I received this book for free from my own shelves in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: my own shelves
Cursed by Death
by
Melissa Marr
urban fantasy, horror in a Kindle edition that was published by MM Ink on October 22, 2020 and has 305 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Unbound, Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, Fragile Eternity, Ink Exchange, Wicked Lovely, Radiant Shadows, “Changing Guards”, “Guns for the Dead”
Second in the Graveminder horror urban fantasy series and revolving around the Undertaker and the Graveminder in Claysville. The primary focus is on Amity Barrow with the couple focus on Rebekah Barrow and Byron Montgomery.
My Take
Fate rules all in Claysville. It’s a tantalizing start, scaring me with the curse and the blessing of Rebekah’s and Bryon’s relationship. It only gets scarier as Marr shows us how deeply this goes. Then we get introduced to Death and his provocations and abilities.
Marr is using a third person global subjective point-of-view with the primary perspectives from Amity, Rebekah, Byron, Alicia, and a number of minor characters.
I do feel for Byron. He’s so in love and incredibly protective of Rebekah, who is quite careless of her safety and her attraction to Death. As for Charles, he’s an enigma. Both concerned for Rebekah’s safety and very attracted to her. Charles is primarily attracted to her role, and he adores provoking her lover.
Marr has some mean rules in this world with its “strange charm”. To be able to live in any time, unable to die, for a second time.
There are a number of vague references that people born in Claysville can’t leave, although there are exceptions. And that restriction is alleviated by the fact that no one gets sick, there are no alcoholics, and you can only die by accident, mountain lion attack, or old age. Shops are family-run and you usually did what your parents had done.
Alicia has an interesting character arc with some nasty truths that come out at the end. Liz’s character arc has quite the jump, although we won’t be seeing much of it for a while. Colton has some revelations to comprehend, ones that make sense of recent decisions.
Chris McInney sounds like a great guy. Easygoing and deeper in love with his wife every day.
”And I tolerate those kids that happen sometimes because of the sex.”
It can be a tricky story to understand, as Marr is vague on some facts, past histories, and trying to keep some of the characters straight what with Alicia, Amity, Chris, and Colton and all the Barrows who’ve died.
There is some action with interesting characters and yet most of the focus is on what these characters are thinking.
That is quite the soft cliffhanger Marr leaves us on, when she reveals Charles’ deepest desire.
The Story
Death is invulnerable and yet something has changed in the land of the dead. Charlie is under attack, and the dead are dying. The rules are changing, and the dead are wakening too early.
Do not ask questions, and you’ll do okay in Claysville.
The Characters
Amity Blue is a bartender at Gallagher’s, which is owned by Daniel Greeley. She’s also Byron’s former lover and former best friends with Rebekah. Bonnie Jean is the sister killed in a mountain lion attack.
Rebekah “Bek” Barrow has been the Graveminder for the past few months, who had inherited the family farmhouse and is Byron’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, with their lives tied together. Cherub is Bek’s cat.
Byron Montgomery is the Undertaker in both roles of his life. As one, he ferries the Graveminder to the land of the dead. As the other, he owns and runs the Montgomery Family Funeral Home, the only one in town and where Elaine is the manager, receptionist, and general assistant. Allan is a temp mortician.
Ellan Mae “Ella” is Bek’s stepsister. Maylene Barrow had been Bek’s grandmother. Aunt Cecilia “Cissy” Barrow, Liz’s mother, had wanted power.
The town council runs Claysville and its members include Mayor Liz Barrow (Chelly is Liz’s assistant), Daniel, Reverend McLendon, Rabbi Wolfe, and Father Ness. Nicolas Whittaker is the former mayor. I’m not sure who Xavier or Penelope are. Leigh is the librarian. Jenni McCormick runs McCormick’s Pub with a number of sidelines.
Chris McInney is the sheriff and is married to Evelyn “Ev”. I think Elias is one of their children? The always-on-the-move Colton McInney has just moved back — yielding to an irresistible impulse and is one of Chris’ deputies and a cousin. Taylor is Colton’s brother. Darby is another deputy. Suzie Adams is one of the techs.
Troy had been a boyfriend of Amity’s and friend to Bonnie Jean.
Michael Garrety is a sad case and only gets sadder. Courtney is a user. Jilly had been their friend. Green Grove Cemetery is a frequent haunt of Rebekah’s. Joseph is recently dead. Teresa intervened with Aunt Cissy. Daisha had been a victim of Aunt Cissy.
In the land of the dead . . .
. . . Charles Dee, a.k.a. Mr D or Death, rules and is both enemy and ally. Marie, Ward, Patricia, and Cora are servants.
Alicia Barrow, a former Graveminder who broke the rules, has been dead for two centuries and now runs the General Goods store and is head of the only true criminal enterprise. Her men include Frankie Lee (“Guns for the Dead“), Milt, and Cletus, who are loyal. Connor, a former Undertaker, is Alicia’s dead jerk of a husband.
Some of the dead include Henry, who has ticked off Julia. Miss Walpole is another of the dead. The Hungry Dead are those who died and are not properly tethered to the earth. Abigail Barrow had been the original Graveminder and the love of Charles’, um, life. Bitty had been another Graveminder.
The Cover and Title
The cover is black with shades of gray and a pop of red from the scattered roses. It begins with wrought iron scrollwork framing the inner graphic of a long road bordered by trees. In the forefront is a silver flask. The title is a silver outlined in red with the series info to the right of “by”. At the bottom is the author’s name in white along with a testimonial, which is below that.
The title is aimed at so many people, for they are all Cursed by Death in some way.
