Parents' Guide to When Devils Sing

Ruthless rich people, deal-making devils, and screaming cicadas conspire in this delicious horror debut set in Southwest Georgia and featuring four diverse teens. The teens—Sam, Neera, Isaiah, and Reid—are all desperate in very different ways, but are drawn together to help their missing friend. They each contribute to the search. It helps that Isaiah has a secret investigative podcast about the South, and that Neera and Sam have ties to the devil brothers from their own foolish bargains. It also helps that Reid has the inside scoop on the rich people goings-on in the gated community of Lake Clearwater. Newbie author and Georgian Xan Kaur weaves these characters' stories in well and methodically builds them into a team. Relationships are complex between the teens and among these characters and their own families, adding a wonderful depth. She's not dealing in mindless gross-you-out horror at all.

You will be good and grossed out, however, eventually, when the devils wield their powers, and when the devils hiding in plain sight—the rich people of Lake Clearwater—show their hand. The sins among the entitled aren't really that shocking in this place that harbors devils. Another twist would have served the climactic action well, but it's incredibly gripping until the end with a stirring hint of blues magic thrown in for good measure. Make sure you cue up Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" when Neera sings. It's eerier than a screaming cicada at just the right bloody moment.