Brilliant and Haunting; I can’t believe this is Ruth S. Cunningham’s debut novel!

I’m not usually a fan of the horror genre, but The Devouring completely pulled me in from the first page. I finished it in only two sittings (something I almost never do) which speaks to just how gripping Ruth S. Cunningham’s writing is. For a debut novel, this feels polished, confident and deeply unsettling in the best possible way.

What impressed me most is how Cunningham manages to sustain tension across a single night. The entire story unfolds over the course of just a few hours, yet she layers dread and suspense so effectively that it feels both expansive and claustrophobic at the same time. The confined setting of a dinner party, where a group of middle-aged women gather together to share their own haunting stories, makes the tension all the more claustrophobic, yet Cunningham manages to keep the pacing taut, with each chapter tightening the sense of unease until the plot twist is revealed at the end.

Cunningham also captures the dynamics of long friendships really well – including the tenderness but also the undercurrent of secrets that bind and divide them. That emotional realism makes the supernatural elements even more chilling because the reader feels deeply invested in these women and the fates their stories seem to foreshadow.

Throughout the whole novel, I was eagerly trying to guess how this novel would end by picking out the clues along the way and piecing together possible outcomes. But, despite my best efforts, I was unable to predict the final twist – and when it came, it was both shocking and perfectly fitting.

Overall, The Devouring is a truly brilliant debut that exceeded every expectation. It’s a haunting, tightly crafted story that horror fans will adore, but even readers who, like me, don’t usually gravitate toward the genre should give it a chance. I can’t wait to see what Ruth S. Cunningham writes next!

When a middle class Belfast woman hosts a dinner party, pretentiously calling it a gathering, and invites not only her perfect middle class friends but also her simple cleaner, more than a few eyebrows are raised. Not in the least from the cleaner herself, who has no idea why she gets asked to attend, but isn’t brave enough to decline. 

It’s all a bit weird, especially when the guests all take turns to tell creepy ghost stories. And some of them are behaving really odd. There is tension in the air, and the hostess is overly chipper for someone whose sister is supposedly gravely ill. 

The stories they tell are very interesting but also unsettling. The cleaner copes by drinking more than she should and eating her body weight in posh food she wouldn’t be able to afford to buy for herself. She is relieved to be told she doesn’t  need to contribute a story, just listen to the ramblings of the other women. 

When the night finally comes to end, and one of the nicer guests offers her a lift home, she is glad to make her escape. 

What happens next takes this collection of ghost stories to a whole other dimension! 

I don’t normally read horror-like books so wouldn’t have picked this up if it hadn’t been an ARC read. I am glad I did though. It was a very good read and you would never know that it’s the authors first book! 

The stories are varied and draw you in. They aren’t so scary to me that they will keep me up at night, but if they were filmed that would probably a whole other experience! 

The twist at the end is unexpected and therefore really good and well thought out.  I would totally recommend this book for fans of paranormal, occult or ghostly books.

As a novice to the horror genre, I went into this book with no expectations, which made the experience even more thrilling. From the very first character introduction, I was completely hooked. Each character’s storytelling felt fully realised, their emotions and fears leaping off the page in a way that made them feel authentic

What impressed me most was the way The Devouring weaves its multiple story threads together. Each chapter is like a puzzle piece that slowly clicks into place, building a larger and far more disturbing picture. The pacing is excellent — fast enough to keep you on edge, but never rushed — and the tension grows so steadily that by the final chapters I found myself reading faster and faster, desperate to know what happened next while dreading the answer at the same time.

R.S Cunningham’s writing style is stunning. It’s descriptive without ever being gruesome, and every scene feels cinematic. At times, it genuinely felt like I was watching a horror movie unfold in my mind — so much so that I caught myself glancing over my shoulder while I read. It has been a long time since a book made me physically react like that. By the time I reached the ending, I was both shaken and satisfied. It lingered with me for days, creeping back into my thoughts when I least expected it. For a debut novel, this is an extraordinary feat.

This book not only introduced me to R.S Cunningham as an author I will be following closely, but it also made me eager to explore more of the horror genre. If this is what Cunningham can deliver as a first-time author, I can only imagine how incredible their future work will be.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Dark, twisted, and impossible to put down.

‘’Because, because that’s when my grip on reality started to disappear. It’s when I lost all understanding of what’s real and what isn’t. It’s the last thing I remember clearly’’

The Devouring is a captivating paranormal soft horror that brings to mind those spooky campfire stories we loved as kids. It follows Murieann, a young cleaner who gets invited to her boss’s home for dinner with friends. The evening starts off simply with good food and a light breezy chatter, but Ruth’s hints of unease slowly build up, leading to a fantastic twist that catches you off guard.

From the very first page, I was hooked! I truly admired the character development, the layout, and the storytelling style, it is some of the best I’ve seen in a while. I enjoyed how each character shared their story, giving us a glimpse into their thoughts at the start of every chapter, all while keeping Murieann at the heart of it.

The story moves swiftly and keeps you engaged from beginning to end. I was eagerly awaiting a twist, and I wasn’t disappointed, the build-up reached a crescendo, leaving me shocked to my core.

I couldn’t put the book down; I finished it in just three hours! The author’s keen attention to detail and storytelling talent make me hopeful that someday this book will be adapted into a film or TV series. It’s honestly one of the best horror books I’ve read in a long time, and I felt a little sad when I finished because I wasn’t ready for it to be over.

This book is a rollercoaster of a read. This book truly has a way of getting under your skin. It’s dark and scary, making you question every little sound you hear late at night and giving you the eerie feeling that someone might be standing behind you, breathing on your neck.

The story begins with an adult version of ghost stories around a campfire, but with a twist. We meet a group of friends who gather for good wine, good food, and to share the deepest, darkest, and scariest events that have happened in their lives. The only odd one out in this group is M, the cleaner for the host Joanna. Poor M is so unimportant that Joanna can’t even pronounce her name correctly. Yet, for some mysterious reason, she has been invited to this gathering, even though she doesn’t really want to be there.

The characters, aside from M, are not particularly likable as they come across as quite pretentious and don’t seem to genuinely like each other. It leaves you wondering if M was invited just to make up the numbers or if there’s something more sinister at play. Regardless of your beliefs about ghosts or spirits, this book will definitely get under your skin. I would suggest not reading it in the dark, especially if you’re alone.

I absolutely loved it and thought it was a fantastic read!

This book had me hooked from the start. I love a good ghost story and this had quite a few in it. Based in Ireland a group of friends get together to tell ghost stories they’ve experienced. Only this time the cleaner of Joanne’s house is invited along. Which may seem strange at the time but it all makes sense at the end.

The worldbuilding in this book is incredible, the detail that has gone into setting the scene for the ‘gathering’ is extraordinary. I could imagine the dining room full of food and drink and everyone talking. I loved how the friends group was very realistic and they acted how most friend groups do by arguing, disagreeing or just talking about each other behind the other persons back.

I was on the edge of my seat for some of these stories and I am extremely glad I didn’t read them in the dark because I was freaked out. I don’t think I would have been able to stay in the house on my own if I had.

The twist at the end was so unexpected and I loved it. I had to go back and reread the book from a completely different perspective after learning the ending. The book has a completely different feel to it the second time around.

There was one story in it that I loved but also hated at the same time because there is a dog involved.

I ATE UP The Devouring (no pun intended). This book was incredible - I read it in one setting and was completely sucked in. I honestly loved this book. I don’t think

I’ve read a horror since my days of reading Goosebumps at school, and reading The Devouring has given me the bug to read more!

Muireanne is a fantastic character, and I felt like we really got to experience her state of mind, which was even more impactful given that the story was told in first person.

First person narrative is something that would usually put me off - but it was executed perfectly in this case, and I can’t imagine the story being told in any other way. 

The stories within the story were the exact right level of spooky, and I liked that they erred more towards a psychological thriller in nature. 

It’s the perfect soft horror, that even readers who aren’t horror fans would enjoy! I would recommend that everybody give this book a go - you won’t regret it.

5*

The devouring starts off feeling like a slightly awkward dinner party but quickly turns into something much darker and more unsettling. R.S. Cunningham does an amazing job building tension that you can almost feel the atmosphere in the room, and the mix of dark humour, social awkwardness, and creeping horror kept me hooked.

If you like slow-burn psychological thrillers with a supernatural edge, this is definitely worth picking up. It’s eerie, clever, and stays with you long after you finish.

As a lover of all things Spooky, I read this book twice before writing the review this time, it's such a wonderfully written story.

The Devouring is a book about a group of ladies gathering to tell each other ghost stories. Intertwined spooky stories woven together in such a fantastic way invites the reader in and keeps them engaged and reading all day (like I did). The stories themselves are fantastical and the perfect read for fall.

OH MY GOODNESS the TWIST!!! The twist, my friends, I cannot. Ugh, I will not spoil it, but I absolutely love this story, and the plot change linking everything together even more is just so dang good, I cannot get over this!

I don’t have enough good things to say about this beautifully written piece, such a great spooky season read. I will say, if you’re easily spooked, don’t read this one after dark!

5 stars!

I cannot wait to see what else Ruth S. Cunningham writes, if she so chooses.