It's present-day Sunderland and a mysterious manuscript is discovered in the house of an evil spirit, leading the unwary reader to a tale of the sixties in North East England, where not everything is quite as it seems. Forbidden love, loss and a lifetime of pure evil lie in store for whoever dares turn the ageing pages further. In Devils Wood House the memory of the missing girl, Rose, waits desperately. Unfortunately for her, time is not on her side. Can her soul be saved or will the child be lost forever? "Richard Valanga writes about the Afterlife like nobody else today. He's the 21st-century Dante of the North." - Tony Barrell, The Sunday Times
Richard Valanga lives in the north east of England. His previous life in the world of work included working as a creative director in advertising and teaching arts. All of his time is now devoted to writing... "Painting with words is just as cool as painting with colours."
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Even though this book is a part of the 'Complex' trilogy I went into this story as if it was a standalone.
The start of the book is just so intriguing. Who is the narrator and why does he feel forced to stay? Whose house is the narrator in? What terrible secrets does it hold and why is the owner a feared monster?
The author has a wonderful and unique writing style that draws you in instantly, begging you to continue in order to discover the secrets the attic holds, it certainly piqued my curiosity. The trepidation is palpable and you really feel you are in the house with the narrator (who we learn is Richard) sensing the fear and dread of the anticipated events to come.
The tale is predominantly told through a manuscript found in the house and I loved how the start was told from 12 year old Alderson's perspective. This is where you begin to have empathy for him during the start of his troubles, through to when he was taken by the dark conscious and beyond.
The author Richard Valanga writes like a poet and has a brilliant and impressive imagination to match. It is clearly obvious that the author is very passionate about his writing and especially his love of music as per the references to the rock bands of the time. I particularly liked how the many fashions were mentioned, of which several I remembered myself. With all the books in this series being set in my local area of Sunderland, I loved that I was able to relate to the places and streets mentioned.
I probably enjoyed this entertaining book the best out of the series. If you happen to have read the first book "Complex Heaven" you will find "Complex Hell" helps explain a lot of what happened in that book, however as a standalone it still works since what you need to know is covered in the reading of the manuscript.
I was definitely spooked by a couple of occurrences during the story and the compelling ending was so gripping. It leads perfectly into "Complex Shadows" about Richard's father's time in Burma, that I also thoroughly enjoyed.
"Complex Hell" is a wholly original take on the afterlife and quite believable too. A gorgeous cover completes the overall atmosphere of this creepy paranormal book.
A well deserved 5 stars for an impressive addition to the 'Complex' series.
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