Reviewed by Elizabetta
TITLE: Devil at the Crossroads
AUTHOR: Cornelia Grey
PUBLISHER: Riptide Publishing
LENGTH: 75 pages
BLURB: The devil covets more than his soul …
Six years ago, Logan Hart sold his soul to the devil to become the greatest bluesman of all time—and now the devil has come to collect.
The irony is that Logan squandered his gift. High on fame, money, and drugs, he ignored his muse and neglected his music. And despite managing to escape showbiz in a moment of clarity, it’s too late to redeem himself. All that’s left is to try to go out with some dignity. Alas, the prospect of an eternity in Hell isn’t helping much with that goal.
But Farfarello, the devil who bought Logan’s soul, isn’t ready to drag him down to Hell quite yet. He’s just spent six years working his ass off to whip a bluesman into shape, and he refuses to let that—or the opportunity for more sinful pleasures with Logan—go to waste.
REVIEW:
The crossroads in Logan Hart’s life signal a turning point for the musician. He made a deal with the devil six years ago, demanding an out from the coal miner legacy of his family. He wanted out of that life and his guitar is the ticket. He lives for his music. But the gig is up, six years later and payment is due.
I’m left confused as to why six years… and how that could possibly be long enough for Logan.
And Logan seems quite capable of making his own special hell, no help needed, thank you very much. He asked for fame and fortune, squandered his gift, and wallows in the knowing of it…
“… six years had passed quickly and all he had to show for it was… a dusty motel room, cheap whiskey… and a crumpled packet of Marlboros. And no one, to call…”
What happens when you make a deal with the devil? The usual take is that it’s all doom and gloom when it’s time to pay up. Logan is expecting fire and brimstone and the trade-in of his soul. What he gets is something very different and unexpected. The blurb gives it away already, so no spoilers here…
Logan is very lucky, in fact, to have made his pact with Farfarello. Not only does he get special tutoring in the soul-making of a real blues musician, he gets some good fucking included and a promise of more to come. The HFN ending clearly points for something more fulfilling in Logan’s life than his previous unenlightened worship of fame and fortune.
I’m confused again though, Farfarello comes off more as impresario or mentor, than a soul harvesting devil. I’d really like to know much more about him, a fallen angel who steals sensual connection where he can…
In the end, what we get here is a deftly written short story. It’s not really a romance, maybe it’s a cautionary tale? It’s too bad I didn’t have enough time to cozy up to either character, and their story is over almost as soon as it’s begun. Still, there’s something in the writing… I’d like to read more from this author.
Elizabetta rates it: 
BUY LINKS: Riptide