Truth Twister By Lydia Graves – Book Review

Truth Twister by Lydia Graves, A Horror Book Review by Debra K. Every

Truth Twister by Lydia Graves is one creepy novella. In it, we meet Wods, a hard-working man doing his best to be an attentive husband to Jessie and a good stepfather to the incongruously named Chastity, a fifteen-year-old who uses her sexuality to seduce every man with whom she comes into contact. And that is, in fact, the theme throughout this book which carries the subtitle, The Sin of Lust – first in the Unveiled Sins Series.

Wods manages to keep his libido in check as Chastity prances around the house naked, or makes passes at his coworkers. But his herculean effort affects his health. His skin begins flaking off, leaving piles of skin cells wherever he goes. He can’t stop from scratching as the condition accelerates, leaving swathes of raw oozing flesh in its wake. Nasty business.

Graves has a good sense of pacing as she slowly ramps up the tension between Wods and Chastity.

The skin condition is a novel one. I couldn’t help but scratch my own arm as I read what Wods was going through. Graves even included a couple of steamy sex scenes that were wholly appropriate given the subject matter. And a stand-out character was Wods’ boss, Joey – a down-to-earth guy with the baffling habit of using tattered women’s lingerie as cleaning rags. He was a much needed safe-harbor for Wods and a good way to tie things up in the end.

The author, Lydia Graves, finds that the seven deadly sins offer a unique lens through which to examine human behavior at its most extreme. As she puts it, “There is a universality to the deadly sins; pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. Every reader can recognize these impulses within themselves, making the horror all the more relatable and, consequently, all the more disturbing.” She feels that when we see characters succumb to these vices, we’re forced to confront our own capacity for darkness. 

That is certainly on display in Truth Twister as it skates dangerously close to an incestuous sexual relationship with a minor, saved only by the fact that Chastity is Wods’ stepdaughter. But even with that, the description of that seduction is an unsavory one, to say the least.

It will be interesting to see how Graves tackles the other six sins in her series.

I do have a couple of issues. Firstly, people don’t seem all that phased by Wods leaving an ever-increasing pile of skin in his wake. I could have used a bit more set-up or surprise from Wods when the issue is first introduced. Also, the characters could have been a bit more complex. 

Having said this, Truth Twister is an entertaining, quick read for anyone who enjoys a sprinkling of forbidden spice with their horror. The subject matter is just uncomfortable enough to make the reader squirm. And the horror element – flaking, peeling piles of skin – is unique. Just be sure to have a jar of skin cream handy.

Truth Twister by Lydia Graves

WHEN THE GREATEST MONSTER, IS THE ONE WITHIN.

In the quiet town of Hawthorn Hollow, where only lettuces and dark desires seem to grow, Wods battles an insidious enemy: his own lust. As his stepdaughter Chastity approaches her sixteenth birthday, her hypnotic effect on men threatens to unravel the fragile fabric of their lives.

Caught between loyalty to his partner and the siren call of forbidden temptation, Wods desperately clings to normalcy. But as a mysterious skin condition begins to consume him from the outside in, he realizes his lack of self-honesty is tearing him apart—quite literally.

With a looming storm on the horizon and Chastity’s plans to flee town, Wods must confront the demons within and the calamities without. Can the wisdom of his friend Joey and the promise of redemption save him from the abyss? Or will a fateful party become the catalyst that destroys everything?

As flesh and soul hang in the balance, discover if one man’s quest for understanding can withstand the tempest of his own making.

Truth Twister is the first skin-crawling supernatural horror novella in the Unveiled Sins which explores the depths of human fragility and the power of lust.

Wrath did Grow follows in December 2024.

‘I loved Truth Twister. The novella is extremely entertaining from start to finish. Expect to feel your flesh tickling in place!’ ARC Reader, Goodreads *****
‘Unsettling and atmospheric, it gets right under your skin! ‘ TikTok Reviewer

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