Review: Graveminder By: Melissa Marr

Title: Graveminder
Author: Melissa Marr
Publisher: HarperCollins, 336 Pages (May 17th 2011)
From: Amazon Vine Program, Thank You!

Synopsis: Rebekkah Barrow never forgot the tender attention her grandmother, Maylene, bestowed upon the dead of Claysville, the town where Bek spent her adolescence. There wasn’t a funeral that Maylene didn’t attend, and at each Rebekkah watched as Maylene performed the same unusual ritual: three sips from a small silver flask followed by the words “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Now Maylene is dead and Bek must go back to the place—and the man—she left a decade ago. But what she soon discovers is that Maylene was murdered and that there was good reason for her odd traditions. It turns out that in placid Claysville, the worlds of the living and the dead are dangerously connected. Beneath the town lies a shadowy, lawless land ruled by the enigmatic Charles, aka Mr. D—a place from which the dead will return if their graves are not properly minded. Only the Graveminder, a Barrow woman, and the current Undertaker, Byron, can set things to right once the dead begin to walk.


Review: 4 Stars - Graveminder, the first adult title from author Melissa Marr is a book that’ll have you sitting on the edge of your seat, drawing you in further with the unfolding story. As the creep factor escalates, the characters and their mysterious town and its past come together creating an absorbing and entertaining read.

The land of the living and the dead are twisted together in the small town of Claysville. With the town gripped within the shadow of a curse that their ancestors agreed to many years ago, a secret that only a few are able to talk about or even remember, Graveminder tells the tale of two families who’s paths are bound together to keep the town and the residents safe. It’s the job of the Undertaker and the Graveminder to tend to the dead and in many ways help them to pass on to their final resting place.

When Rebekkah is forced to come home due to a death in the family she has no idea what exactly she’s been willed. Never being able to settle in any one place coming home is welcomed, just as long as she doesn’t have to stay. Rebekkah is one of those characters who push people away. She doesn’t like to be tied down to anyone or anything. She’s strong willed and thinks she knows exactly what she wants.

Byron, also from Claysville came home to work with his families business as the Undertaker. He’s tried living everywhere, even following after Rebekkah for awhile. Knowing that the only place that feels like home is back in the town he grew up in, he went back to help out and be with his family. Byron is one of those guys who has never pushed, who has done things Rebekkah’s way. He listened and has always done just as she asked. When she pushes him away for the last time it’s a long while until the two are reunited again, when sadly she has traveled home, back to Claysville for a funeral.

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 and being creeped out as the story progressed. It was a page turner from the beginning. I mean who wouldn’t want to read a book with a cover tag line such as this one has – “Sleep well, and stay where I put you.”

Marr’s land of the dead is painted vividly, the writing and characters all meld together extremely well making it easy for me to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Marr’s previous work, or looking for something with a nice dash of creepiness. Should Marr have plans for this to be a series, I’d more then welcome it and be eager and excited to read further about the Graveminder and Undertaker. I can honestly say that anything Marr writes, I’m more than interested in reading. Enjoy!

FTC Disclaimer: I did NOT pay for this book, nor have I been compensated at all in any way or means for reading and writing this HONEST review.