Growing up in a New York City orphanage has given scrappy Amelia Matthew the pluck to survive in a rough time and place. Combining moxie with a modicum of psychic talent, she manages to earn enough to create a decent life for herself and her beloved foster brother, Jonas. When a knock on the head changes Amelia's mild ability into something far more powerful, she's shocked. As she grapples to understand her newfound skills, a strange vision in a public park assaults her. The next thing she knows, she's waking up in a city insane asylum on isolated Blackwell's Island. Despite her protests, Amelia is unable to leave. Even Jonas can't find a way to free her. 

In spite of himself, Andrew Cavanaugh, a young doctor from Philadelphia, finds himself quite taken with the pretty new patient. Naturally, he doesn't believe her when she claims to see spirits—until she proves it to him. As Andrew works to release Amelia from care, he's approached by a desperate mother searching for the daughter she believes is being hidden in the asylum. With Amelia's help, he looks into the case, uncovering a shocking trail of corruption and cruelty at his workplace. Powerful people rule the asylum. What can a lowly doctor and his imprisoned patient possibly do for their helpless victims? Especially when Amelia's dubious gift is still so uncontrollable and she's not entirely sure she doesn't belong on Blackwell's Island herself...

It's tough to describe The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton because it's so many things at one time: a historical novel (that doesn't concern itself overly much with accurate period details), a mystery, a swashbuckling pirate adventure (that's actually kind of slow), and a monster-y campfire tale.  There are also hints of romance, philosophy, and just plain ole drama.  The book's back cover copy describes it best:  "Shirley Jackson meets Sherlock Holmes in this chilling thriller of supernatural horror, occult suspicion, and paranormal mystery on the high seas."  That about covers it.

The story takes place in the year 1634 on a vessel called the Saardam, which is on an 8-month sea voyage from Batavia to Amsterdam.  On board is Sammy Pipps, the world's greatest detective, who is being held in the ship's brig for a crime he may or may not have committed.  Traveling with him is his loyal bodyguard Arent Hayes. When strange, otherworldly things start happening aboard the ship, spooking the passengers and crew, they look to Pipps for answers.  Since he's not readily available, it's up to Arent and Sara Wessel—a noblewoman healer—to figure out what's going on.  When people on board start falling victim to an unseen killer, Arent and Sara find themselves hunting down a murderer.  Between them and Pipps, they've got more than enough smarts to catch the culprit, but what if it's not exactly of this world?  Could a demon really be responsible for all the horrible happenings on the Saardam?  Or is a more human evil to blame? 

At 480 pages, The Devil and the Dark Water isn't a swift read.  It's slow in places, but overall, I found it both engaging and exciting.  I enjoyed the main characters, who are a likable bunch even if one of them has motives that are not exactly pure.  The story's supernatural (or not?) element kept me on my toes, making me question what exactly our heroes were hunting.  What I most appreciated about this novel, though, is its examination of the devils in all of us.  If you're the kind of hist-fic reader who must have all the details exactly right, you might want to give this one a miss.  Turton admits he didn't worry much about those himself, hoping the reader would let go of the fuss and just enjoy the yarn.  You know what?  I did exactly that.

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

Everyone knows the story of the "unsinkable" but doomed Titanic, but have you ever considered what really caused its demise?  Was it truly just an iceberg or something decidedly more ... ominous?  

Atmospheric and eerie, Alma Katsu's newest historical novel, The Deep, explores the idea of something both sinister and supernatural haunting Titanic.  It's told (mostly) from the viewpoint of Annie Hebbley, a 22-year-old Irish woman who takes a job as a stewardess on the great ship.  The voyage is barely underway before strange things start happening all over the vessel; Annie's not the only one who thinks something otherworldly might be afoot.  She tries to concentrate on her job, but she soon becomes obsessed with the wealthy couple to whom she's been assigned.  As Titanic moves toward its inevitable fate, Annie becomes more and more distressed by everything that's going on.

Although Annie survives Titanic's sinking, she's so traumatized by the experience that she's hospitalized for mental health issues.  A few years later, when an old colleague encourages her to apply for a nursing position aboard Titanic's sister ship, Britannic—which has been repurposed as a hospital ship for injured soldiers—she's hesitant to go back to sea.  Her psychiatrist, however, thinks confronting her fears might be the healthiest thing she can do.  Once aboard, however, Annie encounters a figure from her Titanic days.  As past and present collide, she senses once again that something not quite of this world is sailing alongside Britannic.  What does the malevolent presence want?  Will Britannic and her passengers survive whatever happens next?

I'm not a believer in the supernatural, but I still find The Deep's premise fascinating.  Katsu succeeds in creating the perfect setting for a spooky novel by utilizing two doomed ships as backdrops, then infusing them with a creepy, unearthly vibe that makes the whole tale uniquely chilling.  Although the story is peopled with interesting characters, none of them are very likable.  All are flawed and some of them are revealed as unrelentingly self-centered, snobbish, and greedy.  This made it tough to really connect with any of them.  Plotwise, The Deep plods along like, well, a large ship at sea.  The action picks up toward the end, heading toward a finale I found disappointing.  While the novel is definitely interesting with a haunting tone I enjoyed, it's also sad, depressing, and executed in a way I didn't love, which stinks because I really, really wanted to adore this one.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other novels about Titanic, although I haven't encountered any others with a supernatural element.  You?)

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As an aspiring journalist, 16-year-old Nathalie Baudin is thrilled to be writing a column for Le Petite Journal.  Even if the editor, an old family friend, hired her only as a favor to her unemployed mother and away-at-sea father.  Even if she has to dress as a boy to do her reporting.  Even if the job means spending her days studying corpses at Paris' public morgue.  Despite her unladylike interest in the macabre, she's as horrified as everyone else when a serial killer begins preying on the city's young women.  She's even more aghast when, while viewing the victims' bodies at the morgue, she begins having nauseating visions of them being brutalized.  Most confusing of all, the scenes are from the perspective of the killer.  Why is she having these strange visions?  What could they possibly mean?  

Soon Nathalie realizes that her gruesome waking dreams are a weird gift that could help the police find the killer who has been dubbed "The Dark Artist."  But that means opening herself to more violent visions, which leave her frightened and disgusted.  Is it worth her sanity to encourage the blood-soaked visions?  As Nathalie searches for answers, she stumbles across shocking secrets about her family and herself.  Her sleuthing soon attracts the attention of the murderer.  With a killer on her own tail, she must find answers—and fast—before she becomes the next corpse lying on a slab for all of Paris to view. 

Spectacle, a debut novel by Jodie Lynn Zdrok, has an intriguing premise and a creepy, atmospheric Jack the Ripper feel.  While neither of these elements is all that original, the combination presents a compelling jumping-off point.  Unfortunately, the story Zdrok spins from it is slow, with a lot of meandering around before it gets anywhere.  The tale gets repetitious and dull, making its 368 pages feel like double that.  Add in a lot of bloody, gory scenes, some of which made me feel physically ill, and Spectacle became a tough tale to get through.  I did become invested enough in the story to finish it, but in the end, I just didn't find the book all that enjoyable or satisfying.  Needless to say, I won't be bothering with the sequel, Sensational, which comes out in February.

I should mention that I listened to Spectacle as an audiobook—my first one ever.  The narrator, Laurie Catherine Winkel, is okay.  Her narration is a little stiff, with her French sounding more natural than her English.  My daughter says she sounds like the Google Translate voice.  I don't know if listening to Spectacle as opposed to reading it altered my experience with the book or not.  I think I would have felt the same way, no matter what, but I'm still a noob when it comes to audiobooks, so who knows?

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of the Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting [The Body Finder; Desires of the Dead; The Last Echo; and Dead Silence] as well as various books about Jack the Ripper)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language; violence; disturbing subject matter; and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received a free finished audio copy of Spectacle as part of a promotion offered by Audible.

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After her mother dies, London tv producer Ailsa Calder inherits an imposing home in the Scottish Highlands known as the Manse.  Although she lived in the house as a young child, the place gives Ailsa the creeps.  Big time.  Ailsa can feel it watching her, eyeing her every move with sinister intentions.  Even the local wildlife and neighborhood pets refuse to set foot on the property.  The townspeople whisper about the haunted Manse, saying it's a strange, in-between place where time moves differently.  Crazy as it sounds, Ailsa almost believes them.  If she had inherited the entire house, she would sell it without hesitation, but the other half belongs to her father—and he's been missing for 27 years.  Before she can unload her unsettling inheritance, Ailsa has to prove her dad is dead.

For convenience's sake, Ailsa decides to live in the Manse while preparing the paperwork necessary to sell the old pile.  Carrie, the half-sister Ailsa barely knows, becomes her erstwhile roommate.  As the two women get to know each other and the locals—some of whom are kind and welcoming, others of whom view the sisters with suspicion and distrust—it soon becomes apparent that the Manse isn't the only entity that wishes Ailsa harm ...

I'm sure it's more than evident by now that I love me a shivery mystery/thriller featuring an ominous, atmospheric backdrop; an eerie old house; and a dusty old skeleton (literal or otherwise) hiding in a closet, just waiting to be discovered.  The Missing Hours by Lexie Elliott has all this and more.  It's a compelling and engrossing page-turner that offers mystery, suspense, and a hint of the supernatural.  The plot is a teensy bit slow, but I didn't mind that a bit.  The Missing Hours held my attention, keeping me feeling slightly off-kilter (in a good way) throughout.  I didn't love Elliott's debut, The French Girl, but her sophomore attempt is much, much more to my liking.  I very much enjoyed this creepy, entertaining novel.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of books by Carol Goodman, Jennifer McMahon, and Hester Fox)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, blood/gore, references to illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of The Missing Hours from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language and mild innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of I Remember You from the always generous Holly Schindler in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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Ruby Flood is thrilled when the couple who has been raising her make a stunning announcement—they are not her birth parents.  Relieved not to share blood with the cruel, abusive couple, the 13-year-old runs away from their home, determined to find her real parents.  Ruby sets off into the Forest of Dean armed only with a suitcase and the otherworldly protection of Shadow Boy, her imaginary—and only—friend.  

Soon, Ruby comes upon a ragged group of siblings living on their own in a crumbling mansion in the forest.  Although not all of them are keen on having another mouth to feed, they take her in and make her part of their unconventional family.  The situation suits Ruby just fine, but it's not long before she begins to realize that not everything is what it seems in her surrealistic new life.  It's difficult to tell what is real and what is not in the woods; all Ruby desires is the truth.  Can she trust her new family to help her on her quest?  What secrets are they hiding from Ruby?  She's about to find out ...

It's tough to describe The Doll Funeral, an odd and disquieting novel by Welsh author Kate Hamer.  While it's compelling and lyrical, it's also dark, depressing, hopeless, and sad.  Although I appreciate its lesson about family not always being about blood, I didn't end up loving this story.  It was a pretty meh read for me.  Bummer.

(Readalikes:  Um, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, depictions of illegal drug use, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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A businessman on holiday in Scotland goes on a hunting trip with family, where he's exposed to tainted pheasant's blood.  He starts feeling poorly almost immediately; by the time he's on the plane back to the U.S. he's deathly ill.  Within 48 hours of exposure, he's dead.  The sickness spreads rapidly, killing 1/3 of the world's population in a matter of weeks.  With widespread death and decimation comes fear, anarchy, and chaos.  Out of the ashes of the dying world something even more unsettling rises—magick, both good and evil.

As the immune flee New York City, running toward the hope of safety, strangers will band together for survival.  Despite rising conflicts between the Uncanny, the immune, and everyone else, those who desire good must work together to fight the powerful forces that want only destruction and domination.  The trick—as it turns out—is knowing one from the other.

I love me an immersive dystopian series, so I've been looking forward to Year One, the first book in a new one by Nora Roberts.  Hoping for a rich, engaging read, I found myself disappointed.  What plot there is in Year One isn't very original or surprising.  Its cast features too many characters with too little personality—it's difficult to keep track of who is who.  The book's overly long and by the end, I just did not care (although I did read to the end).  This means I won't be continuing the series, which is a bummer because initially I was very excited about it.  Ah well.  Such is the reading life sometimes.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken and a little of the Gone series [Gone; Hunger; Lies; Plague; Fear; and Light] by Michael Grant)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for strong language, violence, blood/gore, sexual content, and disturbing subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Year One from Barnes & Noble with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Ever since he was a little boy, Magnus "Steps" Craig has possessed a special ability.  Both a blessing and a curse, it enables him to see a person's "shine."  Normal people can't see the unique trails people leave behind them as they move throughout their lives; Steps can.  This secret ability has enabled the 27-year-old to work effectively as a member of the FBI's Special Tracking Unit (STU).  Few know about Steps' unusual talent, they only know that the "Human Bloodhound" has an uncanny knack for finding missing persons. 

When the dead body of a young woman is discovered, Steps recognizes her killer's "signature" from another crime scene.  Along with his partner, Jimmy Donovan, Steps travels to California to track down the bloodthirsty monster.  As they identify the murderer's victims, the duo began to close in on the killer's identity.  Then, his/her MO changes.  With a new puzzle to solve, the case becomes even more challenging.  With lives on the line—including their own—Steps and Jimmy have to find the killer.  Before they become the next victims.

I'd heard good things about Collecting the Dead, a debut mystery/thriller by crime analyst Spencer Kope, so I picked it up expecting an exciting, engrossing novel.  Did I get it?  Sort of.  While the story's compelling, I wouldn't call the book a page turner.  I wanted to know what was going to happen, yes, but I didn't find myself racing to the finale.  Still.  Collecting the Dead surprised me by being less dark and gory than other novels of this sort.  In fact, it's lighter and funnier than its fellows.  The humor is way overdone in parts, but overall, Steps comes off as a funny, likable narrator.  He acts like an old man, true, but he remains brave, devoted, and compassionate.  I enjoyed him as a narrator, even though I didn't end up loving Collecting the Dead.  This series has promise, though, so I'm willing to give the next installment a try.  I'm not chomping at the bit or anything, but I wouldn't mind taking another ride with Magnus "Steps" Craig.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of The Body Finder series [The Body Finder; Desires of the Dead; The Last Echo; and Dead Silence] by Kimberly Derting)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Collecting the Dead from the generous folks at Minotaur Books (a division of St. Martin's Press/Macmillan).  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Eleanor Harper should be ecstatic about her new job as director of Cliffside Manor, an old TB sanitorium turned artists' retreat.  After working as a crime reporter for a city newspaper, she should feel nothing but relief at the prospect of living on the calm shores of Lake Superior and spending her days with benign artists too preoccupied with their own work to cause trouble.  So, why does she feel so unsettled by Cliffside Manor?  Why the sense of foreboding she just can't shake?

The more time Eleanor spends at Cliffside, the more she learns about the home's disturbing history.  When strange, inexplicable things start happening there, she's not even that surprised.  As each of the fellows residing at the manor identifies personal connections to Cliffside, Eleanor grows increasingly alarmed.  Could her predecessor have selected these specific people to be at Cliffside at this specific time?  Why would she do such a thing?  With more than one sinister force at play, Eleanor must find out what is really going on at Cliffside before it's too late for them all.

I love me a shivery Gothic tale, especially one set in a creepy old mansion.  The End of Temperance Dare by Wendy Webb, therefore, seemed just the ticket.  While the tale is eerie, it suffers from a clumsily-structured plot, tell-y prose, and characters who lack any depth at all.  Our heroine has no real personality, making her a boring narrator.  Why not one, but two, men fall instantly, madly in love with her I have no idea.  Despite these issues, the first 2/3 of the story isn't that bad; the last 1/3, though, gets downright ridiculous.  As cringe-worthy as it is, I did finish the novel.  I guess that says something, but honestly, The End of Temperance Dare just did not do it for me at all.  I should have skipped it altogether.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me a lot of The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and scary images

To the FTC, with love:  To tell you the truth, I'm not sure how I acquired this one.  Hm.

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble) 

 

 

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

In the devastating aftermath of World War II, Europe's battle-ravaged citizens are looking to the future.  They're rebuilding demolished communities, healing torn relationships, and piecing together their shattered souls.  For thousands of young women in England, France, Belgium, and other nations, hope lies across the ocean with their American G.I. husbands.  Ships, including the luxurious RMS Queen Mary, are commissioned to transport these women to the U.S.  On the vessel's maiden war bride voyage, more than a thousand eager wives and their children sail toward New York Harbor.  Among them is Annaliese Kurtz, a German ballerina married to a sadistic Nazi.  She carries a stolen passport and identification papers belonging to a dead woman.

Seventy years later, another woman at a crossroads in her life boards the Queen Mary.  Brette Caslake, a 34-year-old newlywed, hides a special gift.  She's able to communicate with Drifters, lost souls who hover in "thin" places.  While doing a favor for a friend aboard the ship, she encounters an otherworldly presence unlike any she's met before.  This Drifter points her toward a name: Annaliese Kurtz.  Official sources indicate the woman threw herself off the Queen Mary in 1946; the Drifter says otherwise.  Brette refuses to "indulge" ghosts, but this one is different.  This one demands a truth only Brette can find.

The more Brette learns about Annaliese Kurtz and the Queen Mary's war brides, the more intrigued she becomes.  Learning about their hopes and heartaches helps her face her own struggles.  In their courage, she might just find her own ...

Stories that oscillate between past and present always appeal to me, especially when they revolve around important historical periods or events.  A Fall of Marigolds, Susan Meissner's novel about two women living in New York City—one during the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, the other during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011—intrigued me for that very reason.  After enjoying that novel, I was thrilled to learn that Meissner has a new book out, especially since it employs a similar format to the one used in A Fall of Marigolds.  In A Bridge Across the Ocean, Meissner indeed uses a back-and-forth-in-time structure to tell the story of a German woman desperate to escape at any cost.  Having Annaliese stow away on the Queen Mary allows Meissner to bring attention to a World War II footnote that often gets overlooked—the thousands of European war brides whose lives changed irrevocably because of their (often hasty) marriages to American G.I.'s.  While Brette's situation is interesting enough in its own right, it's the history that I found most interesting about A Bridge Across the Oceans.  There's plenty to enjoy about the book, however—sympathetic characters, tense situations, a compelling mystery, sweet romance, etc.  Although the novel deals with some dark issues, overall it's hopeful and uplifting.  I enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from this engaging author.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, blood/gore, scenes of peril, and sexual content (not overly graphic, although there is a rape scene)

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of A Bridge Across the Ocean from the generous folks at Penguin.  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

If you had the ability to steal pieces of a person without them knowing it, what would you take?  Would you pull out their bad memories, their anxiety, their fears?  Would you steal a little of their sobriety, a tiny bit of their fearlessness, a little affection?  How would these thefts affect you?  How would the victims' losses affect them?  

Aspen Quick has never thought much about his ability to snatch people's most intimate possessions.  The 17-year-old just uses it to his advantage when he needs a shot of courage, a bit of help with a girl he likes, or a wave of calm to soothe his nerves.  He knows his family's unique magic is ancient and important—after all, it's what's always kept Three Peaks, New York, safe from the cliff that looms over the quaint little town.  If his family didn't perform their secret rituals to hold back the danger, everyone in the hamlet would be buried under a sea of massive boulders.  Surely, that massive effort balances out the small thefts he performs from time to time.  It's his special right, isn't it?

When Aspen meets Leah Ramsey-Wolfe, he's intrigued with the bookish loner.  He becomes even more fascinated with her when he realizes she's the only person he's ever met who's immune to his reaching.  This epiphany leads Aspen to more startling revelations about his family's magic, its true potency, and the disastrous effects of unbridled greed and unlimited power.  As Aspen's eyes are opened to the truth, he must ask himself what it really means to be a good person.  And if he's brave enough to face answers that will change everything.  

I can't remember where I first heard about Rocks Fall Everyone Dies by Lindsay Ribar, but its premise has intrigued me ever since.  Its very appealing billing—"Twin Peaks meets Stars Hollow"—drew me in even more.  From these clues, I expected to absolutely adore this quirky paranormal adventure.  That didn't exactly happen, but I did find Rocks Fall Everyone Dies an intriguing read that asks important questions about how we treat other human beings, how we wield our own unique power, and how far we're willing to go to redeem ourselves.  Aspen is a selfish, manipulative character, which makes it somewhat difficult to connect with him.  As his eyes are opened, though, he becomes more sympathetic and it's easier to root for his success.  The magical world in which he is enveloped is fresh and intriguing, definitely different than the usual YA fare.  With plenty of twists, the plot moves along quickly, making the novel a fast, engrossing read.  The teenage cast members seemed a little too world-weary for me, as did their very cavalier attitudes about sex, drinking, etc.  Maybe those outlooks stem from the fact that they never had any adult supervision whatsoever?  The story's abrupt ending also irked me a tad.  I don't know if a sequel is in the works or not, but the tale felt unfinished—at least in some ways—to me.  Bottom line on this bad boy?  I liked Rocks Fall Everyone Dies, just didn't love it like I wanted to.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn and a little of Bruiser by Neal Shusterman)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, depictions of underage drinking, and mild sexual innuendo/ content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Rocks Fall Everyone Dies from the generous folks at Kathy Dawson Books (an imprint of Penguin).  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other sci fi thrillers, although no specific title is coming to mind.  Suggestions?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and brief, mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I borrowed my son's copy of Invasion.  Thanks, bud!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Breezy Lim knows she's dead.  Waking up in a shallow grave a year after being forced into it will bring a person to that most logical of conclusions.  What the 17-year-old cannot quite remember is how she died.  She's also a little disconcerted by the new superpower she seems to have picked up—she can feel when someone has committed murder.  Even more disturbing is the fact that she wants to take her own revenge on these killers; doing so makes her un-dead heart throb with life.  Still, the last thing Breezy wants is to be some kind of zombie hitman.  All she really wants is normality, to go back to being an average teenage girl in an ordinary world.  

Instead, Breezy's living in some kind of shadowy, in-between place where monsters roam in plain sight.  She should feel powerful, but she knows she's being hunted by Mr. Willow, a cult leader who claims to be able to "fix" people like Breezy.  On the run, she's not sure where to go or whom to trust.  She only knows she wants revenge on her would-be captor.  In the meantime, she must figure out how to make a life out of her waking death.  With help from some unlikely allies, she might be able to do just that.  

Shallow Graves, a haunting debut novel by Kali Wallace, is difficult to describe.  Its premise lacks originality, but the story feels compelling nonetheless.  The plot seems a little direction-less and yet, it kept me reading.  Overall, the novel is quick and exciting, but not particularly memorable.  A weird dichotomy.  Although Shallow Graves does make some good points about choosing your own path, it didn't leave me feeling wowed or even satisfied, really.  In the end, I found it an engrossing read, just not a remarkable one.

(Readalikes: Reminded me of The Body Finder series [The Body Finder; Desires of the Dead; The Last Echo; and Dead Silence] by Kimberly Derting)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, and brief, non-graphic references to sex

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Shallow Graves from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss.  Thank you!