The series continues...another hit for me. I love this series, it's so fun and full of mystery, thrills, and everything. ( )

Spooky Shade!

Backstory:

Keira is back along with her friends Adage, Mason and Zoe as they try to figure out what is keeping a serial killer shade apparition from the 1800's tied to the forest behind Keira's cottage and she wants to know why the shade seems to be after her.

In the meantime, Keira is almost kidnapped from the people that were chasing her in the first book as she accidentally runs into them and she tries to figure out why they are still after her.

The only thing she can do is try to piece the puzzle together and hopefully fill in her memories of her previous life. With the help of her friends she is going to try and solve not only the mystery of her former life but also try to help the ghosts move on into the next life.

Thoughts:

This story started a little slow for some reason even though it kind of picks up right where the first book left off, but around the 30% mark the story escalated and kept me on my toes as ghost action became intense along with the happenings of the men who are after Keira! The pace picked up so much that it kept me up half the night reading the book as I just could not put it down!

I love the characters in this series as all of them have become attachable. I found myself chuckling some throughout the book as the character Zoe makes me laugh with some of the quips she throws out toward her friends. All of the characters though just mesh together and I am so looking forward to the next book in this series.

The mystery of Keira's past is high on my list of who she really is and why people are looking for her still. There is a deep mystery surrounding her past and the author is still keeping it under wraps, so I will be waiting to see what the next book reveals. Giving this book five "Screaming Spook" stars!

For images/gifs of this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-ravenous-dead-gravekeeper-2-by....
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Darcy Coates is one of my favorite cozy horror authors, if there is such a thing! She writes spine tingling suspense but without all the language, love scenes, occult stuff, or gore. The Ravenous Dead really drew me in and I found once I got into the story, it was so hard to put down. I only wish I had read the first book in the series. While the author does a great job bringing the reader up to speed, I felt like I was still missing parts of the story and now want to go back and read the first book. This didn’t prevent me from enjoying it though and it could definitely be read as a standalone.

The story begins with Kiera who lost her memory after escaping from a mysterious group. At this point, no one knows who they are or why they are after Kiera, but a few clues are dropped throughout the story. This is just one small aspect of the book. The main story involves a serial killer and the ghost of an unmarked grave.

Building a life in Blightly as the new graveyard groundskeeper, Kiera has the uncanny ability to help spirits move on to the other side. She encounters a ghost with a missing face and identity and is determined to find out who he is and what happened to him. There’s also a malevolent spirit in the graveyard who doesn’t seem to want to be saved and whose anger and hatred are a constant creepy threat to Kiera. Supported by her two friends, Mason, a physician and potential love interest, and endearingly eccentric Zoe, Kiera finds the strength to investigate the man with the missing identity and the prolific serial killer who might just be the threatening ghost in the graveyard.

This thoroughly atmospheric tale was such a spooky read! Just thinking about living so close to a graveyard near a forest was enough to scare me. The author does a fantastic job of creating these scenarios that played out like an Alfred Hitchcock or jump scare movie in my mind. I don’t want to say too much to ruin the story, but there are some truly nail-biting situations as well as a few twists.

Loved the characters! They’re an enjoyable blend of personalities that made this book fun to read. I also loved the cat Daisy who added a sweet dimension to the story. The town of Blightly has its own character, filled not only with quirky living people, but also a graveyard full of interesting ghosts who added a small dose of humor to offset the suspense and creepiness.

Highly recommend this book to those who enjoy ghost stories and/or “clean” horror. While there is a small amount of gore and violence, it’s not excessive or gruesome. This book would be a great recommendation for New Adult or older teens who enjoy the genre. I’m excited to read the next book in the series and find out more about the organization after Kiera. I’m also anxious to see if Kiera and Mason’s friendship develops into something more. I received an advanced copy from Poison Press via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and freely given. I was not required to provide a positive review. ( )

This is the second book in the series and without reading the first, I am confused. Keira is supposed to have been found recently without a memory. But it is unclear what memories are missing and how long ago she was found. She is unknown in the town so it had to have been recently but she has two good friends already and she has a pet. Her memory is gone, but she know about her powers and how to use them and she also says things like "XXX is the most XXX she has ever known." If ever is only a couple of days or weeks, this makes no sense. I am not going to read further till I can get my hands on book 1..

I received a review copy of "The Ravenous Dead" by Darcy Coates from Poisoned Pen Press through NetGalley.com. ( )