Jennifer Thorne skewers all-too-familiar family dynamics in this sly, wickedly funny vacation-Gothic. Beautifully unhinged and deeply satisfying, Diavola is a sharp twist on the classic haunted house story, exploring loneliness, belonging, and the seemingly inescapable bonds of family mythology.

Anna has two rules for the annual Pace family destination vacations: Tread lightly and survive.

It isn’t easy when she’s the only one in the family who doesn’t quite fit in. Her twin brother, Benny, goes with the flow so much he’s practically dissolved, and her older sister, Nicole, is so used to everyone—including her blandly docile husband and two kids—falling in line that Anna often ends up in trouble for simply asking a question. Mom seizes every opportunity to question her life choices, and Dad, when not reminding everyone who paid for this vacation, just wants some peace and quiet.

The gorgeous, remote villa in tiny Monteperso seems like a perfect place to endure so much family togetherness, until things start going off the rails—the strange noises at night, the unsettling warnings from the local villagers, and the dark, violent past of the villa itself.

I bought this book as soon as it was released but put it aside specifically so I could read it this month. I couldn’t wait to get to it. I’m happy to say it was definitely worth the wait!

For some folks, the thought of an extended family vacation conjures feelings of fear and dread, and that is precisely what it does for the main character in this book. Not only is she dealing with family drama, but she’s also dealing with a ghost who is more than happy to up the intensity of the drama (and, if she has anything to say about it, the body count as well).

This story focuses on Anna Pace, a young woman headed to Italy for a family vacation. She’ll be meeting up with her parents, her twin brother Benny, and his uptight boyfriend, Christopher, as well as her sister, her sister’s husband, and two kids. To say Anna would rather be anywhere but here is an understatement, but she’ll suck it up as best she can. Anna’s hesitation stems from the fact that she is the black sheep of the family, and even though she’s pretty successful in her career, her family still sees her as somewhat of a liability and a loose cannon due to some questionable decisions in her past.

The vacation goes from awkward to intense when strange things begin to happen around the villa where they are staying, and everyone feels that Anna might be responsible. But Anna knows better and is confident it has something to do with the locked tower on the property and the black iron key that opens it. She was warned not to enter the tower, but of course, she, Benny, and Christopher are curious. Big mistake. Once they’ve gone inside the room, they’re locked into a vacation of horror that no one wanted – and one that Anna may never be able to escape.

First of all, this novel was extremely well-written. The sense of place is off the charts, and I literally felt like I was in Italy with this family. Speaking of family, every character jumps off the page. I loved Anna, mostly because I could relate to her and could see myself doing some of the things she did. I also loved that since this is told from her first-person POV, we spend the entire book in her head. She seems normal enough, but then, when we hear her family’s accusations and stories about her, we can’t help but wonder if they are overreacting or if Anna is clueless about her potentially unhinged behavior. Unreliable narrator? Yes, please! The rest of the characters are just as great, but I especially loved Anna’s relationship with her siblings, and Christopher – Benny’s boyfriend – is absolutely awful; I loved to hate him.

I also enjoyed how the creepiness and intensity grew and grew as the book progressed. As the mysteries of the villa and its dark history come to light, the tension ramps up, making it pretty much impossible to put the book down until you’ve finished. I will admit that I was a bit disappointed to leave Italy, but what happened to Anna after she got home was even more creepy than what happened while she was away, so that disappointment was short-lived.

If you are a fan of creepy ghost stories, unreliable narrators, and family drama, you should definitely check this one out. This is more than just a simple ghost story; it’s a unique blend of paranormal horror and family drama that I found absolutely captivating. I was here for it! This is one book that every paranormal horror lover needs to add to their TBR.

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