Synopsis
Rise and shine. The Evans women have some undead to kill.
It’s 1999 in Southeast Texas and the Evans women, owners of the only funeral parlor in town, are keeping steady with…normal business. The dead die, you bury them. End of story. That’s how Ducey Evans has done it for the last eighty years, and her progeny―Lenore the experimenter and Grace, Lenore’s soft-hearted daughter, have run Evans Funeral Parlor for the last fifteen years without drama. Ever since That Godawful Mess that left two bodies in the ground and Grace raising her infant daughter Luna, alone.
But when town gossip Mina Jean Murphy’s body is brought in for a regular burial and she rises from the dead instead, it’s clear that the Strigoi―the original vampire―are back. And the Evans women are the ones who need to fight back to protect their town.
As more folks in town turn up dead and Deputy Roger Taylor begins asking way too many questions, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and now Luna, must take up their blades and figure out who is behind the Strigoi’s return. As the saying goes, what rises up, must go back down. But as unspoken secrets and revelations spill from the past into the present, the Evans family must face that sometimes, the dead aren’t the only things you want to keep buried.
A crackling mystery-horror novel with big-hearted characters and Southern charm with a bite, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from start to finish.
Review
A huge thank you as always to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the eARC!
Every once in a while, a book comes around that’s written in a way that feels like it was crafted just for you. I can say this is very true of Lindy Ryan’s, Bless Your Heart, a story that is bursting with heartfelt relationships and equally grotesque misfortunes. Set in Texas in the 90s, we follow four generations of Evans women, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and Luna, who run the town’s only funeral parlor. Business seems to be running as usual until the dead refuse to stay that way, revealing the added job responsibilities of the Evans women. Not only are the dead rising but family secrets are unearthed as the fight to right the balance of living and dead ensues.
Bless Your Heart is easily summarized in one word: charming. Ryan writes this story in such a grounded, realistic manner that depicts life in the South in the late 90s in a nostalgic, idyllic way. Most of all, the dynamics between the Evans women are captivating and endearing; despite their secrets and differences, there’s a whole lot of love to be found in their unconventional family unit. I couldn’t help but feel this was the best-constructed mashup of Gilmore Girls meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer for all the charm and lighthearted humor dispersed throughout the novel. However, just when you think things are light and fluffy, Ryan executes some gnarly scenes of body horror and gore.
Speaking of gore, I was thoroughly impressed with just how detailed these scenes of horror proved to be. From missing appendages, bloodshed, and black goo, there’s not much Ryan doesn’t cover in the realm of ick here. This unique balance of violence with light-hearted endearment makes this a truly unique story that thrives through its character work. The ability to become invested in the Evans women’s story felt as easy as breathing, additionally ramping up the sense of danger when the undead attack. This is a group of characters who mean business and exemplify traits of selflessness, bravery, and action without taking away from their femininity. Truly, God bless the Evans women.
A tale of sacrifices, danger, and above all, love, Bless Your Heart is easily one of the most delightful reads I’ve come across in recent memory. Maybe it’s because I’m a fellow Southerner myself, but Lindy Ryan’s writing effortlessly stole my heart through her lovable cast of characters and unyielding confrontation of horror. If there’s any complaint to be had, it is that I have not spent nearly enough time with the Evans women.
Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan releases on April 9, 2024, from Minotaur Books.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review, and welcome to the Evans family! Stay tuned for more 😉