Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan
on April 9, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General, Fiction / Small Town & Rural
Pages: 304
Format: Hardcover
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Bless Your Heart by Lindy Ryan is a hysterical, absurd, and delightfully cozy horror novel that delivers exactly what its cover promises—a funny, quirky take on the undead—while also sneaking in some surprisingly heartfelt and heavy moments. Set in 1999 Southeast Texas, the story follows the Evans women, a multigenerational family who run the town’s only funeral parlor. For decades, business has been simple: the dead die, the Evans women bury them, end of story. That is, until Mina Jean Murphy shows up for her funeral… and promptly rises from the dead.
Her return signals something far more terrifying: the Strigoi, the original vampires, are back. Suddenly, Ducey, Lenore, Grace, and even young Luna must step into the role of monster hunters to protect their town, all while dodging nosy townsfolk and a deputy who’s a little too suspicious. As bodies pile up and secrets long buried claw their way to the surface, the Evans women realize that not all the things you want to keep hidden stay underground.
This book is a whole lot of fun. It nails the balance of humor and horror—cozy but still filled with enough action and bite (literally) to keep the pages turning. While the tone stays playful, Ryan threads in deeper themes involving family secrets and generational trauma, giving the story more emotional weight than you might expect. And yes, there are some gory moments—vampires do, after all, eat people—so readers should prepare for a bit of blood among the laughs.
With its big-hearted characters, Southern charm, and whip-smart dialogue, Bless Your Heart is a gasp-worthy delight from beginning to end. For me, this was a solid 4-star read—fun, fast-paced, and wonderfully weird in all the best ways.
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