When I signed up for this, I was unaware it was part of a series, but I didn’t have a problem starting at this book and following along the storyline.

In this book we follow Kiera, Mason, and Zoe who are hiding following their sneaky infiltration of an Artec company.

With the help of her friends, Kiera is able to bring down the company who is using souls to power their renewable energy.

The writing is amazing and the characters were fun! This was a fun easy read!

Wow wow wow! What an amazing ending to this great series! Darcey is an automatic buy author for me and I just love all of her stories.

"How far will she go to save the damned?

Keira is caught in a deadly battle. Her ability to help ghosts move on from the mortal world has made her a threat to Artec, a powerful corporation intent on trapping the tortured dead for profit. They've been tracking her for years and now, finally, there's nowhere left for her to run.

Artec fears Keira and everything she's capable of. They will stop at nothing to eliminate her - including sending armed men after everyone she holds dear.

Desperate and quickly running out of time, Keira races to hone her abilities as she searches for a way to destroy the twisted organization for good. But at least now she's no longer alone. Her friends have offered to follow wherever she leads, even if that means a direct strike deep into the heart of Artec's central base...and to the certain death waiting for them there."

I mean, if you're not addicted to this series yet you have four previous volumes to catch up on!

This novel delivers a compelling mix of high stakes and strategic pacing, opening with an engaging subplot that sets up the larger narrative. While it's actually the series finale, I still found myself hooked.

The story's structure is particularly well-crafted, gradually revealing the complexities of the Artec situation while steadily ramping up both action and tension. The author demonstrates skilled balance by weaving in moments of humor through Zoe's character, providing necessary breathers between the more intense sequences.

What's notable is how the book manages tension – it's consistently engaging without becoming overwhelming, thanks to thoughtful pacing and character dynamics. The execution is strong enough that it actually drove my interest to the earlier books in the series, rather than leaving me frustrated about missing previous context.

Bottom line: It's an engrossing thriller that effectively balances intensity with readability, making it a solid recommendation for series followers.

The Vengeful Dead is a wonderful opus to the Gravekeeper series! I've been nervously waiting to see how Keira's story will conclude and I was not disappointed. Along with her skeleton "crew" of Mason and Zoe, Keira recruits new and formidable foes to help take down the corporation and man behind the evil that surrounds her. Darcy's writing continues to captivate the reader and ensnare their minds. I was pleased how she entwined the town of Blighty and The Home's secrets with the necessity to end Artec's reign over monopolizing electrical infrastructure of the future. Keira's abilities are the happy accident created by Artec and thusly a necessity to it's end. I would recommend this book and series to any horror/mystery lover and would set aside hours and days as you will be pulled in immediately. Although this book is supposedly the end of the series, I do see one avenue/person that could be further explored. Will this be the end to Keira's story? I can't wait to find out.

What an excellent way to end my fave series! I have loved every minute reading about the adventures of our amazing Blighty characters! Every time I have picked up a book in this series, it has felt like a reunion with old friends! 🥰

While I did feel the book started out a bit slow, I soon found myself on the edge of my seat one minute, laughing the next minute (Harry!!!!), and then crying moments later! Keira shows us just how much of a badass FMC she can be!! This series will always remain dear to my heart! ❤️

Highly recommend this book, but strongly suggest starting the series with the first book, The Whispering Dead! 👏

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️ Now I just have to wait for preordered copy to arrive so it can join my Darcy Coates collection!!

Thank you Netgalley for an early arc of The Vengeful Dead. I love Darcy Coates. This book is part of a series of book. Although I didn't read the previous books in the series, I still really enjoyed this one. I would rate this book a 4 stars and I would recommend reading this one.

I can never really get into a Darcy Coates book, no matter how good it sounds. I suppose it just isn't for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)

The Gravekeeper series comes to a thrilling and emotional conclusion in The Vengeful Dead! Keira’s final battle against Artec is here, and the stakes have never been higher. With her loyal friends—Zoe, Mason, and of course, Daisy the cat—by her side, Keira must use everything she’s learned to take down the corporation trapping spirits for their own gain.

What I Loved:

✔️ A Perfectly Balanced Finale – Action, suspense, and emotional depth all come together seamlessly.
✔️ Character Growth – Keira has come so far, and seeing her fully embrace her abilities is so satisfying.
✔️ Creepy & Cozy Vibes – The mix of spooky ghosts and strong friendships makes this a signature Darcy Coates read.
✔️ A Fitting End – While some moments felt too neatly wrapped up, the series conclusion was still satisfying.

What Could Be Stronger:

❌ The Artec storyline felt a bit corporate and less eerie compared to the rest of the series.
❌ The “ghost case of the week” subplot could have been expanded more.

Final Thoughts:

This is a must-read for fans of the series! While I’m sad to say goodbye to Keira and her friends, this book provided the closure I needed. If you love cozy horror, haunted mysteries, and strong character dynamics, The Gravekeeper series is a must.


Trigger Warnings: Paranormal themes, ghostly encounters, mild horror elements.

There’s nothing better than receiving an ARC from a favorite author!! And when it’s also a book from a favorite series—wow, that’s like opening up that one birthday present you’ve been hoping to get!! The fifth installment in Darcy Coates’s Gravekeeper Series, THE VENGEFUL DEAD, was everything I expected and so much more! Darcy Coates never, ever, ever disappoints me! And her newest novel was no exception!

Darcy skillfully reminds the reader where we left off after THE HOLLOW DEAD, giving us a summary of important plot points from the previous books. The novel follows Keira, an incredibly likable, selfless, and courageous protagonist who has survived countless terrifying encounters with Artec and its nefarious activities. And in this most recent installment, the stakes have never been higher.

We are once again thrust into the dangers of Keira’s world, but by her side once again are Zoe and Mason, sweet and endearing Daisy (I’ve never loved a fictional cat so much), as well as other friends we have met along the way—friends who are ever-faithful and unequaled in their loyalty to Keira and her cause. As you read late into the night, coming closer to the final battle of good versus evil and the end of this fantastic series, you find yourself rooting for Keira and her friends with all of your heart!

The tension and suspense Darcy is able to build with her writing—the ability she has to have you as the reader holding your breath, waiting for that jump scare— is unparalleled.
The novel’s pacing is perfect, balancing super intense moments of ghostly encounters with heartfelt interactions that make Keira’s journey all the more compelling and poignant. Knowing this is the last book in the series fills me with so much sadness to be honest, because I’m not ready to say goodbye to this wonderful cast of characters I have truly grown to love.

With THE VENGEFUL DEAD, Darcy Coates once again shines and shows why she’s a master of atmospheric ghost stories and haunted fiction. I cannot recommend this book, nor this series, more!!

I want to extend a huge thank you to NetGalley, Darcy Coates, and Poisoned Pen Press for gifting me the ARC of THE VENGEFUL DEAD! I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!! It was a privilege to be able to read this novel before publication in February.

I was so excited to take an early peek at the latest installment!! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for ARC of this book! This was a bittersweet experience knowing it’s a finale but of course still great read! What an amazing way to finish the series!

This is the 5th book in a series and was a great follow up from the first four. Not to give anything away, but Darcy Coates does paranormal/horror/thrillers like no other and is one of my absolute favorites. This is already my second DC book in 2025 and it was fantastic! This entire series will keep you engaged throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

I'm a big fan of Darcy's books and I love the Gravekeeper series. This was a great continuation of the last book and I enjoyed how it jumped straight into the events of The Hollow Dead. Darcy has created a collection of wonderful characters that you can't help but love! This book didn't feel quite as spooky as the last 4 books, but still had its moments of suspense.

I'd read another one of these books, especially with how The Vengeful Dead ended and I think this series would also make a great TV show

This was a fun paranormal story. A little love and a little laughs along the way. Spooky too. A fun read.

I love this series so much. I did not want to finish it for the simple fact that I knew the series would be over when I did. What a fantastic ending to Kiera's story. I love how her and Mason's relationship grew throughout this series and their ending was lovely. I am so happy Daisy is thriving because I truly fell in love with that little cat. Zoe remains a spit fire and fun character and I am so glad she never changed. This book had me on the edge of my seat not only with the defeat of Artec but also with the side story of the home. The final twist with that was so well done and allowed for the continuation of Kiera's story with her spiritual advisement business. This was such a great book and I absolutely love this series. Darcy has done it again and I can't wait to continue reading her stories.

The spooky nature of the book is enticing and the terrifying ghosts throughout the story just add to the overall vibe. Darcy Coates is an incredibly horror author who has the ability to both increase the tension in a story but to also remain spooky, not horrifying. Awesome addition to an already great series.

What happens when Keira’s ability to help ghosts makes her a threat to powerful Artec, a corporation intent on trapping the dead for profit? You get a paranormal suspense story full of action, emotion, danger, and even a little romance.

Artec will do everything they can to stop Keira, including sending armed men after her and everyone she loves. As she works to sharpen her skills, she searches for a way to put Artec out of business for good. Her friends offer to help, but will that be enough?

Keira can see ghosts and interact with them. She can also free them. With sigils, she can enhance her abilities, but is still learning new ones and what they can do. Her key friends are Zoe, a conspiracy advocate with an extensive network of contacts, and Mason, her boyfriend, who is one year from completing his medical degree. Daisy, the cat, is an unusual character that adds another dimension to the story and Keira.

This is the fifth book in the Gravekeeper series and contains references to events in prior books. Readers who plan to read the entire series should start with book one to get the full picture of what is happening and the backgrounds of the characters.

The author invoked a sense of urgency from the beginning of the novel. Although the book starts with a side story that is a subplot, it immediately pulled me into the novel. Readers learn more about the current situation with Artec as the storyline progresses and the pace increases as well as the danger and action. Zoe provides some humor sprinkled throughout the plot to provide some relief from the tense and dangerous situations the main characters experience.

Overall, this engrossing, tense, and entertaining novel is an excellent addition to the series and brings it to a satisfying end. Featuring a strong, flawed, and capable protagonist, excellent pacing, and a solid plot, the story kept me turning the pages rapidly. I’m looking forward to reading my next novel by this author.

Poisoned Pen Press and Darcy Coates provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for February 18, 2025.

The Vengeful Dead is the fifth and final instalment in this series that I personally loved since book 1.
In this final book, Keira and her friends finally get face to face with the big villain of the organization called Artec, and they must fight them, once and for all, so Keira can freely move on with her life.
I don't wanna say more because, after all, this is book 5 in a series, so anything I might say here could be spoilery.

As usual, in my opinion, the side characters are more interesting and fun to follow other than the protagonist's journey. It was nice having everything wrapped up nicely in this final book. Maybe...a little 'too nicely' wrapped up. I wish the author would have been a bit bolder at the end. To me, this entire book felt like watching a classic Disney movie. And even though the entire series has been more cozy horror than anything else, I still wished the ending would be bolder.
My personal favourite part was the 'ghost case of the week', about a mysterious haunting at an old place called The Home. Unfortunately, it was too short. And I get it. The focus of this final book was on the ultimate battle between Artec and Keira and her friends. Yet, I wish The Home subplot was longer.

I've had fun with this book, but it is now easily my least favourite. My top favourites of this series still are books 1 and 3.
Obviously, I'd recommend this book to anyone who has started reading this series, but also to any 'cozy horror' fans out there who have never read a book by this author - I believe this series is a nice start.

Thank you, NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press, for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

That you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this early review copy.
So I want to start by stating that I have loved this entire series, it has been fun, spooky, and mysterious. However, this one was not my favorite. I give it 3.5 stars as opposed to the 5 stars I gave the rest. The side ghost story in this one seemed very forced, rushed, and boring. A lot of the main storyline also sort of had that feeling to it for me. I am happy that the series got wrapped up nicely in the end. The community and friends Keira built up around her was great. The series overall was fantastic, this one just kind of left me feeling... meh.

👏🏻I was so excited to be approved for this Netgalley. I love Darcy Coates’ writing style. The first chapter immediately pulls you into the story and the momentum keeps going. I love that it has easily paced chapters too. Keira is right at the beginning of this installment, and anyone who has read the series has become quite attached!