Much thanks to Darcy Coates, Poisoned Pen Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Apologies that it's past due.

This was a VERY satisfying conclusion to the series! The resolution was entirely thorough, I can't think of any lingering questions. The character arcs were all completed. The only complaint about the book I can think of is that it was a little light on ghosts, a little heavy on the corporate . . . espionage? Takedown? Not sure what to call it, but too much focus on business and offices and paperwork and not enough investigating spooky mysteries. But there was the BPS B plot, so I wasn't completely bereft. I'm sad to say goodbye to the characters and to Blighty, but we leave them in a good place. I wouldn't say no to some low-stakes short stories chronicling some of the Keira's work as a spirit medium.

Ghosts, Graveyards & a Sprinkle of Sass

I’m new to Darcy Coates’s The Gravekeeper series, with only the first book (The Whispering Dead) under my belt—not too long ago, actually. I fully intended to read them all in order... but here I am, jumping straight to book #5.

Thankfully, it still worked. The first book gives you a great intro to the found family that’s the heart of the series, and this latest one does a solid job recapping just enough of the backstory. I never felt totally lost.

But should you start at the beginning if this type of story catches your attention?
Absolutely.

A Brew of Ghosts and Grit

Keira, our fearless lead, can see ghosts and helps them untangle the secrets that keep them tied to the living world. Spooky—but make it cozy. Think a mug of pumpkin spice in a haunted library. The paranormal elements are just enough to tingle your spine, add some tension, and keep you fully hooked.

What Makes This Series Magically Different?

It’s the cozy horror vibe for me. You’ve got a quirky small town, found family, humor, and an entertaining mystery. The dynamic between the characters has a charming Scooby-Doo energy—with a loyal, magical cat to boot.

Keira’s got secrets of her own (some she doesn’t even remember), and a heart big enough to help the dead find peace. I found myself cheering her on through every eerie encounter and ghostly twist—she’s a protagonist with real soul.

Read it or Banish it?

Looking for a fun summer haunt full of cozy vibes, spooky fun, and binge-worthy chapters? The Gravekeeper has you covered. It’s light enough to fly through on a sunny afternoon, but with just the right amount of shadowy twists to keep you on your toes.

The perfect end to an amazing series! All of our favorite characters, and some new ones, came together for this final showdown against Artec. It was dark, bloody, and completely satisfying. I was completely engrossed with this one, biting my nails, just waiting to see what was going to happen. It was action-packed from start to finish. I absolutely loved it but am sad that it is over. I am truly going to miss all of these characters. Coates definitely knows how to write a gripping, atmospheric story, so I look forward to what she comes up with next.
I would certainly not be opposed if she continues on with these characters some more!
The Vengeful Dead is book five in the The Gravekeeper series. I highly recommend this series to fans of the paranormal/supernatural genre! You will not be disappointed!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for granting me digital access via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Keira is in a deadly battle with the powerful corporation Artec, which wants to profit from trapping tortured spirits. They are hunting her down, but with the support of her friends, Keira is determined to destroy Artec and save the ghosts.

I must confess, I am fashionably late to the party with this review, but who knew this was part of a series? I was hoping to catch up on the previous books before diving into this one, but alas, time was not on my side. However, fear not, dear readers, for this book stands strong on its own two feet.

Despite the nods to past events, I had no trouble getting to know the characters, their mission, and their unique abilities. No need to backtrack through the series - although, let's be real, I totally will because I'm now obsessed with this gang! Darcy Coates, you've got me hooked once again.

Let's talk about Keira, our leading young lady. She's likable, youthful, and downright selfless. And can we talk about Daisy and her two pals? What a crew! The eerie atmosphere in this book had me shivering in my boots. Darcy's attention to detail in setting the scene adds a whole new level of spookiness and suspense. You'll feel like you're right there, feeling the chill down your spine.

This book is a quick, thrilling ride that you won't want to put down. If you're into a dash of supernatural, heartwarming friendships and some seriously strange occurrences, this is the book for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some catching up to do with the previous installments. Happy reading, fellow bookworms!

Thank you, Poisoned Pen Press, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This series has just gotten better with every installment. The character development and twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat. Coates is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me.

Loved this finale to a great series! I wish there could be more! I don’t want to say too much at risk of spoiling the ending, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

This is the fifth installment of the Gravekeeper series by author Darcy Coates. I think this is my favorite book by this author yet. This is a paranormal thriller with ghosts and a 'ghost guide' and challenges with world-ending consequences. This book saw Keira completely in her element, but also struggling to handle what her powers can lead to. The cast of side characters are well developed. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This series is a lot of fun. They are great palate cleansers in between heavier reads because of the focus on friendship. For me, that is the best part of these books. I love the relationships between Kiera and the gang. I do find them all to be specific archetypes and not the most complex characters, but they are exactly as they are intended to be and this is refreshing. I did like finding out how everything with Atec played out. I think I could have done without the side "ghost of the week" mission, though. It didn't add anything to the story for me and felt too easy to actually be a needed case. In the end, this was a fun conclusion, and I would recommend this series to cozy readers.

I have really enjoyed this series, and this was such a strong ending to the series. It wrapped up the different threads and storylines and the action was high the entire book. I originally didn't think that the story needed more, but Darcy proved me wrong!

The end of the road for this series. Did it end well? Well, my answer is... yes? This is the fifth and final entry and I've read all the books leading up to this. I'll be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the series (less so with each book), but I'm still a big fan of Darcy Coates, so I felt obligated to finish this, no matter how unenthused I was about it. Again, it was fine. There's nothing wrong with the book, and it did end on a positive note, which is nice for the characters. I just wish I cared more for them. I can tell through the writing that Darcy does, but it just seems to me like this whole series went off in a rather weird direction. What started off as a fun horror/graveyard story ended up almost as a Wonder Woman comic. The main character, Keira, gains super powers in this and confronts her big bad nemesis, who we meet for the first time at the final confrontation. It felt a little premature. Especially the last 100 pages. The beginning had a sold mystery that was akin to previous books, but then it was like Coates decided this was the last book and rushed into a big battle. I haven't read her other series, so I don't know if she's done this before (I've only read and enjoyed her standalones and story collections), but I hope the next series will be better. Maybe a little lighter on concept and worldbuilding and more focus on the dread and the creeping vibe we come to horror for. Either way, I'll be there for her next book.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
LOOOOOOOOOOVED IT. While Keira did get on my nerves from time to time, especially after her antics in #4, I did find myself rooting for her in the end. And Daisy....everyone needs a Daisy.

A brilliant final installment with a satisfying end. Darcy Coates has a brilliant way of writing that really sucks the reader in.

Another amazing read by the very talented and incredible Darcy Coates. I am no stranger to Darcy's novels and this one did not disappoint. Highly recommend this one.

2.5*
Not the most satisfying conclusion. Everything felt way too easy and it didn’t feel like the stakes were high enough. There were too many plots trying to be jammed into one book so nothing was explored nearly as much as they should have in my opinion. Just an overall “meh” conclusion

I am the biggest Darcy fan! I loved this book (just like I have liked her others). This was a perfect end to this 5 book series. I loved both the town and the characters. This would make an incredible tv show on Netflix.

Kiara will not stop until she defeats Artec, but how far will she has to go?
Artec has been watching Kiara for years, she knows that she can't run from them anything longer because they know where she lives and where her friends live. But she also knows that this time she isn't alone. With the help of friends they know they can help the spirit world. They come up with a plan to charge right into the heart of Artec to defeat them for good. Will Kiara and all her friends come out alive? Or will Artec continue with their corruptions?

What a crazy end to a series that I have absolutely loved.

This wrapped up everything with Keira and Artec really well. I've enjoyed this journey and this is definitely one of my favorite series.

The fifth book of the Gravekeeper, the story of Keira and her black cat, Daisey, who lives in the groundskeeper's cottage at Blighty Cemetery, continues to unfold.
Keira has a gift of seeing spirits, so she tries to help them resolve their unfinished business on Earth before they can move on.
This time, the story focuses on revenge after revealing most of the secrets of her past.

I used to say that each book in this series functions as an individual story, with Keira and her two inseparable companions, Zoe and Mason, solving another ghostly mystery. However, in the last two books, especially The Vengeful Dead, the storyline appears to come to a conclusion. So, I suggest reading the books in order. It seems this might be the end of the series unless we begin to see new stories, possibly this time as individuals with a fresh start.

My important question this time is: Where was Harry? Why was he in shadow? And why wasn't there dialogue: "Mother. I may not return. Or if I do, I will likely forever be changed." ?!

Huge thanks to Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley for giving me a chance of reading The Vengeful Dead (Gravekeeper #5) by Darcy Coates, I have given my honest review.

A satisfying ending to the Gravekeeper series.

I’m so sad to be saying goodbye to Keira and the rest of the Blighty crew but I’m so satisfied with this ending. The whole Artec saga had me on the edge of my seat and jumping to read the next book. I fell in love even more with Keira, Mason, Zoe, and the rest of the ragtag group from Blighty. We got to see more of past characters and was introduced to new ones. We got to see Keira being empathetic and helping some ghosts and also be a complete badass. And, of course, we got to see Daisy being adorable and completely magical.

If you haven’t picked up this series or finished it I highly recommend reading it if you enjoy ghosts, friendship, and a cozy story with some mystery and action!

Thank you *Poisoned Pen Press* for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I gave this book 4.5 stars on storygraph. I love this series. Although, I was surprised that there was no Confrontation with the doctor about his son, I feel like that could have been done differently. I believe I enjoyed the helping a single ghost more than following her past. The first three books focus on a single case then her past and the last two focus directly on her past. I wish there was more of a balance of the two. I always love the characters in the series, I believe my favorite was Dane and Zoe! Wish there was more books in this series, but I love to read Darcy Coates books!

I love Darcey Coates. I think her books are way more than just YA horror. They’re thought provoking, interesting, and easy to read. I hardly read books in one sitting anymore but with this author it’s hard not to!