I think the concept for this was super unique and the formatting of the book was great. I loved the idea behind this but the execution did not work for me. This book was very slow and it didn't feel like it needed to be as long as it ended up being. I also feel like the book may have been trying to say something but ended up saying something else that it wasn't intending. The ending felt offensive to me and if it was trying to go in a different direction, it needed to be less subtle.

I didn't know what to expect going into this, but I think that worked well in my favor. I really liked the structure of it, with the notes from the trial and it being presented as a manuscript. The author's message was a bit heavy-handed for my tastes and at times overwritten, but I liked his take on the "devil made me do it" trope. If you're looking for something different in the horror genre, I would recommend checking this out.

I really liked what the author was trying to say, but did not like how he said it. I felt it was very long winded, which made it feel very long. I just wanted him to get to the point. I am always a fan of the book within a book premise, but this one just felt okay?! Maybe I didn’t read it at the right time…overall I loved the premise but did not like how it was written.

A History of Fear by Luke Dumas (debut novel)
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
General Genre: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
Subgenre/Themes: Crime-Thriller, Cult-like church, spiritual abuse, the Devil, paranoia, phobias, mental illness, college life, Scotland, Ghostwriting, LBGTQIA+
Writing Style: First Person POV, Intricately plotted, epistolary & narrative

What You Need to Know: Grayson Hale, the most infamous murderer in Scotland, is better known by a different name: the Devil's Advocate. The twenty-five-year-old American grad student rose to instant notoriety when he confessed to the slaughter of his classmate Liam Stewart, claiming the Devil made him do it.

My Reading Experience: Highest marks for an enjoyable reading experience. I read this over a three-day weekend. Anytime I set this book down, I was thinking about it, anticipating my return to it. Dumas unfolds a complicated murder mystery with exciting, layered, compelling storytelling that fluctuates back and forth between first person POV narrative with a sympathetic character named Grayson Hale and chapters that read like notes from a criminal investigation. As the story progresses, Dumas delves deeper into Grayson’s psyche as it relates to his childhood and complicated relationships with his family members as well as his adult relationships with fellow students at school and his flatmate.
Simultaneously, the notes from the trial uncover startling truths. Key people closest to Grayson give interviews that wildly contradict Grayson’s narrative. The reading experience is deliciously torn between what we know Grayson is experiencing and what we actually think is happening as well as clues and revelations we are picking up along the way from the investigation. It’s absolutely genius.
Bonus points for this book’s setting in Edinburgh, Scotland. I loved the atmosphere it brought to this tale.

Final Recommendation: Perfect for fans who love to devour a complex, atmospheric murder mystery with supernatural elements. Did the Devil make him do it?

Comps: The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper, Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, the movie Primal Fear, and The Outsider by Stephen King

Did Grayson Hale kill his fellow university classmate in cold blood,or did, as he claims, the devil make him do it? Such is the premise of Luke Dumas’ smart and chilling literary thriller debut. Grayson who we know from the start of the story has been charged with the murder, is shortly after found hanged in his jail cell, the weird part is how his clothes are ripped to shreds as if by a claw, a triple slash rendered across his chest as if by a large bird?

An investigative journalist who is fascinated by his story manages to have a manuscript released that Grayson had been writing right up to the moment of his death which recounts his fateful meeting with a charming mysterious man, who Grayson comes to believe is the devil.
Dumas ends chapters with interviews of pertinent players in the narrative as well as news clippings, our journalist trying to put the puzzle together of whether this is all real as he said or just a case of satanic panic gone mad. I found the whole thing terrifically fun in its mounting suspense, Dumas dropping clues along the way that if not justify his story well then might give a sense of logic to what takes place. Perhaps.
A smart measured thriller, and I’m excited to see what Dumas cooks up next.

In simple words, this book is about a manuscript that is written by Grayson Hale who was convicted of killing his classmate. The manuscript is “told” by a journalist to us readers. Two other things to know—Grayson took his own life and claimed that The Devil made him kill.

This is an interesting story set in an academia background. You go into reading thinking everything is real and then you reach a point where you question everything you’ve read. The author really keeps you on an edge with themes of Satanophobia and paranoia that Grayson feels!! It does take a little time to get into the story but once you do, its a great trip. The creepy atmosphere and gothic type setting are bonuses!! Also I found that my love for unreliable and unsettling characters peaked when reading this story.

The mixed media storytelling with manuscript, recordings, and conversations is a cool way to construct a story and I enjoyed it immensely. If you like to read story within a story, and don’t mind some paranoid stuff in a story, then this book is for you! I definitely will be reading more from this author.

Thank you Atria Books for the arc!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review.
I did not connect with this story and did not end up finishing this book. I was intrigued by the description but it was too slow to draw me in

1 star only because I dint finish and am required to give a star rating

So first you take a book, and you wrap it in another book, and wrapped nice and snug in there is a novellette, and at the end you're left with this delicious present. I absolutely cannot resist a book that is epistolary.

After his father dies, Grayson Hale finds a letter he knows is addressed to him. It encourages him to embrace certain elements of his character that his father abandoned while studying in Scotland. In pursuit of learning of his fathers proclivities he decides to also study at the University of Edinburgh.

Immediately he realizes he hasn't enough money to stay, and finds a fortuitous listing for a job as a ghostwriter. When he meets his potential boss DB, fears he had shuttered from his youth come back to him, as the subject of the book becomes clear. Tell Scotland that the Devil is back.

And the Devil is back, and pursuing Grayson in the form of shadowy men, winged creatures, and lapses in his memory. The more he tries to ignore the research the more intrusive the demons become.

There is a distinct formalism to this novel that definitely takes some time to get into, but the composition of memoir and interviews and articles help give the book some levity. Which is needed as our protagonist can be a hard character to spend time with. I think its a very clever way of using the unreliable narrator trope, which can be overdone. The story unfolded in a truly unsettling way.

Thank you so much to @Netgalley and @Atriabooks for an ARC of this title.

This is one of those insidious stories within a story within a story. Or to be more accurate, this novel is about an article about a manuscript about a story... If that sentence intrigued you more than confused you (or if you are equally intrigued and confused), then I think you may like this one!

We hop into this novel knowing three things: that Grayson Hale was convicted of killing his classmate, that Grayson claimed the devil made him do it, and that Grayson Hale eventually died in his prison cell--where a manuscript was found posthumously. Going back and forth between a journalist who was approved to write about the manuscript, and the manuscript itself, we learn of Grayson's time enrolled in a graduate program in Scotland. Grayson tells us through his manuscript about his relationships with his family, with his eventual murder victim, and with the devil.

First off, I thought the "journalist" of the "article" (quotation marks because who knows lol) felt so real! There were just enough random sprinkles of personal anecdote that made this feel like a real article, as if the writer were vying for a movie adaptation of the article itself, not just the salacious story within. I really loved that aspect of this novel, along with the mixed media elements (interviews, transcripts of skype sessions, therapist notes, phone records, journal entries, and more).

As for Grayson's manuscript and really the heart of this story, it is perfect for fans who enjoy both unlikeable and unreliable characters, within an academia setting. Grayson felt, through the interviews of others as well as through his own manuscript, rather narcissistic. He thinks he's the smartest one in every room and it is written in such a subtle way that it's impressive. At the same time, you see Grayson grow up through his childhood memories and witness the extent to which his family mistreated him. Readers see the consequences of neglect, brain washing, and hatred rear its ugly head, and it is easy to want the best for Grayson, despite already knowing the outcome of his story.

As for the unreliable narration, my favorite part about this book was its feverish quality. Grayson is riddled with satanophobia, and his paranoia and delusions (question mark?) really give this story edge and confusion in the best way. We are questioning from beginning to end, is Grayson's story and actions psychologically centered or demonically centered? Maybe both? I loved exploring the possibilities.

There were a couple things in this book that I didn't enjoy as much, but they were mostly based in personal preferences. I do think that there was a little too much repetition toward the end of this manuscript/article/book. We find out certain things through Grayson's account and through witnesses, but then there's a whole courtroom scene that repeats all of this information again. I personally don't know if the courtroom scene is necessary at all, but again that’s probably a personal thing and I know many readers love a courtroom scene.

Also, obviously religion is a huge conversation in this book, and although I was expecting the devil lol, I was not prepared for the amount of theological discussion. However I do see the importance of it in this book. Religion is pivotal both in the development of Grayson's upbringing, and in context with the devil character's motivation. Still, content warning for anyone sensitive to elements of religious trauma and homophobia.

Overall I was very impressed with this author's writing, both in keeping me engaged with a story whose ending I basically knew from the first chapter, but also by the wonderfully constructed creepy atmosphere that admittedly triggered my paranoia. Can't wait to see what else Luke Dumas ends up writing.

After trying in print and audio, I decided that this book just isn’t for me. I found it to be extremely long winded and I got lost a few times. Not sure I have the attention available to devote to it right now.

I read this for a book club and cannot wait to discuss the audacity of this twisted story. A slow burn that suddenly turns into an “I can’t put this book down until hit the last page”. Dark does not even begin to describe this read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciate the fact that this book is well-written and intriguing as a psychological study, but I failed to connect with the story due to its fantastical element.

Published by Atria Books on December 6, 2022

Grayson Hale has a history of fear. Perhaps he is afflicted with satanophobia, a condition describing an abnormal fear of the devil, but Grayson might have legitimate reasons to fear the Adversary. Whether the devil is real or in Grayson’s head — and whether the distinction makes a difference — is the question that propels the novel.

We learn in the opening pagesl that Grayson died after he was convicted of murder. He left behind a manuscript, the story of his life. An editor has annotated the manuscript with documents and interviews that shed light on what might or might be true in Grayson’s memoir.

As a child, Grayson’s fear was triggered by Dirt Devil commercials, deviled eggs, or a chance encounter with the number 666. The fear escalated after Grayson began to be plagued by winged creatures with needle-like teeth. Grayson eventually decided that the fiends weren’t real, a conclusion that followed from the inability of anyone else to see them. Grayson believed that one of the fiends scratched its mark into his arm when he was a baby — he still has the scars — but that was Grayson’s only physical encounter with demonic beasts before they vanished from his life.

Grayson’s father was a divinity scholar who doubled as a cult leader, although Grayson did not recognize the fellowship as a cult. Grayson’s father warned him to be wary of the Adversary. His mother threatened to show him the wrath of the Lord if he misbehaved. His brother, with his mother’s tacit approval, tried to beat the sin out of him. His father gifted Grayson with a book about a boy who had an insatiable hunger that was implanted by the devil. The book occasionally returns to haunt Grayson, providing a metaphor for his life that he doesn’t understand.

Grayson angered his father by following him in a park when he should have kept his distance, but he apparently repressed the full memory of what he saw. Grayson’s father either died in an accidental fall or jumped to his death, leaving behind a cryptic note that might provide insight into the true demons that torment Grayson.

The story begins when Grayson travels to Scotland to pursue his studies. Grayson needs to maintain enrollment and find some income to remain in the country. His need for cash seems to be met by D.B., who hires him to write a book about the history of the devil in Scotland. D.B. wants Scotland to remember the devil. The true nature of the book D.B. wants Grayson to write is not revealed until the final pages.

The winged creatures come back into Grayson’s life when D.B. enters it. Grayson comes to believe that D.B. is Satan. The reader might wonder whether Grayson, who blacks out from time to time, blames demons for his own actions. But if the fiends aren’t real, is D.B.? Grayson devotes the last part of his “book” to his search for the truth. He finds answers that tie together many of the novel’s loose ends while contributing to the story’s ambiguity.

Perhaps the supernatural exists, but the narrative offers clues to an alternative explanation of Grayson’s history of fear: his abandonment by a friend in childhood who didn’t like the way Grayson played; his lack of sexual attraction to his girlfriend; his obsessive desire (noticed by others but not by Grayson) to be close to Liam Stewart, a popular schoolmate who denied having a friendship with Grayson. Luke Dumas apparently did not trust readers to piece the clues together. He eventually (and unnecessarily) spells out the truth, a decision that dumbs down the novel. Yet the question of the devil’s reality always lurks.

Dumas emphasizes Grayson’s unreliable narrative and the mechanisms of self-protection that shield him from the truth. Whether Grayson’s perceptions are accurate or delusional, Grayson’s voice is clear even when his thoughts are not. Dumas’ characterization of Grayson as a troubled young man who lacks self-awareness is convincing.

Familiar themes include a son who is desperate for a father’s approval, a mother who is more concerned with appearances than reality, the way abusive behavior is passed from generation to generation, the bigoted condemnation of “deviant” sexual behavior, and the lasting harm that religious intolerance inflicts on children. The novel’s premise — maybe the supernatural is real, maybe it is imagined by ill minds, maybe the supernatural preys on ill minds — is also familiar, but Dumas executes the balance between competing explanations for Grayson’s experiences — supernatural forces and mental illness — with skill.

I’m not a big fan of the supernatural in fiction, but I appreciate stories that build upon the ambiguity that is inherent in unanswerable questions. The final section, reflecting the views of the editor who annotates Grayson’s memoir, purports to clarify the ambiguity but adds to it by making the reader wonder about the editor’s true identity. While A History of Fear might have a greater impact on true believers in Satan, it tells an intriguing story for readers who appreciate how little we understand about the nature of reality and the complexity of the human mind.

RECOMMENDED

I kind of fell for the hype on this one. All my bookstagram friends raved about this book which compelled me to request it. The story format was unique. The conclusion was interesting. The devil is in the details. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Creepy, suspenseful, atmospheric, brilliant tale. Loved this story. Kept my interest and kept me reading. First time reading this author, definitely won't be the last.

I did not finish this one but also didn’t want to mark it DNF since I read so much.

It contains so many things that I just could not continue. It made me cringe and the subject matter or matters were just to much for me.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC.

2.5 stars

Content warnings: child abuse, homophobia, religious cults, violence, body and mind control, mental illness

Grayson Hale is both a morally gray character as well as an unreliable narrator, so much of A HISTORY OF FEAR is the reader trying to determine what (if anything) is real and what is in Hale's head. Did the devil make him do it? You'll have to decide that for yourself. Couple all of that with the unique format of Hale's writing being shared to readers with footnotes and addendums provided by a journalist that covered the Liam Stewart murder, and you get for an interesting reading experience.

There are a lot of uncomfortable moments in the plot - which I'd guess was Dumas' intention. A HISTORY OF FEAR asks readers to sit with listening to someone with satanophobia, paranoia, and delusions struggle to determine real events from imagined ones. All while wondering about the actual folklore ties the devil has with Scotland and its people.

I think this is a well written debut novel and that it will be a hit with a lot of readers. It never quite hooked me, but I am glad that I read it.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍.”

The final 2022 book club pick from Dennis (@ScaredStraightReads) was another winner. This book was SO GOOD.

Luke Dumas writes a novel that feels both very present-day, but also has an older-feel to it, in terms of style. It reminded me a lot of Dracula, in that it is very epistolary; the inclusion of courtroom testimonies, interviews, articles, and a short story add to the “true crime” confessional feel. The Editor’s notes that open and end the book also feel like a modern day Watson narration from Sherlock Holmes. All these elements add to the uncertainty you get as a reader, especially with the first person narration from Grayson Hale. As Grayson’s fear and paranoia grow, the atmosphere does too. The whole time I was reading, I was uncertain what is real and what isn’t: did Grayson make things up? Are people in the interviews lying? Or is it all true? Dumas adds many layers to the horror element of the story, and to me, the true fear comes from Grayson’s childhood trauma, isolation and self-loathing. Dumas’ writing is gripping, and I was easily turning pages to see what the ending was going to be (and is there a TWIST right at the last page; my mind was blown and had me questioning things all over again).

A History of Fear is a story of fear, religion, parental relationships, repression and the darkness that bodes within the human soul. It is haunting, ambiguous, tragic, and thought provoking right to the very last page. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book!

What a fantastic, creepy and interesting read! Debut novel from the author and do well written! I felt compelled but also that the book went by so quickly. This is a book within a book within a book. Yes. It sounds wild and it is!

This was a well-written, engrossing story. The journal entries intermixed with interviews and research worked well for the story and in the end, I'm still not sure what I think about Grayson. Was he plagued by the Devil?