This was such an excellent series! It had all the elements that make me adore Darcy Coates. In particular, the closeness of the friend group and those strong characters and relationships always solidify the plot for me. Fellow animal lovers can rejoice! I loved the use of the cat throughout the storyline. She was a large part of the plot. The pacing of this final book of the series was good. It kept up a steady increasing beat until the final explosion of activity. I did think the ending could have been a bit more conclusive with the main character’s nemesis. I highly recommend this series!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story has a strong, engaging premise—Keira’s ability to free trapped spirits makes her a target of a ruthless corporation that profits from the dead. You can feel her desperation as she’s backed into a corner, forced to fight not just for her own life, but for the people she loves.

What works is the tension and the idea of going up against an unstoppable force. I also liked the tight bonds between Keira and her friends, who are willing to risk everything to stand by her. You really root for them to succeed against impossible odds.

Where it falls short is in how the story sometimes rushes through key moments. I wanted more depth, more time to fully understand how Keira’s powers worked and what was at stake for the ghosts she’s trying to save. Some of the character motivations, including those of the villains, felt a bit thin, making it harder to fully invest in the struggle.

Still, if you’re up for a fast-paced supernatural thriller with a strong sense of camaraderie and high stakes, this one delivers just enough to keep you turning the pages.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Vengeful Dead by Darcy Coates. Unbeknown to me, this is book five in the Gravekeeper book series. Keira is the champion with special powers. Along with her talented friends, they take on a challenging company that gets its powers from the spirits of the dead. I fell in love with the characters, each with their own set of skills. The story started out at a slow pace, but the action quickly gained strength. This story was so unique and creepy. After finding out there are four other books in the series, I look forward to reading them. Thank you, Darcy Coates, for spinning a wonderful spellbinding tale!

Keira's rare ability to help ghosts find peace puts her in the crosshairs of Artec, a shadowy corporation that profits from the suffering of trapped souls. The story is highly entertaining, with a relentless pace that makes it impossible to put down. Keira is determined, resourceful, and fiercely loyal to those she loves. Her courage and resolve shine as she confronts both external threats and the limits of her own abilities. The tension between Keira and her enemies builds the story to a thrilling showdown. At the same time, Keira is trying to solve a heartbreaking mystery about the ghosts from a TB recovery home. Keira's friends are integral to her mission, bringing emotional resonance and moments of humor to the intense narrative. Their camaraderie showcases the power of unity against overwhelming odds.

Each decision Keira makes feels loaded with risk, and the possibility of failure looms heavily. She has moments where the reader experiences her internal struggle between life and death. The supernatural intrigue and emotional depth deliver a thrilling and satisfying ride. I enjoyed this so much that I want to read the whole series. You will find yourself hooked until the final page.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Poison Pen Press.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 4
Plot development: 5
Characters: 5
Enjoyability: 5
Ease of Reading: 5

Overall rating: 5 out of 5

The Vengeful Dead is the conclusion of a five-book series by Darcy Coates. I was unaware of this prior to receiving the arc so I had not read any of the previous books, however it did not spoil my enjoyment of the book, and I was able to follow the storyline with no issues.
We follow Kiera, Mason and Zoe who are in hiding following their infiltration of an Artec company facility and their subsequent destruction of the site.

Artec is a big renewable energy company, but what the public don’t know is that their “renewable energy” is extracted by using the souls of the dead (ghosts) and tethering them to their sites. Not only does this cause the ghosts pain, but it hinders them from “moving on” from the earthly plain to eternal rest.

Keira, is the only one who can see these ghosts, understand them, and help them escape. She is also on the verge of discovering new powers, but time is of the essence and Artec is breathing down her neck. They are intent on neutralising her before she can destroy their profit-making schemes and expose them to the public.

With the help of her friends Zoe and Mason, the trio concoct a plan to bring down Artec for good, and finally release the souls of the tortured ghosts to eternal rest.

The story is brilliantly plotted and thought out. I love Darcy Coates’ writing and world building. The pace is relentless, and the characters are fun. The supernatural elements are never cheesy, and interesting to read.

This book can be read as a standalone novel, but I think there would have been a greater emotional impact if I had been following the three characters over the whole series and developed an attachment to them.

Would recommend the book as a fun, easy read.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had to read all the books before this one but the ending book in the series did not disappoint. Coates is a favorite author of mine and I plan to read all of her books. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have loved this series so much and I'm sad to see it end. The story was the perfect wrap up, although I do wish we got to see more of the after. The new business, Mason and Keira, Zoe...I would have loved to see more after they finally got to live normal lives (or as normal as a ghost seeing girl and her friends can be). I found this one to be a bit less exciting as the others and the big takedown almost felt disappointing....I guess I just wanted more overall, especially ghost wise. I felt like this one focused so much on Artec that we didn't get that usual ghost helping story. There was a ghost helping storyline, it just felt different compared to the rest of the series. It was still a fun and cozy story, just like the others and I'm happy with how everything turned out. I would love to see these characters again one day!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really love this series and this one did not disappoint. Well maybe I'm a little disappointed that this is the last one. I'm hopeful there will be more though. Thank you to netgalley for an advanced reader copy.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this arc. From the first chapter, I could tell this book picked up from somewhere where it left off. I was a bit confused. Looked it up and realized that this is the fifth book in the series, that I was not aware of. Having read and really enjoyed this authors other works, I could not finish this book. Now that I know that there are series, I’m happy to dive in. I’m sorry I could not provide the review but from what I did read, which is the first two chapters. I can tell that I will love this series. As I can’t leave the ratings blank, I’m giving it 3 stars based on the first two chapters, and until I catch up with the series

I have really enjoyed this wonderful series and this last book is a very fitting end to the series. Highly recommended from the very beginning to the very last page,

I’ve heard nothing but great things about this author. I was so excited to read an ARC as my first read. However, it was a let down. It felt like a young adult book. It was scary. Maybe ghost stories aren’t my thing but this book missed the mark for me. The title also doesn’t fit the book.

The Gravekeeper series is such a feel good, cozy series that still technically qualifies as horror. Therefore, this is the perfect thing for readers who want wholesome characters, a classic good versus evil theme, and found family but also a story packed with supernatural elements.

The Vengeful Dead is the fifth and final installment and it wraps up the series quite beautifully. I will really miss the characters now that all is done; the reliable, genius Zoe, empathetic Mason, the various kind townsfolk who I feel like we were just getting to know, and poor Keira who definitely deserves a quiet, cozy life after the shocking events.

Admittedly, do not expect meticulous, ingenious plans and action scenes as Keira and Co. overthrows Artec as every tense situation is largely solved by Keira's intuitive and highly convenient black cat but I still had a mighty good time with this book and series.

Thank you to the author, Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the advanced eARC, I leave this review voluntarily.

The Vendeful Dead by D. Coates, publisheed by PPPress, is book 5 and the epic conclusion to the Gravekeeper Series.
I recommend to read the books in order.
All characters from the previous books are coming together for the final fight against a common enemy. I'm gonna miss all of them for shure, the drama, the action, the epic emotions.
I highly recommend the book and the series.
Blurb: Keira is caught in a battle. Her ability to help ghosts move on from the mortal world has made her a threat to Artec, a powerful corporation intent on trapping them for profit. They've been tracking her for years and now, finally, there's nowhere left for her to run.
Artec fears Keira and everything she's capable of. They will stop at nothing to eliminate her―including sending armed men after everyone she holds dear.

This was the perfect end to the series, I'm sad it's over but happy that everything I had questions about was wrapped up.

Love this series , as well as this author because of the creepy vibes she always uses in her books.and no matter what the season is their the perfect Atmosphere to get lost in

What an amazing way to end this 5 book series! The author made us fall in love with not only the characters, but the town as well! If anyone from Netflix or HBO is out there - These books would make one heck of a movie. Lastly, if Darcy Coates ever sees this, we need a spinoff book about Zoe! She won us all over! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

Thanks to netgalley for an arc of this book. Keira is the keeper of a cemetary and can see ghosts. The ghosts are friendly in this cemetary but a big company has found a way to capture the ghosts and turn their energy to electricity and make money. Keira and her friends are out to stop and bring down the owner so they can release the spirits. I felt this book was way too long and didnt keep my interest. The Vengeful Dead by Darcy Coates. 2.5 stars. Comes out in February 2025.

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book! From the very first page of the series, I fell in love with these characters and their world, so getting an early peek at the latest installment was an absolute delight. This book feels like a finale, which made finishing it a bittersweet experience. I'll miss Keira and her wonderfully eccentric gang of friends, but I loved every moment of their journey.

This book packs a punch in a way that few series conclusions manage to. Often, final books feel rushed as they scramble to tie up every loose end, but that wasn't the case here. The pacing remains as steady and captivating as in the previous four books, but with much higher stakes, which made this last installment especially thrilling.

Darcy Coates is, hands down, my favorite horror author, and I’ll eagerly read anything she writes. Her ghost stories, in particular, showcase her strengths, and I hope she continues to lean into what she does best.

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!