The Devil You Know

“. . .Ewertz keeps the action going nonstop in this elegant blend of romantic suspense and supernatural delight.”

–Prairie Book Reviews

Book 1 of the Black Shadows Series

Would you make a deal with the devil? What if he knew your darkest secret and could ruin your life?

Dr. Cecilia Harper’s ex-husband is dead but she had nothing to do with it. At least she doesn’t think so. In the midst of mourning his death and trying to stay focused at work, a strange man keeps appearing at her front door every night. He seems to know more than he should about her life and even worse, about her ex-husband’s death.

As Cecilia tries to put the pieces together, she meets a mysterious man at a coffee shop and starts to fall for him. Dr. Aiden Black is charming and devilishly handsome and Cecilia can’t resist him. The problem is, he’s not quite human and has supernatural powers that make her question reality at every turn. Cecilia starts to realize he may not be what he seems and trusting him could be a huge mistake. She needs to find out how Aiden and her mysterious nightly visitor are connected before it’s too late. If she doesn’t figure it out in time, the price she pays may just be her life.

A dark romantic thriller, The Devil You Know is the first in The Black Shadows series. The wicked twists and turns will appeal to fans of Liv Constantine, B. A. Paris, and Gillian Flynn.

18 + due to language, sexual situations and violence.

Q & A With the Author

So, what makes The Devil You Know special?

Elaine: It is a genre-bending novel, a mix of thriller, romance, a little supernatural. . . I write what I’d want to read, and I love domestic thrillers, psychological thrillers, and anything dark and twisted that involves a romantic relationship. It’s fascinating to me what a person can hide from the other in such a close relationship. This novel (as well as the rest in the series) combine all of that and keep you guessing, never knowing who to trust and if good will triumph over evil.

Why should readers give this book a try?

Elaine: It’s not your typical romance or thriller novel. You might think it is one thing until the end–you may be surprised. There are twists and turns all the way to the last page.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

Elaine: Writing a book is a magical experience. When I first began writing this in 2014, I thought it would be a short story. Then I somehow got to 40,000 words and realized it wasn’t nearly finished. The story and the characters take over and lead the writer. . .I don’t plot and plan everything. I’m not even sure where a lot of the ideas come from. It feels as though the characters are in the room with me telling me their story and I’m just writing it down. It’s always felt to me like they already exist somewhere, like I didn’t create them, but it’s my job to write their story. Now I’m working on the third in the series. I’m so happy the first book didn’t end up being a short story. I love how it took on a life of its own and continued to evolve into something bigger and more complex.