The Grave Keepers

Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Kelly Link calls Elizabeth Byrne's debut novel The Grave Keepers "a  lyrical and gorgeously uncanny coming-of-age story of incantatory power.”

And Edgar Award-winning author Mindy McGinnis says of The Grave Keepers: “At times deeply atmospheric and darkly haunting, The Grave Keepers takes us on a spine-tingling journey into a world much like our own, where more lies beneath than above.”

The Grave Keepers is a unique coming-of-age story set in a society obsessed with grave keeping.

Lately, Athena Windham has been spending all her spare time in her grave.

Her parents—owners of a cemetery in Upstate New York—are proud of her devoutness, but her younger sister, Laurel, would rather spend her time exploring the forest that surrounds the Windham’s’ property than in her own grave.

The Windham girls lead secluded lives—their older sister died in a tragic accident and their parents’ protectiveness has made the family semi-infamous.

As the new school year begins, the outside world comes creeping in through encounters with mean girls, a new friend, and a runaway boy hiding out in the cemetery. Meanwhile, a ghost hangs around the Windham property—the only grave keeper never to cross over—plotting how to keep the sisters close to home and close to her . . . forever.

Lately, sixteen-year-old Athena Windham has been spending all her spare time in her grave.

Her parents—owners of a cemetery in Upstate New York—are proud of her devoutness, but her thirteen-year-old sister, Laurel, can’t understand it. Laurel hates her own grave. It’s so boring and chilly down there. She’d rather spend her time exploring the acres and acres of state forest that surround the Windhams’ property.

The Windham girls lead pretty secluded lives—their older sister died in a tragic accident the year before Laurel was born, and their parents’ protectiveness has made the family semi-infamous in their small town.

As the new school year begins, the outside world comes creeping in. Athena—a professional high school loner—grapples with a newfound enemy and, even more surprising, her first best friend. And homeschooled Laurel, sheltered and shy, finds herself face-to-face with a runaway boy who’s hiding out in an abandoned grave.

All the while, a ghost hangs around the Windham house and cemetery—the only grave keeper never to cross over, as far as she knows—messing with people’s graves, turning the Windhams’ lights off and on, spying on the sisters, and plotting how to keep the girls close to home and close to her . . . forever.

The Grave Keepers  is a unique coming-of-age story from talented debut author Elizabeth Byrne.

“[A] gem for fans of ghost fiction...[with] plenty of thematic meat, too.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“A compelling and raw look at coming-of-age in a society where you feel like an outsider.” - Teenreads.com

“At times deeply atmospheric and darkly haunting, THE GRAVE KEEPERS takes us on a spine-tingling journey into a world much like our own, where more lies beneath than above.” - Mindy McGinnis, Edgar Award-winning author of A MADNESS SO DISCREET

“An odd and lovely story.” - B&N Teen Blog

“Gothic surrealism as everlasting as a ghost’s kiss blends with coming-of-age angst for the modern age.” - Kirkus Reviews

“A  lyrical and gorgeously uncanny coming-of-age story of incantatory power.” - Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author, Kelly Link