“Cemetery’s never been quiet. We just got good at pretending.”

This was a wild ride—gritty detective work meets eerie, supernatural mystery. I loved the creepy vibe and the fast pace, but whew, the writing could’ve used a polish. Still, Abby and Reyes are a solid team, and I’m all in if Daley turns this into a series. Think Castle Rock but grungier.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I wanted in a strange town concept and how it was told. The concept was everything that I wanted and I thought it worked well in the horror genre. The characters had that element that I was looking for and worked with the spooky atmosphere of this. C. J. Daley has a great writing style and I am excited for more from them.

I enjoyed this! There is some gore and a good mystery. The character development is good. The pacing is great and I was captivated until the end. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to C.J. Daley,Best Ghost Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Abby Williams is a New York detective partnered with the much older and experienced Ed Reyes, who find themselves with an increasing number of exsanguiated bodies, young people snatched from their daily lives.

Overall the plot it interesting, with its odd nods to possible vampirism. However, the book is poorly written, failing to flow easily or draw the reader in, and full of typos and grammatical errors, which was disappointing. The main character had the unfortunate habit of hurling either her gun or mobile (or both) every time she was startled, although luckily the gun usually was near to hand when needed. She also managed to sustain some serious injuries but was still allowed to continue to do her work (not sure how the insurance for that would pan out, she was clearly unfit for duty).

So not particularly believable, but it could have been a good tale. Thank you to NetGalley and BestGhost Books for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome To Cemetery by C.J Daley is a small town crime thriller that could easily be turned into a series.

Cemetery is a small town north of New York City and it is crime ridden and full of secrets. But is there something darker hidden among these streets? When Abby Williams and Ed Reyes are assigned to what was supposed to be a routine missing person's case, they suddenly find themselves knee deep in something more sinister. Completely bloodless bodies start showing up and the more Williams and Reyes investigate the more they know that something evil is lurking in their town.

This was action packed in the best way possible! Right away you are thrust into chaos and it takes an even more sinister turn. There were so many eerie twists and turns that I flew through this book in a day. Definitely recommend to fans of detective fiction with some supernatural elements and a crazy atmospheric setting.

Thank you to NetGalley, C.J Daley, and BestGhost Books for this ARC. Release day was March 4th 2025.

Okay I really had fun reading this book. I’d say it’s more thriller/mystery then horror but It does have a good amount of action, like crime thriller I would say. But the flow was decent it keeps you guessing that’s for sure! I enjoyed it!!

Thanks to NetGalley and BestGhost Books for the eARC!

This was a fun little mystery/suspense novel. Easy to like main characters. Fast paced writing. Intriguing story. Really good stuff!

Cemetery is a town to the north of NYC and lots of weird stuff happens there…stuff like strange deaths with missing body parts and no blood. Detectives Williams and Reyes try to find what’s going on, and they get sucked into a town-wide conspiracy.

Check this out. It’s a fast read and the pacing was strong throughout.

First.....how can any mystery/thriller lover not be tempted by this title? It's an auto add to a LONG TBR but jumped to the top once I read further. Second......I certainly hope this debut is turning into a series. Daley builds so many possible arcs that there has to be more coming.

WELCOME TO CEMETARY is set in the small town of Cemetary, NY. We meet the police when a couple of bodies show up with no build up to the crime. These two cops have little in common and they like it that way. But there's crime to be solved and more to come in this intriguingly told story that reminds me of Kelley Armstrong's Cainville and Charlene Harris' Midnight, Tx, two of my favorite limited series. In fact, Daley's Cemetary could compete with amny of the small towns that have huge fan followings in this genre. The story line is great but when you add in the characters and the possibilities........I'm excited to see where Daley goes from here.

"Welcome to Cemetery" was a strange journey through genres like police crime, thriller, and horror, and at times it even touched on the supernatural. The story of Cemetery and the town's shady reputation created an intriguing background that set the tone for the book. The main characters, Detective Williams and Reyes, were well portrayed and perhaps the book's strongest element. The character development was solid, and I felt connected to their lives and work.

The story is action-packed, and it never gets boring. One suspenseful moment follows another, making the book very easy to like and read. I was 100% engaged in the story and very curious about how it would all end. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm started to wane after about 90%. The ending was... too much! Too much action crammed into too few pages. Everything felt over the top, and the revelation of the mystery seemed messy and weak.

C. J. Daley has written a well-crafted horror-thriller, and there is a lot to like about this book! It's a shame it got too chaotic towards the end. I give the book 3.5 stars.

C.J. Daley’s Welcome to Cemetery is a gripping mystery with a sci-fi edge, blending action, suspense, and unexpected twists. While it takes a bit of time to fully immerse in the story, once it picks up, it doesn’t let go. The novel is packed with constant action, keeping readers on edge as no character is truly safe.

The book balances its mystery elements with a touch of romance, though its primary appeal lies in its darker themes. Blood and gore play a significant role, adding a gritty, high-stakes intensity to the plot. Despite its mystery classification, the sci-fi-like atmosphere adds a unique twist, setting it apart from more traditional whodunits.

Overall, Welcome to Cemetery is a thrilling, fast-paced read for those who enjoy mystery with a darker, action-driven narrative. Fans of suspenseful storytelling with high stakes and unexpected turns will find plenty to enjoy.

C.J. Daley’s Welcome to Cemetery is a gripping blend of crime thriller and supernatural horror, set in a town where nothing is as it seems. With a pair of detectives who couldn’t be more different, a string of baffling disappearances, and an eerie, blood-drained crime scene, this novel keeps readers on edge from start to finish.

A Town That Lives Up to Its Name

Cemetery, NY is no ordinary town—it’s steeped in crime, secrets, and something far darker than the detectives investigating its latest mystery could ever imagine. When Abby Williams, a determined young detective eager to prove herself, and Ed Reyes, a seasoned veteran with years of experience, are assigned to what seems like a routine missing persons case, they quickly find themselves pulled into something far more sinister.

As bodies begin to turn up—completely drained of blood—the case takes a terrifying turn. The further they dig, the more Williams and Reyes begin to question the world around them. What if the murderer they’re hunting isn’t human at all?

Compelling Characters & A Haunting Atmosphere

Daley crafts a dynamic detective duo in Williams and Reyes. Their contrasting personalities—her youthful ambition versus his weary cynicism—create natural tension and give the story depth beyond its central mystery. The eerie setting of Cemetery, NY, with its foreboding atmosphere and shadowy history, makes the perfect backdrop for a thriller that seamlessly weaves crime and the supernatural.

A Genre-Bending Thriller

What starts as a detective procedural quickly shifts into something much more chilling. Daley masterfully blends mystery, horror, and suspense, keeping readers guessing as the case unravels. The investigation moves at a breakneck pace, delivering unexpected twists and eerie revelations that will keep even the most seasoned thriller readers hooked.

Final Verdict

Welcome to Cemetery is a spine-tingling, fast-paced thriller that will appeal to fans of both gritty detective fiction and supernatural horror. With its razor-sharp dialogue, unsettling mysteries, and a setting that feels like a character in itself, this book is impossible to put down.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for access to an e-arc of this title.
This was a cheesy, creepy, fun read overall. The first two thirds of this is almost satirical in its telling, with some creepiness... It reminded me of the first time I watched Scream... that kind of tongue in cheek characters that take themselves a bit to seriously, in a situation that is creepy but has that juxtaposition of the humour and small town vibe the Cemetery. Despite the creepy stuff happening, Cemetery is a town I would like to visit and hope I would come out alive. A lot of aspects of this were predictable but that felt quite comforting in this case. Along with moments that were absolutely unbelievable, you get the creepy vibes without being scared. An example of this is when the MC wakes up in hospital, she is determined to leave before doctors are happy with it.. but the doctor lets her leave with all the advice she can give anyway. In almost the next sentence the MC is running after someone... so much for being so badly injured!
There was a love interest in this which I really liked and found that character to have an interesting role in the plot. It was an important role in the MC's storyline but didn't detract from the plot or add anything for frivolities sake.
The last third of the book gets serious and is almost a different vibe... I found myself caring more about what was happening, where before I was just along for the ride.
I think this will suit readers that like satirical horror, and answers that leave more question... like... "what were they doing with the blood?!"
My final rating is 3.75 Grinches.

Welcome To Cemetery
By C.J. Daley
BestGhost Books
(04/04/25)
4⭐️

🔘Thriller/Suspense
🔘Horror
🔘Gore

Welcome to the town of Cemetery, a small town in upstate NY. Suddenly, many disappearances were happening in this eerie little town with so many secrets. As the detectives began to investigate a fatal car accident, they realized a string of killings and disappearances were all related.

A lot of things happen in the course of trying to solve this crime and catch the killers. The book was well written, entertaining, with excellent character development. Lots of mystery and twists and turns to keep you guessing!

Thank you to C.J. Daley, BestGhost Books and Net Galley for providing me an advanced e-book copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tropes:
🔪 Violence
☠️ Death
🕵️‍♂️ Mystery

"Stephen King has Castle Rock. Josh Malerman has Goblin. E. Reyes has Devil’s Hill. Now C. J. Daley welcomes you to Cemetery."

Well that certainly grabbed my attention. Although I confess I haven't read Malerman or Reyes, I am a big fan of Stephen King, so this sounded like it would be right up my alley..

"A strange town with a strange name, Cemetery, NY is filled with crime and secrets."

Intriguing, huh???

When a car accident one fateful night leads to a search for two missing bodies, detectives Abby Williams – an almost-thirty year old with something to prove – and Ed Reyes – a jaded, senior officer with a career as long as his partner is old – set out to solve the latest mystery.
Before long, a string of missing persons becomes a collection of bloodless bodies that has even the police pathologist stumped.

Oooh.... and this was where the book got really good. I had no idea what to expect. I had plenty of theories.....and they were all wrong. So wrong. If you love a fast paced mystery/thriller/horror , then you should definitely check this out.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a brilliant crime thriller and kept me guessing through out the entire book on who I thought could possibly be behind the awful crimes happening in Cemetery & I'm gutted to say, I did not guess correctly!

Thank you NetGalley and BestGhosts Books for the eARC.
This book had a nice plot, well executed, with strong characters, but was way too heavy on the dialogue, which I didn’t care for.
It had sort of a spooky aspect to it, which I liked, but the ending was so rushed and I feel like I have so many questions and things were left unanswered.
Abby was a good strong character, which I respect, but I also feel she made some not so smart choices throughout the book.
Overall, I didn’t love it, but it wasnt horrible.

This book has a nice mix of crime fiction, horror and the supernatural. I didn’t think it could really be done, but it was! I am not usually a huge fan of crime fiction but I think with the supernatural and horror aspect thrown into it, it made it very interesting. I think this would be a great book to read during the fall, or more specifically, Halloween.

A decent read with some interesting characters like Williams and Reyes, who I’d have liked to have learned more about, and a creepy town with a great name.
The plot started off good, bordering on the supernatural but when everything was revealed it didn’t quite live up to the rest of the story in my opinion.
Fast paced with some horrifying scenes and a few twists made this book enjoyable but not great.

Welcome to Cemetery

Although I understand this is an Advance Release, I have reviewed over 1,000 early release books, and for a professional writer and editor such as myself, this book is so rife with odd grammatical choices and errors I finally had to stop reading it (during the last chapter). Typically, I just forward an error or two to the publisher, but it reached the point where there were errors on every page. As I am not supposed to quote pre-publication, I must leave it at that, but I am SHOCKED other reviewers could make it through this book without noting the number of issues contained within..

This story is so flawed, from a verbiage and editing standpoint, distractions (errors) on nearly every page make it impossible to enjoy the storyline, which is just okay.

Trust me, Stephen King doesn't need to worry...

There are a few positives in this story including a promising premise, a cool name for a creepy town, and some characters with the potential to become more fleshed out, given work. Rather than being able to enjoy the story, I spent most of my time trying to put my finger on what was so off-putting about the entire reading experience. I’m not sure if this was passed through some kind of assistive writing program or if it was dictated-to-text, but it did not work for me. There was a pervasive peculiarity in syntax and sentence formulation that went far beyond a final proofing. The frequent misuse of similarly sounding words (not homophones), semantic errors, and the not so infrequent use of wrong vocabulary, made for a tough read.
2/5