Format: E-Galley, 336 pages
Release Date: August 7, 2018
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Historical
Early Libba Bray meets Stalking Jack the Ripper and William Ritter’s Jackaby series in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder and romance in 1850s New England
Valentine has spent years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. But small towns have long memories, and when a new string of murders occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer.
Only one person believes Valentine is innocent—Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her mother killed all those years ago. Valentine vows to find the real killer, but when she finally uncovers the horrifying truth, she must choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in the end.
Debut author Terri Bailey Black unearths the long-buried secrets of a small New England town in this richly atmospheric Gothic tale of murder, guilt, redemption, and finding love where least expected.
Girl at the Grave is the debut novel from author Teri Bailey Black. It is a Gothic tale of murder and romance set to the backdrop of 1850s New England (Feavers Crossing, Connecticut). The story's protagonist is 17 year old Valentine Barron Deluca. Val has spent 11 years trying to outrun her mother's legacy. When she was 6 years old, Isabella Deluca was charged with murdering a man and quickly hung after being found guilty.
Val has been an outcast ever since. Nobody wants to associate with the daughter of a murderer or a girl who is from the poor side of town. Thankfully, a gracious benefactor has seen the light of day and given Val the opportunity to attend the prestigious Drake University which was once an all boys school. Her best friend, Sam Frye, may be the only one who has the worst reputation. His family is a hot mess, and one that truly scares Val.
Living in a small town, residents tend to have long memories. So, when a string of new murderers occurs, all signs point to the daughter of a murderer. Only one person
believes Valentine is innocent and that would be Rowan Blackshaw, the son of the man her
mother killed all those years ago. Val vows to find the real
killer. But, when a her father, and a girl she is friends with go missing, she uncovers the horrifying truth; her mother may have been innocent. She must
choose to face her own dark secrets, even if it means losing Rowan in
the end.
Feaver's
Crossing is a town filled with secrets. Some of them bubble to the
surface as Val struggles to keep her self from unraveling and ending up
like her mother. There are more than a few characters who have such an obvious hatred and agenda when it comes to ruining Val's life. I like Val a whole lot because she has to deal with not
only unseen threats, insurmountable roadblocks, and those hostile
towards her. Val
doesn't always make the best choices, but she wants to find the truth
and do what is right.
Girl at the Grave doesn't have any ghosts or scenes I would describe as horror filled. I have no hesitation in putting this story into the category of mystery. The author does a brilliant job of letting the reader guess who the real killer is while also adding a few shocking surprises. The bad news is that the story turns into another twisted love triangle which I absolutely loathe. Val is friends with Sam, but Sam wants more. Meanwhile, Rowan ends up being the person she needs at the right time. I love that Val could have been like everyone else and ignored the town's outcast. She tried her best to do what's right for her while maintaining her status as an honor student at Drake.
Overall, a pretty good story for a debut author. Will be interested in seeing what the author comes up with next.
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