Published: July 7, 2015
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Series: Jessica Blackwood #2
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 432 (Paperback)
My Rating: 4.5/5.0
Synopsis:
In this electrifying sequel to the crowd-pleasing thriller Angel Killer, magician-turned-FBI agent Jessica Blackwood must once again draw on her past to go up against a brutal murderer desperate for revenge at any price
After playing a pivotal role in the capture of the Warlock, a seemingly supernatural serial killer—and saving the FBI’s reputation in the process—agent Jessica Blackwood can no longer ignore the world she left behind. Formerly a prodigy in a family dynasty of illusionists, her talent and experience endow her with a unique understanding of the power and potential of deception, as well as a knack for knowing when things are not always as they appear to be.
When a church congregation vanishes under mysterious circumstances in rural Appalachia, the bizarre trail of carnage indicates the Devil’s hand at work. But Satan can’t be the suspect, so FBI consultant Dr. Ailes and Jessica’s boss on the Warlock case, Agent Knoll, turn to the ace up their sleeve: Jessica. She’s convinced that an old cassette tape holds the key to the mystery, and unraveling the recorded events reveals a troubling act with far-reaching implications. The evil at work is human, and Jessica must follow the trail from West Virginia to Mexico, Miami, and even the hallowed halls of the Vatican.
Can she stop a cold-blooded killer obsessed by a mortal sin—or will she become the next target in a twisted, diabolical game of hunter and prey…?
Like many a book nerd, when presented with a completed series that’s completely addictive, I binge read. I picked up Name of the Devil right after finishing Angel Killer just to see what sort of horrible case Jessica Blackwood would be involved with next.
This time the case is in West Virginia, where some members of a church congregation go missing and their church explodes. This is yet another instance in which the mystery toes the line between mundane and supernatural, which I personally love. The town Sheriff is involved and perhaps not in the way you would expect – he bites a hunk out of some guy’s neck and runs off into the night like some kind of werewolf. Welcome to wild and wonderful West Virginia, folks! The whole situation is strange, even though the FBI would love to write it off as a church bombing and leave it at that. Jessica Blackwood, several months out from the Warlock case, can’t wait to get back into the field even if it’s just to assist a local field office. With her on the job, things quickly escalate, leading Jessica to Mexico and Miami to search out clues and eventually even the Vatican gets involved.
It’s truly a wild ride from start to finish and I was kept guessing at every turn! Name of the Devil is just as good as Angel Killer, though it feels quite different. The main bad guy (who remains a mystery for most of the book) doesn’t have the feel of a puppet master orchestrating everything that the Warlock did. This is a crime of revenge rather than done purely for attention. There are definitely strong religious overtones to the whole case, and before it becomes clear once again that the case is not supernatural, it’s easy to believe there might be something demonic at work.
I can’t recommend this series enough, and I say that having read all three books at this point (I’m so behind on reviews!). They’re pure fun, with high stakes and plenty of action to keep you entertained. I would actually love to see this series adapted for either a mini series or a few movies because it’s the perfect FBI drama for something like that!
Powder & Page 
Ooh, I cannot wait to start this series!
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Ditto the above comment. I love this author.
Lynn 😀
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