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Carry Me to My Grave: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 21 Jul 26From New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden comes a high concept horror novel about a man trying to protect his dead mother's body from the evil that is hunting them.
Maggie Wise will take your eyes.
When Malcolm was growing up, the local kids made up that chant about his mother, claiming she was a witch. He and his siblings did their best to ignore it. Now, Maggie is dying, and those same siblings have left Malcolm and his sister-in-law Violet to hold a vigil at her bedside.
But they’re not as alone as they think they are. A dark figure waits and watches from beneath the willow tree across the street. Hundreds of miles away, an ancient evil stirs in its burrow under a farmer’s cornfield. Across the country, other buried things begin to dream in anticipation of Maggie’s demise. On her deathbed, the old woman elicits a promise from Malcolm, her youngest child―when she dies, he and Violet must return her body to her birthplace in Shediak, Maine.
From the moment she takes her last breath, before her remains are even loaded aboard the baggage car of the Imperial Limited, there are forces trying to stop Malcolm from fulfilling that promise. Violence erupts on the train, evil preys on its passengers, and once the sun goes down, those long-buried things are coming to make Maggie Wise pay for her past. God help anyone who stands in their way.
Maggie Wise will take your eyes.
When Malcolm was growing up, the local kids made up that chant about his mother, claiming she was a witch. He and his siblings did their best to ignore it. Now, Maggie is dying, and those same siblings have left Malcolm and his sister-in-law Violet to hold a vigil at her bedside.
But they’re not as alone as they think they are. A dark figure waits and watches from beneath the willow tree across the street. Hundreds of miles away, an ancient evil stirs in its burrow under a farmer’s cornfield. Across the country, other buried things begin to dream in anticipation of Maggie’s demise. On her deathbed, the old woman elicits a promise from Malcolm, her youngest child―when she dies, he and Violet must return her body to her birthplace in Shediak, Maine.
From the moment she takes her last breath, before her remains are even loaded aboard the baggage car of the Imperial Limited, there are forces trying to stop Malcolm from fulfilling that promise. Violence erupts on the train, evil preys on its passengers, and once the sun goes down, those long-buried things are coming to make Maggie Wise pay for her past. God help anyone who stands in their way.
336 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 21, 2026
18 people are currently reading
8640 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Golden
805 books3,006 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com
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January 23, 2026OMG this cover is SO GOOD!!
I've loved quite a few stories from this author! Excited for 2026 to read this one!! 😍😍
Pub Date: July 2026!!!
OMG ARC REC'D THANK YOU!!!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I've loved quite a few stories from this author! Excited for 2026 to read this one!! 😍😍
Pub Date: July 2026!!!
OMG ARC REC'D THANK YOU!!!
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
January 28, 2026
Once you make it past the first 10-15% this book grabs ahold of you and doesn’t let go. The characters are written in such a way that you don’t know who to hate and who to root for. While this wasn’t my favorite Christopher Golden novel, it was enjoyable overall and a good horror read!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so, so much Christopher Golden for my advanced copy of this book!!
From the very first page, this story will captivate you and keep you anxious to continue reading! I spent so much time thinking about this book even when I was not reading it. The characters are so fantastically written, you feel as though you're right there experiencing the tension and fear with them. You will be completely emotionally invested in their stories ans their lives. You understand why they are who they are and why they make the choices they do. The twists and turns, the monsters, the high anxiety moments... everything about this book is perfect from start to finish. I don't want to give any of the plot away but I can say with completely confidence that you should read this book.
From the very first page, this story will captivate you and keep you anxious to continue reading! I spent so much time thinking about this book even when I was not reading it. The characters are so fantastically written, you feel as though you're right there experiencing the tension and fear with them. You will be completely emotionally invested in their stories ans their lives. You understand why they are who they are and why they make the choices they do. The twists and turns, the monsters, the high anxiety moments... everything about this book is perfect from start to finish. I don't want to give any of the plot away but I can say with completely confidence that you should read this book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
My thanks to St. Martin's Press, Christopher Golden and Netgalley.
Well, good god ya'll! I'll tell ya' what! This was one humdinger of a tale! Now those of you who have been reading my gosh awful reviews for years know that I do love me some scary arsed vampires. Next to Windigos "which truly terrify me" vampires are one of my favorite tropes. Mr. Man. certainly didn't hold back on these ones. The last vampire book that creeped me out so much took place on a submarine of all things! Claustrophobic and terrifying! This? Traveling in a boxcar and then a car in a winter storm in the Northeast. Again, claustrophobic and really, truly freaking nerve-wracking! Matter of fact, I was cussing. Alot! Mostly alot of son of a b, go, go, go! It was utterly fantastic! Got my heart racing like I was taking my first 75 foot dive into the water. Granted, I may never grow my fingernails back and thankfully I'm too old to be biting my toe nails off. Not that I can't reach them, I'm just 62. 62 year old nails are much tougher than I am!
I'll admit that it's pretty damned difficult to find scary vampires in this day and age. Vampires are not meant to be romantic.
Brian Lumley, is for me the best of the best when it comes to the most inhumane, grotesque and "in my case" nightmare inducucing VAMPHYRII. If you love the real scares of vampires then give Lumleys Necroscope series a chance. You probably won't regret it. "If you can get past all the exclamation points". Christopher Golden's own Vampire series is pretty damned good too. Not scary, but the historical figures and it's context are weird, funky and wonderful.
My one and only hesitation or maybe reserve that I had with this story was that I didn't really feel much of a connection to the characters. Which is something that I found strange. Mostly because we spent so much time with them. In their heads. Out of. For me, it was an odd kind of disconnect. And, I suppose that I only mention it because Mr. Golden is usually fairly good with building up his characters. For whatever reason this time I had a hard time connecting.
This review may or may not suck!
I gave up writing them a few years ago when I became sick. I was nearly non verbal for a few years, but I'm slowly trying to find my way back.
Part of my recovery will include me trying to review again.
Honestly? I'm just hoping to recover my dry sense of humor. Or any really. Small steps.
Well, good god ya'll! I'll tell ya' what! This was one humdinger of a tale! Now those of you who have been reading my gosh awful reviews for years know that I do love me some scary arsed vampires. Next to Windigos "which truly terrify me" vampires are one of my favorite tropes. Mr. Man. certainly didn't hold back on these ones. The last vampire book that creeped me out so much took place on a submarine of all things! Claustrophobic and terrifying! This? Traveling in a boxcar and then a car in a winter storm in the Northeast. Again, claustrophobic and really, truly freaking nerve-wracking! Matter of fact, I was cussing. Alot! Mostly alot of son of a b, go, go, go! It was utterly fantastic! Got my heart racing like I was taking my first 75 foot dive into the water. Granted, I may never grow my fingernails back and thankfully I'm too old to be biting my toe nails off. Not that I can't reach them, I'm just 62. 62 year old nails are much tougher than I am!
I'll admit that it's pretty damned difficult to find scary vampires in this day and age. Vampires are not meant to be romantic.
Brian Lumley, is for me the best of the best when it comes to the most inhumane, grotesque and "in my case" nightmare inducucing VAMPHYRII. If you love the real scares of vampires then give Lumleys Necroscope series a chance. You probably won't regret it. "If you can get past all the exclamation points". Christopher Golden's own Vampire series is pretty damned good too. Not scary, but the historical figures and it's context are weird, funky and wonderful.
My one and only hesitation or maybe reserve that I had with this story was that I didn't really feel much of a connection to the characters. Which is something that I found strange. Mostly because we spent so much time with them. In their heads. Out of. For me, it was an odd kind of disconnect. And, I suppose that I only mention it because Mr. Golden is usually fairly good with building up his characters. For whatever reason this time I had a hard time connecting.
This review may or may not suck!
I gave up writing them a few years ago when I became sick. I was nearly non verbal for a few years, but I'm slowly trying to find my way back.
Part of my recovery will include me trying to review again.
Honestly? I'm just hoping to recover my dry sense of humor. Or any really. Small steps.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Golden’s latest work, much like last his last one in “The Night Birds”, shows that he truly excels in setting up an engaging, unique plot with an atmospheric setting. While the book is mysterious and gripping in its beginning, it did seem to drag for me in its middle section, as the action scenes became somewhat repetitive.
The main area where I would have liked to see more is in character development and backstory for the three siblings. Malcolm and Violet are both great characters that are fleshed out well (although getting more of Malcolm’s experiences in flashbacks to the Korean War could have been helpful in developing his character). However, both Jennie and Elias lack sustained character development and with so little coverage given to their childhood or their upbringing, it sort of lessens the stakes in the last third of the book. Near the very end, we finally do get a few brief glimpses of the sibling dynamic as kids and teenagers, and it did enrich the story quite a bit but it felt like “too little, too late.” I also felt like the 1950s setting could have been mined more, because other than references to the Korean War, I never got much of a sense that they were actually living in the 1950s.
Instead, the point-of-views that we do get from Elias’s perspective, as well as Benjy’s are not particularly interesting and tend to be quite repetitious in just being inner monologues of their internal struggles. The chapters about Benjy’s family, while helping to build a mystery, could perhaps have been discarded in favor of chapters from Maggie Wise’s life, or from the Wise children’s upbringing. Despite that, there is some interesting world-building that has been created here where a sequel doing more character development of their past could be used, as this one ended fairly abruptly.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!
The main area where I would have liked to see more is in character development and backstory for the three siblings. Malcolm and Violet are both great characters that are fleshed out well (although getting more of Malcolm’s experiences in flashbacks to the Korean War could have been helpful in developing his character). However, both Jennie and Elias lack sustained character development and with so little coverage given to their childhood or their upbringing, it sort of lessens the stakes in the last third of the book. Near the very end, we finally do get a few brief glimpses of the sibling dynamic as kids and teenagers, and it did enrich the story quite a bit but it felt like “too little, too late.” I also felt like the 1950s setting could have been mined more, because other than references to the Korean War, I never got much of a sense that they were actually living in the 1950s.
Instead, the point-of-views that we do get from Elias’s perspective, as well as Benjy’s are not particularly interesting and tend to be quite repetitious in just being inner monologues of their internal struggles. The chapters about Benjy’s family, while helping to build a mystery, could perhaps have been discarded in favor of chapters from Maggie Wise’s life, or from the Wise children’s upbringing. Despite that, there is some interesting world-building that has been created here where a sequel doing more character development of their past could be used, as this one ended fairly abruptly.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Who is Maggie Wise? Is she a witch? A good mother? A bad mother? Who Maggie actually is, or will become, is at the heart of this atmospheric horror novel.
As the story begins, Maggie is dying. Standing vigil at her bedside are her second son, Malcolm, and her first son’s wife, Violet. The whereabouts of said first son, Elias, and Maggie’s daughter, Jennie, are unknown. Malcolm has made a promise to his dying mother – he will transport her corpse to the place of her birth, hundreds of miles away, and bury her there. Further, this task must be accomplished in the 48 hours following her death. The whys and wherefores of this promise are unknown because Maggie isn’t telling but she insists time is of the essence.
But Malcolm and Violet aren’t the only ones standing vigil for Maggie Wise. A stranger is lurking in the darkness outside, wearing a mask that makes him look like a raven. He’s been there for hours, staring at the house, waiting.
As this family drama in Elkhart, Indiana plays out, miles away in a cornfield, a young boy, Benjy, discovers something unusual. The ground around an old tree has erupted. He brings his parents to share in his discovery. What follows is the stuff of nightmares.
Carry Me to My Grave kept me enthralled from page one to its harrowing conclusion. The writing is tight, the characters deftly drawn, and the plot is compelling. A real page-turner, this is one of the best horror novels I’ve read in a long time and is highly recommended for horror fans and those who love a new twist on the old vampire legend.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this exciting novel.
As the story begins, Maggie is dying. Standing vigil at her bedside are her second son, Malcolm, and her first son’s wife, Violet. The whereabouts of said first son, Elias, and Maggie’s daughter, Jennie, are unknown. Malcolm has made a promise to his dying mother – he will transport her corpse to the place of her birth, hundreds of miles away, and bury her there. Further, this task must be accomplished in the 48 hours following her death. The whys and wherefores of this promise are unknown because Maggie isn’t telling but she insists time is of the essence.
But Malcolm and Violet aren’t the only ones standing vigil for Maggie Wise. A stranger is lurking in the darkness outside, wearing a mask that makes him look like a raven. He’s been there for hours, staring at the house, waiting.
As this family drama in Elkhart, Indiana plays out, miles away in a cornfield, a young boy, Benjy, discovers something unusual. The ground around an old tree has erupted. He brings his parents to share in his discovery. What follows is the stuff of nightmares.
Carry Me to My Grave kept me enthralled from page one to its harrowing conclusion. The writing is tight, the characters deftly drawn, and the plot is compelling. A real page-turner, this is one of the best horror novels I’ve read in a long time and is highly recommended for horror fans and those who love a new twist on the old vampire legend.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this exciting novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for providing a DRC.
I was so excited to get an e-mail offering this DRC. I have come to love Golden's writing, and he is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.
Does every kid think their mother is a witch? For Malcolm, Elias, and Jennie, it just might be true, and the whole town thinks so. The siblings have a fractured relationship stemming from familial trauma from their mother, Maggie, being hot and cold. But Maggie is dying, and Elias' wife, Violet, and Malcolm are there for her last months. Before she dies, Maggie tells Malcolm he has to get her body to Shediak, Maine, and bury her there.
She does not tell him that a curse she placed on some beings hundreds of years ago is about to become undone with her death unless she is buried in the place she first placed the curse.
A wild ride from start to finish, Golden once again proves he is a master weaver of tales. I tore through this book. Golden also is adept at writing the messiness of relationships in all their many forms.
I was so excited to get an e-mail offering this DRC. I have come to love Golden's writing, and he is fast becoming one of my favorite authors.
Does every kid think their mother is a witch? For Malcolm, Elias, and Jennie, it just might be true, and the whole town thinks so. The siblings have a fractured relationship stemming from familial trauma from their mother, Maggie, being hot and cold. But Maggie is dying, and Elias' wife, Violet, and Malcolm are there for her last months. Before she dies, Maggie tells Malcolm he has to get her body to Shediak, Maine, and bury her there.
She does not tell him that a curse she placed on some beings hundreds of years ago is about to become undone with her death unless she is buried in the place she first placed the curse.
A wild ride from start to finish, Golden once again proves he is a master weaver of tales. I tore through this book. Golden also is adept at writing the messiness of relationships in all their many forms.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
* Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *
Carry Me to My Grave is the newest horror-thriller from the famed Christopher Golden. Malcolm has a complicated relationship with his family - his emotionally distant mother and his physically distant siblings leave much to be desired, but when he makes a promise on his mother's deathbed to bury her in her hometown, he never could've imagined what would happen next. Something wicked this way comes, and it plans on keeping Malcom from fulfilling that promise.
Admittedly, this wasn't my favorite Golden book (that would be Snowblind or the Ben Walker series), but Golden has a way of drawing you in with his characters. You start the story not sure of how you feel about anyone, and by the end, find yourself rooting for people you least expected. This was a fun read, and after the initial lull in the beginning that I've come accustomed to with Golden, I devoured the remaining 90% in one day.
Definitely recommend for fans of horror/creature thrillers/Golden.
Carry Me to My Grave is the newest horror-thriller from the famed Christopher Golden. Malcolm has a complicated relationship with his family - his emotionally distant mother and his physically distant siblings leave much to be desired, but when he makes a promise on his mother's deathbed to bury her in her hometown, he never could've imagined what would happen next. Something wicked this way comes, and it plans on keeping Malcom from fulfilling that promise.
Admittedly, this wasn't my favorite Golden book (that would be Snowblind or the Ben Walker series), but Golden has a way of drawing you in with his characters. You start the story not sure of how you feel about anyone, and by the end, find yourself rooting for people you least expected. This was a fun read, and after the initial lull in the beginning that I've come accustomed to with Golden, I devoured the remaining 90% in one day.
Definitely recommend for fans of horror/creature thrillers/Golden.
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February 3, 2026Malcolm Wise está en Elkhart, Indiana, despidiéndose de su madre Maggie Wise cuando ella muere y le deja una última petición imposible de ignorar: llevar su cuerpo hasta Shediak, Maine, y enterrarla ahí en un tiempo muy limitado. Malcolm acepta sin saber exactamente por qué es tan urgente ni qué puede pasar si no cumple.
Desde el momento en que salen de Elkhart, el viaje se siente maldito. Él va acompañado de Violet y pronto queda claro que no están solos, que hay alguien siguiéndolos y que Maggie no era solo una mujer difícil, sino alguien que llevaba años cargando con secretos peligrosos. Mientras avanzan hacia Shediak, el trayecto se vuelve cada vez más inquietante y aterrador, y Malcolm empieza a preguntarse si cumplir la última voluntad de su madre fue realmente la decisión correcta.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Desde el momento en que salen de Elkhart, el viaje se siente maldito. Él va acompañado de Violet y pronto queda claro que no están solos, que hay alguien siguiéndolos y que Maggie no era solo una mujer difícil, sino alguien que llevaba años cargando con secretos peligrosos. Mientras avanzan hacia Shediak, el trayecto se vuelve cada vez más inquietante y aterrador, y Malcolm empieza a preguntarse si cumplir la última voluntad de su madre fue realmente la decisión correcta.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Maggie Wise will take your eyes- and Malcom never forgets the lingering tale that follows his mother and the local folklore legend that she is a murderous witch. When she passes away, this book becomes a very tense and fraught train ride, with several shenanigans I can't spoil for you here. Following Malcolm, we also follow Violet, his sister, and sometimes a little boy named Benjy. Each POV is more interesting than the last, and the plot is just as interesting as the characters are. This one is drenched with mysterious tension, found family, friendships, and stellar callbacks to the delicious train car mysteries Agatha Christie so loved. This one is a slow burn and more of a character study, but a lot of the cold weather scenes will truly chill you to the bone with how brutal they are. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden.
Dark, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling, this novel wastes no time establishing dread—starting with the chilling line, “Maggie Wise will take your eyes.” When Malcolm promises his dying mother to return her body to her birthplace in Maine, it quickly becomes clear that ancient, hungry forces are determined to stop him.
Christopher Golden excels at building creeping menace, from watchful figures to violence erupting during a tense train journey. The horror feels old, relentless, and inescapable. While I wanted a bit more depth from some characters, the pacing and atmosphere kept the tension high throughout.
A solid, eerie horror read for fans of folklore-infused and cosmic dread.
Dark, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling, this novel wastes no time establishing dread—starting with the chilling line, “Maggie Wise will take your eyes.” When Malcolm promises his dying mother to return her body to her birthplace in Maine, it quickly becomes clear that ancient, hungry forces are determined to stop him.
Christopher Golden excels at building creeping menace, from watchful figures to violence erupting during a tense train journey. The horror feels old, relentless, and inescapable. While I wanted a bit more depth from some characters, the pacing and atmosphere kept the tension high throughout.
A solid, eerie horror read for fans of folklore-infused and cosmic dread.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Malcom's family is... complicated. Becoming even more so when he is tasked with fulfilling his mother's death bed request. This request ends up taking him on a journey both literally and figuratively.
I loved this book. The story gripped me right from the beginning. I could not put this one down. It had a unique plot, was fast paced, and I enjoyed the new take on an old monster. I was rooting for Malcom the entire time. I thought the author did a fantastic job on the family dynamics. The fight scenes did become a little repetitive at the end but I didn't mind because I was so engaged with the story unfolding.
I admittedly haven't read many of this author's works. But what I have read has been great. He's definitely becoming an auto buy author.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book. The story gripped me right from the beginning. I could not put this one down. It had a unique plot, was fast paced, and I enjoyed the new take on an old monster. I was rooting for Malcom the entire time. I thought the author did a fantastic job on the family dynamics. The fight scenes did become a little repetitive at the end but I didn't mind because I was so engaged with the story unfolding.
I admittedly haven't read many of this author's works. But what I have read has been great. He's definitely becoming an auto buy author.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an e arc in exchange for an honest review!
Once I got past the first 10 ish percent, I was really invested in this creepy tale. The characters were very well written, and I felt anxious to see if they would make it to the end. Even if some of the characters weren't necessarily my favourite it was still interesting to see the reasoning behind what they had to do in their lives in order to survive. You also get multiple character points of views (some even from the monsters) which were a good touch and really immersed me into the story. I think so far out of all the Christopher golden books I've read, these monsters were some of my favorites, and I even found the end to be satisfying which can be touch and go with horror novels.
Would definitely recommend this book!
Once I got past the first 10 ish percent, I was really invested in this creepy tale. The characters were very well written, and I felt anxious to see if they would make it to the end. Even if some of the characters weren't necessarily my favourite it was still interesting to see the reasoning behind what they had to do in their lives in order to survive. You also get multiple character points of views (some even from the monsters) which were a good touch and really immersed me into the story. I think so far out of all the Christopher golden books I've read, these monsters were some of my favorites, and I even found the end to be satisfying which can be touch and go with horror novels.
Would definitely recommend this book!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I actually think this might be one of my favorites so far from Golden's wide collection of novels. While still the same slightly slow pace and character driven story, once it got right into the action it zoomed. Some blood and lots of chaos. It's hard to NOT get invested in the characters. Christopher Golden's characters, you'll either hate them or love them. Each character is so unique and fleshed out, and this was a strong showcase of his talent for creating rich characters. While he does follow some of the same formula in his other books storytelling wise, it's still incredibly fresh with such a unique take on vampires. This is one of those books best to go in blind in my opinion.
Thank you to St. Martin's and netgalley for the arc.
Thank you to St. Martin's and netgalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Carry Me to My Grave is one of those books where you'll say "Wow!" when you finish it. If you like vampire novels, you'll LOVE this book. It joins The Strain and Progeny of the Adder as one of the Top Three vampire novels I've read. It also joins Ararat on the summit of Mount Golden horror novels. Seriously, Christopher Golden has produced an instant classic. It's a horrific storyline beautifully executed by a master of the genre. He populates Carry Me to My Grave with characters you'll care about and a villain that is as vile as they come. It's a terrific tale that won't be forgotten by anyone fortunate enough to read it. It's a perfect example of a book where you can't wait to see what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This newest offering from Christopher Golden starts off a bit slowly, but once it gets going? Wow!
The book is full of grief, gruesomeness and a very new take on an old monster. And it gets legitimately creepy!
My favorite characters ended up being tragic ones, but I found that I did like (and was rooting for) our main characters as well. And as for our deceased mother? She's...complicated in all the most interesting ways.
A little bit of start and stop in the beginning, but stick with it. Before I knew it, I was fully immersed in a dark, tragic, and very scary world!
A good one!
The book is full of grief, gruesomeness and a very new take on an old monster. And it gets legitimately creepy!
My favorite characters ended up being tragic ones, but I found that I did like (and was rooting for) our main characters as well. And as for our deceased mother? She's...complicated in all the most interesting ways.
A little bit of start and stop in the beginning, but stick with it. Before I knew it, I was fully immersed in a dark, tragic, and very scary world!
A good one!
February 7, 2026
Carry Me To My Grave by Christopher Golden
Received as an arc. Maggie is dying but her son Malcom is by her side. She has strict instructions that when she dies she has to be buried within 2 days in her hometown in Maine a 1000 miles away.
There is a dark odd man with a raven mask that is trying to take Maggie’s body.
With the help of the loc as l undertaker and 2 thugs Maggie hired Malcom must endure a train ride to bring her home.
A creature buried and stirring under a tree awakens after eons to take a boy to help it on a mission.
All hell breaks loose on the ride of unknown brings trying everything to stop Maggie’s burial
Received as an arc. Maggie is dying but her son Malcom is by her side. She has strict instructions that when she dies she has to be buried within 2 days in her hometown in Maine a 1000 miles away.
There is a dark odd man with a raven mask that is trying to take Maggie’s body.
With the help of the loc as l undertaker and 2 thugs Maggie hired Malcom must endure a train ride to bring her home.
A creature buried and stirring under a tree awakens after eons to take a boy to help it on a mission.
All hell breaks loose on the ride of unknown brings trying everything to stop Maggie’s burial
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Coming this summer.
Malcolm Wise is the youngest son of Maggie Wise - a woman who locals say is a witch. We enter this story on Maggie's deathbed, where she tasks her son with the very important job of carrying her body to her grave [that's the name of the show!]. As it turns out, some shady individuals dont want that to happen, so Malcolm, his sister in law, and a few other people have to fight their way to the end of this quest.
I liked it. The characters were interesting and the story was creative. This was my first book by this author and I thought he had a good style.
I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher for review.
Malcolm Wise is the youngest son of Maggie Wise - a woman who locals say is a witch. We enter this story on Maggie's deathbed, where she tasks her son with the very important job of carrying her body to her grave [that's the name of the show!]. As it turns out, some shady individuals dont want that to happen, so Malcolm, his sister in law, and a few other people have to fight their way to the end of this quest.
I liked it. The characters were interesting and the story was creative. This was my first book by this author and I thought he had a good style.
I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher for review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for the arc!
As a horror lover, I was super excited to get a copy of this book to read and I read this on a cold, windy day - which totally hit the spot. I ate it up in about a day. It's rare for me to find horror/thriller books that I truly enjoy and I loved this book. Super spooky and creepy and exactly the vibes I was looking for!! Also - I partially went into this blind and wow- would totally recommend doing that as a lot of things caught me off guard and that made reading this so exciting.
As a horror lover, I was super excited to get a copy of this book to read and I read this on a cold, windy day - which totally hit the spot. I ate it up in about a day. It's rare for me to find horror/thriller books that I truly enjoy and I loved this book. Super spooky and creepy and exactly the vibes I was looking for!! Also - I partially went into this blind and wow- would totally recommend doing that as a lot of things caught me off guard and that made reading this so exciting.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A dying mother’s final request pulls Malcolm and his fractured family into a time sensitive trip that turns unsettling fast. Strange watchers, hired helpers, and mounting tensions make it clear something is after more than a body and the threat isn’t just human. Long-buried secrets surface and the line between grief and the supernatural blurs, especially with the Morak, vampire like creatures closing in on Maggie.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for allowing me to read this as an earc!
What a solid horror/thriller novel!
In this book we are introduced to Malcolm and his complex family dynamic. After a promise he made to his mother on her deathbed was to bury her back in her hometown SO much transpires and you could not predict what happens.
It took a while for me to be engrossed into this book but overall was written well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
What a solid horror/thriller novel!
In this book we are introduced to Malcolm and his complex family dynamic. After a promise he made to his mother on her deathbed was to bury her back in her hometown SO much transpires and you could not predict what happens.
It took a while for me to be engrossed into this book but overall was written well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5
February 3, 2026
The first part of the book drags a bit. I was close to giving up a few times but once you make it past the start the book hooks you and then I could t stop reading.
The characters are well written and diverse enough to keep you guessing as you read. I enjoyed the ending and wouldn’t mind more stories in this world.
Thanks NetGallery and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
The characters are well written and diverse enough to keep you guessing as you read. I enjoyed the ending and wouldn’t mind more stories in this world.
Thanks NetGallery and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review Copy
Christopher Golden grabs on and doesn't let go in his newest work CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE. A mother in Elkhart, Indiana wants to be buried in her birthplace in Maine when she dies and gives this task to one of her sons.
No big deal, right? Happens all the time. Not in Goldan's world. This simple task turns into a horrifying nightmare of unending proportions.
This novel is one of Golden's best. I read it straight through. Let it grab you and carry you away.
Christopher Golden grabs on and doesn't let go in his newest work CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE. A mother in Elkhart, Indiana wants to be buried in her birthplace in Maine when she dies and gives this task to one of her sons.
No big deal, right? Happens all the time. Not in Goldan's world. This simple task turns into a horrifying nightmare of unending proportions.
This novel is one of Golden's best. I read it straight through. Let it grab you and carry you away.
January 10, 2026
I’d like to thank edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I am a fan of the author, so I was excited to read this one. While it does start off slow burning, the second half picks up with a bang and doesn’t let go. Interesting story overall.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
wow
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