About the Book
"Gripping!" --Margaret Atwood via Twitter (@MargaretAtwood) In the vein of Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects and A.S.A. Harrison's The Silent Wife, The Devil You Know is a thrilling debut about a rookie reporter, whose memories of the murder of her childhood best friend bring danger--and a stalker--right to her doorstep.
The year is 1993. Rookie crime beat reporter Evie Jones is haunted by the unsolved murder of her best friend Lianne Gagnon who was killed in 1982, back when both girls were eleven. The suspected killer, a repeat offender named Robert Cameron, was never arrested, leaving Lianne's case cold.
Now twenty-one and living alone for the first time, Evie is obsessively drawn to finding out what really happened to Lianne. She leans on another childhood friend, David Patton, for help--but every clue they uncover seems to lead to an unimaginable conclusion. As she gets closer and closer to the truth, Evie becomes convinced that the killer is still at large--and that he's coming back for her.
From critically acclaimed author Elisabeth de Mariaffi comes an "exceptional book...full of surprises" (Suspense Magazine) about secrets long buried and obsession that cannot be controlled.
About the Author :
Elisabeth de Mariaffi is a critically acclaimed writer whose short story collection, How to Get Along with Women, was longlisted for the prestigious Giller Prize. She lives in St. John's, Canada, with her family.
Review :
"The Devil You Know is a gripping literary thriller that will get under your skin and burrow into your every waking thought. You'll see a little bit of yourself in Evie Jones, and you'll find yourself looking over your shoulder even more after reading this creepy, chilling, and hauntingly beautiful book."--Chevy Stevens, author of That Night and Still Missing
"The Devil You Know manages simultaneously to be funny, sweet, hip, and utterly terrifying. Elisabeth de Mariaffi has written a smart, unique thriller."--Alafair Burke, author of All Day and a Night
"The Devil You Know is an exceptionally tense, thoughtful book, one which had me questioning my assumptions and checking my pulse. Elisabeth de Mariaffi writes in crisp, tight prose that pulls the reader through the story seamlessly, and it is a story that thrills, surprises, and above all else makes the reader rethink their assumptions about how women experience the world of violence. A magnificent debut novel." --Steven Galloway, author of The Confabulist and The Cellist of Sarajevo
"[De Mariaffi] expertly builds suspense throughout this character-driven debut novel. As it nears its climax, readers will dread turning the pages for fear of what comes next."--Library Journal
"A first novel rich with menace and psychological depth, The Devil You Know transports in the dangerous way of a nightmare but remains grounded--even more dangerously--in the way of a documentary. Elisabeth de Mariaffi delivers a thriller that thrills in so many ways."--Andrew Pyper, author of The Demonologist
"Elisabeth de Mariaffi conjures an atmosphere that is both light and dark, familiar and off-kilter, nostalgic and hard-edged, and, ultimately, all the more chilling for being anchored in reality. . . .You won't sleep till you get to the end." --Carrie Anne Snyder, author of Girl Runner
"Evie is a tough, wisecracking narrator worthy of the greatest private-eye pulp novels. . . . [Her] vulnerable yet empowered voice, is refreshingly reverent."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A gripping page-turner on one hand, The Devil You Know is also literary in its unwavering focus on the complex portrayal of the psychology of its main character, and in its illumination of broader issues around violence against women." --Los Angeles Review of Books
"A rollercoaster ride . . . The Devil You Know is de Mariaffi's first novel, but she masters the art of pacing and ratchets up the tension page by page throughout Evie's journey. Fans of psychological thrillers like Gone Girl will root for Evie's version of the truth right to the end."-- "BookPage"
"Gripping!" --Margaret Atwood via Twitter (@MargaretAtwood)
"It takes both skill and empathy to write absorbing fiction about dead girls that doesn't dangerously veer into exploitation, and with The Devil You Know, Elisabeth de Mariaffi has beyond succeeded. . . . [A] well-crafted thriller, particularly reminiscent of Gillian Flynn's 2006 debut, Sharp Objects . . . a success both in storytelling and cultural commentary . . . The Devil You Know proves there can be enthralling literature about rape and murder that doesn't exploit or disrespect real-life anguish."-- "The Globe and Mail"
"Jam-packed with suspense and violence . . . for those who love a good whodunit with an unpredictable ending. Filled with authentic factual information, The Devil You Know contains its own fictional spin to produce a totally riveting novel." (New York Journal of Books)
"Take wit of Gone Girl, the horror of Helter Skelter, the twists of In Cold Blood, and the wisdom of Joan Didion's The White Album, and you feel the thrill of reading The Devil You Know. Elisabeth de Mariaffi has written a brilliant and thoughtful thriller that is tense, funny, scary, smart, and true. Her clear-eyed insight into the kind of fear that women carry through life resonated deeply with me."--Claire Cameron, author of The Bear
"The suspense slowly builds, reaching a frightening climax . . . . [An] engaging thriller from a promising first novelist."--Booklist
"This story is creepy, dark, and addictive. It's a really smart thriller--and it feels true, which makes it all the more frightening."--Sarah Selecky, author of This Cake Is for the Party
