Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Present Day

Ever the rebel, Morgan Kingsley prides herself on being a little different from the family she’s never gotten along with. While they are preppy, conservative, and members of the Spirit Society -- a group that reveres demons and actively provides human hosts for them -- Morgan is a tattooed, pierced, leather-wearing demon exorcist. Morgan has never met a demon she liked and prides herself on quickly sending them back to hell whenever she legally can. So it comes as a bit of a surprise to learn that she has unknowingly become the host to one of them. To make matters worse, it looks as if she’s managed to acquire Lugh, the King of the Demons.

The good news is that Lugh seems to be as unhappy to be in Morgan as she is to have him there. But it doesn’t stop him from trying to take control of her mind and body. Suddenly, Morgan’s sedate life takes an interesting turn as she is set up for murder, friends become enemies and enemies friends. Not knowing whom she can truly trust, Morgan finds herself in the unlikely position of working with demons to save the world. Here’s a situation she never expected.

THE DEVIL INSIDE is the start of a new series with a human heroine dealing with a very inhuman situation. Morgan is like any modern woman -- a full time job, an almost perfect boyfriend, and a kickass wardrobe. On the other hand, exorcising demons is not your everyday career, but Morgan prides herself on being one of the best. Morgan is a strong woman not afraid to face things head on, but not exactly the best judge of character. Driven a bit by her prejudices, she avoids the help she so desperately needs, ratcheting up the suspense as readers watch where her decisions will take her. The plot is non-stop from the first page and the romance sprinkled throughout. Readers squeamish about a bit of S&M and/or homosexual encounters should be prepared for some graphic moments.

Secondary characters include Morgan’s brother Andrew, with whom she has had a contentious relationship since he volunteered to be a demon host; Adam, the head of the Police Special Forces unit that tracks demons and a demon host himself; Dominic, Adam’s lover; and Lugh, the gorgeous demon who has taken up residence in Morgan’s mind and is making himself quite at home. Life has gotten complicated in a hurry for Morgan, and all means of escape have vanished. At first, her main goal was to do anything necessary to get the demon out of her. Now, Morgan aims to stay alive.

A wonderful new addition to the genre, THE DEVIL INSIDE is an intriguing story and Morgan Kingsley an engaging heroine. I can’t wait to see what the next book, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, has to offer.

Kathy Samuels