The Devil Crept In Read online

  That, and Joey had been restless these past few days. He’d even gotten out of the yard a few times. “We’ll go tomorrow,” she told him. “Just before sundown, so the pictures will be nice and spooky.” Some exercise would do them good, and there was nothing better than a long walk in the woods.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  To my team of friends and comrades—Ed Schlesinger, David Hale Smith, the folks at Gallery Books and Inkwell Management—thank you all for your effort, encouragement, and tireless dedication to the creation of this book and my ever-expanding oeuvre. Don’t go soft on me, Ed. I will write that romance novel, and it will haunt you forever.

  To my husband, Will, thanks for not freaking out when I confessed that I no longer want to be a soggy Upper Left vampire; I now want to be a Deep South backwoods murderess disguised as a mint-julep-sipping southern belle. I do declare!

  To my dog, Sulley, thanks for taking me on walks every morning, buddy. I’d never get out of the house and talk to strange old neighborhood ladies if it wasn’t for you. Me and you, our long conversations. I mean, I’d go crazy without you, what with all the long hours and alone time. You keep me sane, dog. Totally sane. Who’s a good boy?

  And to my readers and pals, you are the best. Thank you for your ceaseless enthusiasm for weird and creepy stuff, and for saving a spot on your shelf for my weird and creepy books. I’ll continue to write them as long as you continue reading. And if you stop reading? Well, let’s just say I might know where you live. Maybe. I mean, anything is possible . . .

  Hungry for some more unforgettable horror?

  Deep in the heart of Appalachia, this family has a few unconventional—and deeply disturbing—traditions.

  Brother

  * * *

  New York, 1977. This self-proclaimed "Plain Jane" will do anything to fit in. Anything.

  The Pretty Ones

  * * *

  What would you be capable of if the promise of forever was real?

  Within These Walls

  * * *

  ORDER YOUR COPIES TODAY!

  PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

  ANIA AHLBORN is the bestselling author of the horror thrillers Brother, The Pretty Ones, Within These Walls, The Bird Eater, The Shuddering, The Neighbors, and Seed. Born in Ciechanów, Poland, she lives in South Carolina with her husband and their dog. Visit www.aniaahlborn.com or follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.

  FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR: authors.simonandschuster.com/Ania-Ahlborn

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  Also by ANIA AHLBORN

  Brother

  The Pretty Ones (novella)

  Within These Walls

  The Bird Eater

  The Shuddering

  The Neighbors

  Seed

  We hope you enjoyed reading this Gallery Books eBook.

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  Gallery Books

  An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  New York, NY 10020

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2017 by Ania Ahlborn

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

  First Gallery Books trade paperback edition February 2017

  GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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  Cover design by Chelsea McGuckin

  Cover photograph by Ebru Sidar/Arcangel

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Ahlborn, Ania, author.

  Title: The devil crept in : a novel / Ania Ahlborn.

  Description: New York : Gallery Books, 2017.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016037375 (print) | LCCN 2016045706 (ebook) | ISBN 9781476783758 (softcover) | ISBN 9781476783802 (ebook)

  Subjects: LCSH: Missing persons—Investigation—Fiction. | City and town life—Fiction. | Missing children—Fiction. | BISAC: FICTION / Horror.| FICTION / Family Life. | FICTION / Suspense. | GSAFD: Suspense fiction. | Mystery fiction. | Horror fiction.

  Classification: LCC PS3601.H556 D49 2017 (print) | LCC PS3601.H556 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016037375

  ISBN 978-1-4767-8375-8

  ISBN 978-1-4767-8380-2 (ebook)