The Gravedigger's Song is the third crime thriller in the Tom Kilgannon series by Martyn Waites. Released 30 Aug 2022 by Blackstone Publishing, it's 350 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a very well written and honestly gripping crime novel. The intro scene is horrifyingly brutal and creepy and involves a home invasion, torture murder, sexual assault (including an adult and a minor), and explicit on page descriptions of the crimes. Coming off a long stint of village cozies, it was difficult to read. The book does get easier to stomach, but the first 20 pages are a series of gut punches, and readers should be forewarned.

The plotting and action are very tautly controlled and well wrought. The author has a gift with description and the characterizations are believable. There is a thread throughout of the importance of found family which is uplifting and beautifully inclusive.

The language is rough in places (R - rated), and the descriptions are bloodthirsty. The climax, denouement, and resolution are very well written and (mostly) satisfying.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

As a recent transplant to the UK, i loved the setting of this book! The book was incredibly spooky, and I enjoyed the different aspects it explored including the cult aspect!

I requested this because the title and cover reached out to me. This book did not disappoint!
I really loved this book & feel as though this will be a bestseller. This author's writing is clever and unique. Will recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and the author Martyn Waites for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Gravedigger’s Song is my first novel by this author and it did not disappoint. The characters are very well written and the descriptions are phenomenal.

What I liked best about this novel was how well written the villains were. Overall I would recommend this to readers.

At the beginning of the novel I was definitely pulled into the story. The fact the Tom was working on himself and not with the government really touched on the heart of the realism to the story. It’s the villains of the story who I thought were written very well. They definitely played with the fear factor. I thought the book was good, but a little polishing up as this was an unedited ARC that I was reading.

This is another author who never disappoints, and as his books are only available to me online I find I have missed the ones at the beginning of this series. Enough is mentioned to let the reader follow the backstory but it has made me jump online and order the previous books.
Tom and Lila, a girl he took in after he caught her stealing from him (and a lot more but I will have to read the previous book to find out what) are living in a small village in England. Tom is in a relationship with Pearl, the lady who owns the local pub, Tom, an ex undercover cop, is also in in witness protection. When he is asked to look after Simon, a boy who’s entire family had been murdered, he is somewhat reluctant to bring trouble to his door. Lila persuades him as she knows what it is like to need a safe place to be.
When there is a break in at their home, the violence inflicted drives Pearl and Tom apart. Simon left to his own devices ends up in the wrong hands and it is up to Tom once more to help out.
Waites writes unflinching prose and doesn’t shy away from the graphic imagery. His books hold no punches and the better do it.

#TheGravediggersSong. #NetGalley

The Gravedigger's Song did not disappoint!

I really loved this book & can already tell it will be a hit.
Waites clever writing is so unique and very well done.

I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through.
Finished this wonderful story within a day! Because I just couldn't stop.
I enjoyed every page and thought that the plot/story was very unique.
I found the book to be engaging, extremely fascinating and an interesting story.
The characters Simon and Tom caught my attention from the start and I was invested.
Overall, I really liked TGS. Martyn Waites pulled me into his phenomenal writing style and held me there till very end.

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Blackstone Publishing,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.