A Hauntingly Beautiful Tale of Life, Loss, and Second Chances

I just finished The Keeper of Lonely Spirits, and I can’t stop thinking about it. This is the kind of story that lingers like the faint whisper of a ghost, tugging at your heart in the quietest moments.

Peter Shaughnessy, the weary and immortal protagonist, is a character who feels achingly real despite his otherworldly plight. Cursed to wander far from his Irish homeland, seeing ghosts and speaking to plants, Peter carries the heavy burden of outliving everyone he’s ever cared for. And yet, this isn’t just a story about despair—it’s about what happens when someone who’s given up on life finds a spark of hope.

The town of Harrington, Ohio, with its small-town troubles and rising supernatural tensions, becomes a microcosm of everything Peter’s been running from and everything he secretly longs for. The way the author weaves together ghostly chills, slow-burn romance, and deeply human struggles is nothing short of masterful. The townspeople Peter meets are so well-drawn that you find yourself rooting for their survival, their happiness, and for Peter’s fragile chance at connection.

The stakes are deeply emotional but never overwrought. Peter’s impossible choice—stay and risk his heart breaking all over again, or leave and risk the safety of those he’s come to love—kept me turning pages late into the night. The book balances its darker themes of grief and mortality with moments of humor, wonder, and tenderness. And the romance? Subtle, vulnerable, and so, so satisfying.

If you’re looking for a book that combines the eerie atmosphere of a ghost story with the depth of a character-driven narrative, this one’s for you. It’s haunting, hopeful, and ultimately unforgettable.
The only regret I have, is, that I didn't read it with my book club.

Five stars—easily.

This book broke my heart in all the best ways. It's a vivid exploration of family and grief and love, full of characters with believable perspectives and emotions. Anderson's gorgeous descriptions make the small town setting, its flowers and trees, its birds and weather, as much a part of the story as the people. A true gem of a novel.

*The Keeper of Lonely Spirits* by E.M. Anderson is a hauntingly beautiful tale that blends mystery, emotion, and the supernatural. Set in a small, atmospheric town, the story follows the protagonist as they unravel the secrets of the past while confronting their own inner demons. Anderson’s writing is poetic and evocative, creating a world where grief, love, and redemption intertwine. The characters are well-developed, with their struggles and growth adding depth to the plot. The blend of emotional depth and paranormal intrigue makes *The Keeper of Lonely Spirits* an engaging read for fans of gothic and mystery fiction.

I felt deeply connected to every character. Talk about the perfect found family trope. Also, as someone in the death care industry’, I really appreciated the depiction of the cemetery and the amount of care and maintenance needed to maintain its beauty and functional abilities

I fell in love with every character in this captivating story about grief, love, and finding your way in the world, both in the world of the living and of the dead. E.M. Anderson has created a diverse cast of characters who are all dealing with different types of ups and downs in their lives, but support one another in the ways that truly matter. Peter, the grouchy new groundskeeper of the cemetery in Harrington, Ohio, is in town to take care of business with an angry spirit. His plan to keep to himself and disappear as soon as his task is done gets a little complicated as he meets the other folks around town. The range of human, and spirit, connection represented in these pages brings a cozy feeling to a somewhat spooky tale of curses and ghostly influence. I highly recommend this book, especially to lovers of T.J. Klune's Under the Whispering Door or Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book!

Such a lovely warm hug of a book. I had the pleasure of beta-reading this sweet, emotional book a while ago and am so thrilled to have received an ARC as well. The Keeper of Lonely Spirits has stuck with me since my very first beta read—so much so that I think about it daily (not hyperbole!). These characters felt like family to me and I would do ANYTHING for Peter and his entire town filled with found family. This book plays like a movie in my head, the scenes highlights reel like a good friend popping in for a hug and a hello. The ghost stories and magic system are so unique and perfectly implemented. If you're looking for a hopeful, lovely, comforting book filled with the best vibes and that makes you feel every emotion along the way, this is the one.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

WOW!!! What a great book!! This one had me hooked from page 1! This was a first for me from this author and I will not be my last! This one was a win for me!

Wow wow wow! I absolutely LOVED this book and didn't want it to end.

The beautiful descriptions and adorable characters kept my interest throughout the book. The groundsman (Peter) has a very important job to do and has been doing so for over 200 years. However, this time, things are different and he allows himself to become more attached.

The book takes the reader through many emotions of love, anger, sadness, happiness, it will also make you wonder if spirits really exist, minty!!!! The author brings so many things alive to an imaginative brain... I even look at my plants now in a different way!!

Hoping for a second book as I enjoyed this one so much.

#netgalley #spirits #ghosts #reading #goodreads

At its heart, The Keeper of Lonely Spirits is about finding meaning and companionship in unexpected places. It is a meditation on how we come to terms with loss and the courage it takes to open up to others. Anderson’s storytelling is heartwarming and atmospheric, with a gentle narrative pace that allows readers to immerse themselves fully in the experience.

Fans of magical realism, emotional depth, and small-town charm will find much to love in this novel. It’s a bittersweet yet hopeful read that lingers long after the final page is turned.