This was a really interesting concept and story style. It felt a bit like the first season of American Horror Story with all of the characters and ghosts. I did think there might have been a few too many characters, that did not really contribute much to the story. But overall this is a good haunted house style story with more depth to the story. 3.5 stars.

📚 Book Review: Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian 🌿👻

If Red Rabbit was a banger (and it absolutely was), then Rose of Jericho hit my ultimate sweet spot! Alex Grecian delivers an outstanding follow-up to one of my favorite reads of 2025, blending witchy vibes with a ghostly, paranormal twist that had me fully immersed from page one.

One of the standout elements of Rose of Jericho is its unforgettable characters. Moses quickly became a favorite—he’s the kind of straight shooter with a moral compass you can always depend on. When life doesn't go his way, he's determined to do the right thing, and then he quietly moves on. His quiet strength and integrity ground the story beautifully.

And, of course, I couldn’t help but adore the continued journey of Sadie-Grace, Rose, and Rabbit. Seeing them together, building a home and carving out their own path, felt like a warm embrace amidst the story's chilling undertones. Grecian allows this story to take a completely different shape while maintaining the rich, immersive world I fell in love with in Red Rabbit.

I had the pleasure of enjoying the audiobook, beautifully narrated by John Pirhalla. If you’re not familiar with Pirhalla’s work, you probably are—without even realizing it! With a catalog of over 400 audiobooks, he is an absolute standout narrator for me. As an Audie Award nominee for Red Rabbit, Pirhalla brings the same expert audio delivery to Rose of Jericho, completely bringing this book to life. His narration is a masterclass in performance, and I just can’t get enough of it.

A huge thank you to TOR Publishing and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this Advanced Listener Copy. I’m so grateful to be part of this journey and to share my love for this incredible book.

If you are newer to audiobooks, do yourself a favor and take the time to learn more about the artists bringing your favorite books to life. John Pirhalla’s work is a fantastic place to start, and Rose of Jericho is a prime example of how a great narrator can elevate a story to new heights.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommend!

#TORpublishing #macmillianaudio #bookrecommendation

💥💥💥 Book Review 💥💥💥

Rose of Jericho
By. Alen Grecian
⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

I got to listen to Rose of Jericho on audio. It was okay, sometimes I had a hard time with so many point of views and so many plot lines. There wasn’t enough depth in the book which would had made a better impact. I also wish I knew that this was the second book of Red Rabbit. I wish NetGalley would have mentioned that and maybe I would have understood something’s better.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you Tor Nightfire and Macmillan Audio for my free ARC of Rose of Jericho by Alex Grecian — available Mar 11!

» READ IF YOU «
🧙‍♀️ are craving a witchy, paranormal historical horror
🪦 want to visit a cute lil town with a sliiight zombie problem
🐇 loved Red Rabbit, also by Alex Grecian

» SYNOPSIS «
Our lovely ladies from Red Rabbit, the first book of this series (though each can read as a standalone), Sadie Grace and Rabbit, head to small-town Massachusetts with their friend Rose. But something strange is going on in this town—the recently dead are...not staying dead? How can this be? Not to mention that their new home is packed to the gills with ghosts. And what the HECK is in the attic? Are the ladies in danger, and can they prevent this malevolent force from taking over the town?

» REVIEW «
This book is an absolute vibe. Just like in Red Rabbit, Alex Grecian builds for us an eerie, unsettling historical world packed with slowly-building dread. Though sometimes light hearted and even funny, much of this story gave me the creeps. The hanged man?! And the old cabin?! No, thank you. I found the shifting viewpoints sometimes difficult (I'd prefer to stick with one or two characters) and that was my main gripe with Red Rabbit as well—I care too much about the characters and their experiences that I want to read more from each one. Not a bad complaint, right? If you're into horrific western vibes and witchy characters, this one is for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The dead don't die, but they do decompose.
What happens when Death is dead and how soon will the whitch hunt start?
It was a gripping tale. I really liked the cast of characters, and the very original take on the western horror, all in the beautiful and eerie prose of Alex Gracian.
If you liked Red Rabbit, you'll love this one and reuniting with some of the characters.
But you also can start here and fully enjoy this book.
I listened to the audiobook version and I loved the narrator. I feel it was a really immersive work.
Thank you Macmillan audio for this ARC!

This is the sequel to Alex Grecian's Red Rabbit, and it was absolutely fabulous! I definitely recommend that you read Red Rabbit first, so that you know the main characters who made it from book 1, however, it can read as a standalone. This book starts out with a bang (a man kills death!) and from there, no one dies. This does present many problems as people die, but don't die. A few characters have a mission to complete in order to turn the world back to right. we also learn that this may be a game of a larger sort. I loved the horror aspects of this book, but it was also humorous in parts. This is a must read!
'

A worthy follow up to Red Rabbit, proving again that horror and westerns mix perfectly. Fantastic narration in the audiobook as well.

Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an early audio copy.

Historical fiction, meet character driven horror. Alex Grecian knows how to write compelling stories and with plenty of unsettling moments. Add this to your spooky reading list!

Wow. There were lots of moving parts to this one and I loved everything about it. The characters were well drawn (some familiar, some new) but all Grecian and the storyline moved along at a nicely brisk pace.

The synopsis is what caught my attention. I love a witchy story so I was hoping this would be interesting. I think the one singular thing that kept my attention was the audio narration, Spectacular. The narrator gave a unique voice to every character. I though it was macabre enough for my liking without being horrific. The "zombie" aspect was quite unique. I think Moses was my favorite character. That being said, this has a large cast of characters and none of them really had much depth to them because the povs were switching so quick. I also didn't realize this was a sequel until I finished and read other reviews, that explains why I felt like I was missing out on something. Overall this was fine. An interesting story but not one I think I'll remember in the long run. A solid 3 stars.

When I started this book, I didn't realize it was a continuation of Red Rabbit, which I hadn't read. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read it first, but I never felt lost while reading Rose of Jericho. From what I can tell, this book shares characters with Red Rabbit but can easily stand on its own.

Set in 1880s New England, the book kicks off with Death himself being murdered by a man who sought vengeance against Death after his wife died. The problem is, now that Death no longer exists, anyone who dies continues to walk the earth - wounds and all.

The core of the novel takes place in Ascension, Massachusetts, a small, insular village where we see the repercussions of the loss of Death. A mother dying of cancer suddenly recovers, and her son, who people witnessed being crushed by a milk cart, walks away unscathed. Others who have died (or should have) are also miraculously alive. While many would like to attribute it to the power of prayer, it is anything but holy - especially seeing as how the longer those who should have died remain, the more unhinged and dangerous they become.

On top of the walking dead, we also have Bethany Hall - a home riddled with ghosts, and it's in this home that Sadie, Rose and Rabbit have come to stay to help Rose's ailing cousin (who - thanks to Death's demise is no longer as sickly as she once was). But Sadie, Rose, and Rabbit are witches, and they feel a presence amongst the ghosts - something that waits in the attic that even the ghosts are afraid of.

I absolutely loved the premise of this one. Who would have thought that Death himself could die? And, of course, everyone would become "living dead" if Death wasn't around to see them off to wherever we go next. This idea is very inventive, allowing for a lot of exploration, and Grecian definitely has fun with it.

Another thing that makes this book work so well is the characters. Grecian doesn't just create protagonists who react to the strange events unfolding around them; he gives them depth, history, and personal stakes that make their journey all the more engaging. Rabbit, Rose, and Sadie Grace are fascinating figures, and I really want to go back and read the first book to learn more about them.

The novel's supporting characters - both living and dead - are just as intriguing. The townsfolk of Ascension have an unsettling, almost puritanical distrust of anything unnatural, creating a slow-burn tension that permeates the book. They want to believe everything happening is by the hand of God, which puts them in even more danger. And the spirits? They aren't just spooky set pieces; they have personalities, motives, and a presence that makes them feel as integral to the story as the living characters.

While I personally didn't feel that this book was especially scary, there is an ever-present sense of dread. The idea of people being hurt or killed but never succumbing to their wounds was fun to explore, but you know that eventually, something has to give, and things are going to get dark. Rather than lots of gore or jump-scares, Grecian builds an unsettling atmosphere filled with the sense that, at any moment, things could go very, very wrong.

I read both an ARC and listened to an ALC of this and I have to give major kudos to the narrator. John Pirhalla is fantastic. Not only does he provide convincing voices for each character, but he also sings the songs in the book rather than just speaking the lyrics. His ability to make even his singing voice reflect the character impressed me. This really upped my listening experience!

Overall, this is a fascinating, well-written novel that offers a fresh take on supernatural horror. With its compelling characters, unique premise, and immersive setting, it's an engaging read that balances creepiness with adventure. While it may not deliver traditional scares, its unsettling atmosphere and the mystery at its core make it an enjoyable novel for fans of gothic horror or just a good eerie mystery.

Holy s!*#. Wow, this book was wild! What happens when someone kills death and throws the life and death cycle into chaos? You are about to find out! The narration was fantastic. I loved every minute.

So apparently this is a sequel to the author's previous book, Red Rabbit, which I didn't know until I started writing this review. The good news is I still enjoyed this work on its own, which means it does work fine enough as a standalone.

It was hard not to be drawn in by the premise of this one. And the work does start off strongly, and I was instantly drawn to Moses and his story. I enjoyed following him and felt that his POV was by far the strongest.

My biggest dislike of this work is that it isn't long before there is an overwhelmingly large cast of characters that the book jumps between. I had a difficult time keeping several of them separate, and because of the great number of them, many of them felt relatively flat. I also wanted more from the magical elements of the work as well as the horror. While some dark and violent things did happen, I felt that calling it a work of horror is a stretch.

Overall this is a good blend of fantasy mixed with historical fiction that was a decent read. I do wish I'd read the other book first, as I wonder if it would have helped with the characters in this one. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

John Pirhalla’s narration of Rose of Jericho was as fantastic as Red Rabbit was, both by Alex Grecian. Starring Rabbit, Sadie Grace, Rose and Moses along with lots of side characters. After Moses kills Death in revenge for the deaths of his wife and child, the dead are not dying. Along with a literal haunted house filled to the brim with ghosts galore that Rose, Sadie and Rabbit move into. And sightings of the visual representation of an Angel with wings covered with eyes. Death’s dog accompanies Moses to deliver Death’s appointment book to the next recipient to become the Grim Reaper. Part road trip, part Hell on Earth where witches, ghouls, ghosts and angels meet for a party not to be missed. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. I received an advance listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Historical fiction horror set in the town of Acension Massachusetts in the early 1880s. The perfect mix of horror, thriller and comedy. What happens when the dead dont die? The ladies move into town, events get stranger and harder to explain. What is haunting thir home? A very enjoyable Book.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire for the ARC.

Rose of Jericho is such an aww inspiring story. I was instantly interested when I saw the cover, then I read the synopsis and I needed it. Thank you so much for the ALC. First of all, the audio was perfect for this book. It conveyed the most accurate depiction of what I would expect from the characters. This story was so well written and the flow was perfect. While a little of a slow burn, it worked so well. The characters were from a previous novel of the author, but I haven’t had a chance to read that yet. However, I don’t think that took away from my reading experience!

<u>Rose of Jericho</u>
Alex Grecian

ALC courtesy of MacMillan Audio and NetGalley.

Overcome with grief from the death of his young wife, Moses Burke sets off on his horse to pursue Death. He succeeds in tracking down and killing Death. Soon after, strange things happen. People are not dying. Additionally, on Death’s appointment book, he finds on the last entry the name of his friend, with whom he had travelled ten years ago. It then becomes apparent that this novel is a sequel to Grecian’s previous book, <i>Red Rabbit</i>. I myself did not find not having read the prequel to matter very much to my understanding of this novel, so do not be concerned.

Moses sets off on a cross country adventure on horseback, and on train, to find his friends, Sadie and Rabbit, the “Good Graces.” The latter had themselves set out on their own adventure to Ascension, Massachusetts, accompanying their friend, Rose, to care for her ailing cousin, Clarissa. They find themselves moving into haunted Bethany Hall, teeming not only with ghosts, but with a mysterious celestial being residing in the attic.

Rose of Jericho is a fast-paced, plot-driven work of supernatural fantasy. I would not really call it horror, and I did not find it particularly scary. Sure there are ghosts, witches, revenants and liver-eating ghoul, but the overall tone is lighthearted, sometimes outright hilarious. I think fans of T. Kingfisher would enjoy this book. The novel did have quite a few characters, and shifting POVs that can sometimes be difficult to keep track of, particularly on audio. There were multiple subplots, coming together in the end.

Otherwise known as the Resurrection Plant, the Rose of Jericho makes us think about death. How we humans try our best to defer or cheat death. However, in the end, it is an inevitable, if not a necessary, part of life.

<i>”What does the promise of heaven mean to someone who would not see it? What did the threat of hellfire mean to someone who has no fear of death?”</i>

Super interesting plot with a lot to say, I found that this book was just spread a little too thin; too many POVs as well as too many strings of plot. There was so much going on, nothing was given the chance for depth and to really make an impact. Overall though I found it entertaining enough and for fans of the first book, it seems to be another hit. Unfortunately Netgalley didn't mention this is a follow up novel, nor did goodreads. It may have impacted my enjoyment.

In the 19th century, New England, town of Ascension, Rabbit and Sadie have stumbled upon a town, where the dead don’t stay dead. Together with their cousin Rose, they must face an entity in the attic of their family home to uncover the truth about what’s going on in this strange little town. Not your typical horror story, this is quirky and a little offbeat. Still, I found it very enjoyable.