4.3 (4 ratings)

The Sleepy Hollow Incident: Book One: A Gothic Tale!

Where dark romance meets supernatural terror, a love story becomes a battle for salvation.In a small town shrouded in shadows, a sinister alliance between love and darkness is forged. Winter, 1997. Marc Saduj, a romance writer, watches his beloved Lori Francon slip away after a car crash. Desperate to save her, he makes a deal with the mysterious Man in Black - his soul in exchange for her life. But as Lori miraculously recovers and returns to Long Island, Marc retreats to a foreboding mansion in Sleepy Hollow's western woods.As mutilated bodies start appearing in town, Detective Stephen Carver follows a trail of medieval torture and satanic worship, all leading to Marc. But the truth is far more terrifying than anyone could imagine. When Lori discovers Marc's notebook detailing the murders, she rushes back to save him, only to find herself at the center of an ancient evil's resurgence. The Man in Black is no ordinary demon, and Marc's bargain has set in motion a chain of events that could unleash hell on earth.As a celestial portal threatens to open and Marc's possession deepens, Lori must face the ultimate question - when someone sells their soul to save your life, what are you willing to sacrifice to save theirs?Some bargains are sealed with a kiss. Others with a scream.Gothic in its atmospheric dread, romantic in its core relationship, horrific in its supernatural violence, and fantastical in its cosmic mythology, The Sleepy Hollow Incident is a chilling four-book gothic horror serial that weaves together forbidden love, ancient evil, and the price of salvation. Award-winning author PD Alleva creates a dark saga where love is both weapon and sacrifice, and the boundary between devotion and damnation dissolves like mist in moonlight.With its spine-tingling suspense and haunting atmosphere, this book is perfect for fans of "The Haunting of Hill House" and "The Witching Hour". Don't miss out on this chilling tale!

NOTE TO READERS: The Sleepy Hollow Incident was originally published as a four-book rapid release serial in October of 2025. In order to manage expectations, I would like for you to know that The Sleepy Hollow Incident is not a series, meaning, although the story is divided into four books, each book is a continuation from the last with one streamlined narrative across the entire story. In order to fully grasp the complexity and, without a doubt, the conclusion of the story you will need to read all four books, which are also presented in the book titled, The Sleepy Hollow Incident: The Complete Gothic Tale! I request for all readers to keep this in mind when posting your review. Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.

With gratitude,

PD Alleva

Published: October 7, 2025

Pages: 272

ISBN: 9798218828486

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Reader Reviews

4.3

4 ratings

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Liz M.

Inside Story

Apr 27, 2026

This one had all the ingredients for a dark, addictive read—small-town secrets, a soul-for-love bargain, eerie murders—but it didn’t fully land for me.

The premise? Genuinely chilling. A romance writer trading his soul to save the woman he loves, only for it to spiral into something ancient and sinister? I was in. The atmosphere in Sleepy Hollow’s woods and the creeping sense of dread were easily the strongest parts—there’s a moody, gothic vibe that almost carries the whole story.

But the execution felt uneven. The pacing jumps between slow, heavy exposition and rushed plot reveals, which made it hard to stay fully hooked. Some of the horror elements (especially the satanic/medieval torture angle) leaned more into shock than depth, and I found myself wanting more emotional weight—especially between Marc and Lori, since their relationship is supposed to anchor everything.

The concept of love vs. damnation is powerful, but it never quite hits as hard as it should. By the time things escalated to the bigger supernatural stakes, I wasn’t as invested as I wanted to be.

Still, if you’re into dark bargains, eerie settings, and morally twisted love stories, this might scratch that itch—it just didn’t fully deliver on its potential for me.

⭐⭐⭐

Crystal O.

Inside Story

Apr 16, 2026

This was a fantastic spin on Sleepy Hallow story. I love his writing style and honestly it crushed me a little but cant wait to dive into the next part of this story! A little goth,romance, and a lot of horror! Excellent book!

Tracy W.

Mar 31, 2026

This book crushed me. I cannot read the next book right now.

Koen S.

Mar 27, 2026

If you like sleepy hollow and a good gothic horror this book is for you! For me it was a slow burn and not completely my style but it was really good and I plan to read the rest of the serial in the near future

About the Author

PD Alleva
PD Alleva writes books, that’s what he does. Horror, SciFi, Psychological Thrillers, Fantasy, and sometimes a Literary Gem. Good books, crazy books, fun books, entertaining books, terrifying books that are absolutely insane, and books with depth and thrills that rip out the heart of humanity then tosses it on a slab to be feasted on. Yeah, that’s what he does. He writes books. Any questions?
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