Conjuring the Demon

Name: Conjuring the Demon
Price: 26.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781968532550

✍️ John Durgin

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$26.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A dual-timeline novel about a man returning home to break a blood curse.

The story operates through parallel narratives that intersect at the root of a supernatural affliction. Jessica Black’s arrival in 1978 establishes the foundational rituals of the town, revealing her role as a chosen sacrifice for a new faith. Howie Burke’s return decades later exposes the lingering consequences of those early events. The plot relies on the tension between the initial settlement and the current generation’s attempt to escape it. Durgin uses these two periods to demonstrate how past actions dictate present realities. The narrative does not offer easy escapes, but rather forces characters to face the origins of their fear directly.

Key Themes

small town secrets blood sacrifice rituals dual timeline structure

Literary Context

The novel is set in Newport and draws on traditions of cult worship and supernatural curses. It spans from 1978 to the present day, examining how historical trauma persists across generations within a closed community bound by secret faiths.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Stephen King · Richard Matheson · Shirley Jackson · Daphne du Maurier

🕯️

Supernatural

🏛 Crystal Lake Publishing 📅 2026 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781968532550

📝 Description: Conjuring the Demon

John Durgin’s Conjuring the Demon weaves two distinct timelines to explore a decades-long curse in Newport. The narrative shifts between 1978, when Jessica and Henry Black arrive seeking a fresh start, and the present day, where Howie Burke returns after twenty-five years. A call from his mother forces him back into a town that feels fundamentally wrong, with old ghosts lurking in the shadows. In the past, Jessica discovers that Newport offers a faith built on secrets, sacrifice, and blood. The townsfolk do not merely welcome her; they have chosen her as necessary for their rituals. In the present, Howie confronts the horrors he left behind. He realizes that the secrets uncovered by him and his childhood friends were only the beginning of a larger darkness growing during his absence. Durgin structures the story to show how the coven that began the curse remains active. The book suits readers who enjoy dual-timeline narratives involving small-town mysteries and supernatural threats. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted fiction or stories without historical context. The narrative demands attention to the connection between past sacrifices and present dangers. Nick Roberts describes the work as epically brutal and genuinely chilling, noting it deserves a standing ovation from horror fans.

💎 Our verdict on Conjuring the Demon

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Durgin effectively utilizes parallel narratives to build a sense of inescapable doom, linking Jessica’s sacrificial role in 1978 directly to Howie’s modern-day confrontation. The book excels in establishing a palpable atmosphere where the town itself feels fundamentally wrong, with lingering ghosts and active coven members creating persistent danger. This approach appeals strongly to readers who enjoy complex supernatural mysteries rooted in historical context. It is best suited for those seeking genuinely chilling, epically brutal horror that demands engagement with the connection between past sacrifices and present threats, rather than lighthearted or simple resolutions.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate intricate, dual-timeline structures will find this book compelling as it meticulously details the intersection of past rituals and present consequences. Those drawn to small-town mysteries involving occult themes and blood curses will enjoy the slow-burn tension between Jessica’s foundational sacrifice and Howie’s desperate return. The narrative rewards attention to how historical actions dictate current horrors, offering a chilling exploration of inherited fear. It is ideal for fans of atmospheric dread who prefer stories where characters must face the origins of their terror rather than escape them easily.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Durgin effectively utilizes parallel narratives to build a sense of inescapable doom, linking Jessica’s sacrificial role in 1978 directly to Howie’s modern-day confrontation. The book excels in establishing a palpable atmosphere where the town itself feels fundamentally wrong, with lingering ghosts and active coven members creating persistent danger. This approach appeals strongly to readers who enjoy complex supernatural mysteries rooted in historical context. It is best suited for those seeking genuinely chilling, epically brutal horror that demands engagement with the connection between past sacrifices and present threats, rather than lighthearted or simple resolutions.