Reviews with content warning for Murder - The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy

34 reviews

davisce03's review against another edition

5.0

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

This book was perfect. A world so beautifully crafted I did not want to leave.

Content Warnings

charlottejpower's review

4.5

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Thought this was just going to be a spooky read. It was so much more than that. I’d advise to check trigger warnings before going in as Domestic violence features heavily. It was slightly predictable, but I really enjoyed the writing style and couldn’t put it down.

Content Warnings

victoriac7's review

4.25

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

megan_harper's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Content Warnings

kjv89's review against another edition

5.0

dark inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

kydneybean's review

4.0

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Gothic fiction with a psychic medium housewife in the 1950s. I barely knew what I was getting into when I opened up this book, but when I did, I was faced with chilling situations and a main character you want nothing more than to root for. The moment I met her, I wanted nothing but good things for her. I don't know if it's because I liked Loretta a lot or because I hated her husband way more. I wanted nothing more than to reach into the book and throttle that man myself.

I have to give Paulette Kennedy props for her almost addictive writing style. With every chapter, I had to know what was going to happen until I reached the end. I was so enraptured with Loretta and her journey of motherhood and womanhood in the 1950s that I found myself forgetting about the mystery that was happening until I got hit in the face with new information. The combination of historical fiction and horror, along with the addition of a mystery element, has worked very well for the book.

The main reason I had to dock points from this book is that some things, especially in the last hundred pages or so, felt too easy.

I really began to notice this around the time Loretta was institutionalized at the mental hospital. She escaped without an issue. She wasn't caught or spotted by anyone, even when she made some dumb decisions to go back to her home and her children's school. She was able to get away without anyone getting hurt when her husband found her at Barb's home. She found the one good police officer who believed her absolutely, even when faced with her psychic abilities and a high-powered husband. She has a perfect happily ever after where she gets her kids back to her custody, and (supposedly) her husband never gets out of prison, and the man she loves loves her in return.

And while I'm so happy that Loretta got her happily ever after, but because it came too easy, it doesn't feel as gratifying as it should.

Despite this one gripe, I did find myself entertained by Paulette Kennedy's novel, and I loved the reason she wrote it. Beyond the reasons why I love a book, I love it when authors love their books, and you can tell Kennedy loved this book.

"It was time to find out who she really was. To take the cold, bracing plunge into reality, and come out the other side a changed woman. The woman she was meant to be."

Content Warnings