Another Fine Mess is the second book in the Bless Your Heart series by Lindy Ryan, and I loved it. This one is a great follow-up to the first book, and I'd definitely recommend starting with the first one if you haven't already. Lindy does a fantastic job of filling in the backstory, but you'll get more out of it if you read them in order.

This series has so much heart and charm. Set in a small town, it feels like a cozy mystery, even though there are horror and gore elements. The Evans family are the town's undertakers, and after the events of the first book, Lenore and her granddaughter Luna are trying to rebuild their lives. But disturbing events keep happening, and it's clear that something is still causing trouble in their small southeastern Texas town. With the help of the newly appointed sheriff, they're racing to figure out who or what is behind the attacks.

I really love the world Lindy Ryan has created. The small southern town setting is so engaging, and the characters are all so likable and relatable. Even with the graphic descriptions of gore, the story is very readable. The strong female characters are a huge strength. Luna is a teen trying to figure out who she is after her mother's death, and Lenore has taken on the responsibility of running the mortuary after losing both her mother and daughter in the last book. It's heartwarming to see this close-knit family start to let others into their circle.

The story blends mystery, horror, and humor beautifully, with undertones of vengeance and grief adding depth. Overall, this book has a lot of heart and charm, and I can't wait for the next one in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

I did not read the first book in this series, but found the characters immediately engaging and likable. Just enough gore to keep the horror vibe going. The writing and the story development were great.

Apparently it's an official thing: I cannot read these books. I received an ARC of the first book and struggled mightily, just as I did with this one. Then, later in the year, I received an audio copy of book one and REALLY enjoyed it. So apparently, this is a series that I have to listen to, not read. It's weird when that happens, but there are definitely books that I vastly prefer in one format or the other, so I guess I need to keep that in mind going forward. I liked the way this one opened, so will just have to wait for the audio and then should be set!

Incidentally, I read Ryan's "holiday" book (Cold Snap) as a physical book from my library and LOVED it, so it's not her writing. It must be something about this series - or perhaps the narration - that makes me prefer that format. <shrugging my shoulders> I'm going to give it 3 stars for now since I couldn't finish and will come back once I listen!

I went into this book not realizing that there was a book before this one. I don't think I need the first book because the emotional connections are here in this book and the fallout from the events of the first book echo absolutely throughout to the second. When "animal attacks" are blamed for missing animals, and people that are ripped to shreds Lenore Evans and her granddaughter Luna who have to deal with the restless dead. The sheriff Roger Taylor is willing to help but nobody knows who or what is responsible for the number of missing or mutilated animals and people. The restless dead are restless, Lenore is trying to handle too much and her granddaughter is a teenager what can they do to find out who or what are causing the problems in their town?

Absolutely loved this book. A family of women run a funeral home and are charged with keeping the dead buried. This becomes hard to do when one of their own comes back after being attacked and killed by a vampire zombie creature. Now the town is being terrorized by another creature that tears its victims apart and takes trophies. The women band together to find the creature even when they suspect that the creature ie actually one of their own.
Unfortunately, I had not read the first book in this series but I definitely will correct that. Fortunately, you don't have to have read the first one to keep up with the second one.

Wow! This boos is entertaining, emotional and creepy good. Great follow up to the first one. And let not forget the texas southern charm in this horrific story. Perfect for horror lovers!

Lindy Ryan's *Another Fine Mess* is a captivating blend of horror, mystery, and humor set in a small southeast Texas town plagued by the undead. The story centers on the Evans women—Lenore, Luna, and their new sheriff—who have been protecting their town from the undead for generations. As the dead begin to rise unexpectedly, they race against time to uncover the sinister force threatening their community.

What distinguishes *Another Fine Mess* is Ryan’s perfect balance of tension and humor. Clever dialogue lightens even the darkest moments, while the quirky Evans family adds charm and emotional depth. The mystery keeps readers on edge as characters face both supernatural and human threats, emphasizing themes of family and sacrifice.

The pacing expertly builds suspense, immersing readers in the eerie atmosphere of southeast Texas. Overall, *Another Fine Mess* offers a refreshing take on zombie horror, with its engaging mix of humor, mystery, and heart. Ryan's storytelling and the depth of her characters leave readers eager for the next installment.

Okay, wow. This book is a lot. I was creeped out, grossed out, confused, and then found myself tearing up at one point. How can horror leave me weepy?! Turns out Lindy Ryan is just that good at writing complex stories. I suppose this could be read as a standalone, but why would you do that when the first book is so good? Fingers crossed the author gives us more Evans women in the future! Thanks to Minotaur/SMP for the ARC.

I liked the plot and the strong Evans characters. It was an interesting read and parts were entertaining, but I felt it should be listed in the YA HORROR category due to the amount of supernatural events.

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced E-book edition in exchange for an honest review

This was really good! I make my way through most of this story and then was completely surprised by the twist of who was there to save the day. It was obvious that I had missed a previous book, but it worked decently as a stand-alone.

This book was excellent. I enjoyed Bless Your Heart but I loved this book even more. The story was gripping and I loved the author’s use of multiple narrators to tell the story. I felt like this book allowed us to become more invested in the Evan’s women, as well as allowing other characters to play a bigger role (Kim was a favourite of mine). This series is the perfect blend of slasher horror and paranormal. The twists and turns were so great and I did not see that ending coming at all. I need to know what happens next!

BOOK REPORT
Received a complimentary copy of Another Fine Mess, by Lindy Ryan, from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books/NetGalley, for which I am appreciative, in exchange for a fair and honest review. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

Put Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie), some True Blood (Sookie!!), and some Twilight (extra sparkles, please) in a blender. Hit pulse. Then pour the clumpy liquid-y mess on the floor and slog through it. That’s the equivalent of reading this book.

Alas.

I had high hopes for this series because the grandmas were so realistic. But this second book went on WAY, WAY too long. And expected readers to remember entirely too many details from the first one.

Let’s not forget convoluted-y….oh my goodness did we convolute or what with this? Ugh.

Now. All that said, I probably will give the third in the series a try, because sophomore slump is a very real thing. But if I find myself (when and if it comes) rolling my eyes and continually leaving the book to doomscroll, then I’ll know it’s time to say goodbye to it.

DESCRIPTION
From Lindy Ryan, "one of the “most electrifying voices in the horror genre” (Gwendolyn Kiste), Another Fine Mess brings the Evans women back around in this unputdownable, crackling, rollicking mystery of humor, heart, and horror.

Making sure dead things stay buried is the family business…

For over a hundred years, the Evans women have kept the undead in their strange southeast Texas town from rising. But sometimes the dead rise too quick–and that’s what left Lenore Evans, and her granddaughter Luna, burying Luna’s mother, Grace, and Lenore’s mother, Ducey. Now the only two women left in the Evans family, Luna and Lenore are left rudderless in the wake of the most Godawful Mess to date.

But when the full moon finds another victim, it’s clear their trouble is far from over. Now Lenore, Luna, and the new sheriff—their biggest ally—must dig deep down into family lore to uncover what threatens everything they love most. The body count ticks up, the most unexpected dead will rise–forcing Lenore and Luna to face the possibility that the undead aren’t the only monsters preying on their small town.

I loved the first book in this series and was hooked just a few pages into this one too. The relationships between the Evan’s women are a joy to read— gives me almost Practical Magic vibes. This take on vampires is refreshing in its uniqueness but it still hits all the major camp notes.

Another great entry in the Evan’s women story. Cannot wait till the next entry. This series deserves a streaming contract, Jenna Ortega would be perfect in it as Kim.

There is something so charming about the Evans women. They are fierce, strong, and loyal. I was so shocked by the ending of Bless Your Heart that I was pleased by the arc of the Evans women in this one. I also liked the fact that they let others in like Kim and Crane. My heart broke for Luna once again... Poor Baby Evans. I also loved how the final showdown took place but I thought it was resolved too quickly. I wanted more mayhem or at least for the main threat to not be taken down so easily! I really hope that we get another book so that we can get some more answers - right now I feel like I still do not understand the rules of these monsters and I also hope that in the next book, Luna gets a win. Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit and I am looking forward to the next installment. Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

Love love love this series the excitement when I was approved for netgalley was immense !
This one was a fab follow up to the first in the series and I can't wait for more
It gives cozy horror vibes ,highly recommend

I’m so sorry I downloaded this title on accident when it was “Read Now” and unfortunately the synopsis just isn’t up my alley :(

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher. Another Fine Mess is the second installment of the Evans’ women with even more at stake. We leave off shortly after that God awful mess that left Lenora and Luna sans Ducey and Grace. While the remaining members struggle to pick up the pieces and maintain the story of what’s been attacking the people of the town, it seems like a new monster has cropped up. Something they’ve never face before. Luna struggles to find answers to what she is and Lenora with her new found role of family matriarch. With non-Evans women pulled in to pick up the slack and protect their secret it seems that more tragedy is destined to follow. After all the biggest curse for an Evans woman is love.

Finally, the next Lindy Ryan book. Another Fine Mess was a great follow up to Bless Your Heart. A fun read.

I absolutely loved “Another Fine Mess”, even more than the first book in the series. From the very start, I was hooked by the compelling plot. While the multiple POVs were occasionally a bit distracting, they ultimately added depth to the story and tied everything together. The ending was heartbreaking, but it left me eagerly anticipating the next installment in this series.

4.5/5