Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne Summary

Diavola is a gothic folk horror novel that follows Anna Pace, the scapegoat of her dysfunctional family, on a vacation to a remote Italian villa in Monteperso, Tuscany. What begins as an uncomfortable family gathering turns terrifying when supernatural occurrences plague the ancient villa—doors opening on their own, disembodied whispers, and disturbing visions. The novel blends haunted house horror with toxic family dynamics, exploring themes of loneliness, belonging, and the inescapable bonds of family mythology.

Jennifer Marie Thorne is a USA Today bestselling American author who writes adult horror and historical fiction, as well as young adult novels under the name Jenn Marie Thorne. Born in Tennessee and educated at NYU-Tisch in drama, she transitioned from acting to writing. She lives in a nineteenth-century Cotswold cottage in Minchinhampton, England, with her husband and two sons. Her notable works include Lute (2022), Diavola (2024), and The Antiquity Affair (2023) co-written with Lee Kelly.

Diavola is perfect for gothic horror fans who appreciate atmospheric dread over jump scares, and readers who enjoy family drama intertwined with supernatural terror. It appeals to those who've experienced uncomfortable family gatherings and can relate to feeling like an outsider among relatives. Fans of Jennifer Thorne's previous work Lute, readers interested in Italian folklore and haunted villa settings, and anyone seeking a female protagonist overcoming both psychological and supernatural horrors will find this compelling.

Diavola is worth reading for its masterful atmospheric horror and vivid Tuscan villa setting that creates palpable dread. Jennifer Thorne excels at weaving gothic elements, folklore, and rituals into a spine-tingling narrative with a fully realized protagonist in Anna Pace. However, be prepared: the toxic, narcissistic Pace family dynamics can be intensely frustrating and stressful, sometimes overwhelming the supernatural horror elements. If you can handle deeply dysfunctional family relationships alongside haunted house terror, this USA Today bestseller delivers satisfying gothic fiction.

The Pace family's vacation villa in Monteperso becomes a nightmare of supernatural activity including doors and drawers opening independently, strange whispers at night, and disturbing dreams and visions experienced by Anna. Local villagers react with fear when the family mentions their lodging, offering unsettling warnings about the property. The villa harbors a dark, violent past connected to demonology and folk rituals. These supernatural occurrences escalate throughout their stay, ultimately leading to one crucial night that causes the family to completely splinter.

The Pace family exemplifies toxic relationships where Anna serves as the perpetual scapegoat—blamed, dismissed, and treated with derision despite good intentions. Her twin brother Benny passively "goes with the flow," sister Nicole expects everyone to fall in line like her docile husband and kids, Mom constantly questions Anna's life choices, and Dad focuses on reminding everyone he paid for the vacation. Anna's two rules for family vacations—"tread lightly and survive"—capture her constant state of walking on eggshells. Many readers found the family so repulsive that the true horror stemmed from their narcissism rather than supernatural elements.

Diavola explores feeling trapped by familial expectations and the endless monotony of everyday life while fighting to break free from toxic cycles. The novel examines loneliness and the desperate need for belonging, even within families that reject you. It delves into moral consequences, the power of folk rituals and mythology, and cycles of dysfunction that perpetuate across generations. The gothic horror serves as metaphor for psychological imprisonment—Anna faces both literal ghosts in the villa and the psychological ghosts of family trauma, betrayal, and alienation.

Diavola employs classic gothic horror elements including a haunted ancient villa, demonology, folklore, and mysterious locked rooms. Jennifer Thorne creates atmospheric dread through vivid sensory descriptions of the Tuscan setting, building tension gradually rather than relying on jump scares. The novel features traditional gothic motifs—disembodied whispers, prophetic dreams, fearful locals warning of danger, and uncovering the property's violent history. This atmospheric approach complements modern elements like dysfunctional family vacation chaos, blending historical supernatural terror with contemporary emotional horror.

Anna Pace begins as a vulnerable, guilt-ridden protagonist embodying the family scapegoat archetype who's constantly alienated despite good intentions. Throughout the narrative, she transforms from someone merely trying to survive family vacations into a resolute woman confronting both supernatural and psychological horrors. Jennifer Thorne excels at developing Anna into something complete and evolving, moving beyond type to show depth and complexity. By the novel's end, Anna overcomes betrayal, rejection, and terror to find peace and purpose, demonstrating strength forged through isolation and trauma.

The most significant criticism centers on the overwhelmingly toxic Pace family members being so repulsive they create stress that drowns out the supernatural horror. Some readers found the narcissistic, self-absorbed characters so irritating they couldn't fully immerse themselves in the gothic atmosphere. Another disappointment is the lack of character complexity for everyone except Anna—supporting characters remain one-dimensional "types" without development, despite foreshadowing suggesting larger roles. While the family dysfunction adds conflict, several reviewers felt the emotional torment crossed from enhancing tension into making the reading experience unpleasantly stressful.

Both Diavola and Lute showcase Jennifer Thorne's talent for atmospheric horror with fully developed female protagonists who evolve beyond archetypal beginnings. Lute (2022) is folk horror set on a British island where tragedy-free lives require ritualistic sacrifice every seventh summer solstice. Like Diavola, it combines supernatural elements with interpersonal dynamics, though Lute focuses on marriage into an aristocratic family maintaining dark traditions. Both novels demonstrate Thorne's skill at creating immediate, high-stakes scenarios where protagonists must redefine themselves, applying the urgency she developed writing young adult fiction to adult horror.

The remote Tuscan village of Monteperso provides crucial isolation that traps the Pace family with both supernatural forces and each other. The ancient villa's architecture—with its mysterious locked tower, creaking doors, and hidden history—embodies gothic horror tradition while grounding the story in Italian folklore and demonology. Local villagers' fearful reactions and warnings add authenticity and cultural depth to the haunting. The contrast between Italy's tourist appeal and this ominous refuge heightens the horror—what should be relaxing beach visits and sightseeing becomes a nightmare, making the beautiful setting sinister.