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Pest Cemetery
Bradley Langston, college dropout and drifter, is at a dead end. His last stop before living out of his car with a wet dog and a murderous ball of fluff is a caretaker’s job at Pottsville East Shady Terraces cemetery.
The cemetery is a mess, and it’s going to take a lot of work to make right, which is more than Brad bargained for when he took the job. To complicate matters, the long-term residents of Shady Terraces turn out to be a little restless. And needy.
For starters, a murdered woman appears and implores Brad to help find her killer. In days, Brad has a crowd of ghosts invading his space, including one evil spirit bent on possessing him and using him to perpetrate her revenge on the world.
Brad’s default setting is to run away when things get tough. Can he make a stand on the grounds of Shady Terraces, or is he doomed to repeat the failures of his own haunted past?
The cemetery is a mess, and it’s going to take a lot of work to make right, which is more than Brad bargained for when he took the job. To complicate matters, the long-term residents of Shady Terraces turn out to be a little restless. And needy.
For starters, a murdered woman appears and implores Brad to help find her killer. In days, Brad has a crowd of ghosts invading his space, including one evil spirit bent on possessing him and using him to perpetrate her revenge on the world.
Brad’s default setting is to run away when things get tough. Can he make a stand on the grounds of Shady Terraces, or is he doomed to repeat the failures of his own haunted past?
- GenresHorrorParanormalMystery
307 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2022
13 people are currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Scott Bell
21 books116 followersScott Bell writes because that way he can daydream and claim it on his taxes. A Certified Fraud Examiner and professional Suburban Man, Scott has a wife, two grown kids, and at least one cat sleeping on his keyboard. (The cat, not the wife and kids. They have their own keyboards to sleep on.)
When he's not writing, Scott fights a relentless battle against weeds, slow drivers, and ever-shrinking pants.
When he's not writing, Scott fights a relentless battle against weeds, slow drivers, and ever-shrinking pants.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 12, 2024
This jaunty novel starts with college dropout and self-confessed looser, Bradley Langston, arriving at the doors of the Pottsville East Shady Terraces cemetery, on an empty petrol tank, and with a wet Huskey and a murderous kitten, to start his new job as cemetery caretaker. This is a fun and almost fluffy novel featuring ghosts (it is a cemetery after all!), the pets (which made the novel for me), a potential girlfriend or two (does this make is a romantic suspense novel?), a few mysterious (and probably) murdered corpses that are not customers of the cemetery, and a really pissed off ghost hell-bent on vengeance. There is humour and a great deal of fun... and it is fantasy, so hang your "belief" on the rack for the duration of the novel. But I felt this novel was too light and frivolous, and could have been great if the author had not tried to stuff every horror creature into the story, and dealt more realistically with the situation. I just knew that nothing bad would happen to anyone important, which doesn't do much for the suspense or the thrills. I'm not sure I can categorise this as horror - it's so horror-lite it's floating beyond Earth's atmosphere! A fun and frothy supernatural novel set in a graveyard.
February 14, 2023
creepy cosy fun
I really hope there’s more of this series. The down on his luck hero gets a job that will let him keep his rescued pets- but the house and pay check are only his if he can survive the ghosts, and avoid being arrested for the murders.
I really hope there’s more of this series. The down on his luck hero gets a job that will let him keep his rescued pets- but the house and pay check are only his if he can survive the ghosts, and avoid being arrested for the murders.
August 8, 2022
It had me hooked by chapter 3, all kinds of turns and twists, definitely worth the read.
May 31, 2025
Book source ~ Arc. My review is voluntary and honest.
How cool would it be to have the caretaker job at an old cemetery? Ok, well, I think it would be cool. Mostly because I wouldn’t have to deal with many people and I could work by myself. I’d love that! I’m not so sure about the just-trying-to-help ghosts. I might have to get used to them. Like Bradley Langston does at Pottsville’s East Shady Terraces. And I could do without finding dead bodies. Or fending off an evil spirit that’s trying to take out the world. Anyway…
What a great book! This is entertainment at its finest. An MC you can cheer for, suspense, scary shit, a mystery, and humor. Plus, a dog and a cat. Hellz to the yeah! Poor Brad has had a bit of a rough time. But at least he’s a pet lover. Landing a job at the cemetery is pretty much his last hope. However, there are things he has no idea about, but is about to get a crash course in. Big time. Wowzers. This is a favorite of mine and I’ll have no trouble revisiting it again in the future. If you like paranormal suspense with some humor sprinkled in and a character you really want to see succeed then pick this up. Hell, pick it up for the dog and cat alone. They’re awesome. But the other stuff is great, too.
May 2025 ~ Purchased audiobook from Chirp
How cool would it be to have the caretaker job at an old cemetery? Ok, well, I think it would be cool. Mostly because I wouldn’t have to deal with many people and I could work by myself. I’d love that! I’m not so sure about the just-trying-to-help ghosts. I might have to get used to them. Like Bradley Langston does at Pottsville’s East Shady Terraces. And I could do without finding dead bodies. Or fending off an evil spirit that’s trying to take out the world. Anyway…
What a great book! This is entertainment at its finest. An MC you can cheer for, suspense, scary shit, a mystery, and humor. Plus, a dog and a cat. Hellz to the yeah! Poor Brad has had a bit of a rough time. But at least he’s a pet lover. Landing a job at the cemetery is pretty much his last hope. However, there are things he has no idea about, but is about to get a crash course in. Big time. Wowzers. This is a favorite of mine and I’ll have no trouble revisiting it again in the future. If you like paranormal suspense with some humor sprinkled in and a character you really want to see succeed then pick this up. Hell, pick it up for the dog and cat alone. They’re awesome. But the other stuff is great, too.
May 2025 ~ Purchased audiobook from Chirp
September 11, 2023
The last thing l would have thought was.....
I'm not going to give away any surprises! But you really should read this book. I found that it started kinda slow and boring and almost gave up on the book 📖 😴. Boy l sure happy that I kept reading because it was like a train coming out of the station 🚉 . The characters, town,atmosphere are all important to the story even the pets personally are part of what makes this a great read. It goes from a ok read to awesome you need to read 📚 the book just hang in there it gets alot better (100%)
I'm not going to give away any surprises! But you really should read this book. I found that it started kinda slow and boring and almost gave up on the book 📖 😴. Boy l sure happy that I kept reading because it was like a train coming out of the station 🚉 . The characters, town,atmosphere are all important to the story even the pets personally are part of what makes this a great read. It goes from a ok read to awesome you need to read 📚 the book just hang in there it gets alot better (100%)
September 2, 2022
I have read and loved all of Scott Bell's novels. He writes amazing suspenseful novels and this one was so different from the rest but just as incredible. You need to be a talented writer to dream up and create such different kinds of stories. Scott is a master storyteller!
I have to tell you, I absolutely adore a good ghost story and this one kept me turning pages late into the night. Some of my favorite quotes...
"I had refused to admit, even to myself, how much the sensation felt more like a chilly hand clamped around my neck than any draft I'd ever experienced."
"Consider me like an adviser. A friend in low places, as it were."
"What fresh graveyard hell is this?"
"A deep and profound terror squeezed my heart and iced me as solid as the bottom of a freezer."
If you also love a great ghost story pick this one up. You will not be disappointed!"
I have to tell you, I absolutely adore a good ghost story and this one kept me turning pages late into the night. Some of my favorite quotes...
"I had refused to admit, even to myself, how much the sensation felt more like a chilly hand clamped around my neck than any draft I'd ever experienced."
"Consider me like an adviser. A friend in low places, as it were."
"What fresh graveyard hell is this?"
"A deep and profound terror squeezed my heart and iced me as solid as the bottom of a freezer."
If you also love a great ghost story pick this one up. You will not be disappointed!"
February 26, 2023
Shady Terraces Cemetery needs a caretaker and Bradley is out of money and needs a job. Plus he gets to live in the apartment attached to the office on the grounds as an added perk. Immediately he starts meeting the resident ghosts. Good ghosts. Bad ghosts. There's a lovely mail lady (alive) who helps him solve the mystery of the Cemetery's gruesome events that are occuring.
This is a light frothy story. Good for a quick read and not taxing your brain. 3 stars
This is a light frothy story. Good for a quick read and not taxing your brain. 3 stars
May 15, 2025
Originally published on the book blog Creature From the Book Lagoon.
*Trigger warning: racism, racial slurs.
What can I say? I am a SUCKER for ghost stories! I love the whole haunted cemetery theme! After finishing the ghost filled series by Darcy Coates ( The GraveKeepers series), I was craving more ghosts in the horror stories! Pest Cemetery looked like it would perfectly scratch that itch!!
The plot has 2 mysteries going on. Both stories grab you and don’t let go. A few nice twists keep you guessing who the killer is. I loved watching the puzzle pieces come together. I enjoyed the story so much I was hoping to find out this was the start of a series. 😮 I would definitely read something else by this author. I do wish the plot kinda addressed why the cemetery was haunted.
My favorite part about Pest Cemetery is the characters – both the living and the dead! There are some quirky ghosts and one nasty force of evil. Loved the main character Bradley. A funny guy who has great chemistry with the ghosts. Not to mention he is a super likable guy. Also, let’s not forget the bestest boy, doggo George and his murderous ball of kitten fluff!! *THE DOG AND CAT DO NOT DIE!!* YAY! 😀
Pest Cemetery is atmospheric, suspenseful, and funny. If you are a fan of ghost stories, with likable characters, you should defiantly check this book out. 😀 I had so much fun! I am looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.
*Trigger warning: racism, racial slurs.
What can I say? I am a SUCKER for ghost stories! I love the whole haunted cemetery theme! After finishing the ghost filled series by Darcy Coates ( The GraveKeepers series), I was craving more ghosts in the horror stories! Pest Cemetery looked like it would perfectly scratch that itch!!
The plot has 2 mysteries going on. Both stories grab you and don’t let go. A few nice twists keep you guessing who the killer is. I loved watching the puzzle pieces come together. I enjoyed the story so much I was hoping to find out this was the start of a series. 😮 I would definitely read something else by this author. I do wish the plot kinda addressed why the cemetery was haunted.
My favorite part about Pest Cemetery is the characters – both the living and the dead! There are some quirky ghosts and one nasty force of evil. Loved the main character Bradley. A funny guy who has great chemistry with the ghosts. Not to mention he is a super likable guy. Also, let’s not forget the bestest boy, doggo George and his murderous ball of kitten fluff!! *THE DOG AND CAT DO NOT DIE!!* YAY! 😀
Pest Cemetery is atmospheric, suspenseful, and funny. If you are a fan of ghost stories, with likable characters, you should defiantly check this book out. 😀 I had so much fun! I am looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.
January 21, 2023
3.5 rounded up. It was cute.
There were some iffy parts. The villain, (the ghost of a black Creole woman whose preferred victims were white men) was a bit of a caricature and didn't get much backstory. That bothered me, actually. It felt kind of lazy. And the "gypsy" representation was cheap, if not actually insulting. Another thing was the main character's well-intentioned chauvinism. Like, I know women are capable of being self-reliant and all that, but dang it, I believe in protecting the weak! It made me cringe. And also, apart from being good with pets, what did he have going for him to attract not one but two gorgeous, intelligent women? Honestly, if I were more cynical, I'd say it often reads like a self-insert story.
The story was fun, the pacing was good, but the ending kind of fizzled.
I don't know. It was nice. I was entertained. I just think it maybe could have used one more edit?
There were some iffy parts. The villain, (the ghost of a black Creole woman whose preferred victims were white men) was a bit of a caricature and didn't get much backstory. That bothered me, actually. It felt kind of lazy. And the "gypsy" representation was cheap, if not actually insulting. Another thing was the main character's well-intentioned chauvinism. Like, I know women are capable of being self-reliant and all that, but dang it, I believe in protecting the weak! It made me cringe. And also, apart from being good with pets, what did he have going for him to attract not one but two gorgeous, intelligent women? Honestly, if I were more cynical, I'd say it often reads like a self-insert story.
The story was fun, the pacing was good, but the ending kind of fizzled.
I don't know. It was nice. I was entertained. I just think it maybe could have used one more edit?
November 10, 2023
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It was creepy enough that the creak of the closed door to the room behind me (because my partner had, unbeknownst to me, opened the other door to that room. Something, something, air pressure differences, something) startled me - not in a jump scare kind of way either.
December 24, 2023
who done it
Great book. I enjoyed it very much. Brad takes a job as caretaker of a graveyard and bites off more than he bargained for. With ghosts, vampires and lots of suspects you will be guessing who done it? Who killed the beautiful woman in the cemetery? I hope he will make this a series. This is a standalone story with no cliffhangers but would make a great series.
Great book. I enjoyed it very much. Brad takes a job as caretaker of a graveyard and bites off more than he bargained for. With ghosts, vampires and lots of suspects you will be guessing who done it? Who killed the beautiful woman in the cemetery? I hope he will make this a series. This is a standalone story with no cliffhangers but would make a great series.
October 29, 2025
I listened to the audiobook which was pretty well done and narrated. It isn’t really fair that gave it a rating because this book really isn’t my cup of tea as it were. Many people will like it, but I just thought that it was really light weight in a disneyesque kind of way and a bit weird.
April 11, 2023
3.5 stars. In general, this was fun to read. The last surprise to solve the final conflict was a bit of a stretch for me, but hey, we were among ghosts already so sure, why not.
August 12, 2023
Lots of fun
Really enjoyed this book, definitely want to read the others. Enjoyable plot and the hero is a likeable, believable guy lol.
Really enjoyed this book, definitely want to read the others. Enjoyable plot and the hero is a likeable, believable guy lol.
August 19, 2024
Brad has traveled from job to job and he lands one at a cemetery. Some of residents appear and chat or complain. He discovers a body of a young woman and she wants him to solve her murder. This story was a spooky cozy mystery and very enjoyable to read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews