The Recommended Reading Path
William W. Johnstone’s Devil series is a five-book supernatural horror saga that helped define the paperback horror boom of the 1980s. Blending graphic gore, theological warfare, and small-town American paranoia, the series pits ordinary citizens—led by a battle-hardened preacher—against the literal forces of Satan.
For the best experience, readers should follow the original publication order. The narrative progression tracks the recurring characters, expanding the scale of demonic influence from a single town to a broader, state-spanning battle. Because the series introduces key family members and references previous apocalyptic events, jumping in mid-series will cause you to miss crucial character development and continuity.
The Devil Books in Publication Order
The series began in the early 1980s and wrapped up in the early 1990s. Here is the chronological sequence of the books as they were released:
1. The Devil's Kiss (1980/1981)
The book that started it all introduces Reverend Sam Balon, a former soldier who served in the Korean War with the United Nations Partisan Infantry (UNPIK) before finding his calling as a preacher. Set in the quiet prairie town of Whitfield, Nebraska, the story kicks off when a local coven led by the sinister Black Wilder unearths an ancient, subterranean evil. Witches, vampires, and werewolves descend upon the small community, forcing Balon to use both his military grit and his spiritual faith to wage a bloody war against the demonic horde.
2. The Devil's Heart (1983)
Returning to the cursed town of Whitfield, this sequel deals with the aftermath of what the surviving townsfolk remember as "The Digging" from the first book. Peace has returned to the surface, but a new, seductive Satanic coven begins to take root in the shadows. The Lord of Darkness tempts a new group of followers with promises of eternal youth and endless indulgence. As a hot, unnatural wind sweeps through Whitfield, Sam Balon and his wife Nydia must step forward once again to prevent the town from being swallowed by hell.
3. The Devil's Touch (1984/1985)
The battle against the Prince of Darkness moves to the town of Logandale. In this installment, Sam and Nydia Balon face a massive horde of undead rising from their graves to feed on the living. Having established themselves as seasoned veterans of spiritual warfare, the Balons must rally the local community to stand firm against a relentless wave of zombies and demonic entities.
4. The Devil's Cat (1987)
Setting the action in the swampy town of Becancour, this novel introduces a bizarre and claustrophobic curse: an overwhelming infestation of sinister, glowing-eyed cats that seem to observe the town's every move. The feline swarm is merely a vessel for a deeper, swamp-born demonic presence. To combat this strange plague, Sam and Nydia are joined by their son, "Little Sam," who is forced to grow up quickly in the family business of fighting demons.
5. The Devil's Laughter (1992)
The final entry in the saga shifts the primary focus away from the Balon family to the town of LaGrange, Louisiana. When horrifying supernatural murders rock the community, a local veterinarian and former CIA operative named Link Donovan, alongside Sheriff Ray Ingalls, uncovers a conspiracy of wealthy locals who have summoned demonic messengers. While Sam and Nydia Balon are only mentioned in passing as the "lone survivors of the ancient horror," their legacy of faith and active resistance inspires the new protagonists to take up the fight.
Chronological Timeline and Settings
While the first book, The Devil's Kiss, was published in 1980 (with some paperback editions dated 1981), the story itself is explicitly set during the summer of 1958. This makes the debut novel a historical period piece relative to its publication date. The subsequent novels, beginning with The Devil's Heart, take place years later, treating the events of 1958 (often referred to as "The Digging") as a historical tragedy that the older survivors still carry in their memories.
Because the narrative flow moves forward in time from 1958, through the 1980s, and into the early 1990s, the publication order is the same as the chronological timeline of the universe. Readers do not need to worry about complex flashbacks or prequel novels; simply start with the first book and read straight through to the end.
What to Know Before You Start
The Devil series represents William W. Johnstone at his most raw and unrestrained. Written during the height of the "Satanic Panic" era, these books do not shy away from extreme content. Readers should expect graphic violence, intense gore, and transgressive themes that were typical of the era's boundary-pushing pulp horror. Johnstone's unique style blends long, sermon-like debates about Christian morality, redemption, and the nature of God's "game" with Satan, directly followed by high-octane, action-movie style shootouts against monsters.
Avoiding Confusion with Other Series
Because William W. Johnstone was an incredibly prolific author who wrote across multiple genres, readers frequently run into naming confusion. To keep your reading order clean, keep the following distinctions in mind:
- The Cat Series: Johnstone wrote a separate, two-book horror series consisting of Cat's Cradle (1986) and Cat's Eye (1989). While the fourth book of the Devil series is titled The Devil's Cat (1987) and features a feline curse, it is completely separate from the standalone Cat duology.
- Devil's Gulch: This is a Western series written by Johnstone. It has no connection to the supernatural horror of the Devil series.
- Standalone Horror: Johnstone wrote dozens of other standalone horror novels during this era, including Toy Cemetery, The Nursery, and The Uninvited. While they share similar themes of small-town invasions and military-trained protagonists, they do not features the characters Sam and Nydia Balon and are not part of the official Devil continuity.