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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.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication July 21, 2026
About the author
Christopher Golden
762 books3,049 followersCHRISTOPHER GOLDEN has been called “the king of the horror-thriller.” The New York Times bestselling, multi-award-winning storyteller has made his mark in many mediums, as a writer of novels, screenplays, animation, audio dramas, and comics, and as an editor of landmark horror anthologies. His work has been published in dozens of languages around the world. Winner of the Bram Stoker Award, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the Audie Award, he has been nominated for others, including the British Fantasy Award. His best-known novels include Road of Bones, The House of Last Resort, All Hallows, and his latest, Carry Me to My Grave. He lives in Massachusetts, where he watches too many movies and eats too much chocolate.
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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.
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May 6, 2026*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC!*
Though I’ve not read near enough of Golden’s books (I think this is my 6th?), every book I have read has been a lot of fun. When the publisher sent me an email asking if I’d like a digital ARC, I jumped at the chance. I was very intrigued by the synopsis and considering ‘Road of Bones’ had a snow-skull cover and this one has a smoke-skull cover, I figured I’d be in for a fun ride.
What I liked: The story takes place during the mid-century, in the US. Malcolm is a Korean war vet, living back at home with his sister-in-law, Violet and his mother Maggie. Maggie has a reputation and there was a childhood rhyme about her – ‘Maggie Wise will take your eyes.’ Townsfolk believe she’s a witch. Malcolm always scoffed at those words and that thought, but right before she dies, she gives him specific instructions – bring her body back to Maine where she was born and bury her before sunrise within a few days or the world as we know it will cease to exist.
Golden takes us on a rampaging ride once Maggie dies. Strange figures appear and attempt to thwart Malcolm and Violet’s journey. They manage to get on a train with Maggie’s coffin, but still the bad guys arrive. And within all this, Golden introduces us to Root, a nightmarish creature hellbent on retrieving Maggie’s body before she can be buried.
I loved the action within this one. Each scene was vibrant and cinematic, and thankfully Golden doesn’t shy away from carnage and brutality. Nothing is watered down here and nobody is safe. As the book progresses, things get darker and darker and as the truth about Maggie is revealed and more of Malcolm’s family appear, things grow complicated. It’s within those complications that the emotional weight of the book exists and its those emotional weights that lift this book up a notch from similar books.
The ending works really well considering the journey the characters go on. Thankfully, it wasn’t a case of 300 pages to get to the climactic moment, only to have things wrap up in two paragraphs. Golden took his time finishing this one and this reader greatly appreciated it.
What I didn’t like: For me, I found one moment of slowdown that I wasn’t sure worked for me. It took place right after a train crash, where Malcolm and another character end up incarcerated for a brief time. As I was reading it, it kind of sucked some of the momentum out of the story for a short few chapters. That very well might’ve been Golden’s decision, to have a pause there considering the pedal-to-the-metal nature up to those scenes, but for me, it felt jarring.
Why you should buy this: This novel takes a really fun premise – bury a body to save the world – and then escalates the stakes within a few short chapters. Golden’s writing is world class and the pacing throughout was fantastic, practically forcing me to read ‘just one more chapter’ every night. If you’ve never read a Golden book, this would be a really great spot to jump in. If you’re a long time fan of his, you’ll be very happy with the book he’s delivered.
Though I’ve not read near enough of Golden’s books (I think this is my 6th?), every book I have read has been a lot of fun. When the publisher sent me an email asking if I’d like a digital ARC, I jumped at the chance. I was very intrigued by the synopsis and considering ‘Road of Bones’ had a snow-skull cover and this one has a smoke-skull cover, I figured I’d be in for a fun ride.
What I liked: The story takes place during the mid-century, in the US. Malcolm is a Korean war vet, living back at home with his sister-in-law, Violet and his mother Maggie. Maggie has a reputation and there was a childhood rhyme about her – ‘Maggie Wise will take your eyes.’ Townsfolk believe she’s a witch. Malcolm always scoffed at those words and that thought, but right before she dies, she gives him specific instructions – bring her body back to Maine where she was born and bury her before sunrise within a few days or the world as we know it will cease to exist.
Golden takes us on a rampaging ride once Maggie dies. Strange figures appear and attempt to thwart Malcolm and Violet’s journey. They manage to get on a train with Maggie’s coffin, but still the bad guys arrive. And within all this, Golden introduces us to Root, a nightmarish creature hellbent on retrieving Maggie’s body before she can be buried.
I loved the action within this one. Each scene was vibrant and cinematic, and thankfully Golden doesn’t shy away from carnage and brutality. Nothing is watered down here and nobody is safe. As the book progresses, things get darker and darker and as the truth about Maggie is revealed and more of Malcolm’s family appear, things grow complicated. It’s within those complications that the emotional weight of the book exists and its those emotional weights that lift this book up a notch from similar books.
The ending works really well considering the journey the characters go on. Thankfully, it wasn’t a case of 300 pages to get to the climactic moment, only to have things wrap up in two paragraphs. Golden took his time finishing this one and this reader greatly appreciated it.
What I didn’t like: For me, I found one moment of slowdown that I wasn’t sure worked for me. It took place right after a train crash, where Malcolm and another character end up incarcerated for a brief time. As I was reading it, it kind of sucked some of the momentum out of the story for a short few chapters. That very well might’ve been Golden’s decision, to have a pause there considering the pedal-to-the-metal nature up to those scenes, but for me, it felt jarring.
Why you should buy this: This novel takes a really fun premise – bury a body to save the world – and then escalates the stakes within a few short chapters. Golden’s writing is world class and the pacing throughout was fantastic, practically forcing me to read ‘just one more chapter’ every night. If you’ve never read a Golden book, this would be a really great spot to jump in. If you’re a long time fan of his, you’ll be very happy with the book he’s delivered.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reading for review in the June issue of Library Journal.
Three Words That Describe This Book: race against time, family secrets, ancient evil
More words: sinister, mommy issues, grief, historical (excellent 1956 setting), violent, multiple povs, keeps the pacing up without having to sacrifice enough detail and increases suspense, well developed characters, thriller feel, chase novel.
The set up is deceptively easy-- It is the Fall of 1956. As Maggie is dying, a strange man in a raven mask waits outside the house. She tells her youngest son Malcolm (a Korean War vet) that she will die at sunrise. He must call the funeral parlor then get her body to Maine and bury her in 2 days or else. The funeral director has directions and plans have been made for years. Malcolm and his brother's wife Violet start the journey but even getting to the train station-- people are trying to stop them. And it gets worse from there.
Maggie was not the easiest mom to grow up with and this is discussed and probed throughout. The other siblings do join him at some point but not int he ways you expect.
An ancient evil is awakening with Maggie's death. But why? And what happens if Malcolm can't get Maggie in the ground in time.
As much as this is an action forward, race against time horror story, it is dependent on its characters and their complexity. That is very hard to balance well, but Golden does an excellent job here. The action is great, the monsters and the ancient evil behind it, well done-- even as readers wait to know the origin, it is all believable in the world he has setup. But the characters are also well drawn. A lesser author would have slapped them together, but each builds throughout the story both when they have the pod and not. There are details scattered throughout that all come together as well.
It does bounce around a lot, which could be seen as jarring to a reader, but I would argue that it is necessary to convey the essence of the plot. As the characters are trying to go on this quest, Malcolm to fulfill Maggie's dying wish, getting chased by these very evil monsters and all the chaos that clearly Maggie knew this was coming. From horrific scene after scene, from Elkhart IN to an island in Maine. As people help and hinder them along the way....all of it is intense, exciting, violent, heartbreaking, complicated, nuanced, and a lot of horror fun.
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy meets The Good House by Tananrive Due
Three Words That Describe This Book: race against time, family secrets, ancient evil
More words: sinister, mommy issues, grief, historical (excellent 1956 setting), violent, multiple povs, keeps the pacing up without having to sacrifice enough detail and increases suspense, well developed characters, thriller feel, chase novel.
The set up is deceptively easy-- It is the Fall of 1956. As Maggie is dying, a strange man in a raven mask waits outside the house. She tells her youngest son Malcolm (a Korean War vet) that she will die at sunrise. He must call the funeral parlor then get her body to Maine and bury her in 2 days or else. The funeral director has directions and plans have been made for years. Malcolm and his brother's wife Violet start the journey but even getting to the train station-- people are trying to stop them. And it gets worse from there.
Maggie was not the easiest mom to grow up with and this is discussed and probed throughout. The other siblings do join him at some point but not int he ways you expect.
An ancient evil is awakening with Maggie's death. But why? And what happens if Malcolm can't get Maggie in the ground in time.
As much as this is an action forward, race against time horror story, it is dependent on its characters and their complexity. That is very hard to balance well, but Golden does an excellent job here. The action is great, the monsters and the ancient evil behind it, well done-- even as readers wait to know the origin, it is all believable in the world he has setup. But the characters are also well drawn. A lesser author would have slapped them together, but each builds throughout the story both when they have the pod and not. There are details scattered throughout that all come together as well.
It does bounce around a lot, which could be seen as jarring to a reader, but I would argue that it is necessary to convey the essence of the plot. As the characters are trying to go on this quest, Malcolm to fulfill Maggie's dying wish, getting chased by these very evil monsters and all the chaos that clearly Maggie knew this was coming. From horrific scene after scene, from Elkhart IN to an island in Maine. As people help and hinder them along the way....all of it is intense, exciting, violent, heartbreaking, complicated, nuanced, and a lot of horror fun.
When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy meets The Good House by Tananrive Due
March 10, 2026
Christopher Golden is like my Stephen King. He’s a comfort read and I know I’ll always enjoy whatever he writes.
When I need a slow burn with well fleshed out characters, Golden is who I turn to. And this one did not disappoint. The relationships between the characters are beautiful and complex. The setting moves throughout the story and I thought that added a fast paced element that kept the read interesting. This read is frightening, heart breaking, and suspenseful.
Thank you to NetGalley & the author for the eARC.
When I need a slow burn with well fleshed out characters, Golden is who I turn to. And this one did not disappoint. The relationships between the characters are beautiful and complex. The setting moves throughout the story and I thought that added a fast paced element that kept the read interesting. This read is frightening, heart breaking, and suspenseful.
Thank you to NetGalley & the author for the eARC.
March 21, 2026
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Carry Me To My Grave by Christopher Golden is a horror novel about Malcolm, a Korean War veteran with a complex family. Following the death of his mother, Maggie, it becomes abundantly clear that the childhood rumors that she was a witch have more than weight behind them as an eldritch evil arises and attempts to stop her burial hundreds of miles away in Maine. In the course of 48 hours they must transport her body to its final resting place, despite powerful forces trying to stop them.
This book is the kind of action-oriented, high detail novel that really lends itself well to the imagination. It really hit me how well this book would lend itself to an action/horror screenplay. Rather than other horror novels that rely on atmospheric or very psychological elements to generate the scary feeling, this one has elements that are thrilling and exciting without being too “creepy.” Sure there are eldrich vampire beings, but there are also car chases, burly Irish enforcer twins, and train crashes. It very much straddles the genre line, which I appreciate.
I also really did love that the characters had a level of complexity. There was a very layered approach to Maggie who is enigmatic, powerful, kind to some, emotionally distant to others, and fully unique as a character. Her motivations are murky purposefully, and the way she treats her children and daughter in law inform their behavior throughout the story. I also appreciated the character of Jennie very much, I thought she was a great example of a literary character with serious mommy issues.
The pacing could be a little strange, especially with the flip-flopping of the perspectives. It takes a minute to get going, but it really does hit streaks of very intense action. However, sometimes in the transition times between the different stops along the journey it feels slow to move on, or like the villain is doing the same thing, with the same motivation, over and over.
In general I feel like this was a very exciting inclusion to the vampire cannon. I could easily recommend this book to someone who loves thrillers and action stories but wants something a little darker. 4/5, a very gripping story.
Carry Me To My Grave by Christopher Golden is a horror novel about Malcolm, a Korean War veteran with a complex family. Following the death of his mother, Maggie, it becomes abundantly clear that the childhood rumors that she was a witch have more than weight behind them as an eldritch evil arises and attempts to stop her burial hundreds of miles away in Maine. In the course of 48 hours they must transport her body to its final resting place, despite powerful forces trying to stop them.
This book is the kind of action-oriented, high detail novel that really lends itself well to the imagination. It really hit me how well this book would lend itself to an action/horror screenplay. Rather than other horror novels that rely on atmospheric or very psychological elements to generate the scary feeling, this one has elements that are thrilling and exciting without being too “creepy.” Sure there are eldrich vampire beings, but there are also car chases, burly Irish enforcer twins, and train crashes. It very much straddles the genre line, which I appreciate.
I also really did love that the characters had a level of complexity. There was a very layered approach to Maggie who is enigmatic, powerful, kind to some, emotionally distant to others, and fully unique as a character. Her motivations are murky purposefully, and the way she treats her children and daughter in law inform their behavior throughout the story. I also appreciated the character of Jennie very much, I thought she was a great example of a literary character with serious mommy issues.
The pacing could be a little strange, especially with the flip-flopping of the perspectives. It takes a minute to get going, but it really does hit streaks of very intense action. However, sometimes in the transition times between the different stops along the journey it feels slow to move on, or like the villain is doing the same thing, with the same motivation, over and over.
In general I feel like this was a very exciting inclusion to the vampire cannon. I could easily recommend this book to someone who loves thrillers and action stories but wants something a little darker. 4/5, a very gripping story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC. I find many horror books silly and definitely not scary. This book had me on the edge of my seat. I screamed for them to run. I shut my kindle so many times as I couldn't bear what was gonna happen next. This was a humdinger of a witchcraft and vampire combo. Malcolm and Violet are set to bury Malcolm's mom in Shediak, Maine before sunrise two days after her death. Evil comes out of the woodwork to stop them from completing their task. This is a story of good and evil, but also a story of family and listening to your inner self and what it truly tells you. I look forward to reading more terror and gore from this author.
February 16, 2026
Beautifully written, action and terror on each others heels in this race for humanity. A terrifying look into the long reach of family bonds and the cost of keeping our word, Malcolm and sister-in-law Violet go on the run after mom Maggie passes, leaving the most bizarre instructions for her burial. With help from some terrifying hired guns, they begin a journey unlike anything in their lifetime, and holding on is all the help they'll have. Golden returns to the age of Road of Bones with the gore and terror within these pages, and I for one am glad to see his return. 10/10, no notes.
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.
giveaways
March 22, 2026Subtle and introspective, this novel focuses more on mood than momentum. Its strongest element is the atmosphere—heavy, muted, and shaped by the lingering weight of the past.
While the themes of guilt and buried secrets add some depth, the story moves too slowly to stay engaging. The tension never fully develops, and much of it feels flat and, at times, boring.
Overall, it’s a subdued, atmospheric read that lacks the impact needed to truly hold attention.
Thank you St Martin Press for the ARC.
While the themes of guilt and buried secrets add some depth, the story moves too slowly to stay engaging. The tension never fully develops, and much of it feels flat and, at times, boring.
Overall, it’s a subdued, atmospheric read that lacks the impact needed to truly hold attention.
Thank you St Martin Press for the ARC.
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.
May 11, 2026
Picking up a
Christopher Golden
book has become a no-brainer, almost second nature these days. I know what to expect in the form of the style of writing and that I will not be disappointed. So,
Carry Me to My Grave
was a must-read anyway, but what Golden gives us in his latest novel is a slow-burn, unsettling, and heartfelt horror story filled with dread and I was here for every moment.
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.
Carry Me to My Grave has such a creepy and unsettling opening few chapters when dealing with the passing of Malcom's mother Maggie. Golden crafts the story in such as way that I vividly can see what is going on around these characters, especially this dark figure that lurks in the willow trees. It was almost as if I didn't want to read this tale with the lights off, that's how uneasy it made me feel, in such a good way.
This opening scene or two is something that stayed with me throughout the book, but also as the final page was turned. However, it's the journey on the train to Maine (my home state) that things got even more uneasy and just as creepy. On this journey we follow many different characters in different situations that all felt extremely fleshed out and were full of a level of complexity I have come to expect from Golden. The confined space of a train in the 1950s that made these characters shine even more.
The story is also full of action and pushing itself forward as the train struts along. There is this evil force behind all of this and as we try and figure out what is behind it all, we are give monsters, and other evil to deal with along the way. This mix of characters and monsters give us a unsettling, violent, and at times complicated story that has you eagerly turning the page, either by shear desire to know what happens, or to run from the previous pages.
Carry Me to My Grave is a slow-burning, eerie, and emotional ride where Christopher Golden expertly balances unsettling atmosphere with brutal horror, and complex characters. A Haunting and deeply unsettling horror journey that stays with you long after the train reaches its destination.
Carry Me to My Grave hits bookstores everywhere on July 21, 2026 from St. Martin's Press.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Carry Me to My Grave from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
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.
Carry Me to My Grave has such a creepy and unsettling opening few chapters when dealing with the passing of Malcom's mother Maggie. Golden crafts the story in such as way that I vividly can see what is going on around these characters, especially this dark figure that lurks in the willow trees. It was almost as if I didn't want to read this tale with the lights off, that's how uneasy it made me feel, in such a good way.
This opening scene or two is something that stayed with me throughout the book, but also as the final page was turned. However, it's the journey on the train to Maine (my home state) that things got even more uneasy and just as creepy. On this journey we follow many different characters in different situations that all felt extremely fleshed out and were full of a level of complexity I have come to expect from Golden. The confined space of a train in the 1950s that made these characters shine even more.
The story is also full of action and pushing itself forward as the train struts along. There is this evil force behind all of this and as we try and figure out what is behind it all, we are give monsters, and other evil to deal with along the way. This mix of characters and monsters give us a unsettling, violent, and at times complicated story that has you eagerly turning the page, either by shear desire to know what happens, or to run from the previous pages.
Carry Me to My Grave is a slow-burning, eerie, and emotional ride where Christopher Golden expertly balances unsettling atmosphere with brutal horror, and complex characters. A Haunting and deeply unsettling horror journey that stays with you long after the train reaches its destination.
Carry Me to My Grave hits bookstores everywhere on July 21, 2026 from St. Martin's Press.
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Carry Me to My Grave from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Christopher Golden's books always pull me in with their amazing blurbs, but I often find them a little lacking in execution. Carry Me to My Grave is no exception, but I went into it expecting that to be the case so I guess I wasn't really disappointed?
The Good: This novel isn't nearly as depressing as some of Golden's other books. I mean, sure, things are not all sunshine and rainbows — it's a horror novel. And the characters are kind of broken and there's lots of childhood trauma for some of them to work though, but overall it ended … not as traumatically as it could have? If you've read any of his other books, you know that this is a rarity. (Here's looking at you, The House of Last Resort.)
This is also a pretty fast-paced read, and it's certainly a nail-biter in parts. The entire story is a race against the clock and it's hard to put down once things really kick into gear. No complaints there. It's not fine literature but it's entertaining enough.
Honestly, I've decided that Golden's books kind of remind me of Dean Koontz? They're what I consider “pop horror,” which might be an actual term that means something completely different than what I've made up in my head, but for me it's a horror novel that's decently scary and not an unpleasant read, but that isn't particularly deep or literary or anything super memorable. You read it and enjoy it well enough and then you forget about it. (Note: This does not apply to Dean Koontz's Intensity. That book traumatized me as a teenager and is the sole reason that I insist on having a security system in my house.) This is not necessarily a bad thing — I worshipped Koontz back in the day.
The Meh: This novel honestly reminded me a lot of his previous book, The Night Birds. Change the setting from a ship to a train and the monsters from witches to vampires, and there you go. I mean, the plot lines are obviously different and so it's not the same story, but in both books all of the action revolves around the main characters fighting off a group of supernatural villains over and over while dealing with major personal issues.
Also, can we talk about these vampires for a moment? They're certainly not traditional vampires and that's fine, but I didn't even realize that they were vampires until I was well into the novel. (Actually, I realized it when I looked at the Goodreads page for this book and saw that it was tagged “vampires.”) They are eventually called vampires by the main characters and so then it's much easier to pull all of the details together and go “oh, yeah, that makes sense!” But I initially imagined these creatures looking kind of like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy and that doesn't exactly scream vampire to me. Maybe this is just a “me being daft” thing (I'll admit that it's a possibility), but I sort of feel that if you're writing about well-known supernatural creatures, those creatures should be recognizable to your readers as those creatures? I dunno, I could be wrong here, please don't yell at me.
Anyway, Carry Me to My Grave is a fast-paced, entertaining read that I'll likely have completely forgotten in a few weeks. It doesn't reinvent the (blood-splattered) wheel as far as horror goes, but it's pretty much exactly what I expected it to be.
3.5 stars, rounded up. (Could we please, please, please have half stars, Goodreads? Four stars feels wrong but three isn't right either.)
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is July 21, 2026.
The Good: This novel isn't nearly as depressing as some of Golden's other books. I mean, sure, things are not all sunshine and rainbows — it's a horror novel. And the characters are kind of broken and there's lots of childhood trauma for some of them to work though, but overall it ended … not as traumatically as it could have? If you've read any of his other books, you know that this is a rarity. (Here's looking at you, The House of Last Resort.)
This is also a pretty fast-paced read, and it's certainly a nail-biter in parts. The entire story is a race against the clock and it's hard to put down once things really kick into gear. No complaints there. It's not fine literature but it's entertaining enough.
Honestly, I've decided that Golden's books kind of remind me of Dean Koontz? They're what I consider “pop horror,” which might be an actual term that means something completely different than what I've made up in my head, but for me it's a horror novel that's decently scary and not an unpleasant read, but that isn't particularly deep or literary or anything super memorable. You read it and enjoy it well enough and then you forget about it. (Note: This does not apply to Dean Koontz's Intensity. That book traumatized me as a teenager and is the sole reason that I insist on having a security system in my house.) This is not necessarily a bad thing — I worshipped Koontz back in the day.
The Meh: This novel honestly reminded me a lot of his previous book, The Night Birds. Change the setting from a ship to a train and the monsters from witches to vampires, and there you go. I mean, the plot lines are obviously different and so it's not the same story, but in both books all of the action revolves around the main characters fighting off a group of supernatural villains over and over while dealing with major personal issues.
Also, can we talk about these vampires for a moment? They're certainly not traditional vampires and that's fine, but I didn't even realize that they were vampires until I was well into the novel. (Actually, I realized it when I looked at the Goodreads page for this book and saw that it was tagged “vampires.”) They are eventually called vampires by the main characters and so then it's much easier to pull all of the details together and go “oh, yeah, that makes sense!” But I initially imagined these creatures looking kind of like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy and that doesn't exactly scream vampire to me. Maybe this is just a “me being daft” thing (I'll admit that it's a possibility), but I sort of feel that if you're writing about well-known supernatural creatures, those creatures should be recognizable to your readers as those creatures? I dunno, I could be wrong here, please don't yell at me.
Anyway, Carry Me to My Grave is a fast-paced, entertaining read that I'll likely have completely forgotten in a few weeks. It doesn't reinvent the (blood-splattered) wheel as far as horror goes, but it's pretty much exactly what I expected it to be.
3.5 stars, rounded up. (Could we please, please, please have half stars, Goodreads? Four stars feels wrong but three isn't right either.)
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is July 21, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I thought this story would scratch a supernatural horror itch—and in some ways it did—but flat characters, over-explaining, and repetitive prose delayed the payoff for me.
Let’s start with the good things. I thought the main antagonist, Root—and the history behind it and its kin—was absolutely fascinating. There’s just enough mystery around the genesis of this ominous, ancient evil that drew me in right away. Once you finally meet them in all their terrible glory, these antagonists are truly terrifying.
I loved the strained relationships between Maggie and her children. The familial relationships were very relatable from someone whose biological family also put the ‘fun’ in dysfunction. Each of
Maggie’s children attempted to make sense of their strained relationship, and found coping mechanisms that real people would also develop.
Violet, however, was very much a paper doll (for me). I had a hard time relating to her motivation to join this dangerous adventure, just to pay homage to mother-figure Maggie and sneak some alone time with Malcolm. You’re running from supernatural threats girl, get your head on straight!
CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE absolutely hits the ground running. If anyone says there’s not enough action, I don’t think we read the same book. In that same vein, though… a lot of this book is running. Running from this antagonist, to that bloodbath, to that location. Contrastingly, the other half is inactive interiority. Characters reminiscing or musing or stunned into abject terror. (Okay, the abject terror part is absolutely understandable)
CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE was Red-Light, Green-Light in book form for me.
I wish there had been more hints, or perhaps more widely spaced hints, that Maggie was something special—vague for spoilers. I feel like the resolution rushed in, answers at the ready. My disbelief wasn’t suspended for the odd, counterintuitive choices some of the characters made. You’re cold in a car? Can’t you turn on the heat?
The characters also had a habit of introducing information that the reader already knew, or rehashed the plan that had already been established, and that really bogged down the story for me.
Overall, CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE was action-packed, but a smidgen too long. It had terrifying beasties, but not enough supernatural underpinning to hold it all together (for me). This just wasn’t the story for me, but my yuck could be your yum!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the free advance review copy of CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE. My review is honest and given freely.
Let’s start with the good things. I thought the main antagonist, Root—and the history behind it and its kin—was absolutely fascinating. There’s just enough mystery around the genesis of this ominous, ancient evil that drew me in right away. Once you finally meet them in all their terrible glory, these antagonists are truly terrifying.
I loved the strained relationships between Maggie and her children. The familial relationships were very relatable from someone whose biological family also put the ‘fun’ in dysfunction. Each of
Maggie’s children attempted to make sense of their strained relationship, and found coping mechanisms that real people would also develop.
Violet, however, was very much a paper doll (for me). I had a hard time relating to her motivation to join this dangerous adventure, just to pay homage to mother-figure Maggie and sneak some alone time with Malcolm. You’re running from supernatural threats girl, get your head on straight!
CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE absolutely hits the ground running. If anyone says there’s not enough action, I don’t think we read the same book. In that same vein, though… a lot of this book is running. Running from this antagonist, to that bloodbath, to that location. Contrastingly, the other half is inactive interiority. Characters reminiscing or musing or stunned into abject terror. (Okay, the abject terror part is absolutely understandable)
CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE was Red-Light, Green-Light in book form for me.
I wish there had been more hints, or perhaps more widely spaced hints, that Maggie was something special—vague for spoilers. I feel like the resolution rushed in, answers at the ready. My disbelief wasn’t suspended for the odd, counterintuitive choices some of the characters made. You’re cold in a car? Can’t you turn on the heat?
The characters also had a habit of introducing information that the reader already knew, or rehashed the plan that had already been established, and that really bogged down the story for me.
Overall, CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE was action-packed, but a smidgen too long. It had terrifying beasties, but not enough supernatural underpinning to hold it all together (for me). This just wasn’t the story for me, but my yuck could be your yum!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the free advance review copy of CARRY ME TO MY GRAVE. My review is honest and given freely.
May 16, 2026
A few years back I was looking for a really good Halloween season read and happened across Christopher Golden’s All Hallows. That book was so good and is definitely going to be a regular Spooky Season read for me. I have added several books by Christopher Golden to my TBR pile but have not gotten to them. When this came available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read this for an honest review. Huge Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for letting me read this. It was such an honor.
Going in to this book I knew very little about it. Now that I have read it I think that was the best way to read this. Here is what the story is about with as minimal info as possible to not ruin anything.
Maggie, the town witch is dying. Only one of her three children Malcom and Maggie’s other son’s wife Violet are at her side as she passes. Maggie makes Malcom promise he will do everything he can to get her body back to her home to be buried. While this is happening a strange dark figure waits outside for Maggie to pass and an ancient evil is waking up from its place beneath the earth. See, very little to go on, but I promise if you hang in there, all questions will be answered.
This was a fun story. Do not go into this thinking you are going to find anything out right away. When some of the questions I had from the first chapter started to be answered; I looked and my Kindle and was at 52%. My recommendation, strap in and enjoy the ride and character building. There is plenty of family trauma and impending doom to keep you engaged while you wait for answers.
Normally I would have been very aggravated by the slow burn. I am just not a fan of a slow burn and need a little action to help move the story along. There is some great action spaced through the book, but the characters and plot line are the highlight of this book. Christopher Golden dose a great job moving the story forward while revealing little bits that seem meaningless unless you are paying attention.
I really enjoyed this story and it further solidified my fandom of ChristopherGolden. I am excited to catch up on his back catalogue and what has yet to be published. 🥃🥃🥃🥃 review for me and I highly recommend this if you like a slow burn countdown style story. I guess I forgot to mention, Maggie’s body has to reach her home and be buried before sunrise after the second night from Maggie’s passing. This book will absolutely make you wonder if Malcom and Violet are going to make it. This is far from your predictable countdown story.
Going in to this book I knew very little about it. Now that I have read it I think that was the best way to read this. Here is what the story is about with as minimal info as possible to not ruin anything.
Maggie, the town witch is dying. Only one of her three children Malcom and Maggie’s other son’s wife Violet are at her side as she passes. Maggie makes Malcom promise he will do everything he can to get her body back to her home to be buried. While this is happening a strange dark figure waits outside for Maggie to pass and an ancient evil is waking up from its place beneath the earth. See, very little to go on, but I promise if you hang in there, all questions will be answered.
This was a fun story. Do not go into this thinking you are going to find anything out right away. When some of the questions I had from the first chapter started to be answered; I looked and my Kindle and was at 52%. My recommendation, strap in and enjoy the ride and character building. There is plenty of family trauma and impending doom to keep you engaged while you wait for answers.
Normally I would have been very aggravated by the slow burn. I am just not a fan of a slow burn and need a little action to help move the story along. There is some great action spaced through the book, but the characters and plot line are the highlight of this book. Christopher Golden dose a great job moving the story forward while revealing little bits that seem meaningless unless you are paying attention.
I really enjoyed this story and it further solidified my fandom of ChristopherGolden. I am excited to catch up on his back catalogue and what has yet to be published. 🥃🥃🥃🥃 review for me and I highly recommend this if you like a slow burn countdown style story. I guess I forgot to mention, Maggie’s body has to reach her home and be buried before sunrise after the second night from Maggie’s passing. This book will absolutely make you wonder if Malcom and Violet are going to make it. This is far from your predictable countdown story.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a fan of horror books, I will admit I am a little late to the Christopher Golden scene as he has written quite a few novels, even having a couple listed as “in development” for possibly coming to our screens. His newest book, Carry Me to My Grave, has an interesting description and phenomenal cover so I could not pass it up.
With some minor reservations, I really enjoyed this book. It starts with the impending death of Maggie Wise, a mother of three adult children, who was known within her community of Elkhart, Indiana as the town’s witch. As she lays dying, she asks her youngest child, Malcolm, to carry her body back to the town of her birth, Shediak, Maine, which is over a thousand miles away, and to bury her, all within two days. Maggie had made certain arrangements for assistance, including help from Paxton Keates, who owned the local funeral parlor, and Joe and Alfie Hannigan, two brothers intended to provide security. Malcolm’s sister-in-law Violet goes along for the ride. The only problem is that there are vampire-like demons all along the way who are determined to not allow Maggie to be buried.
From this point on, the story becomes one of a road trip, with bad guys trying to stop the good guys from reaching their destination. The journey starts with a train and transitions to other forms of transportation, often stolen. Things are kept interesting with the introduction of various other characters who appear along the route and join in, either with Malcolm’s group or the demons chasing them.
I liked how the characters featured most prominently in the story were constructed. They all were treated differently by Maggie when she was alive, and those differences impact their relationships with each other throughout toe journey from Indiana to Maine. Even some of the demons chasing them dealt with moral dilemmas and that kept the story interesting.
My biggest issue with the book, the place of Maggie’s death, was integral to the entire plot. While the author provided an explanation as to why she chose to die in Elkhart, I did not buy it. I will leave it at that so as to not spoil anything and add that this did not impact my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Carry Me to My Grave. The above opinions are my own.
With some minor reservations, I really enjoyed this book. It starts with the impending death of Maggie Wise, a mother of three adult children, who was known within her community of Elkhart, Indiana as the town’s witch. As she lays dying, she asks her youngest child, Malcolm, to carry her body back to the town of her birth, Shediak, Maine, which is over a thousand miles away, and to bury her, all within two days. Maggie had made certain arrangements for assistance, including help from Paxton Keates, who owned the local funeral parlor, and Joe and Alfie Hannigan, two brothers intended to provide security. Malcolm’s sister-in-law Violet goes along for the ride. The only problem is that there are vampire-like demons all along the way who are determined to not allow Maggie to be buried.
From this point on, the story becomes one of a road trip, with bad guys trying to stop the good guys from reaching their destination. The journey starts with a train and transitions to other forms of transportation, often stolen. Things are kept interesting with the introduction of various other characters who appear along the route and join in, either with Malcolm’s group or the demons chasing them.
I liked how the characters featured most prominently in the story were constructed. They all were treated differently by Maggie when she was alive, and those differences impact their relationships with each other throughout toe journey from Indiana to Maine. Even some of the demons chasing them dealt with moral dilemmas and that kept the story interesting.
My biggest issue with the book, the place of Maggie’s death, was integral to the entire plot. While the author provided an explanation as to why she chose to die in Elkhart, I did not buy it. I will leave it at that so as to not spoil anything and add that this did not impact my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read Carry Me to My Grave. The above opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Every time I read a Christopher Golden book, I find myself saying “I have to start talking about this dude in the same breaths as Laird Barron, John Langan, Adam Nevill, and the rest of my favorite horror writers (or writers, period, really.)” But then for whatever reason, I never do. Until he releases another banger that further cements the fact that he is absolutely one of my favorites. Initially, it was Road of Bones. Last year, it was The Night Birds. Now, it’s Carry Me to My Grave.
Maggie Wise is dying. And as she inches closer to her last breath, other things are stirring. Ancient things. Evil things. Maggie’s death will herald their return, unless her youngest son, Malcolm -a Korean War veteran and the only of Maggie’s three children to remain at their home in Elkart, Indiana, to care for their dying mother - can transport her body to her birthplace of Shediak, Maine. Aided by his brother’s estranged wife and an Irish bodyguard-for-hire, Malcolm races against both time and the unfathomable horrors rising from the earth to lay his mother to rest before it’s too late.
Golden excels at writing horror that is visceral and jarring. And there’s always an element of the characters having to operate in close proximity to it, so that the danger - and therefore, the tension - is always present. In The Night Birds, one of the witches is on the boat, and you’re unsure of whether she’s helping or harming. Here in Carry Me To My Grave, there’s not only Benjy, who is under the spell of the monsters, but also Maggie herself - dead, but is she really? That dynamic, coupled with the complicated family dynamics that are so palpable that they’re basically an extra passenger, leaves you constantly wondering which will happen first - the characters being ripped apart physically or emotionally.
If you liked Road of Bones and The Night Birds, this one operates directly from that same pocket. You won’t be disappointed. Also for fans of: Matthew Lyons’ Mask of Flies and C.S. Humble’s The Light Sublime Trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Maggie Wise is dying. And as she inches closer to her last breath, other things are stirring. Ancient things. Evil things. Maggie’s death will herald their return, unless her youngest son, Malcolm -a Korean War veteran and the only of Maggie’s three children to remain at their home in Elkart, Indiana, to care for their dying mother - can transport her body to her birthplace of Shediak, Maine. Aided by his brother’s estranged wife and an Irish bodyguard-for-hire, Malcolm races against both time and the unfathomable horrors rising from the earth to lay his mother to rest before it’s too late.
Golden excels at writing horror that is visceral and jarring. And there’s always an element of the characters having to operate in close proximity to it, so that the danger - and therefore, the tension - is always present. In The Night Birds, one of the witches is on the boat, and you’re unsure of whether she’s helping or harming. Here in Carry Me To My Grave, there’s not only Benjy, who is under the spell of the monsters, but also Maggie herself - dead, but is she really? That dynamic, coupled with the complicated family dynamics that are so palpable that they’re basically an extra passenger, leaves you constantly wondering which will happen first - the characters being ripped apart physically or emotionally.
If you liked Road of Bones and The Night Birds, this one operates directly from that same pocket. You won’t be disappointed. Also for fans of: Matthew Lyons’ Mask of Flies and C.S. Humble’s The Light Sublime Trilogy.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is the third book I've read by Christopher Golden, and I would probably say my second favorite out of the three. What keeps me coming back to him is his ability to craft a spooky atmosphere with characters that feel like real people, even when there are monsters or witchcraft involved. (And the monsters are usually pretty vivid, also.)
The first third of this novel felt like an old black and white film with a bit of a noir touch. I really liked the section on the train and the mysterious buildup to what was really going on. The later part of the story leaned more into full on monster horror, which was fine, but lacked the interesting spirit of the beginning.
This author is very good at writing a bone chilling monster and a violent death scene. When you get a bit of perspective from someone who has been turned into a creature against their will and driven to kill, the violence is intimate in its descriptions, and the way the person is still in there and repulsed but can’t control the urge to “feed” is horrifying. Golden's prose overall is smooth, without being overly flowery. But he really gets to the heart of his characters and their relationships with each other even amidst the carnage. Much of this takes place in a snowy setting and it would be a great read for a cold, Wintery night.
Eventually, the plot started to feel stretched out and I wanted the characters to just get on with it. Jumping around from one POV to another only emphasized this. Along with what I would personally consider to be a somewhat irritating romantic subplot and Violet's unrelenting self-righteousness, I ended up knocking the score down a little bit to a 3.5. This book was exciting but I got impatient with it. Golden is a good author but I definitely enjoyed The Night Birds more. That said, I will read more of his work.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Domestic Violence, Harm to children.
The first third of this novel felt like an old black and white film with a bit of a noir touch. I really liked the section on the train and the mysterious buildup to what was really going on. The later part of the story leaned more into full on monster horror, which was fine, but lacked the interesting spirit of the beginning.
This author is very good at writing a bone chilling monster and a violent death scene. When you get a bit of perspective from someone who has been turned into a creature against their will and driven to kill, the violence is intimate in its descriptions, and the way the person is still in there and repulsed but can’t control the urge to “feed” is horrifying. Golden's prose overall is smooth, without being overly flowery. But he really gets to the heart of his characters and their relationships with each other even amidst the carnage. Much of this takes place in a snowy setting and it would be a great read for a cold, Wintery night.
Eventually, the plot started to feel stretched out and I wanted the characters to just get on with it. Jumping around from one POV to another only emphasized this. Along with what I would personally consider to be a somewhat irritating romantic subplot and Violet's unrelenting self-righteousness, I ended up knocking the score down a little bit to a 3.5. This book was exciting but I got impatient with it. Golden is a good author but I definitely enjoyed The Night Birds more. That said, I will read more of his work.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the author for an early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Domestic Violence, Harm to children.
February 27, 2026
5 stars
Many of my favorite horror stories use horror to explore deeper, human struggles around love, loss, or family trauma. In Carry Me To My Grave, author Christopher Golden has given me exactly what I wanted and I could not have enjoyed this book more. While reading, I found myself thinking of the movies Sinners and Big Fish, with a dash of Lord of the Rings.
The narrative revolves around main character Malcom Wise whose mother Maggie, who may be an actual witch, is dying. Keeping vigil at her bedside with Malcom is Violet, the wife of his older brother Elias. Their relationship is complicated, to say the least. Just before her death, Maggie gives Malcom strict instructions, which he must follow after her death, or the world as they know it is doomed. He must take her body and bury it on the island in Maine where she was raised within two days.
Various characters show up to either help or hinder Malcom on his quest including his long lost sister Jennie, the oldest of Maggie’s three children, the no-good gambling, womanizing Elias, the middle child and estranged husband of Violet, and a host of monsters that have risen to prevent Maggie’s burial which would end the curse that kept them imprisoned underground. I love the unique take on vampires here, monstrous and evil. The way Malcom’s family shifts and changes throughout kept me extremely engaged. The pacing was consistent and I found myself reading long after I should have put the book down because I was so immersed in this world.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of this author’s prior works, and horror fans in general. Some of the things I loved which you might also enjoy include: late 1950’s setting, a train, vampires, family bonds, found family, a clear quest, no animal death, and a satisfying ending. If you’re a horror fan, I really hope you pick this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many of my favorite horror stories use horror to explore deeper, human struggles around love, loss, or family trauma. In Carry Me To My Grave, author Christopher Golden has given me exactly what I wanted and I could not have enjoyed this book more. While reading, I found myself thinking of the movies Sinners and Big Fish, with a dash of Lord of the Rings.
The narrative revolves around main character Malcom Wise whose mother Maggie, who may be an actual witch, is dying. Keeping vigil at her bedside with Malcom is Violet, the wife of his older brother Elias. Their relationship is complicated, to say the least. Just before her death, Maggie gives Malcom strict instructions, which he must follow after her death, or the world as they know it is doomed. He must take her body and bury it on the island in Maine where she was raised within two days.
Various characters show up to either help or hinder Malcom on his quest including his long lost sister Jennie, the oldest of Maggie’s three children, the no-good gambling, womanizing Elias, the middle child and estranged husband of Violet, and a host of monsters that have risen to prevent Maggie’s burial which would end the curse that kept them imprisoned underground. I love the unique take on vampires here, monstrous and evil. The way Malcom’s family shifts and changes throughout kept me extremely engaged. The pacing was consistent and I found myself reading long after I should have put the book down because I was so immersed in this world.
I would highly recommend this book to fans of this author’s prior works, and horror fans in general. Some of the things I loved which you might also enjoy include: late 1950’s setting, a train, vampires, family bonds, found family, a clear quest, no animal death, and a satisfying ending. If you’re a horror fan, I really hope you pick this up.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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
Author Christopher Golden is a master in taking everyday human messiness and letting something monstrous crawl right on in. His latest, Carry Me To My Grave, is grief with teeth. Family drama with fangs. And yes, it absolutely rips.
Carry Me To My Grave is a road trip from hell – with something chasing in the rearview.
The Wise family is already accustomed to emphasizing the “fun” in “dysfunction” by the time matriarch Maggie dies. But this is a Christopher Golden story, so death ain’t the hard part of this tale; it is merely the beginning. Maggie’s death doesn’t bring closure, it kicks open the door to something ancient, hungry, and very much awake. Malcolm Wise and Violet, his sister-in-law and unspoken love, are tasked with the creepy-cool command to carry Maggie’s body to her grave in Shediak, Maine. Simple job. Except for the undead swarm determined to make sure that body never reaches it.
Golden keeps the pressure high, blending emotional fallout with relentless horror. The vampires here are not subtle or seductive, led by the chilling Root, and the story rarely pauses to breathe. Snow, darkness, and desperation follow the Wise family at every turn, turning this into a road trip from hell that never lets up. The pace is relentless, the tension constant, the pages practically dare you to stop reading. And dig it: you won’t.
Creepy, fast, and just a little mythic, Carry Me To My Grave is the kind of horror that is at its best when it’s personal. Golden knows how to make the genre so damn intimate.
Some things don’t stay buried… and this one’s hard to put down.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for this invitation to Christopher Golden’s latest nightmare. And be sure to sink your teeth into the full book review on Read @ Joe's.
Carry Me To My Grave is a road trip from hell – with something chasing in the rearview.
The Wise family is already accustomed to emphasizing the “fun” in “dysfunction” by the time matriarch Maggie dies. But this is a Christopher Golden story, so death ain’t the hard part of this tale; it is merely the beginning. Maggie’s death doesn’t bring closure, it kicks open the door to something ancient, hungry, and very much awake. Malcolm Wise and Violet, his sister-in-law and unspoken love, are tasked with the creepy-cool command to carry Maggie’s body to her grave in Shediak, Maine. Simple job. Except for the undead swarm determined to make sure that body never reaches it.
Golden keeps the pressure high, blending emotional fallout with relentless horror. The vampires here are not subtle or seductive, led by the chilling Root, and the story rarely pauses to breathe. Snow, darkness, and desperation follow the Wise family at every turn, turning this into a road trip from hell that never lets up. The pace is relentless, the tension constant, the pages practically dare you to stop reading. And dig it: you won’t.
Creepy, fast, and just a little mythic, Carry Me To My Grave is the kind of horror that is at its best when it’s personal. Golden knows how to make the genre so damn intimate.
Some things don’t stay buried… and this one’s hard to put down.
Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for this invitation to Christopher Golden’s latest nightmare. And be sure to sink your teeth into the full book review on Read @ Joe's.
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
"Death proved itself more painful than life had ever been."
I got this as an email widget from SMP and was initially a little hesitant. I read Road of Bones a couple of years ago and it wasn't my favorite, so I wasn't sure about picking up another book from Golden. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this.
We follow Malcom, his sister Jennie, and his sister-in-law (and love interest) Violet as they prepare to honor his mother's dying wish of burying her at home. At the same time, Maggie's death has awoken something much darker than they could have imagined.
This was a refreshing take on vampires that I wasn't expecting. I am fascinated by Root's character and wish we had gotten a little more background on where he came from. Same thing with Maggie. I also didn't realize we were dealing with vampires until probably halfway through, and wish that had been spelled out a little bit better. But I enjoyed the lore behind them and thought the mechanics of how they function were fascinating. It's the first time I've really seen "thralling" used like this.
The train scenes seemed to drag on a bit, and the pacing was odd at times, and there was one character death that seemed unnecessary. The characters were complex, though for a character that played such a pivotal role in the story, we don't know much about Elias, which is disappointing. Jennie's character felt shallow at times, but I appreciate the complicated relationship she had with her family. I like that Violet gets a second lease on life.
3.75 rounded up. Overall a really fun, fast paced read. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy!
I got this as an email widget from SMP and was initially a little hesitant. I read Road of Bones a couple of years ago and it wasn't my favorite, so I wasn't sure about picking up another book from Golden. And I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by this.
We follow Malcom, his sister Jennie, and his sister-in-law (and love interest) Violet as they prepare to honor his mother's dying wish of burying her at home. At the same time, Maggie's death has awoken something much darker than they could have imagined.
This was a refreshing take on vampires that I wasn't expecting. I am fascinated by Root's character and wish we had gotten a little more background on where he came from. Same thing with Maggie. I also didn't realize we were dealing with vampires until probably halfway through, and wish that had been spelled out a little bit better. But I enjoyed the lore behind them and thought the mechanics of how they function were fascinating. It's the first time I've really seen "thralling" used like this.
The train scenes seemed to drag on a bit, and the pacing was odd at times, and there was one character death that seemed unnecessary. The characters were complex, though for a character that played such a pivotal role in the story, we don't know much about Elias, which is disappointing. Jennie's character felt shallow at times, but I appreciate the complicated relationship she had with her family. I like that Violet gets a second lease on life.
3.75 rounded up. Overall a really fun, fast paced read. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a horror story and also a family tragedy story. I got a chance to read it before publication through NetGalley, and I liked it. It's not a completely easy read, mostly because it takes place during winter. Winter is not my favorite season because it is much too cold and snowy.
Maggie Wise, a woman reputed to be a witch, is dying at home in Elkhurst. She is attended by her youngest son, Malcolm, and her daughter-in-law, Violet. Her burial instructions require Malcolm to bury her in her hometown of Shediak Maine before sunrise in three days. She has never told Malcolm or her other two children about her past or her home or why she left. They didn't even know how old she was, and she was a lot older than they thought.
Most of Maggie's story come out as they travel with her body. It seems that his sister, Jennie, left home when Maggie discovered she hadn't inherited the family magic. Neither did the other brother, Elias, Violet's husband. Malcolm did, only he doesn't know that at the beginning of the story.
Most of the story is the trip to Maggie's hometown. The journey is complicated by the presence of the Morak, monsters from Europe. Maggie cursed them when she was a young girl, but the curse will be broken if she isn't buried back where she made the curse.
The question becomes; will they get Maggie back home before the curse is broken, and the monsters get to run free. With everything against them, will Malcolm and his siblings succeed?
I kind of liked the just in time ness of the story. I do enjoy a good horror story. If you like them too, try this one on for size.
Maggie Wise, a woman reputed to be a witch, is dying at home in Elkhurst. She is attended by her youngest son, Malcolm, and her daughter-in-law, Violet. Her burial instructions require Malcolm to bury her in her hometown of Shediak Maine before sunrise in three days. She has never told Malcolm or her other two children about her past or her home or why she left. They didn't even know how old she was, and she was a lot older than they thought.
Most of Maggie's story come out as they travel with her body. It seems that his sister, Jennie, left home when Maggie discovered she hadn't inherited the family magic. Neither did the other brother, Elias, Violet's husband. Malcolm did, only he doesn't know that at the beginning of the story.
Most of the story is the trip to Maggie's hometown. The journey is complicated by the presence of the Morak, monsters from Europe. Maggie cursed them when she was a young girl, but the curse will be broken if she isn't buried back where she made the curse.
The question becomes; will they get Maggie back home before the curse is broken, and the monsters get to run free. With everything against them, will Malcolm and his siblings succeed?
I kind of liked the just in time ness of the story. I do enjoy a good horror story. If you like them too, try this one on for size.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
With a somber, reflective, and quietly unsettling tone, Carry Me To My Grave unfolds as a solid, atmospheric ghost story that left me more contemplative than rattled. Even as the supernatural seeps into the narrative, a steady current of melancholy flows beneath the mystery, favoring moral reckoning over spectacle. The atmosphere is easily the novel’s greatest strength. Its damp and shadow-laced, thick with the hush of secrets long interred and the lingering weight of what refuses to stay buried.
Golden has a real gift for atmosphere. The past feels uncomfortably close, pressing against the present in ways that are hard to ignore, and the haunting gives the story a meaningful emotional core. The secrets unravel with deliberate care, and the themes of guilt and long-buried truth lend weight to what might otherwise have been a more conventional ghost story.
That said, the tension simmers rather than ignites. I kept anticipating a sharp turn or a moment of true escalation that never quite materialized. The horror settles into quiet reflection instead of outright fear so readers looking for chilling or pulse-quickening scares may find the experience restrained, even subdued.
Overall, Golden delivers a horror novel steeped in atmosphere. Its patient, restrained, and heavy with sorrow but it never quite reaches the intensity or emotional impact I was hoping for. It’s a worthwhile read for those who appreciate slow-burn, morally driven supernatural fiction, even if it doesn’t strike with full force.
Golden has a real gift for atmosphere. The past feels uncomfortably close, pressing against the present in ways that are hard to ignore, and the haunting gives the story a meaningful emotional core. The secrets unravel with deliberate care, and the themes of guilt and long-buried truth lend weight to what might otherwise have been a more conventional ghost story.
That said, the tension simmers rather than ignites. I kept anticipating a sharp turn or a moment of true escalation that never quite materialized. The horror settles into quiet reflection instead of outright fear so readers looking for chilling or pulse-quickening scares may find the experience restrained, even subdued.
Overall, Golden delivers a horror novel steeped in atmosphere. Its patient, restrained, and heavy with sorrow but it never quite reaches the intensity or emotional impact I was hoping for. It’s a worthwhile read for those who appreciate slow-burn, morally driven supernatural fiction, even if it doesn’t strike with full force.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden is classic, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ horror set in the late 1950s, due to be published on July 21, 2026.
Maggie Wise, born on the island of Shediak, Maine, has "the old fire" - magic that she used long ago to force the Morák to stop killing people and to bury themselves deep in pain and suffering. The Morák are vampires, but not the suave, well groomed, aristocratic vampires often portrayed in books and movies. Instead, these are horrific, warped monsters who exist only to kill and consume their victim's blood and flesh. More like (but worse than!) Nosferatu, rather than Count Dracula or the vampire Lestat.
Now Maggie is dying, and with her death the magic she invoked will fade, and the Morák will be released... unless her son Malcom can get her body from Elkhart, Indiana and bury her on Shediak within 2 days. The problem is, the monsters know Maggie is about to die, they know where Malcom will take her, and what he must do... and they will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening.
Golden delivers a riveting tale - compelling characters on a wild ride through the complexities of a dysfunctional family, hidden secrets, strange powers and savage monsters.
Recommended!
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing an eARC for review.
Maggie Wise, born on the island of Shediak, Maine, has "the old fire" - magic that she used long ago to force the Morák to stop killing people and to bury themselves deep in pain and suffering. The Morák are vampires, but not the suave, well groomed, aristocratic vampires often portrayed in books and movies. Instead, these are horrific, warped monsters who exist only to kill and consume their victim's blood and flesh. More like (but worse than!) Nosferatu, rather than Count Dracula or the vampire Lestat.
Now Maggie is dying, and with her death the magic she invoked will fade, and the Morák will be released... unless her son Malcom can get her body from Elkhart, Indiana and bury her on Shediak within 2 days. The problem is, the monsters know Maggie is about to die, they know where Malcom will take her, and what he must do... and they will stop at nothing to prevent that from happening.
Golden delivers a riveting tale - compelling characters on a wild ride through the complexities of a dysfunctional family, hidden secrets, strange powers and savage monsters.
Recommended!
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing an eARC for review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This book was great! I got an ARC from Goodreads Giveaways, and I definitely think this book is a must read for horror fans.
Something ancient is rising and Maggie Wise is dying. For Maggie’s son, Malcolm, a strange encounter outside their home leads to the sense that something bad is about to happen with his mother’s passing. Meanwhile, he has promised her that he will make sure she is buried in her hometown (across the country) by the second sunrise after her death. Along with his sister-in-law, Violet, they eventually set off to uphold this promise. They board a train for Maine and gradually come to learn that not everyone on board wants Maggie to make that trip. The ride is intense and gruesome. Their pursuers are vicious and insatiable, leaving a wide swath of death and destruction in their wake. Will they make it in time?
I loved that this story is set on the move with a deadline looming. It definitely keeps you turning pages well after bedtime. The horror is first rate, the creatures are vividly depicted and they are the stuff of the darkest nightmares. All of the characters are relatable, even a few of the monsters have their moments. There are a lot of bits and pieces that create a well-developed backstory left out of this summary, if I tell you everything, what’s the point in reading it yourself, lol? I would definitely recommend this book to any horror fan, especially if you want a fast-paced thrill ride through a nightmare!
Something ancient is rising and Maggie Wise is dying. For Maggie’s son, Malcolm, a strange encounter outside their home leads to the sense that something bad is about to happen with his mother’s passing. Meanwhile, he has promised her that he will make sure she is buried in her hometown (across the country) by the second sunrise after her death. Along with his sister-in-law, Violet, they eventually set off to uphold this promise. They board a train for Maine and gradually come to learn that not everyone on board wants Maggie to make that trip. The ride is intense and gruesome. Their pursuers are vicious and insatiable, leaving a wide swath of death and destruction in their wake. Will they make it in time?
I loved that this story is set on the move with a deadline looming. It definitely keeps you turning pages well after bedtime. The horror is first rate, the creatures are vividly depicted and they are the stuff of the darkest nightmares. All of the characters are relatable, even a few of the monsters have their moments. There are a lot of bits and pieces that create a well-developed backstory left out of this summary, if I tell you everything, what’s the point in reading it yourself, lol? I would definitely recommend this book to any horror fan, especially if you want a fast-paced thrill ride through a nightmare!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Carry me to my grave by Christopher Golden
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was sent this by St. Martin's Press through Netgally and it was totally up my ally! I love my spooky little books. This one is about Malcolm and Violet, who are tasked with moving Malcolm's mother and Violet's mother in law Maggie's body to the place of her birth. Unaware to them that the moment she stopped breathing evil was at work and something came unearthed to try to stop them.
I enjoyed it, I will say getting through the first 10-15% of the book was slightly hard but once it got past the train it picked up. Its always hard to write books with a pretty shot time limit on how things need to get done but Christopher did a good job in getting things going. I got some Sinners vibes from the vampires in this book just in the fact that they are of a hive mind and also the brother relationship between Malcolm and Elias who was married to Violet but left her to go gamble and cheat. We also get to see the third Wise sibling, Jen who was the first born and only daughter who just wishes her mother would love her like she did Malcolm. Root was also an interesting concept and I picked him looking kinda like the vourdalak from the movie floor thw same name jist with a bit more roots and such. The concept of this book is good and I liked the characters, it was just a small slog to get through the first little bit unfortunately.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was sent this by St. Martin's Press through Netgally and it was totally up my ally! I love my spooky little books. This one is about Malcolm and Violet, who are tasked with moving Malcolm's mother and Violet's mother in law Maggie's body to the place of her birth. Unaware to them that the moment she stopped breathing evil was at work and something came unearthed to try to stop them.
I enjoyed it, I will say getting through the first 10-15% of the book was slightly hard but once it got past the train it picked up. Its always hard to write books with a pretty shot time limit on how things need to get done but Christopher did a good job in getting things going. I got some Sinners vibes from the vampires in this book just in the fact that they are of a hive mind and also the brother relationship between Malcolm and Elias who was married to Violet but left her to go gamble and cheat. We also get to see the third Wise sibling, Jen who was the first born and only daughter who just wishes her mother would love her like she did Malcolm. Root was also an interesting concept and I picked him looking kinda like the vourdalak from the movie floor thw same name jist with a bit more roots and such. The concept of this book is good and I liked the characters, it was just a small slog to get through the first little bit unfortunately.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, this was truly one of the most boring books I have ever read.
The characters felt extremely flat, and I never connected with any of them. I also found myself completely uninterested in the backstory surrounding the mother. Honestly, the entire plot frustrated me because it felt like the whole journey could’ve been avoided if she had simply died where she was originally meant to, instead of selfishly dragging everyone across the country while this demon/spiritual root vampire type creature chased them the entire time.
On top of that, the character decisions made no sense to me. The addition of the random kid felt unnecessary, and Violet suddenly acting like she needed to save him and become his new “mom” was incredibly irritating. It pulled focus away from what should’ve been the main mission: getting this woman to her grave.
To make things worse, the one character I actually liked ended up dying, leaving me stuck with the two characters I cared the least about.
Not to mention it ends with not explaining what happens after. They bury the witch and boom life is good. Like we are going to ignore all the people who were slaughtered and live a normal life after? I’m sorry what?!
Overall, this book just didn’t work for me, and I struggled to stay engaged the entire time.
Unfortunately, this was truly one of the most boring books I have ever read.
The characters felt extremely flat, and I never connected with any of them. I also found myself completely uninterested in the backstory surrounding the mother. Honestly, the entire plot frustrated me because it felt like the whole journey could’ve been avoided if she had simply died where she was originally meant to, instead of selfishly dragging everyone across the country while this demon/spiritual root vampire type creature chased them the entire time.
On top of that, the character decisions made no sense to me. The addition of the random kid felt unnecessary, and Violet suddenly acting like she needed to save him and become his new “mom” was incredibly irritating. It pulled focus away from what should’ve been the main mission: getting this woman to her grave.
To make things worse, the one character I actually liked ended up dying, leaving me stuck with the two characters I cared the least about.
Not to mention it ends with not explaining what happens after. They bury the witch and boom life is good. Like we are going to ignore all the people who were slaughtered and live a normal life after? I’m sorry what?!
Overall, this book just didn’t work for me, and I struggled to stay engaged the entire time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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