4.5 stars.

Like a lot of readers, I do love me a good cult novel. Honestly, I just like books based on weird stuff and this fit that bill super well. I like creepy situations, haunting atmospheres, and flawed characters who sometimes make terrible decisions. Check, check, and check.

The Children of Red Peak is really well-written and I found it to be quite gripping. The writing style is right up my alley and kept things nice and tense while still doing a magnificent job of doling out information and creating a wonderfully creepy atmosphere. The pacing was somewhat slow and steady, but there was always something happening. It was an emotionally traumatic train wreck from beginning to end and I was totally here for it.

The story is told on a dual timeline perspective, with experiences in both present day and the days of the cult as experienced by David, Deacon, and Beth. This was a great balance of information and I genuinely appreciated all of the little details that were given about backstories and how they moved forward after the events at Red Peak. There was definitely a lot to unpackage here and there could easily have been another hundred pages just about the cult and how the children were "rescued" and "rehabilitated", but the way the story was constructed definitely worked.

I loved the characters--not because they were lovely cinnamon roll types, but because they were the total opposite. Each one of the characters in this book is a freaking mess in their own way. As a result of the trauma they sustained, they are all wonderfully flawed. I particularly liked Deacon and Beth and their messy relationship with one another. It frustrated and pained me, but it also made perfect sense to me. I enjoy when authors don't try to make all of their characters redeemable. The only shortcoming in the character department for me was that I would have liked more of the Angela perspective from beginning to end. She is probably the most level-headed of the characters and, while her perspective would have likely removed some of the overall crazy feel, it also would've added an interesting emotional response and point of view.

When it came to supporting characters, I would have loved more, but I did like how the Reverend's character was developed. He isn't really in the story directly much, but his battered psychological being is definitely present in how it all shakes down. He's incredibly tangible and definitely crafted properly for a cult leader. The charisma is patent despite how few pages he graces and the descent into madness is captured fairly well, though I will admit that I could have used more of the days leading up to the Red Peak events.

I was totally captivated by this story and things moved incredibly fast for me. This was a "don't put it down" read for me and I loved it. The ending was admittedly a mixed bag for me. I felt it moved a little too quickly and there were things that left too many questions and bends in the logic, but the intensity and creep factors were totally on point.

Craig DiLouie has my attention. I'll be scoping out his backlist for sure.

* Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. *