Very good read. Has you gripped from the first chapter. Some parts of it were predictable, but the anticipation of how everything worked out was great. I read this in one sitting! Absolutely amazing! 5 stars!

Valerie Biel has excelled herself in this brilliant story. The graphics on the front cover are just so appropriate and fitting. This tells the story of 16 year old Chloe who lives with her dad Dean who is the cemetery caretaker and they live on site. Chloe wakes in the middle of the night after hearing a wailing/howling noise. She realises Dean is not in the house so goes to investigate and finds Dean slumped unresponsive against a headstone with a hyperdermic syringe hanging out of his arm. By the time the emergency services arrive and take Dean to hospital, he is pronounced dead on arrival. As Chloe's mum 'died' when she was very young, the only family she has is her auntie Maggie, Dean's sister but she is unreachable due to being a news reporter and is on an assignment without her phone. When a social worker arrives and mentions Chloe going into temporary foster care until Maggie can get back Chloe is horrified and calls her best friend, Emma Phillips instead and her parents agree to take Chloe until Maggie can get there. Mr and Mrs Phillips and Emma take Chloe back to their house but Chloe hears them talking and the Phillips' along with the police and most of their small town in Wisconsin believe that it was just a normal drug overdose but Chloe is adamant her dad didn't do drugs and that foul play is involved and Dean was murdered. She sees the looks on the faces of Mr and Mrs Phillips faces every time she says this as if she is just a delusional child in denial. Even Emma is also starting to believe everyone else but Chloe so Chloe devises a plan and starts putting her plans in motion. She leaves the Phillips' house and leaves Emma a message that auntie Maggie has arrived to help look after her. Truth be told Chloe has decided in order to attempt to find out what actually happened to her dad that she needs to be living at her house to be nearer the scene and if, whoever murdered her dad has a reason to return. At every opportunity Chloe airs her theory to anyone that listens that no way was Dean a drug addict so she starts her own unofficial investigation. Chief Barnett tells her she needs to stop digging and to be careful but Chloe continues to find discrepancies in the police investigations. At school, Chloe has a chem lab partner, Jarvis who rarely interacts with her and just works alongside her in chemistry. Following the loss of Dean, Jarvis starts to take notice of Chloe's behaviour and Jarvis turns out to be an unusual ally who starts to help Chloe and becomes very protective of Chloe and helping her at every opportunity as he just so happens to be exceptionally talented in hacking into confidential and sensitive information regarding all aspects surrounding Dean's death and Chloe is convinced she is being watched and followed. Chloe has to also keep up the facade that Maggie is looking after her but discovers Dean's bank account has been emptied out and the emergency stash tin is empty too but she still needs to eat without drawing unnecessary attention from adults around her so she sees a staff wanted sign for a waitress at Molly Bell's diner. After a disastrous first shift and Chloe thinking she's blown it, Molly tells her she has the job and to return the following evening. A new customer, Candi starts to come to eat at Molly's every evening and ensuring that she interacts with Chloe on her visits. Jarvis also makes sure he is at the diner every evening by closing time so that he can walk Chloe home and make sure she's safe as they are unravelling more and more inconsistencies with Dean's fatal 'drug overdose'. Chloe actually keeps the facade up around all the adults until one evening while she's working there is a news broadcast showing on the diner television being presented by auntie Maggie - live in Istanbul as a bomb explodes! Chloe literally runs from the diner distraught and convinced that her only other family member is also dead. Chloe also has to move out of her home - with nowhere to go as a new caretaker has been given the job and the house comes with it. After being honest about everything with Molly, she also turns out to be an unexpected ally who genuinely cares for Chloe and helps Chloe and Jarvis pack up hers and Dean's belongings but Molly and Jarvis find things that are enough to turn her already devastating life upside down. Has Chloe's life been a lie? How could Dean have lied and kept so much from her? Has her imaginary friend/guardian angel Leb only been a figment of her imagination or is there more to it? Definitely a can't put it down thriller that Valerie Biel has covered so many aspects of life and how not everything is as it seems from the outside looking in. Highly recommended and definitely looking forward to reading more of this amazing author's work!

When 16-year-old Chloe Cowan finds her only parent dead within the cemetery grounds where her father worked as resided as a caretaker, everything is turned upside down for her. He is found with a syringe in his arm, and the humiliation and shame of seeing him labelled as a drug addict is more than she can besr

She is sure it must be murder.. However, the local constabulary appear to be doing very little to challenge this. But she won't stand for the whispers and stares that follow her at school and beyond.

Her other woes include the inaccassibility of her foreign correspondent aunt, and the efforts among social workers and teachers to ensure she has a guardian. Which might get in the way of her sleuthing. As might being evicted ftom her home.

Luckily, Chloe finds allies when things get really tough: from a school mate, her new boss at the cafe where she lands a job waitressing. To say nothing of a supportive presence that is always there for her.

She is to find out that her father's life is not what is seemed, many secrets kept hidden from her, by those who of course have her best interests at heart. Slowly however, even certain adults become convinced that she may be in danger, and not just from losing any agency to act because she is a minor.

This is not the kind of messy and possibly more realist kind of story where mysteries are just left in the air, which should make a very satisfying read for those who enjoy a good mystery tale, everything in the end makes sense. Adults and young adults alike should enjoy this, and be routing for Chloe and her friends and allies.

When the police rule her dad’s death an accidental overdose, 16-year-old Chloe refuses to believe it and vows to find his killer. Alone against a potentially corrupt, small-town police force, a persistent social worker seeking proof that she has adult supervision, and precariously low funds, Chloe learns that her dad’s life as a cemetery caretaker masked a web of family secrets that quite possibly led to his death—and are now putting her in mortal danger.

Needing freedom to investigate, Chloe pretends that her only surviving relative, a famous war correspondent, has returned from an overseas assignment to be her guardian. But living alone in the caretaker’s house in the middle of the cemetery, mere feet from the crime scene, puts Chloe’s nerves on edge even before she unearths clues about the shadowy side of her small town. Help comes from unlikely and surprising allies: the colorful owner of the local retro diner, the quiet new classmate with his near-perfect memory, and a spirit who visits in her moments of greatest need.

But as Chloe gets closer to the truth, someone else is getting closer to Chloe, watching her every move. And when her aunt turns up on international news reporting from a war zone, Chloe’s cover is blown. Now the race is on to reveal her dad’s killer—but perhaps—Chloe isn’t as alone as she thought.

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

A gripping and popcorn murder mystery about a cemetery keepers's daughter determined to uncover the mystery surrounding her father's death. This is well written and I couldn't read it fast enough.

Omg so good!
Has you hooked from the 1st chapter and i couldn't put it down. Thank you netgalley for this one!!

Beyond the Cemetery Gate is a mysterious, thrilling and somewhat emotional story. Our focus is a 16 year old girl named Chloe who is determined to uncover the truth about her father's death under it's strange circumstances.


The small town setting added with the fact she lives in a cemetery in the caretaker's house ( right next to where she finds her dad dead) gives a nice spooky/unsettling vibe with plenty of twists and mysteries and suspense.

With Chloe being only 16 and left all alone (but being so very brave) it pulled at my heartstrings and there were many heartwarming moments.

Thouroughly enjoyed reading this book. And have bought a copy for my best friend.


Thank you to NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Valerie Biel for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When a book starts with all wheels running, you know that it will be good. Chloe has grown up among the stones. She is used to the creepy atmosphere but when she wakes one day to a feeling of dread, her life changes forever. A corupt police force, a persistent social worker, and too many family secrets, Chloe sets out to find the truth. Will she be able to distinguish friend from foe? I really enjoyed the mystery. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

What a fantastic book! I couldn’t put it down and absolutely devoured it in one sitting, I was hooked right from the beginning!