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Graveyard Blues
Hettie Reed has been left for dead in a shallow grave by a serial-killing monster that hides behind a charming smile. The encounter left her changed...and with a terrible hunger to satisfy.She meets Henry Payton, an elderly retired homicide detective, that is intimately familiar with the manner of her death. He has lived too long between the long night of his own depression and his failure to save the women that haunt him. They are soon in over their heads when they discover that the nature of Hettie's death has brought them to the attention of a larger, darker power. Redemption, vengeance, love, and sacrifice collide in this haunting tale of urban fantasy, horror and folklore.
- GenresHorror
185 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2012
16 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Reina Salt
3 books15 followersI am the author of urban fantasy/horror Night Blues series (Graveyard Blues and Mojo Hand Blues).
If you were going to lay a trap to ensnare me, you would be very successful if you placed a Lightnin' Hopkins album, a bowl of seafood gumbo and a wrinkly pug in the center. I am a passionate blues aficionado and monster sympathizer.
I'm on a quest for the perfect cup of English tea and can often be found cuddling a pug.
I grew up in rural western Washington, but currently live in beautiful southern England.
If you were going to lay a trap to ensnare me, you would be very successful if you placed a Lightnin' Hopkins album, a bowl of seafood gumbo and a wrinkly pug in the center. I am a passionate blues aficionado and monster sympathizer.
I'm on a quest for the perfect cup of English tea and can often be found cuddling a pug.
I grew up in rural western Washington, but currently live in beautiful southern England.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 10, 2016
2.5*
Hettie Reid is left in a shallow grave by a serial killer who happens to be a monster from American folklore. Due to consuming some of it's blood she comes back from the dead and seeks the help of an ex detective to help her stop the killer and get revenge.
There was just way too much going on in this, it was difficult to keep things straight and though it should have been a short read it took me several days to get through as the pacing was so inconsistent. Folklore, voodoo and other mythology is all thrown into this book and it just felt like there was too many characters and myths being pushed out to really care about the central plot. I also didn't really care for the characters and just found them annoying instead of engaging.
There's lots of good reviews for this so it might just be me, the authors writing itself was good at times although i felt went she went overboard with some of her prose.
I won't be continuing with the series.
Hettie Reid is left in a shallow grave by a serial killer who happens to be a monster from American folklore. Due to consuming some of it's blood she comes back from the dead and seeks the help of an ex detective to help her stop the killer and get revenge.
There was just way too much going on in this, it was difficult to keep things straight and though it should have been a short read it took me several days to get through as the pacing was so inconsistent. Folklore, voodoo and other mythology is all thrown into this book and it just felt like there was too many characters and myths being pushed out to really care about the central plot. I also didn't really care for the characters and just found them annoying instead of engaging.
There's lots of good reviews for this so it might just be me, the authors writing itself was good at times although i felt went she went overboard with some of her prose.
I won't be continuing with the series.
June 26, 2012
As a lifelong reader of horror, I've come to expect that most horror will neither actually scare me nor stick with me after I've finished reading it. It's exhilarating to find a horror novel that engages me from its first pages and only gets better as it goes. Graveyard Blues is such a novel.
Hettie and Henry, the book's protagonists, are some of the most memorable characters I've encountered not just in horror but in fiction. They're very real, very funny characters with whom I'd be happy to travel even if the story itself weren't so engaging. But let's be clear: the story is compelling.
When its protagonists came up against obstacles at every turn, I found myself holding my breath and hoping all would turn out well for them . . . even if, as the story progressed, that seemed an increasingly unlikely outcome.
The end more than satisfied. Best of all, it's not so much an end as a resting point. I normally prefer standalone books, but THIS is a series to which I'll happily return.
Hettie and Henry, the book's protagonists, are some of the most memorable characters I've encountered not just in horror but in fiction. They're very real, very funny characters with whom I'd be happy to travel even if the story itself weren't so engaging. But let's be clear: the story is compelling.
When its protagonists came up against obstacles at every turn, I found myself holding my breath and hoping all would turn out well for them . . . even if, as the story progressed, that seemed an increasingly unlikely outcome.
The end more than satisfied. Best of all, it's not so much an end as a resting point. I normally prefer standalone books, but THIS is a series to which I'll happily return.
April 20, 2013
This read grabbed me from page one and I didn't want to put it down (I didn't). The blurb says enough and I don't want to spoil it. I would love to read more about Henry from an earlier standpoint in his life. His conversation over the phone were hilarious. I will definitely seek out more of Ms. Salt's work. A recommended read
July 7, 2012
An endearing mix of Joe R. Landsdale, Neil Gaimen, and Stephen King with a truly haunting monster and the best dead protagonist I've read in a long time. I eagerly look forward to the next installment and hope the visual pieces continue.
June 8, 2012
The book starts out crazy graphic. Love how the author writes from multiple points of views on alternating chapters if makes for some great insight into different character's thoughts and insights.
April 29, 2012
Beautifully, lyrically written and deliciously gruesome. Here's to more PNW horror fiction.
October 21, 2012
What is the correct etiquette when encountering a dead woman walking through your yard? Invite her in for breakfast, of course. I can't remember the last time I found a story of this genre that ranks beside my Dean Koonz and Laurell Hamilton novels. It grabbed me from the first page (very rare) and didn't let me go until after the last sentence. The transition of the characters in alternating chapters was seamless, the folklore fascinating, and the ending very satisfying, but left me wanting more stories from this author. Complaints about the swearing from some readers? It wasn't excessive and I really don't believe a human, or non-human, would say "Oh my goodness!" in those circumstances! I hope the author has more like this coming to our bookshelves soon!
June 25, 2012
I loved this book. Right from the start, it draws you in, and keeps hold of you long after you have finished reading it.
From the first time you meet Henry, you know he is a character you are going to love. Hettie is so damaged, but tempered in the flame of her own violent death, she emerges stronger, more resolute.
You'll HAVE to read it for yourself, but I know that if you are a fan of Supernatural horror (Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Joe Hill) then you will love it as much as I do.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would without hesitation.
From the first time you meet Henry, you know he is a character you are going to love. Hettie is so damaged, but tempered in the flame of her own violent death, she emerges stronger, more resolute.
You'll HAVE to read it for yourself, but I know that if you are a fan of Supernatural horror (Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Joe Hill) then you will love it as much as I do.
If I could give this book more than five stars, I would without hesitation.
March 18, 2013
I grabbed a copy of Graveyard Blues (Night Blues) based on another author's recommendation, and even though I don't write in the horror genre, or too often read books in this genre, I was riveted from the very first page. It is not often that another writer induces a bit of despair by inward comparison, but Reina's rich details and great dialogue did get me wondering how she crafted such an amazing debut novel. And as a fellow author, her complex characterizations encourage me to delve deeper into the minds and hearts of my own characters.
What did I like best about Night Blues? That's hard to say actually. There were several descriptive passages that were so beautiful, so finely-crafted, that I reread them several times, and even read them aloud to a couple of friends. For example, in the beginning of this fast-moving novel, Salt describes the town Henry lives in, and in a couple of clean, crisp paragraphs, she's able to evoke the spirit of the Pacific Northwest and paint a picture that places the reader right there.
But that's not what I liked best. What I took away with me was Henry. Salt manages to paint this older man with a combination of crass humor, heroism, honor, and pathos without overdoing any of these elements. Rare is it indeed that a writer can create an opposite sex character who rings with such clarion-clear beauty. Her ability to get into Henry's mind alone would make me an enthusiastic supporter. This combined with an ability to craft a vivid portrait of time and place make Salt a talent to be reckoned with. I eagerly await more of her work.
What did I like best about Night Blues? That's hard to say actually. There were several descriptive passages that were so beautiful, so finely-crafted, that I reread them several times, and even read them aloud to a couple of friends. For example, in the beginning of this fast-moving novel, Salt describes the town Henry lives in, and in a couple of clean, crisp paragraphs, she's able to evoke the spirit of the Pacific Northwest and paint a picture that places the reader right there.
But that's not what I liked best. What I took away with me was Henry. Salt manages to paint this older man with a combination of crass humor, heroism, honor, and pathos without overdoing any of these elements. Rare is it indeed that a writer can create an opposite sex character who rings with such clarion-clear beauty. Her ability to get into Henry's mind alone would make me an enthusiastic supporter. This combined with an ability to craft a vivid portrait of time and place make Salt a talent to be reckoned with. I eagerly await more of her work.
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February 18, 2016~OH HELL-TO-THE-NO!! KEEP DRIVING!!~
This book grabbed me at the start. Just picture the show: "Supernatural!" And you got Graveyard Blues. It's very detail read. It's amusing, disgusting, disturbing, gory, gruesome, haunting and just plan terrifying! With that being said, it started getting really frickin "Irritating" because it kept crashing (every other chapter - CRASH) So I would have to go back in and go ahead a chapter and go backwards, bookmark, etc. After a while I just couldn't enjoy the book anymore with all the “Stop-and-Go!” but like I said above, what I read was really good! I used the: "Kindle Version!"
*I really hope you do an update and fixed this problem, would really love to know what the hell happened and what kind of creature "The Killer" is!? Smh.
This book grabbed me at the start. Just picture the show: "Supernatural!" And you got Graveyard Blues. It's very detail read. It's amusing, disgusting, disturbing, gory, gruesome, haunting and just plan terrifying! With that being said, it started getting really frickin "Irritating" because it kept crashing (every other chapter - CRASH) So I would have to go back in and go ahead a chapter and go backwards, bookmark, etc. After a while I just couldn't enjoy the book anymore with all the “Stop-and-Go!” but like I said above, what I read was really good! I used the: "Kindle Version!"
*I really hope you do an update and fixed this problem, would really love to know what the hell happened and what kind of creature "The Killer" is!? Smh.
April 27, 2014
A very original story, unusual in that it is told from the perspective of both the living and the......formerly alive. The main characters Henry and Hettie are quite likable and often amusing. The story is well written and flows well through scenes of both horror and humor. This would make a great script for a comedy/horror movie.
June 26, 2012
Graveyard Blues is gritty, delightfully dirty, smart and imaginative! The author combines horror, humor and an awesome world of the occult. It is a quick read and I can't wait to see the direction the next books will take.
August 14, 2012
I really, really liked this book. It was scary and gruesome in all the right parts. It was also downright spooky and left me wanting more. I love all the references to folklore, like Baba Yaga and her house on chicken legs. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
October 22, 2014
I loved this book. I really love the characters and how Day and Night are personified. Definitely recommended. I can't wait for Mojo Hand Blues!
November 17, 2013
An interesting tale of an ancient evil and a battle to vanquish it.
November 17, 2019
What a strange little book this was. When you look at the synopsis you think ‘okay, zombie girl comes back from the dead, teams up with a washed up ex-cop with lots of internal demons and together they take down the thing that killed her’ and while yes… that’s true, there is so much thrown into this book and because of its short page count it all became just a little too messy and confusing and various points throughout.
So sticking with story as the forefront because I believe that is the main driver here in ‘Graveyard Blues’ as I say it all seems fairly bog standard you feel fairly confident in knowing what your getting into, and in all fairness I’d say for the first 25% you do get that, but then what Salt does is begin to bring all kinds of folklore and mythology even some voodoo into the mix. Maybe if the book had been a little longer, had time to flesh these ideas out then it COULD have worked but the book is so fast paced that I just ended up being confused at multiple points in the story and re-reading pages to make sure I was understanding what was even happening. Then towards the end I felt like it came together slightly however not entirely, and I think I was still recovering from whiplash from the first 100 pages. There were definitely parts of all the mythology etc that I enjoyed and found interesting but none had time to be really explored or developed it was like a scrapbook of ideas had been put onto the pages.
The writing was fine, although with it being first person sometimes it felt like the characters were just writing out a list, or just giving us a step by step guide to what they were doing at each moment. In short it just felt a little drawn out at times, but those moments were few and far between and I had no major gripes at all with the writing, if anything it was solid and made a nice change, it’s been a while since I read a first-person narrative.
Speaking of narratives and voices let’s speak briefly about the characters, they were both fine, I felt I probably enjoyed Henry’s voice (the ex-cop) more than Hettie (the dead girl) he was definitely portrayed a grumpy yet warm old man, clearly with his own personal demons. Hettie was fine but her character didn’t really have much about her, now of course she’s dead so maybe that was the idea, for her to be ‘lifeless’ but I just didn’t get much from Hettie that made me particularly interested or curious, there’s not really much back story or fleshing out of either characters so it’s hard to really feel much towards them, now of course with this being a series I don’t want to come across to harsh or brash as there could well be time for these characters to really come into their own and properly fleshed out.
I guess the main question is has Salt done enough for me to want to read the rest of this series, and actually I think I will give the second book a try, after reading the synopsis and seeing the page count has risen I feel that it might have more time for me to adjust and really get to know these characters and fill in the gaps properly. ‘Graveyard Blues’ is definitely a fast paced and grisly little tale, maybe too fast for some, but give it a try, elements of this book are interesting and I am sure these can only be developed further in the series.
So sticking with story as the forefront because I believe that is the main driver here in ‘Graveyard Blues’ as I say it all seems fairly bog standard you feel fairly confident in knowing what your getting into, and in all fairness I’d say for the first 25% you do get that, but then what Salt does is begin to bring all kinds of folklore and mythology even some voodoo into the mix. Maybe if the book had been a little longer, had time to flesh these ideas out then it COULD have worked but the book is so fast paced that I just ended up being confused at multiple points in the story and re-reading pages to make sure I was understanding what was even happening. Then towards the end I felt like it came together slightly however not entirely, and I think I was still recovering from whiplash from the first 100 pages. There were definitely parts of all the mythology etc that I enjoyed and found interesting but none had time to be really explored or developed it was like a scrapbook of ideas had been put onto the pages.
The writing was fine, although with it being first person sometimes it felt like the characters were just writing out a list, or just giving us a step by step guide to what they were doing at each moment. In short it just felt a little drawn out at times, but those moments were few and far between and I had no major gripes at all with the writing, if anything it was solid and made a nice change, it’s been a while since I read a first-person narrative.
Speaking of narratives and voices let’s speak briefly about the characters, they were both fine, I felt I probably enjoyed Henry’s voice (the ex-cop) more than Hettie (the dead girl) he was definitely portrayed a grumpy yet warm old man, clearly with his own personal demons. Hettie was fine but her character didn’t really have much about her, now of course she’s dead so maybe that was the idea, for her to be ‘lifeless’ but I just didn’t get much from Hettie that made me particularly interested or curious, there’s not really much back story or fleshing out of either characters so it’s hard to really feel much towards them, now of course with this being a series I don’t want to come across to harsh or brash as there could well be time for these characters to really come into their own and properly fleshed out.
I guess the main question is has Salt done enough for me to want to read the rest of this series, and actually I think I will give the second book a try, after reading the synopsis and seeing the page count has risen I feel that it might have more time for me to adjust and really get to know these characters and fill in the gaps properly. ‘Graveyard Blues’ is definitely a fast paced and grisly little tale, maybe too fast for some, but give it a try, elements of this book are interesting and I am sure these can only be developed further in the series.
Read
April 10, 2021Gripping
I have had this book in my list for a while but was so busy with work and life I hadn’t had a chance to read it. I wish I would have read it sooner I opened it when I got home from work and read it in one sitting. It was so amazing. The beautiful real atop ship being built between the characters was great. I loved the hint of humor in such a terrifying situation. The story had me rooting for a dead girl!
I have had this book in my list for a while but was so busy with work and life I hadn’t had a chance to read it. I wish I would have read it sooner I opened it when I got home from work and read it in one sitting. It was so amazing. The beautiful real atop ship being built between the characters was great. I loved the hint of humor in such a terrifying situation. The story had me rooting for a dead girl!
February 10, 2017
Unusual book
This book was pretty interesting but unusual to me
I don't remember ever reading anouther book that covered these same subjects similarly.
This book was pretty interesting but unusual to me
I don't remember ever reading anouther book that covered these same subjects similarly.
October 27, 2022
I didn't actually finish the book. While I found it enjoyable and fully intended to read all of it,the Kindle version started crashing about 65% through. Would've been nice to find out what happened.
Want to read
January 23, 2013Downloaded a handful of freebies for the Kindle, this is one of 'em.
March 2, 2018
Now that was a fun read! Looking forward to starting the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews