Nicholas Anthony’s Malocchio: Dark Magic of the Evil Eye combines dark fantasy with historical fiction. Taking place in Italy during World War II, the story interweaves witchcraft and wizardry in with the humanity of a war winding down.

One of the places Anthony excels at is crafting a world hidden within the real world. We’ve all heard the metric for horror/fantasy, if you removed all the supernatural elements, the story should still stand on its own. Much of the work early on is setting up the soldiers that make up the main cast of characters. The interactions between soldiers feels authentic, and once established, Anthony sets to work showing the magic behind the scenes.

The supernatural characters have familiar elements enough to catch the readers attention, but seem to draw from local folklore. A story set in Italy that the author successfully convinces us only could have happened in Italy. The stregas are creepy and ruthless, but imbued with enough character that we get drawn into whatever they’re doing or who they’re doing it to.

This portion could be considered mild spoilers, so read on at your own risk. The titular villain is alluded to through most of the book, but doesn’t make a physical appearance until late in the game. While this is far from a sin, and can be quite effective, his return is very exposition heavy and anticlimactic. I like the way the author keeps Malocchio in the background as a looming threat, but a slightly sooner appearance with a condensed explanation for absence would’ve worked for me. As always, it’s worth noting this is simply one reader’s opinion.

I love folklore interspersed into my horror, and I’m always down for a unique take on historical events. Anthony has crafted a little slice of the world in which to play, but also leaves the door open to more tales told utilizing this mythos. If those aspects appeal to you, this book just might be up your alley.

I was given a copy by the author for review consideration.