The DEVIL and MRS. DAVENPORT by PAULETTE KENNEDY
(Available for pre-order)
The bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain and Parting the Veil mines the subtle horrors of 1950s America in a gripping novel about a woman under pressure―from the living and the dead.
Set in the Missouri Ozarks in the 1950s, Kennedy’s latest domestic gothic novel THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT focuses on Loretta Davenport, a housewife who develops psychic abilities after recovering from a virus (Lake Union; March 5, 2024). With the creation of an intriguing twist on the traditional 50’s homemaker and a plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Kennedy skillfully weaves the theme of self discovery with the important message that we must honor who we are so we can better love those around us. If you’re a fan of Shirley Jackson, Daphne du Maurier and historical fiction, this novel is a must read.
The first day of autumn brought the fever, and with the fever came the voices.
Missouri, 1955. Loretta Davenport has led an isolated life as a young mother and a wife to Pete, an ambitious assistant professor at a Bible college. They’re the picture of domestic tranquility until a local girl is murdered and Loretta begins receiving messages from beyond. Pete dismisses them as delusions of a fevered female imagination. Loretta knows they’re real―and frightening.
Defying Pete’s demands, Loretta finds an encouraging supporter in parapsychologist Dr. Curtis Hansen. He sees a woman with a rare gift, more blessing than curse. With Dr. Hansen’s help, Loretta’s life opens up to an empowering new purpose. But for Pete, the God-fearing image he’s worked so hard to cultivate is under threat. No longer in control of his dutiful wife, he sees the Devil at work.
As Loretta’s powers grow stronger and the pleading spirits beckon, Pete is determined to deliver his wife from evil. To solve the mysteries of the dead, Loretta must first save herself.
THE DEVIL AND MRS. DAVENPORT is a compulsive read full of unforgettable characters, classic gothic components, and page-turning suspense.
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“With a mystery that steadily builds, this gothic novel masterfully captures the horrors and sexism of 1950s suburbia. A bewitching page-turner with author Kennedy’s signature: a strong heroine who cleverly navigates twist after twist.” —Booklist
“Shirley Jackson fans will appreciate this novel with a distinct vintage vibe; readers of gothic and supernatural titles will be drawn in by the book’s feminist empowerment narrative.” —Library Journal
“This story of a 1950s housewife who can suddenly see and receive messages from the dead is so fascinating and compelling that it will be hard to put down. Loretta’s growing abilities and the cracking facade of her life are so well described. The author expertly begins to pull the curtain from Loretta’s marriage and show the truth—her husband is not perfect, and is, in fact, abusive. The combination of a bad marriage and explosive new psychic
abilities makes this book shine… This is a satisfying mix of historical mystery and paranormal fiction that fans of those genres will enjoy. Highly recommended.” —Historical Novels Review
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paulette Kennedy is the bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain and Parting the Veil, which received the prestigious HNS Review Editor’s Choice Award. She has had a lifelong obsession with the gothic. As a young girl, she spent her summers among the gravestones in her neighborhood cemetery, imagining all sorts of romantic stories for the people buried there.
After her mother introduced her to the Brontës as a teenager, her affinity for fog-covered landscapes and haunted heroines only grew, inspiring her to become a writer.
Originally from the Missouri Ozarks, she now lives with her family and a menagerie of rescue pets in sunny Southern California, where sometimes, on the very best days, the mountains are wreathed in fog.
As a history lover, she can get lost for days in her research—learning everything she can about the places in her novels and what her characters might have experienced in the past. Learn more about Paulette Kennedy at https://paulettekennedy.com/
