Grave Birds
Mira, 2025
Agent: Jill Marr
Grave birds haunt the cemeteries of Hawthorne, South Carolina, where Spanish moss drips from the trees and Southern charm is imbued with lies. Hollis Sutherland never knew these unique birds existed, not until she died and was brought back to life. The ghostly birds are manifestations of the dead’s unfinished business, and they know Hollis and her uncanny gift can set them free.
When a mysterious, charming bachelor wanders into their small town, bizarre events begin to plague its wealthiest citizens. Like blood dripping from dogwood blossoms, flocks of birds crashing into windows of their homes, and faces in paintings morphing into distortion. Hollis knows these are the omens her grandfather warned about, announcing the devil’s return. Despite Cain Landry’s eerie presence and the plague that has followed him, his handsome face and wicked charm win over the townsfolk. Even Hollis falls under his spell as they grow closer.
That is, until lies about the town’s past start to surface. The grave birds begin to show Hollis the dead’s ugly past from some twenty-five years ago. And she learns all about the horrible things these noble families did to gain their wealth. Hollis can’t decide if Cain is some immortal hand of God, there to expose their sins. Or if he’s a devil there to ruin them all. Either way, she’s determined to save her town and the people in it, whatever she has to do.
Accolades:
"With a bewitching Southern drawl that seeps into your bones, Elmendorf's prose dances between shadow and light, weaving whispered magic and unspoken secrets into a tale that lingers long after you've finished the last page."
—Evelyn Skye, New York Times Bestselling author of The Hundred Loves of Juliet
“Rich in tension and atmosphere, Elmendorf's voice crackles with sinister charm. Grave Birds is a thrillingly romantic addition to the realm of Southern gothic. I can't wait to see what she writes next.”
— Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
“With vivid prose, Grave Birds delivers a picturesque, communal small town concealing dark secrets. Elmendorf balances her setting’s sweet beauty with a growing sense of unease, giving us a small Southern town where good and evil twist together, and regret tethers the living and the dead together.”
—Quinn Connor, author of Cicadas Sing of Summer Graves
“Deliciously creepy, hauntingly atmospheric, and utterly compelling. I couldn't put it down!”
—C.J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen
“Hauntingly sad, deeply chilling and infused with a twisty family mystery, Grave Birds is a warm, yet eerie Southern gothic that explores grief, unfinished business, and deals made with the devil in South Carolina. A brilliant read.”
—Dawn Kurtagich, award-winning author of The Madness
Reviews:
“Part romantasy, part Southern Gothic, Grave Birds maintains Elmendorf’s reputation for writing haunting love letters to the South featuring fierce heroines, spectral secrets, and slow-burn suspense. For fans of Alix E. Harrow’s Starling House, and Alli Dyer’s Strange Folk.”--Booklist