The Devil Inside by Ali Vali

The Devil Inside
by Ali Vali
Pages: 240
Date: January 1 2006
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Cain Casey (1st in series)

Review
Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0
Read: July 29 2016

The book opens somewhat abruptly, or, I mean, after the ‘action’ has already started.

Four years ago, after a mistaken impression of how events unfolded, Emma Verde fled back to her parents’ home in Wisconsin. Leaving behind her son and partner (wife, if it had been legal for her to be wife). For, while she understood the concept that Cain Casey might be operating on slightly the wrong side of the law, she didn’t realize blood might be involved. A realization developed when she literally saw Casey covered in blood – at least her hands were. She just . . . Emma just couldn’t stay, especially when Casey lied to her face as to what whether or not she happened to have killed someone (it is not spoiler to note that Casey did not in fact kill this individual, since it is revealed more or less immediately when the issue comes up).

Somewhat out of the blue, Emma has contacted Casey. She wants to make amends, though to the son left behind. For the sake of Hayden and any potential future relationship with his mother, Casey allows Emma to take Hayden back to Wisconsin for a visit. Where Hayden meets a real nasty bitch by the name of Carol (Emma’s mother), and a rather great guy (Ross, Emma’s father). And lots of cows.

Meanwhile the FBI is monitoring Casey, since she runs a criminal organization in New Orleans (mostly importing/distributing cigarettes (and other tobacco products) and alcohol without paying the tax on them). She also happens to run one or more bars.

So, Hayden and Emma, and her family spend a little bit of time in Wisconsin. Somewhat earlier than expected, Casey is called upon to come get her son – mostly because of a mention of Marie – Casey’s sister/Hayden’s aunt, who had just recently been brutally killed.

To a certain extent, considering everything that had happened, the reconciliation between Emma and Cain Casey seems a little farfetched. What with Emma running off on Cain. After having begged Casey not to kill someone. Which Casey obeyed. Allowing said individual to, about 4 years later, brutally kill Casey’s beloved somewhat mentally challenged sister. That’s kind of a heavy burden to overcome. And then there’s the second child that Cain and Emma had; who Cain has no knowledge about, since Emma, when she fled, had fled while pregnant. So: 1) Emma ran off after begging Casey not to kill someone, Casey doesn’t kill that person; 2) That person who Emma kept Casey from killing goes on to, later, kill Casey’s beloved sister (last remaining immediate family member still alive, what with brother Billy, father Dalton, and mother Theresa having been killed a long while back); 3) Emma ran off while pregnant and took four years before allowing Casey to know that she has a daughter; 4) Emma brings in the FBI to try to allow them to ‘catch’ Casey so that Hayden would end up needing to be with her (Emma). Ah love. They allow you to . . . overcome so much, eh?

Action takes place in New Orleans and Wisconsin (Haywood Wisconsin to be exact, if you want to be exact).

I liked the book, despite some of my off ball comments.

August 1 2016