GraveminderMelissa Marr
William Morrow, May 2011
ISBN: 978-0061826870
The New York Times bestselling author of the Wicked Lovely series delivers her first novel for adults, a story about the living, the dead, and a curse that binds them.
In Graveminder, Marr's first novel for adults, the land of the living is linked with the world of the dead. Although Claysville might seem to be a quaint, provincial village, it is a town with a dark secret. If you die within town limits and are not properly buried and cared for after your demise, you will come back as the living dead. The undertaker and the graveminder are the duo who keep the dead in check. With the death of the most recent graveminder and a recent rampage of living dead, a new graveminder-undertaker pair needs to be recruited.
When Maylene is mysteriously murdered, her granddaughter Rebekkah must return to Claysville for her funeral and discover the truth behind both Maylene’s death and her life. Byron Montgomery is the town’s current undertaker, and he and Rebekkah have had an on-again, off-again relationship for years. Neither Rebekkah nor Byron understands why her grandmother’s murder is not being investigated. It turns out that the living and the dead have an uneasy and longstanding bargain in Claysville, and the Graveminder and her Undertaker play important roles in keeping the town’s dead from rising from the grave and feeding on its citizens. Byron and Rebekkah have little time to discover the truth about the city’s contract with the mysterious Mr. D, and the parts they will play in this bargain, but they have to learn quickly to protect the living by keeping the dead in their graves.
If the Graveminder doesn't mind the graves of the dead, they come back as the Hungry Dead. Eating the towns people one by one until the Graveminder takes them to the tunnel that leads to death. Newly appointed as the Graveminder Rebekkah doesn't know how to stop the dead. There is one option though, for Bryon to take Rebekkah to the underworld to talk to Mr. D. But, the underworld is a dangerous place for Rebekkah. She can die in the underworld and the sights of the world are tempting for her. Without Bryon she could give in to the temptations of the underworld, and be lost forever.
If the Graveminder doesn't mind the graves of the dead, they come back as the Hungry Dead. Eating the towns people one by one until the Graveminder takes them to the tunnel that leads to death. Newly appointed as the Graveminder Rebekkah doesn't know how to stop the dead. There is one option though, for Bryon to take Rebekkah to the underworld to talk to Mr. D. But, the underworld is a dangerous place for Rebekkah. She can die in the underworld and the sights of the world are tempting for her. Without Bryon she could give in to the temptations of the underworld, and be lost forever.
Melissa Marr's marvelous adult debut, Graveminder, is a cross between an urban fantasy and a gothic novel. This mysterious, gothic atmosphere fosters a sense of excitement within the reader for uncovering of the town's secrets. The two characters push and pull each other as their story unfolds. They are pretty much in the dark as to what they are about to be faced with, as is the reader. I enjoyed taking the same journey with the characters, putting the pieces together along the way as the story progressed. It was a page turner from the beginning to the end. Marr fans will want to check it out as well as anyone who enjoys small town mysteries with a supernatural twist.
MELISSA MARR grew up believing in faeries, ghosts, and various other creatures. After teaching college literature for a decade, she applied her fascination with folklore to writing. Wicked Lovely was her first novel. Currently, Marr lives in the Washington, D.C., area, writes full-time, and still believes in faeries and ghosts.
ISBN: 978-0061826870; ISBN10: 0061826871; Imprint: William Morrow; On Sale: 5/17/2011; Format: Hardcover; Pages: 336; $22.99
