The Devil Walks in Mattingly, book review
For the three people tortured by their secret complicity in a young man’s untimely death, redemption is what they most long for . . . and the last thing they expect to receive.
The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey
About this book: It has been twenty years since Philip McBride’s body was found along the riverbank in the dark woods known as Happy Hollow. His death was ruled a suicide. But three people have carried the truth ever since—Philip didn’t kill himself that day. He was murdered.
Each of the three have wilted in the shadow of their sins. Jake Barnett is Mattingly’s sheriff, where he spends his days polishing the fragile shell of the man he pretends to be. His wife, Kate, has convinced herself the good she does for the poor will someday wash the blood from her hands. And high in the mountains, Taylor Hathcock lives in seclusion and fear, fueled by madness and hatred.
Yet what cannot be laid to rest is bound to rise again. Philip McBride has haunted Jake’s dreams for weeks, warning that he is coming back for them all. When Taylor finds mysterious footprints leading from the Hollow, he believes his redemption has come. His actions will plunge the quiet town of Mattingly into darkness. These three will be drawn together for a final confrontation between life and death . . . between truth and lies.
About the author: (from Litfuse Publicity) Billy Coffey’s critically-acclaimed books combine rural Southern charm with a vision far beyond the ordinary. He is a regular contributor to several publications, where he writes about faith and life. Billy lives with his wife and two children in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Learn more about the author at billycoffey.com.
Genre: Fiction/Christian/General
Judge this book by its cover? Dark and eerie…perfect
If this book were a movie, I would rate it: PG. Though it contains some sensitive subject matter (e.g., teen sex), it’s handled discreetly.
Reminds me of… Mary DeMuth, Erin Healy, Sarah Addison Allen, Leif Enger
You’ll want to buy this book if … you enjoy literary Southern fiction with a touch of the supernatural. See what other reviewers are saying here.
Why did I read this book? As a Litfuse blogger, for Thomas Nelson for review
Would I read another by this author? In the right mood, yes.
My take: There’s so much to like about the work of Billy Coffey, a lyricist at heart with a Southern twang. His prose practically sings itself off the page. He weaves the supernatural convincingly into his narrative, and delivers each character fully formed, achingly real, marvelously complex. He executes deep dives into subjects that really matter. Guilt. Forgiveness. Redemption. Grace.
In The Devil Walks in Mattingly, four unique voices tangle together to form a complicated narrative tapestry, and Coffey draws his readers relentlessly into darker and darker places until finally leading the way to light once more. Perhaps not too surprisingly, I do find I have to be in the right mood for his books. He tackles such weighty material, it’s impossible to go there casually. Which only serves as a testament to the quality and content of his storytelling.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
Now your turn: I find that my mood can play a big part in my enjoyment of a book, and as I mentioned before, some books–even the good ones–I simply have to be in the mood for. Conversely, reading a wrong book can actually put me into a bad mood. Am I alone in this, or do you experience something similar?
But wait, there’s more…
Billy Coffey is celebrating The Devil Walks in Mattingly with a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway.
One winner will receive:
- A Kindle Fire HDX
- The Devil Walks in Mattingly by Billy Coffey
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 5th. Winner will be announced April 7th on Billy’s blog. Watch Billy give the backstory of the book here.
