The devil downstairs by P. F. Costello
"The Devil Downstairs" by P. F. Costello is a humorous fantasy novel written during the mid-20th century. The book explores the intersection of the supernatural and everyday life through the story of Joe Emerald, a private detective who unexpectedly becomes entangled with the Devil, who takes refuge in Joe's basement while planning a new crime wave. The narrative blends elements of comedy, supernatural intrigue, and moral questions about good and evil, making
it an engaging read. The story begins with Joe's peaceful life being disrupted when he encounters the Devil hiding in his basement. Initially dismissive of the situation, Joe soon finds himself in a humorous battle of wits with the creature, who attempts to possess Joe and utilize his skills for nefarious purposes. After a series of comical events involving Joe's wife, Pearl, and their children, the Devil is ultimately trapped and bound, resulting in a period of peace in their town as crime mysteriously diminishes. However, after the Devil escapes by switching bodies with a mouse, chaos ensues again, leading to a comedic yet profound exploration of the nature of evil and human susceptibility. The climax reveals unexpected twists involving amnesia and identity, leaving readers to ponder whether the Devil can truly be put away forever. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Upload it on the Amazon site your Kindle is registered with: amazon.com/sendtokindle for the US, amazon.co.uk/sendtokindle for the UK etc.
- It appears on your Kindle and in the Kindle app
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
- Download the EPUB3 file on your computer
- Connect your e-reader by USB and tap "Connect" on its screen
- Drag the file onto the e-reader drive
Phone, Tablet or Computer → Online or Reading App
Easiest: read online in your browser. Nothing to install.
Or use a reading app:
- Find and install one you like, for example Apple Books, ReadEra or Thorium Reader
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Open it in the app
More help: iPhone / iPad · Android · Computer
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Costello, P. F. |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Finlay, Virgil, 1914-1971 |
| Title | The devil downstairs |
| Original Publication | New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1957. |
| Series Title | Produced from the January 1958 issue of Fantastic magazine. |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 86.1 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Fantasy fiction |
| Subject | United States -- Fiction |
| Subject | Families -- Fiction |
| Subject | Devil -- Fiction |
| Subject | Detectives -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 73703 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-73703-4 |
| Release Date | May 26, 2024 |
| Last Update | May 29, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 188 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!