Little Necromancers

by Emma Devlin

Blending a twisted murder mystery in the vein of Knives Out with some dark magic, Little Necromancers is a YA ghostly whodunnit perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games and The Invocations.

Eighteen-year-old psychic Mercy Hawkins is drowning in the exorbitant debt she owes to the necromancers who resurrected her parents. Ghost therapy is an unreliable source of income, and her death predictions never come to fruition, meaning no payout. So when those same necromancers—the powerful and affluent Granville family—come to her with an opportunity to wipe the slate clean, Mercy can’t afford to refuse.

The Granvilles task her with convincing their youngest and most obstinate member, Julian, to come back to life after a brutal fall from his bedroom window. With her ability to see ghosts, only Mercy can reach him. But Mercy has her own reasons to believe that Julian’s death was no accident, and one look at his bloodied ghost confirms her suspicions.

As her employers become her suspects, Mercy reluctantly teams up with the strange and hostile ghosts haunting the Granville estate. Together, they surreptitiously investigate Julian’s murder, entrenching Mercy into a decades-long feud between the house’s two factions—the ghosts, who invisibly cook, clean, and toil for the Granvilles, and the Granvilles themselves, who must acquiesce to the ghosts’ every material demand in exchange for their service. Both sides are anxious to point the finger at the other . . . and both sides have secrets to kill for.

Genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult, Thriller, Paranormal, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 23, 2027

Reviews

[Hannah]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Little Necromancers is easily one of the most unique premises I’ve read in a long time. A blend of gothic/manor house mystery and urban fantasy makes for a creative, compelling read.

This book manages to capture all of my favorite story elements and execute them effortlessly:

• A main character you can really root for and whose complexity brings her to life off the page
• A mystery with plenty of twists, that also leaves no stone unturned
• Innovative and deliberate world-building that enhances the story; murder mystery, necromancers, and banshees complement each other so well
• Characters who are just as interesting as the plot itself; there isn’t a single character I didn’t want to know more about
• A slow-building romance side-plot that feels earned but also leaves you wanting more

On top of everything else happening, this story explores grief and human connection against the backdrop of necromancy in such a heartfelt way. Mercy’s relationship with the ghosts had me both smiling and tearing up.

I finished Little Necromancers both thoroughly entertained and deeply disappointed that I don’t already have book two sitting in front of me. I can’t wait to read it again (and again) once it’s published!

[Shelby]

Completely unexpected in an amazing way!
Honestly I thought from the title and summary it would be just okay. How I was wrong!!!
It starts off with a bang and drags you under. You'll be hooked right away. Literally, edge of your seat the whole time!
The characters are so engaging and you fall in love with them. The world building is so easy to believe and follow along with. And man, if this mystery is not planned out so perfectly! I was honestly shocked by the ending and desperately wish we had a sequel coming.

[Emmaline]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This book was SO fun.

I absolutely LOVED The Necromancer King and all of the ghosts (and their little found family)!!

The mystery was engaging, and I couldn’t step away - I read this book in a day!! I didn’t see ANY of the twists coming.

I did find the epilogue a little bit confusing. THAT SAID, I truly do hope there is a sequel because this is a very strong debut!! I adored the modern gothic vibes!!

Perfect for fans of the twisting mystery of Knives Out and the Paranormal found family of Paramounts’ School Spirits!

Thank you to St. Martin’s press/Netgalley for the e-arc.

[✮mara☆{rudy steiner's ghost}]

🌘˳༄꠶🔪 ✩4 stars✩🔪˳༄꠶🌒

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!!

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Summary: A "banshee", Mercy Hawkins, is hired by a family of Necromancers to root out the reason behind their son's death. Little does she know, she's diving into a mess of murder, deception, and hauntings that will come perilously close to destroying everything and everyone she holds dear.
TWs: grief, family deception, murder, blood, addiction, and all the ghostly, gory things that made this book the thrilling ride it was.
Spice: 🌶/5 - kissing only

🌘˳༄꠶🔪✩🔪˳༄꠶🌒

"Ghosts can't cry, you know that? We can bleed, but we can't cry."

🌘˳༄꠶🔪✩🔪˳༄꠶🌒

I would DEFINITLY recommend this to friends and family, and I absolutely cannot wait till it's published and gets the fandom it deserves!!! I'm now craving fanfiction, fanart, fancastings, ships both reasonable and nonsensical, and everything I was imagining from page 1. OMG THE FANART I'M DROOLING JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!!!!

Little Necromancers had me engaged from the moment I saw its ✨STUNNING✨ cover, and I was hooked from the very first page! I ADORED the way Devlin created her own brand of ghost--one in which ghosts can bleed and touch things but not people... It made the whole story even more interesting as I tried to figure out which way the mystery would turn next.

I love a good bedside end reveal, and I wasn't disappointed by this one. Mercy held her own and came out with more respect than I had for her in the beginning. She went through some crazy stuff (just you wait till you read it!) and came out the other side stronger and craftier than ever. I loved how she cared so much for the ghosts, and the way that the Granvilles and others tried to devalue her relationships with them, despite the fact that they were so clearly real and present, felt pertinent and drove the story.

The Necromancer King was such a compelling and layered character, one that we never fully understand. I originally thought he was, like, forty, which made his... situationship/partnership with Mercy really strange to me, but then I realized and wished I'd realized earlier, heh. HE IS NOT A FORTY YEAR OLD MAN!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

I wish I could learn a bit more about the lore of the world, especially about the other magical creatures such as banshees, but I'm content from this book.

No, but I seriously enjoyed this one. Best ARC I've read so far from, and I would LOVE to see more from Emma Devlin. So, so good!

Thank you to Netgalley, and Emma Devlin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

🌘˳༄꠶🔪✩🔪˳༄꠶🌒

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

Okay, Emma Devlin, you’ve got me. Little Necromancers was SUCH a fun surprise, and I genuinely could not put this book down. I read it in one sitting, completely sucked into this wonderfully weird combination of Knives Out + Clue + ghosts + necromancy + a creepy gothic estate. It’s exactly the kind of chaotic supernatural mystery I didn’t know I needed. The premise alone had me intrigued, but the execution absolutely delivered. There were twists, secrets, suspicious family members, increasingly strange ghosts, and just enough humor to keep the darker moments from becoming too heavy. I was constantly trying to figure out who was lying, who was hiding something, and who was actually responsible for Julian’s death, and I was VERY entertained by how often I was wrong.

Mercy was such a fantastic protagonist to follow. She’s young, impulsive, broke, stubborn, and dealing with an absolutely bonkers amount of grief and responsibility, but she also has so much heart. I loved watching her become more confident and more willing to trust her instincts as the mystery unraveled. But THE GHOSTS. I adored them. Every single one felt like an actual character with their own personality, history, grudges, and motivations rather than simply existing to make the house spooky. The dynamic between the ghosts and the Granvilles was fascinating, and I loved how the mystery gradually revealed the complicated history between these two factions. The worldbuilding around necromancy and ghosts was also incredibly creative, and I especially loved the little details about what ghosts can and cannot do.

What really made this a five-star read for me, though, was the atmosphere. There’s something so satisfying about a gothic manor filled with secrets, dead people who have opinions, a wealthy family that absolutely cannot be trusted, and a murder mystery that keeps getting more complicated. Devlin balances creepy and funny so well, and the story never takes itself so seriously that it loses the fun. I also loved the underlying themes of grief, family, exploitation, and the importance of connection. Beneath all the murder and magic, there’s a surprisingly emotional story about people who are desperately trying to hold onto the ones they love even when death is supposed to be the end.

I had an absolute blast with this. It’s atmospheric, clever, weird, funny, twisty, and just the right amount of creepy. If you’re looking for a YA mystery with Knives Out/Clue energy, a gothic setting, memorable ghosts, dark magic, and a protagonist you’ll happily follow into increasingly terrible situations, read this one asap!

[Sparrow]

"Every one of us, dirty, rotten, filthy little necromancers."

WOW. Talk about an absolutely incredible debut novel! From the very first page to the final sentence, I was completely hooked. Little Necromancers by Emma Devlin is a non-stop thrill ride. I truly could not put this book down. When I absolutely had to step away from reading, my mind was still entirely consumed by it.

What initially drew me in, and ultimately kept me reading, was the brilliant character development. The characters are incredibly complex and deeply layered. Just when you think a character is purely bad or irredeemable, the story peels back another layer, and you begin to see the good hidden underneath. I also deeply appreciated the author's descriptive writing style. The descriptions provided just enough vivid detail to paint a clear picture of the characters in my mind, while still leaving the perfect amount of breathing room for me to add my own creative touches—something I always love in a story.

The dynamic between the main characters is fantastic, but it was the Necromancer King who completely stole the show for me. He pulled me in with his overwhelming charm and magnetic personality, mirroring the exact way he captivated Mercy. About halfway through the book, I decided he was officially my favorite. Even as the plot thickened and darker, more complicated details emerged about his character, I couldn't have disliked him if I tried.

If you are a fan of dark magic, clever ghosts, and a fast-paced "whodunnit" mystery, you absolutely need to add this debut to your reading list! I am desperately hoping this turns into a series and that we get a second book or sequel released very soon—I need more of this world!

[Ariana]

There were things I really enjoyed about this and things that didn’t fully land for me, but overall I thought it was good

Mercy is a banshee and in order to get out of debt from necromancers she goes to work for them to help convince the youngest to want to be resurrected, since he’s currently choosing to stay dead. While there she uncovers ALOT more then she bargained for

The things that worked: I liked Mercy! She was flawed but she was 18 and it was a believable 18. Thinking she’s an adult but still being naive at times. It worked. I also loved the ghosts. I thought there characters were really fleshed out and unique and I enjoyed them. I also liked the mystery as a whole, it kept me guessing and I was def surprised by some twists

The things that didn’t work: the romance - it kind of blindsided me?? Maybe I missed something while I was reading it but they seemed very platonic and then suddenly accusations of jealousy were thrown out. Also the human characters - I felt like a lot of focuses was spent on developing the ghosts that the family seemed more one dimensional so when some of the reveals were happening it wasn’t quite as shocking because you didn’t know them (especially Westley)

There is clear set up for a book 2 and I gotta say, i am curious! Overall I think the book was good and I can see it landing harder with the right people!

Thanks to netgalley a st. Martins Press for an early copy in exchange for my honest review! I am honored :)

[Kiersten Cassel]

I really enjoyed Little Necromancers! I ended up reading this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I loved how this book mixed supernatural elements with the mystery of Knives Out and Clue. I absolutely love a good mystery, so this book immediately caught my attention. The idea of combining a murder mystery with necromancers, ghosts, and a gothic setting was so unique, and I really enjoyed seeing how everything came together.

I also really loved how diverse the characters were. There were so many different personalities, and I found myself interested in the characters just as much as I was interested in figuring out the mystery. There were also plenty of twists that kept me guessing and made me want to keep reading.

I really liked the creepy atmosphere of this book, too. It had that gothic feel without being overly scary, which worked really well for the story. I also enjoyed the humor and little references throughout the book because they added some fun to a story that deals with things like death, ghosts, and necromancy.

One thing I wasn’t expecting was how much the story would explore grief and human connection. Mercy’s relationship with the ghosts added an emotional side to the story that I really enjoyed.

Overall, Little Necromancers was such a fun and unique mystery. If you love Knives Out, Clue, supernatural elements, gothic settings, and a good mystery, I definitely recommend giving this one a try!

[Wild]

If the assignment was 'Take Knives Out, mix it with the game of Clue, but make it supernatural and slightly creepy' then Emma Devlin absolutely nailed it! From start to finish this novel was all engrossing and a whole lot of fun. I wouldn't have expected a plotline focused upon raising people from the dead to be fun, but it absolutely was in a macabre sort of way.

From the ghostly antics to the twisting plotlines Little Necromancers grabbed me and wouldn't let go. The characters are diverse, interesting, and well crafted. The pacing was consistent and everything served to keep the plotline moving forward without any lags in the middle. The creepiness was just enough to convey a sense of gothic horror vibes without being too horrifying.

I loved the Clue, Nancy Drew, and Banshee Barbie references woven throughout the scenes. Those bits felt fun and added a bit of levity to it all. To me this really did feel like a twisted sort of Clue game with the complexity of Knives Out.

If you love the gothic manor vibes, an abundance of mystery, plot twists, supernatural characters, and a creepy ambience then definitely read Little Necromancers.

Thanks to SMP Early Readers, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the e-arc. All opinions are my own and freely given.

[Briana Shaw]

5/5 stars! I absolutely loved Little Necromancers by Emma Devlin. I was captivated from the very first chapter and could not put this book down. I enjoyed it so much I finished it in one sitting. This book follows Mercy who is a psychic who is in severe debt due to her parents passing away and her having them resurrected. With her psychic abilities Mercy works as a ghost therapist where she helps the deceased move on. When the family who resurrected her parents need her help they offer to pay her debt if she can convince their youngest son who was recently deceased decide to be resurrected and come back to the living. This opportunity is definitely more than Mercy has bargained for. I highly recommend reading Little Necromancers when it is released March 23, 2027. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Emma Devlin and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

[Trisha Goshorn]

The story line was a really good one to start out. The characters were likeable and relatable. The beginning was very interesting w the whole who was actually alive and who were dead as ghosts. Learning the identity of the dead and there back story was nice. The early ending was long and drawn out to say the least w a lot of unnecessary details. There was quite an unexpected twist that was not foreseeable, nice touch! What happened to Abel, it's like he fell off the face of the earth. What happened to Mercy, she drank the liquid, pretended to die? And then what...woke up..and there we have it! But what exactly do we have...a cliff hanger?

[Elisabeth]

I really enjoyed Little Necromancers. It reminded me of a blend of V. E. Schwab’s Gallant and Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Inheritance Games, with a mysterious house, ghosts, family secrets, and a world where necromancy is possible. The darker atmosphere and supernatural elements worked really well for me, and I was drawn into Mercy’s investigation. I loved her connections and relationships with both the living and the dead…mostly the dead. I couldn’t put it down once I got invested.

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for the advance reader copy.

[Dena Rahe-Rexford]

I found this story to be a refreshing take on a whodunnit murder mystery. The creative intertwining of old family secrets with a side of ghost and necromancing sorcerers, was imaginative and kept me intrigued throughout the book. Oh yeah, then you throw in Mercy, the banshee, who can see and speak to ghost when no one else can. This book had me guessing until the end. The twist were easy to follow, but kept me guessing. With murder and a bit of blood but no real spice, this would be perfect for young readers.

[Sarah E B ʚ♡ɞ]

4.4/ 5 stars ⭐️✨️
Little Necromancer was honestly such a pleasant surprise! I’m really glad I decided to give this one a read. It reminded me a lot of Lockwood & Co., which is definitely a compliment because I love that kind of spooky, atmospheric story with a bit of humor mixed in.

There was a bit of a lull around the middle that slowed things down for me, but thankfully it picked back up. Overall, this was a really fun and enjoyable read, and I’m glad I gave it a chance!

[Karyn Silverman]

Nope. Mediocre writing, not into this magic which I cant make sense of in a sort of world-building way — like, mechanically it’s fine, but it’s just our world with this magic layered on and I don’t buy it, does not work. Nothing would be like it is with all this necromancy all over the place. And the characters are mostly meh and the plot is convoluted. Read half, skipped a bunch, read the final 50 or so pages to see if it was worth paging back and reading the middle. It was not.

[Sandra]

Twisty and turny and I admit it caught me off guard each time. The end confused me a little, so I'm in the awkward position of waiting desperately for the sequel of a book that hadn't even come out yet.

[alysbookclub]

Great world building, characters, and mystery. I really wish we got a bit more at the end - so much is left open and after becoming invested in the characters I'd love to know more!

[C.M. Stenquist]

Interesting and novel concept kept reading fun start to finish.

[Debra Childers]

I had a really hard time getting into the book, but I kept reading and hoping it gets better and it did , I started enjoying the story line and sorry it took so long.

[Karen Hayes]

rtc closer to publication