Reviewed by Ananya Hazarika for Readers' Favorite

Footsteps in the Attic by James P. Usavage is about a group of co-workers who go on a road trip to a wedding where one of the co-workers, the spiritually gifted Rita, mysteriously goes missing after her ability with tarot cards gets noticed by some shady people. John, who has a soft spot for her, leaves no stone unturned in finding her. The search eventually leads to an encounter with a demonic cult and their use of dark power. John is skeptical about the reality of cults but his beliefs are questioned as he discovers a world massively different from his. The plot thickens as the mystery of Rita's disappearance goes unsolved with each passing day.

Footsteps in the Attic is an exciting and bumpy read with easy-to-follow language and plots. The subtle descriptions of the scenes ignite the reader's visual imagination and there is an exceptional portrayal of all the characters, which is realistic and vivid. The natural flow of dialogue adds a theatrical effect and the wait for the suspense to be revealed makes the book interesting. The author meticulously represents the background of cult behavior and the reader notices the little details, like the use of indigenous vocabulary and native influence, which makes Footsteps in the Attic a compelling read. Along with a homogeneous mixture of all the elements of horror, including thrill, suspense, gore, fear, paranormal, mystery, and violence, James P. Usavage has also incorporated religious, political, and spiritual themes, giving the book a fascinating feel.