Gravekeeper, Book 1: The Whispering Dead

Bookish_aly_cat: This was a really entertaining read! The Whispering Dead is the first book in the Gravekeeper series and it was a strong start. I will say that I expected it to be a bit spookier than it was, but it ended up being more of a light paranormal mystery than a horror.

I liked how Keira navigated the situation with her newfound ability and I enjoyed her interactions with Zoe. The writing style was easy to read and the story was intriguing.

Even though I really liked this book, it definitely spent a lot of time setting up the series. There are a lot of loose ends that I hope to see explored more as the series continues. I’m really curious to see how the story unfolds and I look forward to reading book two.

United States on Sep 07, 2023

Carole s.: If you enjoy a little paranormal mixed with a mystery to solve then you will most certainly enjoy this work!

United States on Aug 29, 2023

Susie q: Perfect brilliant

United Kingdom on May 29, 2023

tracey van beck: Read all three books. BRILLIANT. Can't wait till the forth one is out. Well done Darcy.

United Kingdom on Feb 20, 2023

Kyla: I was definitely expecting this book to be more creepy like other Darcy Coates books, but this was more of a cozy horror/cozy ghost story.
Because this is a series, the first book is definitely more of a story and character set up. Things I thought would be more focused on where not, however the story itself is still really good and I am intrigued to continue with the series.

Canada on Feb 06, 2023

Elise: I’ve read another couple of books by this author, and this is another solid ghost story. The tone veers toward silly at times which was a bit of an annoyance but the characters are endearing. It reads like a YA, so bear that in mind.

Spain on Apr 20, 2022

ValC: At the beginning we find Kiera being pursued through a forest by unknown men as she flees from a forgotten past. She finds shelter in a parsonage under the auspices of Parson Adage and when he realizes that her pursuers may mean her harm, she gratefully accepts his offer of sanctuary in a cottage in the cemetery grounds where she finds that she is in possession of a strange sense and so the story unfolds...........

As can be expected from Darcy Coates the story is well plotted and full of great characters, both good and bad. I found that the character Zoe developed well, with some lovely touches of humour.

It was hard to put down and the ending left plenty of promise for a riveting follow up book. Who is Kiera? From whom or what is she running?

Great reading for all Darcy Coates fans.

United Kingdom on Apr 12, 2022

Catriona Lovett: Keira can't remember who she was before she woke up, beaten and cut, in the woods of the small town of Blighty. She's in danger from unknown pursuers when she's given sanctuary by Pastor Adage, who lives on the edge of the woods with a church and an old, sprawling cemetery. This cemetery is where she discovers that she can see ghosts.

I've read several books by Darcy Coates and always enjoy the journeys she takes me on. Her books aren't as bloody and disturbing as those of darker, more twisted horror novels, but that's more than okay with me. I like all degrees of horror fiction, but I don't always want to be afraid to go alone to the bathroom at night after reading.

The way Keira responds to the people who need her help (living and dead), shows enough about her integrity and caring nature to make me root for her escape from those hunting her, even if I don't know her history. Even more mysterious is Daisy, the tiny stray cat who Keira's adopted. She seems to routinely escape the house and reappear inside, even when all doors and windows are shut. Her secret is one I just have to discover!

The other main characters; Pastor Adage, Zoe, and Mason, have known...

United States on Feb 01, 2022

Aimee M.: It is no secret how much I adore this author. She has not let me down so far. I was extremely excited when this book came out because it would be the first time catching one of her series from the beginning. The Whispering Dead had everything I had hoped for.

First we have plenty of mysteries to figure out. Who is Keira? Why is someone hunting her? Who are they? Why can Keira do the things she can do? So many delightful questions! Some reviews have complained that Keira didn’t seem to care about these pressing issues, and that it was just completely unrealistic. I don’t agree with this at all. To me, Keira seemed too afraid to look into these questions. She was afraid she had done something horrible. She didn’t want to know… at least not yet. It was too scary and too overwhelming for her. She seemed to use the mystery of Emma’s death as a form of escapism. So I didn’t find that unrealistic at all.

There were plenty of other mysteries too, once we start adding ghosts into the mix. What do they want? Who are they? And the biggest question, what can Keira do about it? The ghosts are described beautifully. Emma was the clearest and she had a pretty nasty look...

United States on Jun 13, 2021