When Devils Prey Paperback – October 20, 2025 by Debra Phillips

 Book Excerpt:

"When a smooth-talking thief and his razor-sharp-talking lover target a wealthy elder in a quiet neighborhood, the score goes sideways fast. Dare thought the job would be quick and easy: get in, get the loot, get out, get paid. Unfortunately, his target wasn't just another helpless old woman. Fierce, fearless, and fueled by fire, she fought back hard, shattering Dare's plans that left behind a trail of blood and distrust he never intended."

Title:  When Devels Prey

Author:  Debra Phillips

Publisher:  D. P.

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating:  Five

Review:

"When Devils Prey" by Debra Philips

My Review:  

'When Devils Prey' was a read that took you all over the place, from robbery to church to romance, and a few more antics that will keep you interested as you turn the pages to see what is coming next.  

I found the characters most interesting from Jhodare Rimsey [Dare], Keetora [Miss Kee], Lydia Prescott, Lynnosha Tisdale,  Roy, La Gia, Anasha, Chancy, Brother Samuel Sims, Rev. Jhodane Rimsey, Bozzman King, and Rita Maxwell. This is to name a few, as I have left some other important ones off this list. But this will keep you reading because there is so much going on in 'When Devils Prey.'

Starting with a robbery and moving on to being a minister because he was taking his brother's place [Rev Jhodane Rimsey's place], since he was leaving for Africa, and his twin Jhodare had moved to his brother's area and needed a job, guess what he did after being offered the pastor's job? Now, I will stop here, not wanting to give too much away. But after the robbery, the twin decided to move to his brother's area to find out he was leaving for Africa to do some missionary work there, and was told he could stay at his twin's place to keep an eye on his house while his twin was gone. Jhodare wanted to change his way of living and thought this would be a good move. However, there is a lot more coming for this twin Dare.

Then Dare meets the neighbor, Ms. Rita... then the church folks...Brother Samuel Sims, Lynnosha Tisdale, and the story picks up where you will say...I didn't see any of this coming.

As the new pastor arrives, Pastor Dare learns a lot about what has been going on at Devine Cross Baptist, especially with Brother Samuel Sims and his lady friends. Will that problem be solved?

Then we come into play with Lynnosha and what is going on with her in the fact that she has been keeping her niece and nephew, which has been a special problem because of what is going on in her own house, and she doesn't seem to have any control over it, especially with that niece, Gia. How will that problem be solved, especially since Gia and Chancy's mother was in prison and Lynn had promised her that she would keep them until her release?  This is where you will have to pick up 'When Devils Prey' to see how well this author brings it all out.  

Now we have many things going on... a robbery where someone dies, a girlfriend, but was she really a girlfriend? Dare wants to change his life, so he decides to move to another area where his twin brother lives. When his girlfriend [Miss Jee tells the ex-boyfriend after he finds her, that her supposedly boyfriend has moved. Now, there will be more about that because the ex-boyfriend lost something he had stolen from him during the robbery that he wanted back, and, by accident, he found out who was in on it.  You must read to find out that information. 

Ok, I will stop here and stay again. This was a story that kept going and gave the reader all kinds of information, so you will have to keep up.

You may wonder why Ms. Lynnosha was having so much trouble with that niece...Well, I will not tell you because I want you to read and see what Gia and Anasaha [her partner] did at a church meeting to get back at Lynn. What will happen when all this mess comes out about Ms. Lynn, the church treasurer?

As the story moves on, will Ms Kee's ex-boy finally meet up with the pastor to get back what was taken from the robbery that belongs to him? Again, you will have to read and see how this will all come out. It was a little funny, especially how this ex-boyfriend was caught... but again, you will have to read for yourself to see how the neighbor across the street from the twins helped and what pastor Dare did in appreciation of all Miss Rita had done.  Ha ha!

With all that had gone on with Ms Kee leaving with Dare's money, and now the pastor was interested in Ms Lynn, and due to what had happened to Ms Lynn at the church, well, it seems like Pastor Dare wanted his own church. Will that happen? Will these two get married, especially after Ms Lynn's first marriage didn't work out?   Well, you will have to see for yourself how well this story opens and closes. 

I wished there had been an epilogue because I would have liked to have known what truly happened to Ms Kee... how do you treat a fiancée like that? Yes, she was now engaged to Dare. For Ms Rita, would she be able to leave Dare alone after what they had done together? And Gia, and her lover... I don't care how mad you are that your aunt, who put you out of her house after all you were doing there was wrong, and yes, you found something she did was bad, but to do what they did to her at church in front of everyone... my, my...my! I felt karma was definitely coming for both of them in the end. After Dare's brother recovered from illness, he was well enough to come home from Africa. What does he think of his twin brother, Dare, who was now a pastor at his own church and was married? Oh well, these are just my thoughts... that I wish I could have gotten more information. Not that this story wasn't full of a little bit of it all, I was still left wondering about some of those people. 

'When Devils Prey' was a deep, good story that will have one thinking a lot after the read. This author did a superb job of giving us a clear picture of what goes on in life, especially in the days we live in now. Thank you for a good story. Keep up your work. You are indeed an excellent writer!

     

******  I have two reviews for 'When Devils Prey  Here is the second review.

'When Devils Prey' is a captivating read that takes you on a journey through robbery, church, romance, and various other things. 'When Devils Prey' was a read that took you all over the place, from theft to church to romance, and a few more antics that will keep you interested as you turn the pages to see what is coming next. Other engaging plots that keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next.

The characters are intriguing, including Jhodare Rimsey (Dare), Keetora (Miss Kee), Lydia Prescott, Lynnosha Tisdale, Roy, La Gia, Anasha, Chancy, Brother Samuel Sims, Rev. Jhodane Rimsey, Bozzman King, and Rita Maxwell, to name just a few. There are many more important characters in the story, each contributing to the twists and turns that make 'When Devils Prey' so compelling. The story begins with a robbery, which sets off a chain of events that leads Jhodare to take on his brother's role as minister while his twin, Rev. Jhodane Rimsey, leaves for Africa on a missionary trip. Moving to his brother's area, Jhodare sees this as an opportunity to change his lifestyle. However, his journey doesn't go as smoothly as planned. After the robbery, he meets his neighbor, Ms. Rita, and becomes involved with the local church community, including Brother Samuel Sims and Lynnosha Tisdale. The plot thickens as Jhodare uncovers various secrets within the church that take him by surprise. We also delve into Lynnosha's challenges as she looks after her niece and nephew, particularly dealing with Gia's rebellious behavior. How Lynnosha manages her home creates significant tension in the narrative, and you'll want to read more to see how these issues unfold, especially when she gets help from Pastor Dare. The story keeps delivering surprises as it explores the aftermath of the robbery, including a death and relationships that are more complicated than they seem. Dare, trying to improve his life, finds himself in a precarious situation when his supposed girlfriend informs her ex-boyfriend about his location. The ex-boyfriend is determined to retrieve something important that went missing during the robbery, leading to unexpected confrontations. There are issues involving Ms. Lynnosha, the church treasurer, that complicate the plot. You'll have to read to discover what happens when the tensions erupt, especially regarding Ms. Lynn and her questionable behavior with church funds. As the story progresses, it raises questions about whether Ms. Kee's ex will confront the pastor about the stolen goods and how the pastor will respond, particularly given the comedic twists in their interactions.

Furthermore, with Ms. Kee's departure and the pastor's interest in Ms. Lynn, you'll wonder whether Dare's aspirations to found his own church will come to fruition and whether he and Ms. Lynn will end up marrying after her previous marriage fell apart. The narrative leaves you craving an epilogue to understand the fates of various characters, especially Ms. Kee and her complicated relationship with Dare, not to mention the fallout from Gia's actions that she and her girlfriend took against her aunt at the church. Then my last question would be what did Dare's brother think of his twin now being a pastor of his own church and married.

In conclusion, 'When Devils Prey' is a thought-provoking story that captures the complexities of life. The author does an excellent job of weaving these narratives together, leaving readers with much to ponder after finishing the book. Thank you for such a compelling story, and I look forward to your future work!