Funeral Song

by Carly Racklin

No one mourns the living dead.

In the remote town of Cairney, a gift from the Angel of Death allows the dead to miraculously return to life — after a fashion. For Friede Inkerman, pianist to Cairney’s sacred funerals, Death’s gift is a curse, not a blessing. All she wants after being murdered by her wife and resurrected against her will is to finally rest in peace, free from the grief that ostracizes her from the rest of her death-worshipping town.

On Allhallowsmas, Friede’s hope of passing on to eternal rest is dashed when Death’s gift is stolen and the acolyte who guards it murdered, putting all the dead souls in Cairney at risk of fading into oblivion at sunset. Friede also can’t ignore how much the murder resembles her own.

Clinging to her last happiness, her oldest friend Bastian, Friede races to set things right and see her last wish granted. But Cairney is a town where nothing stays buried, and Friede’s search for answers unearths new horrors that threaten everything she holds dear to her dead heart.

A wrenching, elegant work of supernatural horror about a devout small town’s reckoning with death and the love that transcends it. Perfect for fans of Mike Flanagan and Caitlin Starling.

Genres: Horror, Queer, Fiction, Adult, LGBT, Supernatural, Fantasy

142 pages, Paperback

Expected publication January 27, 2026

About the author

Carly Racklin is a writer, editor, and unapologetic vulture enthusiast whose work blends the fantastical with the visceral. They hold a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in creative writing from Arcadia University, and has written for an international horror film festival, a table top role playing publisher, and more. They currently work in social media marketing and serve as an editor for Luna Station Quarterly. Carly’s fiction has appeared in Cosmic Horror Monthly, The NoSleep Podcast, NECKSNAP Magazine, and other publications. Funeral Song is their debut novella.

When she's not writing, Carly can be found drawing, watching horror movies, and playing video games or D&D, usually while drinking something caffeinated. She hopes to one day publish novels and write for a video game (or several). She can be found on most
socials @willowylungs and at carlyracklin.com.

Reviews

[Barbara Behring · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funeral Song was an unique take on the undead genre. I enjoyed the main characters and the way the author explored grief. At times the writing became a little too flowery and I didn't really like the Ending, but all in all it was a decent story.

[Hannah Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, first of all, for making me preorder a book that comes out in a few weeks. My bank account really appreciates this. But I read this in one sitting and I knew I had to have it. (Seriously, thank you for releasing it in paperback on preorder.)

First of all, love the cover. Love the concept. I was worried it would border on fantasy too much--a genre which usually drops you in a completely unknown world and just expects you to roll with it without much beginner explanation--but it didn't. I quickly caught on and didn't feel like I was trying to swim my way around and figure out what was going on. I appreciate that.

I loved the author's writing style. It was beautiful and flowed well. I know some people don't care for the more flowery type of writing, but that is 100% my jam and so I ate this like candy. You know, if I... liked candy.

The story, I thought, was very good. Very, very unique. I felt so bad for MC and though I understood why Bast did what he did, I don't know that I personally could have ever forgiven him. Friede is a better woman than I. I am glad that she didn't her sorrow and misery stop her in her tracks, though, and that she got an adventure out of things. I also enjoyed the way her story ended, as I think that having her own terms was the least that could be done for her. So, overall, I was very satisfied with the story. I would actually love to read more about that down and the dead who come back, hint, hint, not so subtle hint.

Just a couple of small critiques, one of which I'm sure will be fixed in the final version and I worry will come off as rude, but my wife assured me since it's not published yet, it's okay. Please forgive me if it's not.

1. Kamil was referred to as 'her' at one point in the book. Since they were referred to as 'them' to rest of the time, this threw me. I wish I could remember where it happened exactly, but I know it was closer toward the end of the book.

2. Did I miss something? Following along, I thought Lor was the villain and then Lor was the saviour and then bam, Lor was the villain again. I don't know if I just didn't understand what was going on or if that wasn't explained very well. It could very well just be a me thing. Either way, I kind of wound up feeling really bad for her because of her actual motives (though, she, like Bast, was trying to take away Friede's anatomy.) It made me further question how I felt about Bast, which I never ended up figuring out. He was like a train that just kept derailing and saying, "Sorry," and then derailing again. (Though I do understand WHY. He was very, very human and I am grateful he did not fight Friede at the end.)

Overall, I loved this book. I will be recommending this book for anyone who likes the strange, tragic and beautiful. I am really, really, really looking forward to seeing more from this author.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always very interesting to see how authors tackle what being undead feels like, and I think Carly Racklin handled it very well. It's deeply sad how the undead here continue to go on with the usual motions of their past lives without truly being able to experience many of its comforts. They continue to go to the pub and drink, despite it always ending up with them retching it all up. They're never really able to feel warmth or the quickening of their companion's or their own hearts. Their bodies are falling apart, they're still gripped by rigor mortis, and they're left to contend with whatever damage their death and undeath have dealt to their bodies.

I loved how mysterious and undefined the magic surrounding death/undeath are in this. It's all got a really spooky and gothic vibe. I will say, I wish the book was a bit longer so we could have explored the characters and especially the setting more. The plot was also quite predictable. However, for a debut novella, I think this is a great effort and I think there's a lot of potential here. It's clearly a very heartfelt piece of work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dead Sky Publishing for the review copy!

[K.B. King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funeral Song by Carly Racklin is a haunting, beautifully rendered gothic supernatural horror novella. We follow Friede Inkerman, a pianist who performs at the resurrection rituals, “funerals” of Cairney. Her deepest desire is to be freed from her undead state so that her soul can finally rest in peace.

On Allhallowsmas, the undead’s hold on the earth is threatened when one of Death’s sacred relics is stolen and its guardian, as well as Friede’s beloved friend, is brutally murdered. As sunset approaches, every lingering soul in the town of Cairney faces the threat of oblivion, including Friede, whose fragile hope for release hangs in the balance. As she investigates the crime, the events begin to echo the circumstances of her own gruesome death, forcing her to confront the unresolved trauma of her undeath and the reality of what was taken from her.

Racklin’s prose is lush and evocative, carrying a musical quality that expertly balances visceral horror with deep emotional resonance. The result is a story that is as atmospheric as it is intimate, and beautifully done. I want to note as well that I appreciate the author's expert inclusion of fully realized gay and nonbinary characters, seamlessly incorporated in a way that adds to their depth without approaching the line of caricature.

Ultimately, Funeral Song is an interesting and emotionally resonant work of supernatural horror. If you enjoy gothic horror that value atmosphere, character, and emotional depth, this novella is a must-read. I look forward to purchasing a copy for my personal collection.

Carly Racklin has appeared in Cosmic Horror Monthly, The NoSleep Podcast, NECKSNAP Magazine, and other publications. Known for blending the fantastical with the visceral, Racklin brings unique precision, emotional weight, and narrative control to their work.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

My latest read in testing the waters of current indie genre voices. This one was objectively well done. Coherently written, professionally edited, etc.

The concept was intriguing too. But I don't think I was quite the right audience for it. I didn't really connect with the characters, which wouldn't necessarily be an obstacle, but the prose was just way too purple for me. Sentence by sentence buckled under the ponderous weight of its cumbersomely ornate stylings. Every metaphor was a chandelier.

It may be a debut writer's overeagerness or just how the author writes. Either way, it didn't really work for me. It may very well work for other readers, particularly ones who enjoy the heavy velvet curtains of gothic wordiness.
Thanks Netgalley.

[Alisa Saiko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funeral Song had me intrigued right away. The premise was solid and there are moments where the writing really works. It is atmospheric, thoughtful and clearly aiming for something emotionally heavy. There are clear themes of grief and longing.

But... it just didn't land for me. The biggest letdown was the ending. After the build towards something meaningful, it wrapped up in a way that felt oddly flat and anticlimactic. By the end, I realised it was mostly my stubbornness that kept me from DNFing.

Not a bad book and I can absolutely see what it was trying to do. It just didn't come together for me in the end.

Thank you to Net Gallery and Dead Sky Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my review.

[Megan Beech · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting Gothic horror novella that does a very good job at describing how someone who is undead is still trying to behave as if they were still alive. This can be a very difficult undertaking and the author did this very well! The only thing that didn't make it a 5 star review is that I wish it was a little bit longer. I understand that it's a novella so it's supposed to be short but I just wanted it just a little bit longer. Other than that, I quite enjoyed it!

I would like to thank the author, publisher, editor, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book complimentary in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gothic horror novella
A quaint town where the dead is resurrected by the gift of death. Friede is killed by her wife and was brought back to life by the anchoret but not fully she grieves as this is not what she wants to be undead. At allhallowseve during the next resurrection something goes horribly wrong where her friend is murdered and the relic to bring people back to life is missing can friede find it before sunset before everyone who is resurrected come to their end. Friede past comes back to haunt her during her search for the relic. Also has to decide if she wants to be undead or be taken away by death

I rated this 3.5 stars

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

The lives of the dead….and interesting idea to be sure. I just could not get into it. It felt like the author was trying to to be lyrical, magical or something, I can’t quite put my finger on it, I ended up being someone confused and a little bit annoyed. I’m sorry that I can’t be more positive.
#netgalley #FuneralSong

[J R · Rating 5 out of 5]

lyrically done gothic horror about a world where the dead are still alive. it's pretty short and sweet. I liked it a lot. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Roberta R. (Offbeat YA) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mini blurb: In an isolated town where a gift from the Angel of Death allows the deceased to return to life, a young woman who was killed by her wife and resurrected against her will feels compelled to solve a murder and to retrieve Death's gift to prevent the town from falling into eternal oblivion.

***

Rated 3.5 really.

First off...DISCLAIMER: this title was up for grabs on Edelweiss (in the To Download section). Thanks to Dead Sky Publishing for providing an ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

This was such a gothic, sad piece, with an old-fashioned feel (though in this world, gender identities and sexual preferences are never questioned - there's even a NB character), and I'm not sure I understood all the implications of Death's gift of resurrection and what the protagonist's wife wanted to accomplish by murdering her. But it was a unique, well-written novella, and even if the style and genre weren't exactly my cup of tea, it kept my interest enough for me to reach the last page. The mythology and worldbuilding the author wove around her revenants are cleverly planned and appropriately horrifying, and she managed to make her dead characters feel so very human even while (or especially because) they were left to grapple with a second life that was mostly just a mocking of their first one. If you're looking for a peculiar afterlife/undead narrative and you don't mind a somehow-open ending (and a gloomy atmosphere, and some graphic body horror), this novella is worth the price of admission.

Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later; also, due to time commitments, I've decided not to write full-length reviews anymore for short stories, novellas and anthologies, except in special cases or unless they're part of a series).