I absolutely ADORE the premise behind this book.

The worldbuilding was top notch, and I felt that it was given to us without beating us over the head with big worldbuilding dumps.

I had to give this book a couple tries before I was able to finish it, but that’s no fault of the book’s.

Thank you for NetGalley and Booksgosocial for allowing me to read the arc of this great book. Grayson Daly made us all a world where death goes to reside and the island city of Lenorum sounds like a place full of surprises. Imogen is this poet and I have never read a book where a character goes out her way to expose her killer and it was quite the adventure. There’s so much humor , great world building , and we are introduced to so many amazing characters. I was for sure on the edge of my feet near the end. I will keep my eyes open in hopes there is a second book and that’s my only con. I need more of Orion for sure. If only a world like what Grayson built was real

Ahoy there mateys!  This was described to me as a cozy mystery where the focus was not the romance.  In the beginning this was true.  I really enjoyed the character of Maeve and the holy Sisters who perform exorcisms and rites for the dead.  I enjoyed Maeve's friends. The world building was not deep but was highly enjoyable.  The set-up for the novel was fun and I really enjoyed the introduction to Maeve's world and thoughts.

The mystery was pretty predictable and convenient.  The plot also went into a rather weird tangent when the mystery was supposed to be investigated.  There wasn't much action in trying to figure things out.  The story got bogged down by the romance subplot and the ridiculousness of Maeve learning about the sexy, selfish real world.  I enjoyed the first half then the story lost its way.

The majority of the problems stemmed from the romance.  I didn't have any faults with the same-sex aspect.  I didn't find the romance to be believable.  Some lust perhaps but not the deep attachment the book tried to portray.  The idea of Maeve being in love with the undead woman really didn't work for me.  I thought the sex aspects were boring.  I didn't like that Maeve gave up everything she was at the beginning (and that I loved) for the relationship.  I do not feel that she changed for the better.  Plus how the love interest was eventually saved didn't make sense.

Not sad I read this but wish it had played out a lot differently.  Arrr!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful haunting novel, very well written.

This book surprised me - I initially wanted to read it because it the LGBT-content, but then the worl building surprised me in a good way! The characters are so well-written, they take you through the plot (which is ok, ie a bit predictable and convenient). More of this, please!

OMG this was absolutely amazing, I was blown away, I did not think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did but I flew through this and couldn't put it down. This legitimately had everything and more: supernatural elements, ghosts, magic against science, nuns, LGBTQ+ and a murder mystery. This was such a fun book to read, I loved the world-building and especially the characters - I just wish there was more I was so sad it had to end. The romance was beautiful written and unravelled greatly as the murder gets investigated more and secrets get revealed. If you love a darker mystery mixed with romance this is the book for you and I highly recommend this I don't have a bad word to say about it.

4*

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I went racing into this book. Everything about it was ticking boxes for me: death, fantasy, bards, magic vs science, LGBTQ+... But I found the book started a little slowly. Though Maeve and Imogen were easy to connect with, and the world painted vividly, the story wasn't dragging me through it the way that I anticipated it would.

I don't know if this was because there was a little too much going on or if it is simply a slow burning book. Regardless, as I worked through the novel, I was entranced by the world and its characters. The uniqueness of the setting, the romance, and the murder mystery made it worth the effort and I would recommend this to fantasy fans who like things a little only the darker side.

Another book that caught me by surprise. Blending faith with science in a paranormal reality where ghosts are real and no one blinks at two women in love... Sign me up!

Took me reading about a third of the book to really start getting into it, but one I did I could not put it down. As you progress, Imogen's past gets more in focus and Maeve challenges herself in ways that change her for the better.

A beautiful story of love, friendship, and finding yourself along the way (with a little murder-mystery thrown in). A very solid 4/5 stars.

Maeve is a Sister of Good Death, always doing for others. Imogen is a undead poet, back from the grave looking to solve her own murder. The two come together and embark on a dangerous journey, full of politics, debauchery, and self discovery.

The characters were so easy to fall in love with. The story itself was perfectly paced and, while I had theories as to who the murderer was, I was pleasantly surprised when their identity was revealed.

My only real issues with this novel is that i am a visual person, so I feel as though I would have benefited from a map of the island. My other issue is that I wanted more world building. The people take the last name of whatever profession they’re in (except for poets and the sisters that just seem to do away with surnames entirely). You have Grave, Whaler, Fisher. What other names are there and how did that system come about? Was it always that way? I also found myself longing for more history of the Sisterhood and the Poets and their seeming rivalry.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book. Such an amazing debut novel for Daly.

Maeve is a sister of the good death, a nun who has dedicated her life to helping spirits find peace in the afterlife. When she is approached by Imogen, a poet who is not quite a ghost, she agrees to help her solve the mystery of her unusual existence and learn who murdered her.

The vibes in this book are spectacular! I have trouble putting into words what category this book falls under. It’s got ghost hunting, science fiction inventions, romance, murder mystery, and the most fantastical descriptions. This is not the sort of reading I have been tending towards lately, but I am so glad I picked it up. I fell in love with all the characters we meet, the grand setting descriptions, and the overall pacing of the story. The relationships develop at a reasonable pace and elements of the story are revealed slowly. Something I really appreciated was the LGBT representation! This is the perfect story for someone who is wants a unique murder mystery story for late fall vibes.

The undead solving their own murder? Sign me up!
The story is beautifully written and I felt myself getting more and more attached to our main characters and their love story!
There are some parts of the lore that I found myself wanting to fully understand but as Stella K’s review on goodreads suggested - I sat back and enjoyed the ride!
A great queer based adult fantasy book!

This book was excellent!! Such great gothic vibes. I loved the use of seemingly modern technology but done in such a way that it doesn't take you out of the gothic setting. The characters are lovely and you get very attached. Such a fun read, I took my time with it and really enjoyed it. The cover and title are also just so intriguing. Really great all around!!

Thank you so much netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Everything about this book was compelling. From the characters to the subject matter, it was hard to find anything I didn't like about this book! Maeve and Imogen are so fun to read about and get to know and I'm so happy that I was able to enjoy such a lovely book.

Maeve dealing with her religious guilt about enjoying life is something I think aot of people will understand and Imogen just struggling to keep living is something I feel a lot more will appreciate.

Overall, a very good light read for when you want loveable characters, an interesting premise and a touch of mystery! Would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a queer fantasy full of love, tea, and art!

Seeing the dead is not unusual for Sister Maeve of the Order of the Good Death. She and her sisters are used to being called out to deal with hauntings all over Lenorum. But the (un)dead woman Maeve meets after a long afternoon of grave tending is, well, a lot more solid than most of the dead folks she normally deals with. This one is also a lot more coherent and persuasive than the others, so much so that she convinces Maeve to help her solve her own murder. That meeting develops into one of the most unusual love stories I’ve read in a long time. Readers who love impossible romances, twisty mysteries, and original settings will adore Grayson Daly’s The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal.

Where Maeve is rather sheltered (apart from all the exorcisms), Imogen is (was) a worldly poet. Before her murder, she was a rising poet who had just been voted a coveted position among Lenorum’s 100 laurel-bearing poets. To make her art, she sought out sensation and experience. Maeve, meanwhile, had learned to make do with plain clothes, cheap tea, and sketching. She’s no natural detective but she is compassionate enough and curious enough to take on the job.

Maeve falls quickly into Imogen’s world, much more than even she expected. Although the Sisters of the Good Death are supposed to shun entanglements and delights that might tether them to this world (which might interfere with their efficient dispatching of ghosts to whatever awaits them on the other side), Imogen’s world of art and emotion sparks something inside the nun. The poets capture moods and scenes Maeve would never have experienced. The people she meets are free to pursue their own interests. The tea is so much better! There’s also something in Imogen that gets Maeve sparking in another way, too.

While Imogen and Maeve grow more deeply entangled, Daly spins out a strange fantastical world of poets, land-grabbing nobles, ill-advised scientific experimentation, and questions about the ethics of ghosts’ unfinished business. There’s also a knock-the-socks-off ending that had me speed-reading to find out how all the impossibilities would end. I loved every moment of The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal.

Somewhere between paranormal, science fiction, and fantasy, The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal is a delightful, genre-defying read that doesn't let its graver themes dampen its wit.'

It's not often that I laugh out loud within minutes of starting a novel, but in this instance, I did. I expected a queer ghostly love story, and on that front, it undeniably delivers; what I did not expect, and was pleasantly surprised by, was its poignancy in touching on identity, trauma, disability, relationships with religion versus spirituality, and self-discovery. Don't be mistaken; it's a snappy, soapy read that never takes itself more seriously than it ought to, but there are moments of such sincerity and insight that I found my eyes burned. It stands a cut above in its knowledge that simply because it's entertaining doesn't mean it shouldn't have something to say, a thing winked at within the story itself as characters examine their biases and relationships with art and artists in all forms.

The characters, the heart of the novel, are beautifully rendered. The world, too, is beautifully built, and I fell in love with it; it does not shy from tossing you in the deep end and allowing you to get your bearings of the world as you follow the characters through it, a thing most appreciated by one tired of being hand-held to a distracting extent. Do be aware, though, that if you are a reader who prefers to have your lore codex readily available, explained in-depth and upfront, you will need to simply sit back and trust the ride in this instance.

The plot itself is, perhaps, less important; it is also arguably the least original aspect of an otherwise one-of-a-kind ride. Certain reveals would not be un-at-home in a daytime drama; the climax amps up through a series of poor calculations, accidents, and convenient coincidences that wake one slightly from the narrative dream for a moment. It ultimately recovers and delivers a beautifully executed ending, so it cannot be called unsatisfying. Similarly, the development of the primarily romance feels shaky and strangely paced, though it's lovely once it finds its footing. On the note of pacing, however, the narrative unfurls itself well; exposition and story progression are invisible and seamless as they are experienced, a marker of any well-crafted novel, even more impressive in a debut.

The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal is witty, funny, and carries the bite of depth and complexity that elevates it beyond its campy premise to resonate in ways not often accomplished with such airy ease. A fast and fun read, it delivers a delightful ride to those willing to sit back and surrender to it.

(Accessed via NetGalley)

You might like this book if any of the below appeal to you:
• Death order of nuns.
• Disability rep (mutism).
• Fishing/whaling town.
• Is it magic or is it science?
• Found family.
• Murder mystery.
• Queer romance. (One pepper on the spice scale.)
• Victorian setting.

(Let me preface my review by saying I'm a tough rater, so my 3 is really like a standard reader's 4 or 4.5. Why am I this way? A bad childhood, probably, but whatever. 🤷🏼‍♀️)

The cover caught my eye when scrolling through NetGalley, and the premise sounded promising, so I downloaded and started reading without having heard anything about the book on any social media platform. And it was good! It's a fresh/unique light fantasy story. And, one of my fave things, it's queer! 🌈

What keeps this from being a 4 star read for me, is that it read as young adult, even though all the main characters are adults, and I'm like 95% certain this is being marketed as adult? It's a bookish pet peeve of mine when books that should be young adult are listed as adult, and also the other way around, when books that are adult are tried to be passed off as young adult.

However! I would still recommend this book though, just adjust your expectations accordingly. 👍🏻

And of course, thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc! 🩷

This book was really enjoyable. It definitely reminded me a lot of Cemetery Boys. Maeve and Imogen were such great characters. I loved reading them. The story was also very interesting, though at times a little slow. It’s definitely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In a world where death and magic and the power of words coexist in a delightful way, Maeve is a Sister of Good Death doing her best to be...a good one. But when she encounters the half-dead Poet Imogen Madrigal, she finds herself journeying beyond the walls and rules of her convent to help solve a murder. What does she find? Ghosts, some debauchery, lesbian pining, and herself.

I really enjoyed this book for a few reasons -- the tenderness with which each character is written (except maybe Shivani, you and I have some beef, girl!) and the framing of this world through the lens of death and religion. I thought each side character had such heart -- Orion, I love you -- and if anything, I wanted more of Maeve's lovely sisters! The idea of death and words, poetry specifically, being at odds with science is so interesting and I liked thinking about the way the society in this world functions.

I do think that if I had to have a critique it would be the actual mystery -- I think the intersection of science and faith/magic is just not very interesting to me, and when the final climax came I was like, okay, great, get me back to the lesbians please! Oh, also, more Oleander. I would like more of them, thank you very much.

4 stars!

This was one of the most unique books I think I have ever read, I thought it was like an Agatha Christie novel but with fantasy and horror sprinkled on top, I thought the writing was engaging but at some parts it felt a bit like there was too much going on at once, nevertheless I enjoyed reading this and would recommend to fantasy/horror readers.

Thank you to Nosetouch Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC!

The Untimely Death of Imogen Madrigal centers Maeve, a nun of the Sisterhood of Good Death who has devoted her life to helping disturbed spirits find peace and resolve their unfinished business. When she encounters our titular character—certainly not dead but also far from alive—she agrees to help her investigate her murder in exchange for financial support of her convent. The mystery swirls through the parties of the hedonistic poets or the academies of the vaguely unethical scientists and is anchored by Maeve’s commitments as a Sister and the community she has at the convent.

The novel was most precarious in the beginning, where some awkward punctuation choices (ie. overuse of commas) and an under-realized setting made me unsure about how the mystery would fare. From the start, it was difficult for me to imagine and understand Lenorum—where is it in the greater magical land? Is the presence of so many ghosts a quirk of this city or common to the entire world? Is the Sisterhood of Good Death a worldwide organization or just the convent? It took a while to acclimate to the atmosphere without the context, and I still feel little connection to the setting.

However, once the two main characters begin to work together in earnest, the book absolutely hits its stride. The mystery wasn’t overly twisty, but it had a well-balanced rhythm where new pieces of information were uncovered at a compelling pace and each new attempt at discovering more provided an interesting new scene or character. If you’re looking for a surprise ending, this probably isn’t the book for you—the book likely falls into the “cozy mystery” type of novel rather than anything with more thrill. There is indeed quite a lot of discussion about tea. But I was pleasantly surprised with how the story kept me engaged and interested through some combination of agreeable writing and creative new scenes. The exorcism scenes in particular were incredibly well-done; I could feel the action and emotion happening as I read.

Maeve and Imogen are both perfectly serviceable characters. I appreciated how Maeve was sketched with more depth than “bookish, gentle ingénue” (ie. one of the least appealing character types to me) and thought Imogen worked fine as an audacious but vulnerable opposite lead. Since Maeve was the main POV character, we get to see both her kindness and her rationality, befitting both her chosen role in life and her blossoming understanding of her desires for her future. Their romantic feelings sprouted rather quickly for my preferences, but they were both enjoyable characters, as were the remaining members of the cast.

A sincerely pleasant read and promising debut for a solid 3.5 stars—rounded down here because I enjoyed it more than I was excited by it.