This was great. The only reason that I read Red Rabbit was because I was approved for an ARC of this, and I'm really glad that I did. I love these characters and wouldn't mind another book with them at all. I had heard a lot of comparisons between Red Rabbit and Between Two Fires, but I honestly think I see that way more with this one. It might be because of the heavy religious horror throughout the book beyond just witchcraft, but it really reminded me of the journey in that book quite a bit. I think the ending felt kind of rushed and there were a few things throughout the book dealing with the town's history of weird witch hunting cult stuff that could have for sure been fleshed out more, but I still loved it.

Review:

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**Thank-you to @netgalley @torbooks and @therealalexgrecian for the early read ARC in exchange for my honest review - Pub Date March 11, 2025**

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The dead aren’t staying dead in Ascension, Massachusetts.

A mother wasting away from cancer suddenly rises from bed. A boy crushed beneath a milk cart walks away without a scratch. A man with a snapped neck still manages to whisper from the gallows. When Rose, Sadie, and Rabbit arrive in town to care for a sick relative, they’re met not with small-town warmth—but a creeping sense that something is very, very wrong.

Rose of Jericho takes a hard left from the gritty, blood-soaked frontier vibes of Red Rabbit and steers us into something much weirder. This is a haunted house tale stitched together with B-movie horror, ghost-town gothic, and a healthy splash of Beetlejuice-style absurdity. It’s still gory—but this time, the horror winks at you.

There’s no denying this book is fun. The ghosts are plentiful, the attic holds a sinister secret no one wants to uncover, and Bethany Hall is the kind of place you absolutely shouldn’t spend the night. But while the tone shift is bold, it doesn’t always land. Some scenes felt rushed, others dragged. A few plot threads hung limp while others tied off too quickly. It wanted to be the grand finale, but in trying to wrap everything up, it lost some of the raw magic that made Red Rabbit feel like a gut punch in a dusty saloon.

Still, I had a blast with it. It’s weird. It’s unhinged. It’s got talking corpses, wary villagers, and women who don’t back down from the strange. If Red Rabbit was a brutal bloodletting, Rose of Jericho is the surreal fever dream that follows—less impactful, maybe, but still worth waking up from.

⭐⭐⭐💫 - 3.5/5 stars — not as sharp or satisfying as Red Rabbit, but still a worthy, weird little ride into the ghost-lit unknown.

Rose of Jericho had such an intriguing premise and a really atmospheric vibe that pulled me in early on. The writing was beautiful in places, and I loved the eerie tension. That said, I did find myself getting a little lost in the pacing at times—it dragged in parts and I wasn’t as emotionally connected to the characters as I’d hoped. Still, I can definitely see this working for readers who love gothic mystery with a dreamy, almost cinematic feel. It was super interesting read but just overall too slow for me.

Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy—I always appreciate the chance to read early!

I realized shortly after starting this book that I probably should have read one of the author’s other books first- Red Rabbit. The three main characters in this were first introduced in that one. But it honestly read fine as a standalone (which technically it is). But if you’re like me, you prefer to read books in certain orders, so just wanted to give you a heads up on that.
This book was SO good though! It took me a little while to get into originally, but I quickly became addicted and finished this really fast. While it’s horror, I didn’t think it was scary at all. It’s more so just gory. And the gore was 🧑‍🍳💋. Not too extreme, but just … fun. (Maybe I’m the weirdo that thinks gore is fun, but I think I’ve been starting to find my peeps on here that would agree with me 😄.)
I loved the three main characters in this, and now I definitely need to read Red Rabbit to get to know them as they were first introduced. There were parts of this that felt like they could have been really heavy, but the author kept things pretty light. It almost had a whimsical feeling to it. The ending felt like it was cut a little short, but overall I really loved this book!

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Any horror fans, or someone that wants to try horror!

This was a sequel to his previous book Red Rabbit
It was interesting to meet up again with this characters.
I thought the story was a little slow moving and I didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous one.

Excellent follow up to Red Rabbit!

Solid, descriptive prose and a solid plot keeps things moving along for a very satisfying read.

I loved the concept of this book! The plot was unique and riveting, and the narrative from the angel's perspective was fresh and exciting. Where the story fell a little flat for me was the characters. Some of the major players felt a little surface level, which left the otherwise exciting story lacking in emotional connection/response.

I was super happy to realize this was a sequel to Red Rabbit, which I read and gave 5 stars last year.
I loved coming back and seeing Sadie, Rabbit, Rose, and Moses, along with what's happening in their lives now after the events of the last book. I loved the setting of Ascension, most especially Bethany House, which was filled with all kinds of ghosts. This is a book where a grief-stricken man does something monumentally stupid and puts in motion a set of events that have some horrible unintended side effects. The town of Ascension isn't ready for the Graces, and I'm not sure they were ready for what they found when they arrived either. Full of twists and turns and some pretty creepy things, I found this book fun, highly entertaining, and if we get more from this world, I will definitely be reading them.

ROSE OF JERICHO by @therealalexgrecian was a really fun return to the world of Sadie Grace, her daughter Rabbit and their sometimes companion Moses Burke in Book 2 Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers, @macmillan.audio and @tornightfire for the audio and e-ARCs.

💀💀💀

All is not as it seems in the small town of Ascension, Massachusetts - the dead are not staying dead. Sadie Grace and Rabbit accompany their friend Rose to the town in historical New England so.that Rose can tend to her ailing cousin. When the cancer-ridden cousin all of a sudden appears to be cancer free, and when other unexplained accidents and misfortunes do not end in the ultimate tragedy as expected, Sadie is sure that the ghosts in the house they are staying at, Bethany Hall, are the least of her worries. Moses Burke has accidentally set in motion a string of events that will eventually find him meeting up with his old friends as a terrible, unstoppable force stalks toward them.

It was a pleasure to return to the historical fantastic world of RED RABBIT! I love these characters and enjoyed hearing another story with them at the center. This installment could certainly be read on its own too if you haven't had a chance to read RR. While not quite as action packed as the first, this one had a spooky, witchy mystery at the center that was really fun to unravel. I feel very present in the historical, rough, gritty atmosphere of Grecian's books because the descriptions and language are engulfing.

If you like historical horror, witches, ghosts that are not the villains, heartwarming found family,nand paranormal mysteries, you really can't go wrong with either of the books in this universe. This one just came out this month and is on shelves NOW!

If you love gothic horror, eerie small towns, and ghost stories that seep into your bones, Rose of Jericho is an absolute must-read. Set in 1880s New England, the novel follows three women Rabbit, Sadie Grace, and Rose as they arrive in a village where the dead don’t stay dead, and something far more sinister lurks in the shadows. As a huge fan of Red Rabbit, I was really enjoyed reading this book.

I had to read Red Rabbit before reading this and I'm glad I did. It was full of action and was fast paced. The characters were well developed and the plot was engaging.

Title/Author: Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian

Page Count: 352 pages

Publisher: Tor Nightfire

Format: NetGalley ebook

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: Want to read Red Rabbit

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978125087...

Release Date: March 11th, 2025

General Genre: Horror; Gothic fiction; Historical fantasy; Dark fantasy

Sub-Genre/Themes: 1800's, Accidents, Cancer, grief, Ghosts, Haunted houses, Superstition,
Undead, Villages, Witches

Writing Style: World-building, sparse

What You Need to Know: From the New York Times bestselling author of Red Rabbit comes a supernatural horror where ghosts and ghouls are the least of a witch’s problems in nineteenth-century New England.

My Reading Experience: I knew this book would be good (I've heard a lot of praise for Red Rabbit) but I was not prepared for this. The main character is so deep in grief, that he stalks Death, and kills him. It goes so badly for everyone involved.
The setting is split between Nicodemus, Kansas (1881) and Ascension, Massachusetts, where things are getting… weird. The dead aren’t staying dead, people are going missing, and something is seriously wrong. Meanwhile, a trio of women—Sadie, Rabbit, and Rose—arrive in Ascension, only to find themselves caught in the middle of a supernatural mess. I love how Grecian writes them; they feel like real people, full of humor and wisdom. They move into a local cabin known to be haunted and sure enough, it is filled to the brim with spirits.

"At least twenty-seven women had been murdered in the cabin. Twenty-seven people had gone missing and their stories had ended in that lonely place."

This book is eerie in the best way. The atmosphere is thick with gothic vibes, a mix of Western, horror, and folk magic, and it’s so cinematic—I can practically see this playing out like an old-school horror movie.

Final Recommendation: Perfect for fans who love genre-blending horror with elements of dark fantasy and humor with just a hint of Gothic and a historical Western setting. The characters are colorful and entertaining.

Comps: Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian, Himself by Jess Kidd, At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce

"Rose of Jericho" by Alex Grecian is a supernatural horror novel set in 19th-century New England. The story revisits the witchy trio of Sadie Grace, Rabbit, and Rose, and unfolds in the village of Ascension, where bizarre events disrupt the natural order. The dead are not dying: a mother with cancer is suddenly healthy, a boy survives being trampled, and a hanged man can still speak.

As chaos descends upon Ascension, the three women attempt to uncover the truth behind these strange occurrences. They also find themselves contending with restless entities in the old house where they are staying. Grecian explores thought-provoking themes about mortality and the balance between life and death. The novel blends eerie gothic elements with moments of dark humor, creating a unique and engaging reading experience.

ROSE OF JERICHO by @alexgrecian a gothic horror/historical fantasy novel set in 1880s New England, where a grieving man kills Death in a fit of rage, leading to a world where people can no longer die. Three witches (from Red Rabbit) show up in town having to confront supernatural forces while unraveling the mystery behind the town’s abnormal state. I feel like Grecian is great with atmospheric stories & well-developed characters, & in conjunction with the multiple POVs that eventually align, it made for a satisfying & immersive read (I liked RR more tho!) (3.25stars) Thanks @netgalley & @tornightfire for the gifted copy!

Rose of Jericho is the sequel to Red Rabbit, and I really do feel that having read the first book helped me understand the characters and their connections in this book as it was definitely not explained at all. Personally, I loved the premise of this book, thought it had a very strong start, but the execution of the second half of the book fell off sharply for me and left me struggling with the thought of actually finishing the book. I thought the author didn't quite take it up to the level that it could have been with regards to the horror in the second half and I wasn't overly impressed with the character development.

The plot actually starts off rather strong, and I was invested in the first half of the book. The atmospheric writing was compelling and I was intrigued by the ideas that were presented; the running theme about what would happen if people simply did not die because Death himself was destroyed. Some interesting characters were introduced and I was interested in their stories and what would happen to them. However, about halfway through, the plot became more meandering than interesting and I started to lose interest as the plot became more disjointed. I think this was largely due to the fact there were no clear protagonists in this story, and while this can work, it needs to be done deftly, which did not happen in this book. I also think the horror element was softened when it should have ratcheted; people were starting to panic at what was happening and I think there would have been more dire consequences than presented in this book.

There were definitely some interesting characters in this book, but the author did not make use of them to exploit the horror that was happening. What we got were situations that were more eyebrow raising than plot points, and although I waited patiently for everything to tie in together, this definitely did not happen. Some of the things simply did not make sense and the ending was anti-climatic as a result. And as I previously mentioned, the horror element was under-utilised and could have been amplified to show how terrified people were over what was happening, and to show the consequences of what being dead actually meant. There were some examples of that in the book, but I think the author could have gone a bit further so while the situation is horrific, this didn't make me turn the pages quickly or flinch in horror like some novels do.

Rose of Jericho is very atmospheric and I thought the author did a great job with the descriptions of the time period. I was intrigued over the first half of the book, but was quickly lost by the meandering and disjointed plot in the second half of the book and thought the character development was lacking quite a bit. And while there were definitely some horrific moments, I don't think the author went far enough with the horror. However, if you like supernatural novels about Death and the consequences that exist when Death is no longer around, then this might be for you. I also recommend picking up his 'Scotland Yard Murder Squad' novels if you like murder mysteries.

Wow, this was absolutely incredible. The story pulls you in right away—something is seriously wrong in the village of Ascension. The dead won’t stay dead, the living aren’t exactly alive, and Rabbit, Sadie Grace, and Rose find themselves in the middle of something eerie and dangerous. From ghosts in Bethany Hall to the secrets the villagers are hiding, the tension never lets up.

I was completely hooked. The plot is gripping, the characters are fantastic, and the emotional moments hit hard. I haven’t read Red Rabbit yet, and while I can see how reading it first might add to the experience, I don’t think skipping it took anything away from how much I loved this. Highly recommend!

Thank you Tor Nightfire for my free eARC of Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian - now available!

Read if you -   

* read and loved the first book!  
* are craving a paranormal, historical horror   
* want to visit a New England town with a slight Death problem 

I first read Red Rabbit by Alex Grecian not long after it came out in 2023. Red Rabbit follows a motley crew of misfit cowboys/gamblers, a witchfinder, and a widowed schoolteacher, as they travel to Burden County to claim the bounty on the head of the witch who lives there. Some of them make it there, some don't; but it's a fun read that reminded me of some of my favorite westerns, with quite a bit of the supernatural thrown in. I listened to the audiobook earlier this year to prepare for the release of Rose of Jericho and it held up beautifully. 

Now, in Rose of Jericho, a few years have passed. Moses has met a beautiful woman named Katie and has settled down to start a family. Rose, Sadie, and Rabbit have moved to Philadelphia and seem quite happy. Things are going quite well, until Katie takes ill and dies in childbirth, taking their child with her. Moses doesn't react...well. And Rose and the Good Graces have made the move to Ascension, Massachusetts where Rose will be a schoolteacher again and help care for her sick cousin. 

In Moses's grief, he commits an unbelievable act of violence and things start getting...weird. And things aren't just weird for him. Ascension starts to see weird things too. A mother who was wasting away from cancer is suddenly up and about. A boy, run over by the milk cart, hops up like nothing happened, despite his  crushed ribs.  

The dead are not dying. 

 And there's something, or someone, in the attic making everyone on edge.  

With Moses on his way to Rose, and people dropping like flies, then popping right back up, in Ascension, things are definitely odd. And extremely entertaining.

It was so nice to check in on these characters, a few years down the road from the events of Red Rabbit. I love Alex Grecian's writing and this is a worthy followup. Rose of Jericho is a wild ride with a lot of moving parts but it all comes together in the end in a satisfying way.

Whatever we’re calling the gourmet genre blend of horror Alex Grecian is writing is like catnip to me. It’s very dark, fantastical almost to the point of surrealism, steeped in body horror and gore, saturated with violence, laced thoroughly with wicked humor, but also has this really sincere heart of social responsibility and philosophical thought that I can’t get enough of.

Of course there’s a warning here: I wouldn’t recommend reading this without reading Red Rabbit first. It’s not a direct sequel, but reading RR first makes Rose of Jericho more interesting and easier to understand.

Did I like this as much as I did Red Rabbit? No, but that’s only because Red Rabbit felt more like a rollicking thrill ride of a horror novel, while this feels like a siege of a horror novel in a way: The horror is happening centered around one place in time, in a limited time period, with two sides moving metaphorical soldiers around a supernatural game board. I liked the constant chaos of RR, whereas Rose of Jericho is more of a steadily increasing pulse of violence and horror as the book proceeds.

Does this mean Rose of Jericho is a worse book than Red Rabbit? Not really. Alex Grecian has a rare talent, in my mind: He writes female characters who pass all of my personal checkboxes for being absolutely terrific. I don’t trust the vast majority of male authors to write truly great female characters, especially ones who you don’t want to anger or who have power. All of his characters are multifaceted and it brings me such joy. If you add in the creative plotting, the well-crafted storytelling, the intense worldbuilding, and the polished style I can’t stand to think this book isn’t anything but excellent. It just isn’t Red Rabbit. 4⭐️



I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Dark Fantasy/Folk Horror/Found Family/Ghost Fiction/Historical Horror/Supernatural Horror/Witch Fiction

To start, this is a sequel, and I wish I would have known that before going in only because I really liked this one and would have loved to have a more complete understanding of some characters going in. That said, you technically don't have to read the first, "Red Rabbit," before beginning this and will not be lost whatsoever. This was unique, unsettling, and tragic all at once. There were a lot of moving parts involved, and the author did an excellent job of tying everything up by the conclusion. This was descriptive and not for the faint of heart. Four stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, for this ARC.

The Rose of Jericho is a beautifully crafted novel that intertwines themes of resilience, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life. Much like the real-life resurrection plant it is named after, this book explores the ability to endure hardship and bloom again after periods of dormancy.