Denna Undone by Debra K. Every

Denna Undone by Debra K. Every, A horror book review by Lydia Graves

The Story

Deena Bartlett, an actress in her fifties, is caring for her dying aunt Agatha in a rehabilitation centre. Their relationship has always been complicated, but Deena feels obligated to help. However, strange and terrifying events begin to occur, starting with auditory hallucinations and escalating to more intense sensory attacks.

Deena learns from Jadwiga, a cleaning lady at the rehab centre, that an ancient entity called the Sensu is attacking her through her five senses. The Sensu has made a bargain with Agatha: in exchange for Agatha’s health, it will consume Deena. Jadwiga performs a protective ritual for Deena, but this protection is weakened when Deena asks Jadwiga to also protect Kayla, a teenage girl Deena has taken under her wing.

As the attacks intensify, Deena struggles to maintain her sanity and protect those she loves. She discovers dark secrets about her family’s past, including the fact that Agatha indirectly caused the death of Deena’s father. The final confrontation takes place in a nightmarish dreamscape where Deena must face not only the Sensu but also the guilt and trauma of her own past.

In the end, Deena manages to defeat the Sensu through the power of love for her family and friends. She saves her mother’s spirit and breaks free from the Sensu’s influence. The novel concludes two years later, with Deena having rebuilt her life and surrounded by loved ones, though still carrying the weight of her experiences.

The Review

Deena Undone is a gripping, atmospheric horror novel that weaves together family drama, supernatural terror, and psychological suspense into a haunting tale reminiscent of “The Grip of It” by Jac Jemc.

A standout aspect is Every’s innovative use of the five senses as a central theme and plot device. The novel cleverly personifies each sense – Visu (sight), Auditu (hearing), Tactu (touch), Gustu (taste), and Odoratu (smell) – as malevolent forces attacking the female protagonist. This unique approach adds layers of visceral horror to the narrative, as Deena experiences increasingly intense sensory assaults. 

“The putrid taste was in the water, liquefied and sliding down her throat. Her hand shot up to her neck as if she could claw the water out.”

By weaponizing the senses, and making them both theme and plot element, expect an unsettling and immersive experience.

With its blend of visceral horror, family secrets, and themes of guilt and redemption, Deena Undone announces the arrival of an exciting new voice in horror fiction. Every’s debut is a must-read for fans of psychological horror looking for fresh scares.

In Summary

Every crafts a taut, atmospheric tale that expertly ratchets up the tension in the second half of the novel. The novel’s greatest strength lies in its deeply flawed yet sympathetic protagonist. Deena’s inner turmoil and complicated family relationships feel painfully real, grounding the supernatural elements in authentic human drama. The author also excels at creating genuinely creepy and unsettling scenes as Deena faces escalating attacks on her senses.

The Awards

Deena Undone, has won multiple awards. Most notably an American Fiction Award for BEST HORROR of 2024, Independent Author Awards for BEST HORROR and BEST DEBUT across all genres, and a Storytrade Award for BEST HORROR. It was also a FINALIST in the International Book Awards and was SHORTLISTED for a Hawthorne Prize.

The Author

Debra K. Every is a self-described adrenalin-fuelled writer focused on horror, thrillers, and stories that make the heart beat fast. Her debut novel, Deena Undone, won gold in the 2023 Pitch Week XXIX competition and has been shortlisted for the 2024 Hawthorne Prize. It will be published by Woodhall Press with a release date of October 2024. Her short stories have appeared in various literary magazines. As well as in soon-to-be published anthologies by Fairfield Scribes, Penumbra, and Hippocampus.

Denna Undone by Debra K. Every

A terrifying nightmare sets off a series of attacks on Deena Bartlett’s five senses, and her eighty-year-old Aunt Agatha is responsible. But the old woman is not alone. She’s made a monstrous bargain with the Sensu, a malevolent entity who’s stock in trade is attacking a person’s five senses, one by one. It has promised Agatha health in return for one evil act― the killing of her niece.

Deena has remained loyal to her bitter aunt for years― her self-imposed penance for having neglected her now-dead parents. But Agatha is dying and her insults will soon end… until a string of inexplicable incidents. A sound so piercing Deena’s nose bleeds. A smell so vile her breathing suffocates. And against all reason, after each attack her aunt’s health improves. With mounting dread, Deena discovers the bargain her aunt has made and when the Sensu thrusts her into its terrifying realm, she must battle not only the power of her aunt’s long-held secrets but her own guilt as well.

Lydia Graves 

Master of creepy, atmospheric horror, Lydia Graves is the author of the horror novel Daddy’s Girl and the Unveiled Sins series. She has also penned the dark poetry collection Toxic Loves with rave reviews from Bram Stoker Award®-winning poet and author Lee Murray and award-winning author and editor of Under Her Skin, Lindy Ryan. 

The seven deadly sins offer a unique lens through which she examines human behaviour at its most extreme. Tapping into primal fears and moral quandaries. Lust, as explored in the novella “Truth Twister,” can corrupt not just the mind but the very flesh of those in its grip. Her goal is not just to frighten, but to unsettle and get under (and stay) under the skin. 

Lydia is a member of the Horror Writers Association. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and menagerie of animals.  Truth Twister, the first book in the Unveiled Sins series, comes out on Halloween 2024!

Lydia Graves (lgraves.com)