The Devil in Mia by Jan Miklaszewicz
Life is no bowl of cherries for the Smiths. Matt is a selfish prick with a drinking problem, and his long-suffering wife has fallen foul of a most unsavoury guest. As merry hell begins to break loose and it becomes clear that her life is in mortal danger, Matt finds himself dealing with more than one demon. The question is, will he finally prove man enough to rise to the occasion?
Book number two in the Hartmouth Horrors series of standalone novellas, this dark little tale crackles with irreverent nastiness.
Jan Miklaszewicz brings us the sightseer’s horror guide to Hartmouth with the outstanding novella The Devil in Mia, giving us a solid reason not to book a relaxing weekend there. Jan deftly sets the tone with a prologue that successfully grips hold of you and doesn’t let go until the final page.
TDiM is a relatively short read, but Jan successfully manages to pack a hell of a whack within its constraints. The narrative flows fluently and doesn’t suffer from unnecessary fluff and filler. The dialogue is familiar, concise and possesses fantastic verisimilitude, allowing it to effectively give the story a natural edge which grounds you within the world, and is one of its greatest strengths.
However, all that alone is not enough to make it a good read. Fortunately, TDiM is also a cracking example of how you don’t need 350+ pages to write a shit-hot story. The characters aren’t perfect, by any stretch of imagination. One might even call them normal, and this is what makes Mia and Matt so fascinating to read. They are relatable to the point that they could very well be your next-door-neighbours (good luck).
TDiM begins with a wonderfully unsettling atmosphere, and things certainly don’t get any easier or less so for Mia and Matt. Their story is darkly disturbing, and I lapped up every horrific page of their journey. The chapters are short and punchy and convey no more or less than is required to drive this twisted tale forward to its satisfying conclusion.
At times humorous in its language, terrifying in its manifestation, and delivered with great craftsmanship, The Devil in Mia is a possession not so easily exorcised when you have closed the final chapter. This is an incredibly effective horror, and this sits as a definite must-read for fans of the genre. I can’t wait to see what other horrors Jan brings us from the Devil’s favourite holiday destination. Outstanding!
You can keep up with all the latest releases from Jan by heading on over to the amazing Dark Veil Society website, where you’ll find many other indie horror authors. Plus you’ll find the links to his socials and Amazon Author page. Don’t forget to check out his other works, including: Eyes Wide Open (Hartmouth Horrors book 1), Throne Crone & Other Tawdry Tales and his poetry collections. Also, stay tuned for more info on his upcoming novella, The Drudge (book 3 of Hartmouth Horrors). Thank you. DVS!
