Haunted: Devil’s Door
Haunted:Devil’s Door
By Lee Mountford
The Sexton’s musings (spoilers are likely):
It was an interesting move by Mountford to make the second book in the series the incident of 1982. Both the prequel and the first book reference it several times. It seems to be the crowning glory of horrible things that have happened at the house. It’s nice to learn a bit more about Chloe’s experience with the uncle that left her a house with a past. I think it is fair to say that after reading this you understand why Vincent never let anyone into the house after he gained possession of it.
You don’t really see much of Vincent in the first 2/3 of the book. Just here and there. It then becomes apparent that he’s the one the house is communicating with the most, not Marcus. The book takes an interesting twist once we are made aware of this fact. Honestly I don’t think that Vincent is a bad guy. I just think that he is easily influenced. He was originally influenced by Marcus and now the house. Interestingly enough, it seems that Marcus made a mistake in using Vincent. But being the arrogant prick that he is of course he can’t see past his nose. I love these morons that think they can control forces that they don’t even understand. It’s comical to eventually watch them wriggle at the end of a hook in the end.
I think the most reasonable individual in this one would have to be six year old Chloe. I know that sounds mad but that kid seems to have her head on straight and to understand things that are advanced for her age. Her father, Ray, would have to come next. I don’t believe he has been influenced by the house. Perhaps it does not see him as a threat or maybe he is just not important enough to ensnare. I’m not quite sure but I am glad that Chloe has one parent that isn’t weak of mind.
Now let’s talk about Rita. In the beginning I didn’t have a problem with her. In fact she seemed to have her head on correct and her feelings about the house and its self-serving owner spot on. Obviously I was wrong in my assumption that she was a strong person because it took all of a few months for the house to get into her head. Into it to the point that she did a 180 with her feelings for Marcus and ended up spreading her legs for him on the regular. I know this was the houses influence but come on! She is downright mean to Ray, who consequently, and you can tell, is still madly in love with his wife. Believes in her and her abilities. A man who dotes on his daughter and wants nothing more than to keep his family safe. Yes there is a bit of breaking down that happens to her, like horrible nightmares and insomnia but honestly nothing really horrible until that trip to the basement where things finally get a hold of her. This is the first time we really have any entities other than fleeting glance, noises, smells, and reflections. Then we start to hear about them more.
It is somewhat disheartening to meet this version of Chloe, so alive, imaginative, loving life and know how the first book ends. It makes it just that much more tragic. There might be something to the whole “unfinished business” thing that is suggested but really she was six the first time that she was in the house. How can it hold a grudge against a six year old who doesn’t even remember the evening in question. I think the house needs some therapy and maybe some anger management classes.
Closing thoughts:
This one is less about the entities and more about the family and their experience. Which is understandable since we are following this family. Making the connection between the first book and why the girls inherit the house. I do miss Mountford’s wonderful, monstrous descriptions of the supernatural beings. He is so very good at it. This said I also love a story where you really get to know the characters because you follow them. They are part of each piece.
I continue to have suspicions that we are going to connect somehow to the same universe as the other two series. After all the nightmares mention walls made of flesh that have mouths and eyes. This sounds an awful lot like some of the entities in “Tormented” and “Horror in the Woods”. The dark entity also is described to have similar physical features to the entity in “The Demonic”. There just has to be a connection!
The Door of the Devil in Turin Italy
