Early Review: The Prophet

The Prophet (The Graveyard Queen 3)

-          Amanda Stevens

Publisher: MIRA – Published on 24^th April 2012

E-Arc Courtesy of netgalley and MIRA

My name is Amelia Gray.I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

Returning to Charleston after the revelations about her heritage and past in the mountains, Amelia has been avoiding Devlin and his ghosts, but she can’t stay away for long and soon she has to face not only his haunting past, but also search for a murderer who doesn’t want to be discovered...

In this book, Amelia starts to make decisions and be proactive rather than waiting for things to happen to her. She really seems to take control of herself more and rather than hiding away in her hallowed places, she starts to use her abilities and explores what it lets her do, rather than hiding all the time. I liked this new Amelia with more of a back bone. But this doesn’t mean she doesn’t still hide her powers, remaining introspective and lonely. Even Devlin can’t completely break through her armour.

The setting continues to be lush and beautifully described – at times I feel like I can just walk into the book and be in the graveyard with Amelia. I adore the beautiful prose and invocative descriptions which create a gorgeously gothic and timeless atmosphere. This is a traditional ghost story wonderfully told and will have you checking over your shoulder at twilight for any ghosts following you home. This series just builds with each story creating such a layered and complex world that lingers long after you stop reading. A chilling ghost story wonderfully told. I’m very excited that Amanda Stevens has sold another three books in this series – although I worry what Amelia and Devlin will have to go through next!

Recommended for fans of Susan Hill and Neil Gaimen. 8 out of 10