Grave Birds by Dana Elmendorf
Publication Date: June 3rd 2025 by MIRA & Harlequin Audio
Pages: 320
Audio Book Length: 9hrs 26mins
Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Source: Publishers
Rating: ★★★★
My Thoughts:
Grave Birds was a Southern gothic mystery with Sixth Sense
vibes in that the grave birds show Hollis bits from the past that are unresolved.
The ghostly birds are “pinned” to the Earth until someone with the ability to “see”
the flash of whatever is left behind by a person’s death. Hollis becomes inundated
with several grave birds when Cain Landry blows into town, some connected to
the prominent Hawthorne family. What’s being revealed is disturbing and dangerous
and throws a different spin on the past she thought she knew!
I really enjoyed unraveling this mystery right along with Hollis!
Hawthorne, South Carolina is a small town where everyone knows everyone and
there’s plenty of secrets that needed to come out! Some was surprising and there
was a twist I didn’t see coming! There was a bit of romance, as well!
I alternated between reading an e-copy and listening to the
audio and enjoyed both versions. Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators
and she enhanced the story, bringing the characters and their emotions to life!
4 Stars
Book Description:
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in this twisty, fresh take on a Southern gothic that follows a mysterious, charming bachelor as he makes his way into a small town, bringing a plague and the devil with him, from GMA Buzz Pick author Dana Elmendorf.
Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm is imbued with lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.
When a mysterious, charming bachelor wanders into their small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens. Like blood dripping from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crashing into windows of their homes, and faces in paintings morphing into distortion. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. Despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.
That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly past from some twenty-five years ago. And she learns all about the horrible things these noble families did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins. Or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever she has to do.
