Audiobook Review: The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Devil’s Playground by Craig Russell

Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 4.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Horror, Mystery

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Random House Audio (June 20, 2023)

Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins

Author Information: Website

Narrator: Kirsten Potter

The Devil’s Playground is the third novel I’ve read by Craig Russell, and my favorite of his work so far! In this historical horror-thriller, two parallel narratives unfold in tandem with one set in 1967 and the other in 1927. In the former timeline, we follow journalist and film buff Paul Conway on his quest to track down the last known existing copy of The Devil’s Playground, purported to be the most terrifying silent film ever made. His hunt leads him to Sudden Lake, a ghost town in the middle of the Mohave Desert where a luxury hotel used to stand. After the water in the lake dried up, so did tourism and the cashflow, leading its destitute owner to kill himself and his family in a horrific murder-suicide. Now all that’s left at the site is a shell of a thriving town that could have once rivaled Hollywood, and it is here where Paul hopes to learn the whereabouts of the legendary lost film.

The second timeline whisks us further back into the past, to the golden age of classic Hollywood cinema. Mary Rourke is what is known in the industry as a fixer, someone who works for a film studio cleaning up the messes of their biggest stars. Whenever a possible scandal arises, it’s up to Mary to show up first and do damage control, taking care of anything that needs sweeping under the rug. This latest situation she’s dealing with, however, is a right fiasco. Norma Carlton, one of the most famous actresses of her time and leading lady of the still in-production movie The Devil’s Playground, has been found dead of an apparent suicide in her mansion. Filming has already been plagued with issues, leading to whispers that the entire project might be cursed. After finding signs on Norma’s body that suggest she may have been murdered, Mary has to wonder if there may be some truth to these rumors, especially when even more misfortunes start to pile up on set.

As you can see, the mystery of the lost film is merely the tip of the iceberg. This book offers so much more and had a bit of everything I love, including a good old-fashioned murder mystery, a fascinating historical setting, just a light dab of the parnormal, and gothic vibes that are practically oozing off the page. In addition to the two main narratives following Paul and Mary, there is a third thread flashing back to around the turn of the 20th century Louisiana, where Voodoo and necromancy come into play as a woman and her daughter living in the bayou get caught up in a frenzied witch hunt.

Unike Hyde, the author’s previous novel which I thought was a real snoozefest, The Devil’s Playground strikes a good balance between atmosphere and action. I found myself swept up in the puzzle that was Norma Carlton’s death, and Mary Rourke was the perfect amateur detective to lead the investigation. Despite the book’s horror tag, the murder mystery was where I found the most enjoyment. There’s also something so apropos about the setting, where nothing is as it seems. Hollywood, where make-believe comes to life and anyone can become anything they wish to be, was even more duplicitous during the silent film era before the talkies changed the landscape of the movie industry. Pretty much everyone is keeping a secret or wearing a fabricated identity; the mystery practically writes itself as Mary dives headfirst into this roiling whirlpool of unreality and falsehoods.

The plot does feel very busy, but eventually all the pieces come together relatively neatly considering all the moving parts of this story which span decades and multiple locales. While some of the revelations were telegraphed early, they didn’t manage to spoil the bigger surprises, and I can always appreciate a good standalone horror.

I also had a pleasure of reviewing the audiobook which featured narrator Kirsten Potter, whose other performances I’ve enjoyed in the past include The Sun Down Motel and The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James. She’s definitely no stranger to reading paranormal horror and thrillers, keeping the characters engaging and the tensions high. If you are a fan of these genres, I highly recommend treating yourself to The Devil’s Playground.