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A supernatural-hunting podcaster. A soul-collecting ghost. A spine-tingling suspense.

Phoebe Burrow enjoys teaching courses in the occult at her local university, but she also doubles as a podcaster during the summer months. What started out as a thesis project soon turned into a successful podcast called Graveside Mysteries, but Phoebe has ulterior motives when investigating these hauntings. She wants to prove the supernatural exists in order to explain the disturbing visions she has of her sister…her dead sister.

When a cryptic email is sent to Phoebe’s best friend and business partner about an old haunted house, Phoebe dives into the mysterious tales spoken on many dark nights in Rustic, Ohio. According to local legend, Margaret Shiller fell down her basement stairs and broke her neck. Over the past sixty years, three others have met a similar fate inside the decaying dwelling, leaving the townsfolk convinced that Margaret’s roaming spirit is collecting souls to avoid spending eternity alone.

As the mysterious enigma of the Shiller house unravels, Phoebe soon learns that the truth may lie not with the supernatural but with the living. The last thing she needs is a possible homicide case, along with a very skeptic sheriff. Deep within the walls of the abandoned structure, she realizes it’s not only the spirits whispering their untold stories into the dark of night, but it is her sister speaking to her from beyond the grave.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 8, 2023

155 people are currently reading
100 people want to read

About the author

Kennedy Layne

156 books658 followers
Kennedy Layne is a USA Today bestselling author. She draws inspiration for her romantic thrillers in part from her not-so-secret second life as a wife of a retired Marine Master Sergeant. He doubles as her critique partner, beta reader, and military consultant. Kennedy also has a deep love for cozy mysteries, thrillers, and basically any book that can keep her guessing until the very end. They live in the Midwest with their menagerie of pets. The loyal dogs and mischievous cats appreciate her writing days as much as she does, usually curled up in front of the fireplace.

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5 stars
137 (49%)
4 stars
92 (33%)
3 stars
39 (14%)
2 stars
9 (3%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Cindy.
1,884 reviews13 followers
October 25, 2023
This was a dollar deal on Amazon from an author I haven't read before. A USA Today best selling author. She's actually a prolific writer. Has more than one series.

So, this was a pretty good story. College professor, who teaches occult studies has a pod cast she makes every summer when she's off school. Her best friend & an intern join her & take a different mystery every year. This book has them investigating a ghost who pushes people down a rickety flight of stairs & kills them. There have been 3 victims.

There's some real ghosts in this story & the author manages to keep it interesting until the end.
Profile Image for Shelley C.
2,948 reviews63 followers
March 12, 2023
Twisted Graves😳

Phoebe is a professor and teaches at a college about occult sciences. During her summer vacations, her and her best friend Chloe, choose a location within the US to research places that are supposedly haunted for their popular podcast, Graveside Mysteries🤩

There are reasons that Phoebe has gravitated towards the paranormal and Chloe bears a similar affinity but has yet to reveal her reasons. Now in Rustic, Ohio, a haunted house where some have been found deceased in similar circumstances, the locals believe the house is haunted by the old lady who lived there. Will Phoebe and Chloe be able to give the locals cause to put this belief to bed or is something more sinister going on?

A wonderful story that I really enjoyed❣️I’m excited for this series and to get to know Chloe and Phoebe better and go on their adventures with them❤️
Profile Image for Luce.
27 reviews
May 24, 2025
This had so much potential and I was really intrigued by the synopsis and the reviews. However, I don’t know if it’s just the kindle version but this book was riddled with spelling mistakes and silly errors, it was like it didn’t have an editor at all. I overlooked the first few but after encountering at least one per chapter it got really annoying.

Next came the plot. I guess? It was such an interesting concept to start and I love a good ghost mystery. But this was so poorly written, it was like the author didn’t know what the book wanted to be. Feeble attempts at comedy from some of the characters, a mix of thriller and paranormal, it just all felt messy. The main characters sister storyline was absolutely pointless, you got no further into figuring out its purpose. Then the main story was so conveniently wrapped up in about 4 lines, suddenly she’s touched by an apparition and sees everything and they just believe her? The sheriff just shoots the guy no questions asked?

Not to mention the terribly dull characters. I couldn’t care less about Oliver, like what purpose did he even have? Why mention this Noelle girl at the start to never bring her up again. Chloe was a horrible person, unnecessarily rude with no explanation, a party girl with very little party or substance to her, she was mean to Phoebe even laughing at her at times. And Phoebe herself, I honestly don’t have much to say other than she was boring.

Oh and I forgot to mention the email that made them go to this place and investigate the mystery, no mention of it and no explanation? Sloppy writing.

Sad to say I won’t be picking up the next ones in the series and I’m curious to know how this is rated so highly.
Profile Image for Shey.
146 reviews7 followers
March 29, 2023
3.5/ 5 Stars

Most stories regarding podcasts focus on true crime, but this one took it to a whole new level, the paranormal. Grave Mysteries focuses on anything to do with the supernatural. After Phoebe lost her sister when she was young, she's convinced that spirts are out there waiting to find peace. Along with her best friend Chloe and one intern, each summer, they set out to find the supernatural. This they find themselves in a small town with the legend of a haunted house and the place where 3 deaths occurred.
I enjoyed the mystery as well as the supernatural elements in this book. Phoebe and Chloe were such opposites in personality that they made a perfect pair. I wasn't a big fan of their intern, Oliver, his germaphobia got on my nerves a little.
I can't wait to see what comes next in this series. Kennedy Layne is an auto-buy author for me.
Profile Image for Cindy.
2,349 reviews172 followers
March 12, 2023
Interesting new series featuring a college professor who teaches about the occult during the school year and in the summer investigates cases for her podcast series Graveside Mysteries along with her best friend.

Phoebe Burrows wants to know if the supernatural really exist. After her sister died, she had a feeling it wasn't an accident and once her ghost appears to her, she has to know.

Each book looks like it's going to be about an urban legend, or old murder cases that hint at having some supernatural aspect to them. Interesting concept and look forward to more supernatural adventures with Phoebe and Chloe.
Profile Image for Paula Collins.
85 reviews
March 12, 2023
Kennedy has done it again. I have enjoyed all of the series that Kennedy has created. This new series that she dropped in our lap is wonderful.
I love mystery stories and to investigate Folklore and legends for truth is a wonderful base to a story. Add to the story with background as to why the female leads are drown to this topic just adds strength to the story line.
Could not put down this book and looking forward to the adventures that await Phoebe and Chole.

223 reviews1 follower
March 28, 2023
Brilliant start to a new series

Kennedy can put her imagination to anything!

Phoebe & Chloe investigate urban myths and present their tales to a summer podcast… read to find out more!

Great story, great characters and a story with more then meets the eye with a paranormal twist

Profile Image for Ericka Jade.
496 reviews5 followers
February 15, 2024
This is the start of a series. Phoebe is college professor who does a podcast during the summers with her bff Chloe, debunking urban legends. But while investing a haunting she keeps getting glimpses of her own sister who died several years ago.
Profile Image for Allena.
1,447 reviews
April 14, 2025
Ghosts that need closure? A murderer that was never caught? These are the questions you may ask yourself as you read.

A bombshell revelation and ghostly encounters toward the end leaves Phoebe reeling.

A truly enjoyable read for a first in the series book and I look forward to the next one.
Profile Image for Sparty.
825 reviews
June 4, 2023
fun

An enjoyable mystery with some supernatural. Great characters that seem so real. This was a good time. Excited for the next one :)
416 reviews4 followers
August 30, 2023
Twisted Graves

This is the first story I read by this author. It keeps you engaged throughout the story . I love the characters and I am looking for the next book in the series.
3 reviews
October 28, 2023
Enjoyable

I love a good ghost story and I love a crime novel. Great mix of both. Thank you! Moving on to the next one as soon as I can.
Profile Image for Sandie Bell.
301 reviews3 followers
April 7, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this first in the series of Graveside Mysteries. Whether or not you believe in an unexplained spirit world, this is a fantastic read.
Profile Image for Janet.
3,343 reviews24 followers
September 20, 2025
Nicely done mystery! I loved this book. It's a great, supernatural thriller. I love Phoebe and Chloe's podcast and their research into the legend surrounding the Shiller house.
Profile Image for Deedra Dail-whitley.
119 reviews
July 29, 2025
This is the beginning of an amazing series!! I can’t wait to read the rest of the books!! Because this book really jumped out there & grabbed me from the first few pages!! It has some humor, a few good scares, but it was just an amazing thriller overall!! And who knows, graves may hold more than just memories!!! So go read this book!!!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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