The Devil & Roan Eddington

Teeth in the Mist

By: Dawn Kurtagich

I read ‘inspired by the legend of Faust’ and was like sign me up!

I enjoyed both Kurtagich’s previous books The Dead House & And the Trees Crept In so when I saw this one and read witches and deals with the devils along with a suitably creepy cover I jumped at buying and for once it was an immediate read for me.

Teeth in the Mist also has the old sex in horror thing going for it that is such a fine line for me. Because on the one hand I get it. Terrified. Fighting for your life. It can definitely work. There’s one story here where it does and there’s another that had me going, “Really? Now do you think this is a good idea?”

I know that’s just a personal thing but I’m trapped on some haunted mountain can’t get off some chick shows up after admitting she’s been stealing and going through my things, says she was called by conjuring, oh and then I spend a little time bleeding from like bits that shouldn’t be bleeding. Let’s have a hook up is probably not where my mind is going to go.

But that’s just me. Mileage varies.

In our time period photographer Zoey travels to Medwyn Mill House an abandoned haunted manor on a freaky mountain where the locals will happily tell you not to go near it and you will probably not listen. However Zoey does have reason- her father was obsessed with it first and when he returned after spending several days at the site he couldn’t remember anything including her.

Flashback to 1851 where Roan arrives at the home after the loss of her father. She’s with a couple of other orphans and none of them really know how or why they are there. The stories aren’t adding up and strange meat is being served at dinner time. (Big fucking clue right there people!)

We also get some journal entries from 1583 and the wife of the man who built the house and the very awful things she went through. Hermione’s story was good and frightening but it was way too short- I don’t think we needed more from her combined with the other two but honestly we could have lost Zoey for Hermione and kept the book completely in the past and I would have been happy.

Teeth in the Mist gave me Blair Witch vibes and The Witch vibes- which I really enjoyed The Witch so that was good. Roan’s story is my favorite part and she’s a great heroine as she struggles against her fate on the mountain and all the terrifying things that she herself can actually do.

Her story is also dark and creepy. Dark magic, conjuring, murder, sex, cannibalism and torture. Yeah Roan’s side of the story pretty much had everything.

Roan is a perfect example of a well done character whose both drawn to the darkness and wanting to be strong and stay in the light if only to protect the people she cares about. Zoey was a bit more of a pill. Especially in modern times I felt like she was fairly naive.

I also feel like the ending wrapped up too fast and it leaves it open for a sequel that I’m not sure is planned. Don’t get me wrong there is an ending so it’s not a total cliffhanger deal but things are definitely left hanging in some ways. I also had some issues with one characters fate but I don’t want to get into spoilers. Needless to say the ending was far from perfect for me.

But overall Teeth in the Mist was a good read. Dawn Kurtagich feels like she’s getting stronger with each book- she’s an auto-buy author for me at this point. Roan’s story was excellent but I do think Teeth would have been stronger with some more editing.

Recommend: Yes. 100% for Roan’s story- but also if you’re into horror, witchcraft, Faust legend and haunted places stories.