Books don’t scare me easily, but I had to stop reading this after dark.
When Merry was eight, her teenage sister began to exhibit signs of schizophrenia. When nothing seems to help and Marjorie’s symptoms grew more disturbing, a local Catholic priest suggests exorcism. Out of options and falling into debt, the family agrees to be a part of a reality tv show to cover their bills, but things quickly spiral out of control and the resulting tragedy becomes the stuff of urban legend.
15 years later, Merry agrees to tell her side of the story. As contradictory memories begin to surface it becomes harder and harder to tell what really happened all those years ago. Was Marjorie really possessed, or just a vulnerable teenager being manipulated for ratings? Does Merry really know? Do we?
I don’t read a lot horror, but when I do this is the kind I like. It walks the line between what is real and what is not, with a lot of deeper commentary on fame, science, and memory. The result is a truly terrifying book- one of the scariest I’ve ever read.