The eerie setting, a missing child, and the secretive Gold Family make for an entertaining and suspenseful read. Claire and Noah are great characters, but my favorite was the spectral grave digger. This series can be read as standalones, but the first book is worth reading as well. People looking for a spooky fall read, without delving into the realm of terrifying, will enjoy this one.

When a teen vanishes near a haunted cemetery in the eerie town of Gold Creek, Child Protective Services investigator Claire Underwood is drawn into a chilling mystery with deep personal ties. Teaming up with Noah Gold, a grave digger with secrets of his own, Claire must navigate local legends, buried family secrets, and rumors of a ghostly killer. As the past and present collide, Claire discovers that some horrors aren't only supernatural, they're terrifyingly real.

Only The Dead Within is the second book in the Grave Diggers series. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading the first book to provide some background. This book is full of small town secrets, dark family legacies, and a spooky atmospheric setting. Claire is a strong and relatable main character and her personal connection to Gold Creek adds depth to the mystery. Fans of gothic thrillers will love the spooky graveyard setting and creepy folklore. My main critique is with the pacing. The book starts off strong but definitely loses steam midway through. A couple of the secondary plots felt a little underdeveloped but the ending still satisfies.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa Childs, and Kensington Publishing this eArc! Publication date was July 29th 2025.

Lisa Childs returns with a gripping blend of gothic horror, psychological suspense, and small-town secrets in Only the Dead Within, a chilling new installment in her growing legacy of dark, twisty thrillers. Imagine Six Feet Under colliding with Succession, then throw in a ghostly grave digger and a long trail of missing teens—you’ve got the eerie world of Gold Creek, Michigan.

At the heart of the story is Claire Underwood, a Child Protective Services investigator who’s seen enough tragedy to fill a cemetery—quite literally. When another teen goes missing near the infamous Gold Memorial Gardens, Claire is drawn back into a mystery that has haunted her since high school, when she lost a friend under eerily similar circumstances. Everyone else has written the teens off as runaways or victims of an old urban legend. Claire knows better—and she suspects the powerful and sinister Gold family may be behind it.

The Golds, who own the local funeral home and cemetery, are chillingly reminiscent of a gothic dynasty—cold, controlling, and hiding something unspeakable beneath their wealth and respectability. Enter Noah Gold, the brooding black sheep of the family, determined to break free from the “Ghoul” reputation and help Claire expose the truth. As old connections resurface and bodies—both literal and metaphorical—begin piling up, Claire and Noah must navigate family betrayals, supernatural legends, and their own haunted pasts.

Childs is a master of atmosphere. The setting oozes dread: misty graveyards, shadowy woods, and a funeral home that feels like it’s watching you. The supernatural elements—like the ghost of the grave digger—add an unsettling layer of horror, but the real terror lies in the human capacity for cruelty, cover-ups, and generational trauma. The slow-burn tension and dual narrative between Claire and Noah keep the stakes personal, while the plot races toward a final revelation that is both tragic and jaw-droppingly dark.

Pros:
• Atmospheric and gothic to the bone
• Strong, emotionally driven characters
• Blends horror and thriller with surprising finesse
• Twisty plot with solid pacing and a jaw-dropping climax

Cons:
• Some secondary characters feel underdeveloped
• A few tropes (small-town corruption, dark family secrets) feel familiar, though well-executed

Only the Dead Within is a tense, unsettling ride through the darkest corners of a town that’s been rotting from the inside for decades. Fans of Megan Collins or Rachel Hawkins will devour it, but it’s Lisa Childs’ ability to blend true crime grit with ghost story chills that makes this novel stand out. Whether it’s the ghosts or the Golds, something is definitely haunting Gold Creek—and you won’t be able to look away until the final page.

I really thought the first book was a wild ride of motives and murder, but dang, this one really got me with shock at the end.

The main Gold in this book is Noah, the current caretaker of the Gold Memorial Gardens. When a teen boy he had a connection to shows up dead in the Gardens, a social worker and the local sheriff, who share a past connection in their foster parents, get wrapped up in the investigation. The bodies keep dropping and muddling everything, but it's the social worker Claire's absolute dedication and her own life experiences that get her to keep looking and keep asking questions. She also gets closer to Noah, both of them realizing they can't keep people away and fight feelings forever.

We get some INSANE lore about the Gold family and their connections at the end, and even if this murder is ultimately solved, the notion that the Gold family and their connections are far from safe is very clear. I have no idea where this series is going but I AM SAT.

This book was even better than the first. While this could be a standalone, I think readers would benefit from reading the first book. Noah and Claire are great characters. Noah's family is a cast of characters you either love, or love to hate. There's mystery and suspense with a slow burn romance. I hope the series continues because there seems a lot more to discover.

I was drawn to this book because of the setting and couldn’t put it down. This book had me on the edge of my seat.
Lisa Childs “Only the Dead Within” has exactly the right amount of intrigue, suspense and entertaining characters to keep the reader hooked.
The story itself was suspenseful and enjoyable, The characters were great and the style of writing was perfect.
An intriguing story with characters who draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages

This is book 2 in a series - although it's technically a standalone, I would recommend reading book 1 first!

This is a great thriller with some romantic elements thrown in. The story is focused on the FMC, Claire, who used to be a foster child in Gold Creek, Michigan and has now come back to town as a CPS worker. The town is run by the Gold family, a strange family that also runs the cemetery and mortuary. MMC, gravedigger Noah Gold is attracted to Claire and is brought into her investigation through his past connections and a murder in town.

This is a mystery with twists, turns, and a creepy town and family with plenty of secrets to go around. A very fun read, albeit with a lot going on. Readers that enjoy fast-paced thrillers with mystery and romance will enjoy.

Thanks to the ARC team for an advance copy!

4 1/2 STARS!

Lisa Childs will have the hair raising on the back of your neck! With the second book in The Grave Diggers series, Childs delivers a suspense filled story with multiple twists and turns that leaves the reader stunned with the final revelation. This can definitely be read as a stand alone book, but to get to the heart of the family I highly recommend going back and reading the first book in the series The House by the Cemetery to get an in depth picture of who and what is happening. This book held my attention easily and brought a satisfying story to life. I'm not sure if there is more planned in the series or not. If there is not, there were many holes left in the plot ... but there is definitely room here for several more books about this quirky fam. Overall, well developed characters, a spooky backdrop and multiple edge of your seat moments to keep you entertained. Highly recommend the series!

Claire Underwood is back at Gold Creek, Michigan. She is a social worker and is trying to help out a young man named Tyler who may be suffering from domestic abuse. While doing so, she encounters other missing cases. When Tyler is found dead, Claire begins to fear for her life, for Noah Gold and Luke, the town sheriff. Who is disappearing and killing these people? Is it the Gold family that runs the town and has a dark past? The town ghost Lyle McGinty that haunts the cemetery? Or someone close to everyone who hides their killer instincts well?

A must-read for those who enjoy a good cat and mouse game with too many suspects and zero reliable witnesses.

Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

I wasn't a fan of the first book but enjoyed this one in part thanks to Claire, the child protective services officer who helps Noah Gold find the truth behind the Gravedigger urban legend. She's looking for a missing teen at the cemetery, among other places and she's stumbled into more than she expected. It's creepy and a little odd. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Interesting read.

ONLY THE DEAD WITHIN by Lisa Childs release date is
July 29 2025
This is the second book in the Grave Digger series.
I definitely feel that you should read the first book before reading this one. THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY this will give you a lot of the backstory and prepare you for the wonderful read of Only the Dead Within.
Claire Underwood used to be a foster child in Gold Creek Michigan. She is a child protective service agent was sent back to Gold Creek Michigan to investigate a teenage boy named Tyler. It is suspected that he is living in an abusive When her investigations leads her to Gold Memorial Gardens she is a bit uncomfortable because this place holds some memories she would rather forget!
Clair teams up with Noah Gold, in this investigation of Tyler and the disappearance of several runaways.
This story will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. Twist turns and suspense with a slight hint of romance.

Definitely hoping that there’s a book 3 as I don’t want the series to end. Hoping that Lisa, Childs and Kensington publication can make that happen.

Thank you too, Lisa Childs for trusting me with this ARC in return for my honest review.

Only the Dead Within continues Lisa Childs' Grave Digger series. This second book in the series is focused on Claire Underwood, a former foster child from Gold Creek, Michigan, who has returned home as a CPS investigator looking to help children who were like herself. Haunted by memories of her past, Claire is tasked with investigating a potential abuse case that puts her right back into the orbit of the eponymous Gold family. Noah Gold is content to be a grave digger, happy with his job as the head of maintenance for the cemetery that his family maintains. Like his predecessor, Lyle, Noah is at peace in nature, and finds comfort in the familiarity of the cemetery. Until one night a teen is found murdered in the cemetery. Suddenly, Noah is a target - but whether it's from a serial killer who has been killing since he was a teen, or one of his own family members who are looking to increase their share of the Gold family business, no one knows. Claire and Noah, with the help of Noah's sister River, and the newly elected sheriff Luke Sebastian must try to uncover the secrets of the cemetery, before someone is successful in keeping them a secret forever.

Readers should definitely read 'The House by the Cemetary' before reading this book. There's a lot of family lore referenced in this novel, as well as events that take place in the first novel that will be confusing for readers who have not read it. While there are hints of romantic interests between the characters, this book firmly falls into the suspense/thriller/mystery category. The twist at the end was unexpected, and definitely left me with the feeling that it doesn't explain everything that has been going on in the Gold household. Readers who enjoy face-paced, danger-filled mystery novels will enjoy Only the Dead Within.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing, and Lisa Childs for an eARC of this novel to review.

I was so excited to read the second book in Lisa Child's new series, The Grave Diggers.. Only the Dead Within is even spookier than the first book and the mystery is so well written with twisted red herrings and a diabolical killer.

A troubled teen boy is missing when Claire, a Child Protective agent shows up to interview him. Tyler is not the first teen to go missing in the area of the cemetery. The ghost grave digger is still trolling the graveyard---but is he hindering ot helping the living? There is more going on with the creepy Gold family, too.

An excellent addition to the series, Only The Dead Within has the perfect amount of spooky vibes for anyone enjoying slightly scary reads, with a bonus in the mystery portion. Fast paced enjoyment blended with great characters and budding romance.

Thank you to #KensingtonPublishing #LisaChilds #OnlytheDeadWithin #NetGalley #TheGravesDiggers for the e-copy that I requested. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I always review books I enjoy for friends and followers to enjoy the book too.

I very much enjoyed this book! I read the first book in the series and I couldn't wait for this one! It did not disappoint!! I definitely give this book 4 stars! Cps investigator Claire Underwood is back in Gold Creek Michigan, her childhood home. She discovers that children are still disappearing from the Golds cemetary.. When Claire was young a boy disappeared after saying he was going to the cemetery. The teenagers back then all gathered there to hang out. Now a boy she was trying to interview was killed there. The Gold family runs the funeral home and takes care of the cemetery. Noah Gold grew up working in the cemetery and went to school with Claire. He knew all about the legend of the gravedigger! Together Claire and Noah team up to try and find out why the boy was killed and by who before he becomes just another story to add to the legend. With the help of Luke the County Sheriff they work together to find answers before someone else is killed! This book has twists and turns that will keep you up at night . Will they uncover the secrets that have been buried for many years or will they become part of the legend? The twist at the end of this book caught me completely by surprise!! I recommend you read this excellent romantic thriller!! I want to thank Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for this early ARC for my honest opinion.

I got this ARC through NetGalley.

Claire Underwood is a CPS investigator that has returned to her childhood home of Gold Creek, Michigan. A place where she never wanted to return. Yet teenagers keep disappearing from the cemetery. The same cemetery one of Claire’s friends disappeared from as well. Never to be seen again.

The Gold family has been around even longer than Claire’s and they run the local funeral home and the cemetery that holds all the stories yet untold. Noah Gold went to high school with Claire and is familiar with the tales of the local legend the “grave digger”. They never were close enough to be friends but Noah always seemed to know more than he should about the legend.

Together Claire and Noah team up to attempt to find the missing child before it’s too late and he’s just another story to tell. With the help of Luke the local sheriff they rush to get to the bottom of the legend. But will the truth set everyone free, or will it cause more harm than good?

This book had so many twists and turns! With enough mystery and intrigue to keep you guessing and wondering what lurks around the corner. The ending of the book! 😱 I can’t recommend this enough times to other readers that love a good dark who done it.

Much of the book is set in a cemetery with a legend that the grave digger haunts it.
Someone is out there killing people. You don’t know who to trust and there is a twist at the end of the story that caught me completely by surprise. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Protective Services Investigator Claire Underwood has returned to Gold Creek, Michigan. Her current case involves a young boy who has gone missing from the Gold Memorial Gardens, and he isn’t the first. Claire is determined to find him but meets with resistance along the way. She feels she’s being watched and finds herself in danger numerous times. But who would want to harm her, and why?

Startling secrets are revealed, new friendships develop, and there’s a little ghostly assistance in solving the mysteries of those who went missing years before and were thought to be runaways.

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

Oh wow, I did not see that coming! What a great read, If you like a lot of suspense this is for you! Clarie moves back home for her job, she is a child investigator. When the child of the current case she is working is murdered she makes it her job to find out what happened. Through in a cemetery, a tragic past and some run always, or where they, and a creepy family and you have a book you can’t put down!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

I was so excited to get this book!! Didn’t take long for me to devour it! It takes place only a couple weeks after the first book, and not lagging with action and suspense!

Claire Underwood is a child protective services investigator. When a teenage boy goes missing, she is being called to investigate but the town of Gold creek, Michigan is filled with tragedies and unpleasant memories. Years ago, she lost a friend and children have been going missing from the Gold Memorial Gardens. The killer is on loose and he must be found. So with thorough investigation, the comes out in light but it’s so terrifying. Author has created such a suspenseful and atmospheric mystery with intriguing characters and some twists. I will be honest, I didn’t guess the killer. I had one suspect but the revelations at the end proved my theory wrong. Anyway so the book will keep you on the edge and it will keep you guessing till the end. Thanks to the Publisher