Darcy Coates has done it again. The second book in the Gravekeeper series did not disappoint. The first book left us with some questions and the second gave some answers....and more questions. I love the pacing of these books. It is quick moving without feeling rushed. Keira regularly evolves. She has very little reason to be as compassionate as she is, but yet she continues to make decisions based on her need to help others. This book picks up right where the last one finishes and shows Keira learning more about her background, her gifts, and how to allow others to help her and be a friend. The town and the people in it are quaint and adds the perfect backdrop to the mystery that is Keira.

I would highly recommend this book! With every Darcy Coates book I read I fall more in love with her writing. This series is one I'm going to relish however many books come out.

Book Review: The Ravenous Dead by Darcy Coates
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The cozy horror queen is back with The Ravenous Dead! This is the sequel to Ms. Coates novel The Whispering Dead. We are once again joined by Kiera and her friends as they untangle another mystery surrounding a spirit, with some suspenseful sideplots! This book isn’t as filled with the usual twists and turns Ms. Coates is famous for, but it’s a solid story. We still have unanswered questions by the end of the book, so I am looking forward to a third installment! Great work!

Keira serves as groundskeeper and spirit “whisperer” in the Blighty Graveyard. Wanting to discover the spirits' stories and help them move on, she stumbles across the grave of a serial killer who viciously haunts the graveyard. With her friends, Zoe and Mason, they set out to learn about the shocking case of the killer from their small town.

While classed as a horror, I would recommend this broadly, as it is a light take on the genre. This book has small town vibes, a fun cast of characters, and an intriguing mystery at its core. Add some comic relief to the mix and you have yourself an engaging read.

This is the second book in the Gravekeeper series but could be read as a standalone. I hope there’s more to come in this series, as I’ve greatly enjoyed this book and its predecessor, The Whispering Dead.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely a good little mystery and a fairly quick read. The end was a good twist and I’d be interested to read more about the characters in the next novel if/when there is one! I have some more Darcy Coates in my my TBR as well!

Darcy Coates books are always a pleasure to read. Darcy writes some YA books, but many of the character's she writes about are in their mid 20's. The Ravenous Dead is the 2nd book in the "Grave Keeper" series. I read this book as a standalone and it was delightful. While the author does have creepy elements in the book, it is far from hardcore horror.

Synopsis:
Keira has a special gift. For all practical descriptions, she is a medium. Her goal is to help lost spirits cross over to their peaceful resting place. Kiera is the grounds keeper at the "Blightly Graveyard". Luckily, Kiera has trusty friends Mason, Zoe, and Adage to help her out in tough situations. There is also Daisy, a tag-along black cat that adds humor to the plot.

Many of the lost spirits are receptive to Kiera's guidance, but occasionally she meets one like Gerald Barge who (while alive) was an evil serial killer. When Kiera mistakenly gets mixed up with Gerald, she may have met her match. Who will win the final intense showdown of good vs evil?

The Ravenous Dead will be published March 15, 2022.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for allowing me to review this entertaining e-book! It was a blast to read!

This is such a good follow-up to The Whispering Dead. I love Keira and the friends she's made in Blighty. I can't wait to find out more about her. Hopefully there will be many more books in this series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

This book was great! Murder, amnesia and forgotten memories, ghosts, cemeteries, it’s a fantastic read! Kept me up at night, but it was worth it!

The Ravenous Dead by Darcy Coates was a delightful ghost story. A story about murder, revenge, and a girl who can see the ghosts of the dead. Although incredibly frustrating at times due to her stubbornness, Keira is a bad ass who not only cares to protect her living friends, but also the ghosts that surround her. When an ominous spirit linked to a serial killer shows up and starts hurting the innocent ghosts, Keira makes it her mission to get rid of the dangerous spirit once and for all, no matter what. Keira’s friends were delightful characters, and the only thing that I’m more interested in is the secret society that’s chasing Keira, but I’m guessing that’ll be answered in a future book!

If you like ghost stories, serial killer plots, tight knit friend groups, and a “magical” cat, this one is for you! Thank you to Netgalley and Darcy Coates for the ARC!

Something Sinister Afoot…
The second in the Gravekeeper series and Keira, the new groundskeeper of Blighty Graveyard, is surrounded by the dead that only she can hear. There’s something sinister afoot and Keira needs to find out exactly what she’s dealing with. With wonderfully crafted characters and an atmospheric sense of place, this is enjoyable cosy horror in fine form.

Honestly, I didn't know this was the second installment of the a series. Unfortunately, I was a little confused at first however I still enjoy the story and will continue to read it.
The ambience of the story kind of reminds me to R.L. Stine writing because it is spooky but not full on horror. It is perfect to read during spooky season. Plus the characters also remains mysterious as a Fear Street character.

I am honestly looking forward reading more about Darcy Coates.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Um wow I guess books can still surprise me.

The Gravekeeper Series by Darcy Coates is off to an amazing start. I loved both of these books and can’t wait to see what happens next!

👻THE RAVENOUS DEAD picks back up right where book one left us. Keira is the newly appointed groundskeeper for Blighty with her special ability to see and communicate with the dead. But when she crosses paths with a completely new kind of spirit will she be able to save the spirits she’s meant to help?

👻I LOVE the characters in this book. Daisy the cat, angel. Mason, sweetheart. Zoe, feisty and funny. Keira, strong willed and independent. Watching this group work together is so fun. They make me chuckle and suck me into the story.

👻Of note, this not as spooky as some of Darcy’s books. It is way more lighthearted with a side of mystery but I truly enjoy the series. And those of you have read it: how badly do you NEED to know more about these white jacket men? Cuz I NEED TO FREAKIN KNOW.

Keira is slowly fitting into Blightly & becoming more comfortable with the few friends she has made, although enemies still lurk in the town. Keira is still getting a grip on her abilities to help the ghosts in town & now a new evil hulks on the edges of the forest. Keira finds she needs to let her friends Mason & Zoe in on her secrets if she hopes to have any help of stopping the new evil with her life still intact.

This is why Darcy Coates is the queen of cozy horror. Darcy knows how to pull you into the scene. I love the dreary atmosphere set by the weather & fog that off sets the cemetery setting adding to the creepy coziness. Definitely a book to read on those wet, grey days.

Mason & Zoe are such loveable supportive friends. Zoe & her conspiracy theories are a crack up. She always comes out with these great lines adding a bit of comic relief to the dread.

The story moves along at a good pace, keeping you hooked on what comes next. That ending has left me busting for book 3.

📚📚Review 📚📚
Book: The Ravenous Dead
Author: Darcy Coates
Genre: Horror
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: March 15, 2022
Date Read: 2/6
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Darcy Coates has got to be one of my favourite upcoming authors when it comes to horror. The Ravenous Dead was a really good sequel to The Whispering Dead.

Keira has been hired as the Gravekeeper for the Blightly Cemetery by the Priest Adage. She battles a shade and the unknown organization that is trying to find her with the help of her two best friends, Zoe and Mason. I was thoroughly impressed about the switch that Keira discovered at the end of the book.

The characters are very likeable and I can’t help but want to know more about them. The author has done a good job in keeping the characters mysterious. You get to know a bit about them but there is a lot more to be discovered.

The ghost/shade dispelling scenes are so well written that you can visualize it happening. Adds to the experience of reading this spooky book.

Ghosts and villainous humans are blended seamlessly and the end result is a great reading experience. Keira has enemies and she has no memory of how. Her mysterious past keeps you reading hoping to find some answers.

Darcy Coates gives you some answers but gives you just as many, if not more questions!

I got this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on the book. The opinion is all mine.

#TheRavenousDead #NetGalley

"USA Today bestseller and rising queen of atmospheric horror Darcy Coates returns with a ghost story that will haunt you long after the final page.

Keira, hired as Blighty Graveyard's new groundskeeper, lives surrounded by the dead. They watch her through the fog. They wordlessly cry out. They've been desperately waiting for help moving on - and only Keira can hear them. But not every restless spirit wants to be saved.

Sometimes the dead hate the living too much to find peace.

As Keira struggles to uncover the tangled histories of some of the graveyard's oldest denizens, danger seeps from the darkest edges of the forest. A vicious serial killer was interred among the trees decades before, his spirit twisted by his violent nature. He's furious. Ravenous. And when Keira unwittingly answers his call, she may just seal her fate as his final intended victim."

Atmospheric horror is the best horror! It's ALL about the atmosphere!

It’s so rare that the second book in a series is better than the first, but the one definitely accomplishes that. The Ravenous Dead was so deliciously creepy with so many twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the very last page.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Ravenous Dead is the second book in a series following Kiera, the new groundskeeper at Blightly Cemetery. In the previous book, we find out that Kiera can see and communicate with ghosts so the pastor of the church has given her the job of groundskeeper where she helps the spirits move onto the next life. Kiera soon encounters a serial killer spirit who is searching for one last victim…

My favorite thing about this book was the creepy, unsettling atmosphere. Coates writes settings extremely well to the point that you feel as though you’re right there with the characters. The graveyard scenes were super creepy which I enjoyed. I’d classify this as cozy/lite horror and I’m also not sure if this is a YA series, but it did have that vibe.

Overall, a fun quick read but nothing too scary here. Great for fans who want to start reading horror.

Defending Against the Living and the Dead

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.

Keira is an appealing young woman who's discovered that she can see and communicate with ghosts. Except for believing that Keira is her name, she can't remember who she was before she woke up in the woods of the small town of Blighty. She's struggling to understand how her clairvoyance works while not knowing where it came from. She has two goals; to discover who she is and why a shadowy, violent organization is pursuing her, and to help the ghosts she encounters to move on.

The way she 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 each other all their lives, although they'd never interacted closely. Local people with their own backstories, they quickly formed strong protective bonds with Keira despite their differing ages, vocations, activities, and quirky habits.

She's the most amazing person they've ever met in their fairly boring small town existence and, ignoring the evident and growing risks, they stick to her like glue. Blighty's nosiness suffocates all privacy boundaries and it's impossible to keep Keira's existence completely secret, but the three protectively provide cover for her. Along the way, they discover that Blighty has some secrets of its own.

Darcy Coates has a gift for imbuing her protagonists with endearing, relatable qualities that give my soul a respite from the self-absorbed, too-busy, desperate, prickly, angry, morose, and crazy people who are a burgeoning part of our population. Her books are encouraging, balancing their fright factor, but still delivering good scares. In this volume of the Gravekeeper series, she's used some not-uncommon plot devices but has skillfully integrated them in original ways, yielding an exciting, spooky, and sometimes heartwarming story full of action and suspense.

I look forward to discovering Keira's forgotten history, why a violent organization is hunting her, what happens to the population of unhappy ghosts in the Blighty Cemetery, and how the characters will fare against a growing number of enemies attacking from all sides. The ages of Keira and her friends span decades, and the absence of overt sexuality or other PG+ material make this a timeless series for young, older, and senior adults alike.

The Ravenous Dead is the second part of the Gravekeeper series. I had already read The Whispering Dead, book one, and thoroughly enjoyed the story and characters. That first volume ends with a hard conclusion to part of the action, and this book continues the unresolved parts of the story. You can read each book separately, but I recommend reading the books in order for the most enjoyment.

I was gifted an advanced reader's copy of this book courtesy of Darcy Coates,
Poisoned Pen Press/ Black Owl Books, and NetGalley. I don't finish or review books without merit, no matter how inexpensive, and this is my honest endorsement. The Gravekeeper series is a great choice for those who like paranormal suspense thrillers about people you'd like to meet one day. Plus, Daisy is a remarkable cat!

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press, the author and NetGalley for this ARC copy of The Ravenous Dead!

What a fun, but also creepy adventure! I’ve heard of this author’s work in the past, but had yet to carve out time, but I am so glad to finally be introduced to her writing. I was so excited by the premise of the story, that I didn’t even realize it was the second in a series; don’t let that deter you though as I didn’t feel completely out of the loop starting here and, if anything, will go back to the first tale to fill in any missing gaps before continuing on with the series as it comes out.

It is such a natural question in the world to find out if people believe in ghosts and the afterlife. You have people who are more sensitive to supernatural and paranormal activity as well, so to have a tale that weaves together someone with the ability trusting and creating a friendship and team bond with people who don’t, but believe in her fully, was fun to experience.

There are so many “What if?” situations in this book: what if you could talk to the dead? What if you could help them move on? What if you couldn’t? What would you do?

This story brought out such an empathy and sympathy to characters you didn’t personally know, but wanted to know more about and see that they are able to move on peacefully. Obviously, there are so many characters who are grounded in a cemetery and only so many pages to tell a story; it does tie together the story of many individuals as well as the history of the town quite well.

Not to give any spoilers away, but, as a reader, you must become a sort of detective like the protagonist. Pay attention to the little details to help find out the history of what happened to each of the ghosts and how to help them move on. There are some twists and turns, which make it even more fun!

A mystery wrapped in a ghost story with beautiful small-town vibes.

Keira has found a home in Blighty. She's made the greatest of best friends that she could ask for. The eccentric Zoe and the sweet and caring Mason. Both accept her as is and care for her deeply. And Adage, the man who saved her when she was on the run that first night with no knowledge of anything except that her name was Keira. He saved her life and keeps her secret. Keira can see ghosts. Now all Keira wants is her lovely new life with her friends, her cat Daisy, and to help these trapped spirits move on. But the men from that night are still out there and still searching for her, and now there is a new spirit, it is angry and dangerous, to both the living and dead.

Oh man I loved this book. After how much I fell in love with the first book in the series. I was both looking forward to this one and also a bit scared to read it. I was truly scared it wasn't going to be able to live up to the first book. Boy was I wrong. I loved it just as much as the previous one. Darcy Coates sure is the queen of ghost stories.

I love the character too. Keira is brave and kind, Zoe is a little crazy, Mason is sweet and caring, Adage is the caring grandfatherly type. But despite all that, my favorite character is Harry. He's a side character, but his contrast to both his mother and Keira makes him the funniest character in the book. Plus I'm suspecting he cares far more than he puts on, especially after reading this book.

I don't know how many books are expected to be made in this series. But it has great potential to be a decent-sized one, and at this level of reading quality, you can bet I'm going to read every single one. Absolutely recommend. It was a great read.

Recommended age 14+
It was a little scary and had some violence, but nothing I thought was too extreme for the above age range.

I want to thank Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this chance to read and review this arc. However, this did not in any way affect my opinion or review.