. I got bored and stopped reading .
July 9, 2022
It took a while for me to get into but I’m glad I decided to preserve, and I ended up not being able to put this book down.
July 24, 2025
From the very first chapter of this book, I was hooked! The absolute horrors that happened within just the first chapter were crazy to me & I’d never read something like that before. I was very suspicious of Mr. Mather from the beginning. It was very obvious what he was trying to do from the moment Ashley got to his cabin, but Ashley kept giving him the benefit of the doubt & was too focused on trying to have a story. Very suspenseful & twisty overall; I was on the edge of my seat on various occasions while reading this honestly! I’m not super happy with the ending because it felt like that was such a simple solution to the problem at-hand. I totally get it that in the real world, you can kill a mosquito/fly just by stepping on it, but the Ganges Red was a huge, vile, & dangerous creature, so just Gina squashing it with her foot to kill it was incredibly underwhelming for me. All in all, I did enjoy this book & the concept of it because of the creature feature aspect & gore, but I wanted a more complex solution for the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2010
With so many books and so little time, I rarely revisit titles I've already read. I made an exception for this one, though, because I first read it roughly two years ago and haven't really stopped thinking about it since then. Granted, I was biased in favor of "The Hand of the Devil" from the start because I have always loved mad scientist stories and horror in general, but this one would have been a haunting tale even if that weren't the case. The book appears at first to be a typical "naive protagonist falls into diabolical villain's clutches" horror yarn. As the novel progresses, however, it becomes evident that this is in fact an original, intelligent story.
The author's prose, though not likely to propel his books to the ranks of classic literature, flows well and is consequently much more readable than that of many recent books for teens. The narrative contains some lurid details (lurid by teen standards, anyway - this is probably nothing compared to horror fiction aimed at adults), but leaves much to the imagination. As the author's nod to H. P. Lovecraft at the beginning of the book indicates, the story draws on the psychological just as much as the physical to establish an unsettling atmosphere.
The most striking aspect of this book's approach to horror for me was its characters. The archetypes of horror fiction - beleaguered hero, evil genius, obsequious assistant, dangerous creature as object of evil genius's obsession, damsel in distress - are present, but as the story progresses the author develops these archetypes into original characters. Everyone and everything is important, imbued with a definite raison d'être. The titular creature, for example, menaces society with a specific goal in mind rather than simply to satisfy an inexplicable lust for random destruction as so many creatures of horror fiction do; similarly, the mad scientist's accomplice here does not merely pop into the story to serve his master blindly as so many Igor-esque assistants have done. Each character possesses a strong, distinctive personality effectively conveyed through consistent attention to details of appearance, speech, other mannerisms, emotions, and actions. These details make the entire cast, minor and major characters alike, come alive. It is this thoroughness that ultimately distinguishes the novel, drawing readers into a world so well developed that it feels real and thereby heightens the horror. Readers will finish the book feeling as if they've actually visited Aries Island right alongside protagonist Ashley and co., leading to an experience as vivid and lasting as if the story were the product of one's own memory rather than fiction.
The author's prose, though not likely to propel his books to the ranks of classic literature, flows well and is consequently much more readable than that of many recent books for teens. The narrative contains some lurid details (lurid by teen standards, anyway - this is probably nothing compared to horror fiction aimed at adults), but leaves much to the imagination. As the author's nod to H. P. Lovecraft at the beginning of the book indicates, the story draws on the psychological just as much as the physical to establish an unsettling atmosphere.
The most striking aspect of this book's approach to horror for me was its characters. The archetypes of horror fiction - beleaguered hero, evil genius, obsequious assistant, dangerous creature as object of evil genius's obsession, damsel in distress - are present, but as the story progresses the author develops these archetypes into original characters. Everyone and everything is important, imbued with a definite raison d'être. The titular creature, for example, menaces society with a specific goal in mind rather than simply to satisfy an inexplicable lust for random destruction as so many creatures of horror fiction do; similarly, the mad scientist's accomplice here does not merely pop into the story to serve his master blindly as so many Igor-esque assistants have done. Each character possesses a strong, distinctive personality effectively conveyed through consistent attention to details of appearance, speech, other mannerisms, emotions, and actions. These details make the entire cast, minor and major characters alike, come alive. It is this thoroughness that ultimately distinguishes the novel, drawing readers into a world so well developed that it feels real and thereby heightens the horror. Readers will finish the book feeling as if they've actually visited Aries Island right alongside protagonist Ashley and co., leading to an experience as vivid and lasting as if the story were the product of one's own memory rather than fiction.
November 4, 2015
The book starts off by giving a minor background on the main character, Ashley Reeves, although I thought it was a little prolonged it was still not a bad into to the book. Ashley Reeves is a young journalist for a magazine dedicated to the strange and weird things in nature. Having many of his journalist investigations to turn out to be a hoax, Reeves was thoroughly ecstatic when he was contacted by Dr. Reginald Mathers. Mathers seems considerably reliable because of his extensive knowledge and terminology used in his letter to Reeves. He claims to have a rare breed of mosquito known as the Ganges Red. Reeves sets off to Mathers' small island in high hopes for a good article. Little did he know, he was in for a greater story than expected. This ganges red is much more horrifying and larger than anticipated. This thrilling novel keeps you on edge, and I found it to be a quick read because of the fluency and storyline. I suggest this book if you are looking for a creepy story, however the end and beginning could have been shorter. Overall I liked the concept and story of the book, could use a few minor improvements.
June 26, 2016
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Ashley Reeves is a young journalist for a "freak of nature" magazing called Missing Link. One day, he receives a letter from a man named Reginald Mather saying that he has a rare species of mosquito in his possession and would love for Ashley to come to his remote island to feature it in his magazine. When Ashley arrives and becomes stranded on the island, he discovers that not everything about this island and it's lone inhabitant is what it seems.
I enjoyed this book, although it did take me 2 weeks to complete. Mather was a complete lunatic and I loved his character. Gina drove me insane and I wanted to punch he multiple times in the story. I also can't decide if I liked or hated Ashley, at times, he was extremely idiotic and useless but other times he was very brave.
Ashley Reeves is a young journalist for a "freak of nature" magazing called Missing Link. One day, he receives a letter from a man named Reginald Mather saying that he has a rare species of mosquito in his possession and would love for Ashley to come to his remote island to feature it in his magazine. When Ashley arrives and becomes stranded on the island, he discovers that not everything about this island and it's lone inhabitant is what it seems.
I enjoyed this book, although it did take me 2 weeks to complete. Mather was a complete lunatic and I loved his character. Gina drove me insane and I wanted to punch he multiple times in the story. I also can't decide if I liked or hated Ashley, at times, he was extremely idiotic and useless but other times he was very brave.
April 13, 2010
Although I didn't finish reading this book yet I think it is amazing. I am almost done and is amazed with the whole story. It's about a young journalist who gets a letter. The letter tells him to meet Mather( the sender) for he has found an mosquito that was said to be extinct and wants him to write a story about it. If I was him of course i would take the offer. You don't find an extinct species of mosquitos everyday now do you? But when he goes he soon finds out that the mosquito is real but he also finds out that Mather is crazy and conducts weird experiments. I think that this is an awesome book and for those who wants to find out what happens after I recommend you read it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2011
I bought this book new for $3 and did not know what really to expect. The story starts out mundane enough but begins to pick up as the plot begins to reveal itself. It was an easy read, a typical book to read in the summer on the back deck, but it had suspense and elements of fantasy and horror. I love a good horror and always suspend my sense of realism with these type of books, but I was disappointed by the ending. I felt the same way when years ago I read Needful Things by Stephen King many years ago, a sort of lackluster over the top sort of ending. Anyways, The Hand of the Devil is worth a read if you want something easy that will take you away from the realities of your life.
January 27, 2016
As a journalist for the science magazine Missing Link, Ashley Reeves has investigated some bizarre stories, but the letter he just received from Reginald Mather promises a story to top them all...a one of a kind mosquito known as the Ganges Red. Mather is an eccentric collector of insects who lives on a remote island. When Ashley finds himself stranded on the island with Mather, he begins to realize the far-fetched stories Mather tells might actually be true, and if so, his life is in grave danger. For a gruesome horror story filled with suspense, murder, and mayhem, read The Hand of the Devil. Sometimes, legends really do come true.
November 8, 2014
I got this book from a tutor of mine at university who was having a clear-out outside of his office, and I was rather intrigued by the story on the back. Heading to Manchester (again) for a gig (again), I managed to finish this book in a night, which I haven't done for a while. The story flowed rather well, running each chapter into the next and the back story was somewhat, although not entirely believable. I haven't read a book of this kind in months, but was rather surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
March 26, 2016
This books description claims that it will "make you never want to leave the house without bug spray again". Failure!
I honestly wasn't creeped out or scared by anything in this story. The writing was poor and repetitive, characters and plot inconsistent and nonsensical, and any suspense that might have been had was lost in overlong and unnecessary ramblings. The book also uses racial stereotypes and seems to have little to no grasp of how science or journalism actually work. Maybe Im being a bit harsh, but I just did not enjoy this book.
I honestly wasn't creeped out or scared by anything in this story. The writing was poor and repetitive, characters and plot inconsistent and nonsensical, and any suspense that might have been had was lost in overlong and unnecessary ramblings. The book also uses racial stereotypes and seems to have little to no grasp of how science or journalism actually work. Maybe Im being a bit harsh, but I just did not enjoy this book.
December 19, 2019
The first 150 pages of this story were pretty solid. After that, well... the editor needed to flex. It's very Dr Who in that is a bit silly, a bit frightening and a bit rubbish. Let's get this straight, it's about a giant sentient insect, but it's very readable never the less. It also reminds me of Wyndham's 'The Web' - in that it mixes non-European folk law with sci-fi elements. Yet the main antagonist, is clearly modelled after Hannibal lector. A fact further supported by the fact he names the cat in the novel Sir Anthony and also Mr Hopkins (different aliases for different people).
March 8, 2016
I debated whether or not to read this books as I have read two other novels by this author - and well was not very impressed! One I didn't even finish and the other I did but it was mediocre at best. This I did also finish but has not changed my mind about the author and has only confirmed that from now on this author is on my avoid list! The blurb on the back was good but the book wasn't. I won't be reading any more of his books that for sure.
Want to read
April 17, 2011This was one of the books featured at the back of The Spook's Curse, so I'm guessing if you liked that book this one might go down well too.
Want to read
April 13, 2011I gotta put this down for now.
Maybe I'll come back to it later. Something just doesn't make me want to read about a giant mosquito eating a guy named Ashley. He should be eaten, his name is Ashley! not Asher, Ashley! WHY? WHY WOULD YOU NAME HIM THAT? Gosh!
Maybe I'll come back to it later. Something just doesn't make me want to read about a giant mosquito eating a guy named Ashley. He should be eaten, his name is Ashley! not Asher, Ashley! WHY? WHY WOULD YOU NAME HIM THAT? Gosh!
August 7, 2012
A very good book that keeps wondering whats going to happen next!! This book keeps you on the edge of your seat and when you discover the truth to whats going on it'll surprise you and blow your mind. Very original. (:
January 4, 2014
I always hated mosquitoes and still do. The Hand of the Devil encouraged me to hate mosquitoes even more.
Overall, it was a really good book. A bit gruesome and disturbing but it was very compelling.
Overall, it was a really good book. A bit gruesome and disturbing but it was very compelling.
September 13, 2007
Creepy. Creepy. Yet cool. I felt paranoid about bugs for like weeks after I read it!
January 11, 2008
great book. interesting and misterious.
Read
November 21, 2008When journalist Ashley Reeves finds himself on an island to interview a reclusive insect collector, he soon realizes that he might be the hunted.
April 6, 2009
A good tweener book, but nothing special.
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