by Kiersten White
Publisher: Del Rey
Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Adult, Horror, Fantasy
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon Bookshop
Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to studying vampires—up until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that plague Anneke every night.
Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest in forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch her mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicably dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe and Anneke is certain they’re all connected.
But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps some crucial evidence to infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to Anneke, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola. Devil. The obsession is mutual, and all the more dangerous for it.
The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman, after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Because as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body.
A heart that beats for Anneke alone.
Anneke is working to avenge her father's death. She knows he was murdered and didn't take his own life and she is going to prove it. She saw a woman that night who did and will stop at nothing to hunt her down.
Anneke is one of the best detectives out there. She can notice things that many can't, has the skills and knowledge to show off these men. Which, I loved considering it was during the times where it was still a male dominate field and they would never want to admit how much they need her, even though it's true.
Years of hunting down this Diavola leads to many travels and letters over the years and one day she gets the biggest break she needs. The village where she comes from and the story that goes with it. So Anneke makes plans to go there, find her and end her once and for all.
When Anneke gets to the village, it doesn't go exactly as planned. She runs into the Diavola and despite attempts to stop her, nothing has worked. But this Diavola isn't all as we thought her to be. So, she explains to Anneke what happened to her, how she came to be what she is and how she went after her father because of his great betrayal and the effects that came from it.
Anneke now has a new purpose. A new person to hunt down. But, finally she has the answers she was looking for regarding her father. Now she understands more on what her mother has been saying about him and how it was a lesson she had to learn herself to finally understand and see what was there all along and how he doesn't deserve this much attention, this much time and effort from her.
Now, face with a new case, a new suspect, she must reconcile with her friends and gather their help to hunt down the true devil behind all these murders.
I absolutely LOVED this book. The dark themes, the setting, the world building, the characters and overall story was everything I expect from the author.
I'm so glad I choose this as my first book of the year. I have no idea if anything is going to top this right now. I'll always be a Kiersten fan and can't wait for next masterpiece!
If you enjoyed her Lucy Undying, Vampires, Dracula and similar settings, then this book is certainly for you!
My Rating:
✪✪✪✪✪
