The Kingdom
The Graveyard Queen Series: Book II
by Amanda Stevens
Harlequin/Harlequin MIRA March 27, 2012
Back Cover Summary:
My name is Amelia Gray. They call me the Graveyard Queen. I've been commissioned to restore an old cemetery in Asher Falls, South Carolina, but I'm coming to think I have another purpose here.
Why is there a cemetery at the bottom of Bell Lake? Why am I drawn time and again to a hidden grave I've discovered in the woods? Something is eating away at the soul of this town--this withering kingdom—and it will only be restored if I can uncover the truth.
My Take:
This was a great read, continuing Amelia's story from THE RESTORER (my review). There's just enough back story, but I wished I had been able to skim the first book.
This story is creepy. Very creepy. I live next to a graveyard, and before we bough the land I gave it thought. There's a ravine between our house and it so I felt it would be hard for the ghosts to get to me.
You won't know who is good or bad until the end except for a few obvious exceptions. There's one kind of gratuitous stalker-chick thing, a post-crisis crisis. Even then the difference between savior and villain is greyed as is what happened.
If you love animals you may be in suspense and even outraged to learn how people treat animals. Not the people in the book; but a cultural treatment of animals that is possibly a bit of a political statement.
There is not much in the way of erotic action, just a couple of brief encounters. It's interesting to watch the characters learn about themselves too. And, you will be left waiting for the next book, maybe wistfully.
Once again Stevens does a great job with the atmospheric elements: secret rooms and symbols, creepy mausoleums, true Witches of Eastwick style crones, and a creepy old man in a mouldering house on a hill. It all takes place on an island cut off from it's bridge. But, beyond that the house on the hill is cut off by hatred, greed, secrets, and flooding.
Once again Stevens does a great job with the atmospheric elements: secret rooms and symbols, creepy mausoleums, true Witches of Eastwick style crones, and a creepy old man in a mouldering house on a hill. It all takes place on an island cut off from it's bridge. But, beyond that the house on the hill is cut off by hatred, greed, secrets, and flooding.
Highly recommend.
The Kingdom (The Graveyard Queen Series) is available from Amazon in mass market ppaper back and for Kindle.
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages, Kindle ed. file size unavailable.
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages, Kindle ed. file size unavailable.
