Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway): The Diabolist by Layton Green

The Diabolist Blog Tour Schedule



Title: The Diabolist (Dominic Grey #3)
Author: Layton Green
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Acquired Via: Pump Up Your Book! Tours
Release Date: June 4, 2013
In this gripping thriller, the bizarre murder of a Satanic priest in San Francisco draws Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, private investigators of cults, to the scene. Witnesses claim a robed figure, seemingly able to appear and disappear at will, set fire to the priest. When the leader of another Satanic cult in Paris dies under similar circumstances, the case only grows stranger… and more dangerous.

Convinced that a charismatic New Age prophet is behind the murders, the investigators undergo a perilous journey into the world of the occult as they try to penetrate the prophet’s inner circle. From the catacombs of Paris to London’s nefarious East End, from the haunted walls of York to a monastic fortress in the Sicilian wilderness, the case plunges Viktor and Grey into a vortex of black magic, ancient heresies, and the dark corners of their own pasts.

The Diabolist is a chilling novel that not only pulsates with action and suspense, but also mines a trove of fascinating historical, philosophical, and paranormal research to probe some of our closest held beliefs. From the opening pages to the astonishing conclusion, this latest installment in one of today’s most original new thriller series is not to be missed.

My Review

Reviews of Previous Books:

The Egyptian (Will's review)

It is a rare and excellent thing to find a novel that you feel like has been written expressly for you, and Layton Green's The Diabolist is just that. I would like to blame my co-blogger, Will, for my not reading Green's previous work and call him a rat-faced, monkey sniffer for it, but that would not be fair because he did try to get me to read them. (You know what it's like to have been behind on your reading for, oh, say, two years, right?) Because of Will's love for Green and Green being such a nice guy, I jumped on the opportunity to review The Diabolist. And let me tell you, it was a pleasant surprise for me.

I am a history major and the bulk of my interest and study has been in religious history. The Diabolist explores quite a few different religions and sects within them and weaves them into a thrilling murder mystery. Well, I hesitate in calling it a murder mystery, but I don't want to spoil anything. Let's just say the motives and history behind the exciting events going on in the novel are what's mysterious as the villains' POVs are included in the story. Going back to the religious aspect of the novel, my mind was blown by the scope of the research Green put into the novel. Only because of my own past research did I recognize some of the cults, sects, denominations, and now-obscure religions mentioned in The Diabolist. Let me tell you, I did quick internet research as I read the novel, and nothing makes me happier that a book that makes me want to look further into things. (I did the research because I was interested, not confused.)

The main characters in The Diabolist are Dominic Grey and Viktor Radek, and I loved them both. Dominic Grey is this kick-ass former street-fighter turned investigative consultant for Interpol agent and religious expert, Viktor Radek that should have Robert Langdon shaking in his boots. The guys are a great team, and I hope to find them working together again in Green's first two novels in this series. (Have I mentioned yet that this novel works well as a standalone? It does, so don't worry.)

The writing of the book also fed my inner geek. Not only was it intelligent, but it kept me so glued to the book that I was taking it to the restroom with me so I wouldn't have to put it down. (Sorry for the over-share, but it's true.) A perfect example of the writing comes early in the story, describing Dominic Grey:

He was also well aware of his isolating dichotomies: a born fighter who abhorred violence, a wanderer who yearned for a place to call home, someone trying to accomplish the Sisyphean task of creating a future while still erasing the past. - The Diabolist, Page 28

That's when I knew that this novel was completely for me.

I regret not reading Layton Green's work when he first came to Will and I, but I am so glad that I've found him now. I am so happy with The Diabolist that I am not only going to read the series for myself, but I am getting all three novels for my library. I know that readers will love the Dominic Grey series, and you'll be doing yourself a disservice if you pass up these books.

- 5/5 Stars -

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository


About the Author

In addition to writing, Layton Green attended law school in New Orleans and was a practicing attorney for the better part of a decade (even though he still resents having cut his hair for that first interview). He has also been an intern for the United Nations, an ESL teacher in Central America, a bartender in London, a seller of cheap knives on the streets of Brixton, a door-to-door phone book deliverer, and the list goes downhill from there.

He has traveled to more than fifty countries, lived in a number of them, and has a burning desire to see every country, city, beach, moor, castle, cemetery, twisted street and far flung dot on the map. Religion and cults, as well as all things spiritual and supernatural, have also been a lifelong interest. Combine the travel and the religion with fifteen years of Japanese Jujitsu training, and the Dominic Grey series was born. His latest book is The Diabolist.

Links
Website | Facebook | Goodreads | LibraryThing | Pinterest
Tour-Wide Giveaway

Pump Up Your Book and Layton Green are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card and signed copies of The Diabolist, The Egyptian, and The Summoner!

• By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
• One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $100 Amazon Gift Certificate.
• This giveaway begins October 1 and ends October 31, 2013.
• Winners will be contacted via email on Friday, November 1, 2013.
• Winner has 48 hours to reply.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received a copy of the book for reviewing purposes through Pump Up Your Book! Tours from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and has in no way affected the outcome. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.