Friday 5 January 2018

From the Pages of Paperbacks from Hell: Smart as the Devil




Smart as the Devil
Author: Felice Picano, Year: 1975

The first of the novels I read as a result of seeing it featured in Paperbacks from Hell (publisher info here
) by Grady Hendrix with Will Errickson. Smart as the Devil tells the story of a school board psychologist who becomes obsessed, personally and professionally, with a pre-teenaged boy who may or may not be possessed off and on by a raunchy demon. It’s an entertaining read that keeps you guessing about its possession angle, winding up in a satisfying, though slightly heavy handed, conclusion. The "black maid" character, however, it must be said, gets a little, um... "tired" when reading Smart as the Devil 40 years after she was originally written here. 

Other similar novels by author Felice Picano include Eyes and The Mesmerist. He has also written widely in Gay Lit, as well as co-authoring The Joy of Gay Sex (3rd Edition), memoirs, poetry, and a number of stage and screenplays.


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