GRAVEYARD OF LOST CHILDREN by Katrina Monroe – Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Graveyard of Lost Children by Katrina Monroe
Published by Poisoned Pen Press on May 9 2023
Genres: Adult, Psychological thriller
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Katrina Monroe explores the dark side of motherhood in this moody, psychological thriller.

Everything about this book should have worked for me. Katrina Monroe’s atmospheric writing drew me in, creating a spooky, unsettling vibe and an intriguing mystery. But there’s barely a plot to grab onto, and once again I found myself reading something with more mood than substance. Still, the elements I enjoyed are very, very good, so I would say this was a mixed bag for me.

The story focuses heavily on postpartum depression and the dark side of motherhood, which may be triggers for some readers. We alternate between two main characters. Olivia has just given birth to her daughter Flora, and she and her wife Kris are settling into their new family, navigating the challenges of breast feeding and getting the baby to sleep. And while this should be a happy time for Olivia and Kris, Olivia is struggling to connect with Flora. She feels something is “off” with the baby, although she can’t really pinpoint her fears. At the same time, she is seeing shadows on the wall and hearing scratching noises on the window, but instead of confiding in Kris, she hides her paranoia and sinks further and further into depression.

In alternating chapters we meet Olivia’s mother Shannon. Shannon has been institutionalized since Olivia was only a baby, after she was accused of trying to kill Olivia by throwing her down an old well in the woods. Shannon’s chapters move back and forth from past to present, as the reader learns about the events leading up to her terrible act. In the present, Shannon is clearly still suffering from psychological issues and is convinced a “black haired woman” was responsible for her mental state as a sixteen-year-old mother. She’s certain the black haired woman is coming after her own daughter, and she’s plotting her escape from the institution so she can warn Olivia.

Most of the story is a lead up to the confrontation between Olivia and Shannon, and the author does a great job of building up the tension. One of my favorite things about this book is the moody atmosphere, the sense of dread and creepiness that infuses the writing and the story. Monroe uses well known, scary horror tropes that reminded me of movies like The Ring, especially the idea of an old, hidden well in the woods.

My favorite element, though, was the way she handled motherhood and postpartum depression. Throughout the story there are hints of supernatural activity, but the reader is never really sure whether these events are real, or if Olivia is simply imagining them. Some of the descriptions are very unsettling, especially the parts where Olivia is breastfeeding Flora. For example, Flora feeds so fiercely she draws blood, and afterwards, finally sated, bloody milk dribbles from her mouth as she sleeps (at least that’s what Olivia believes is happening). This idea of a baby consuming the mother is not only spot on—as any mother will tell you—but it’s such a dark metaphor for motherhood in general.

There’s also a nice mystery surrounding Olivia’s near death experience as a baby. Olivia doesn’t remember it, of course, but having her own baby is opening up old wounds and making her curious about her mother’s motives.

However, there were some things that didn’t work for me. First, the alternating chapters and timelines were very confusing, and I found myself struggling to grab onto the story thread. The book felt overly long to me, and I’ll admit I found myself setting it aside at times to read something else. Shannon’s chapters in particular were hard to keep up with, since they took place both in the past and present.

Also, I really didn’t like the relationship between Kris and Olivia, it was so uncomfortable. Olivia carried the baby and gave birth, and Kris seems to take on the “father” role in the relationship. I could tell that Kris just wanted to help, but she almost seems at a loss, leaving Olivia with the lion’s share of caring for newborn Flora, and as the breadwinner of the family, conveniently leaving the house to go to work, often when Olivia needs her most. Right from the beginning, there was a power struggle between the two women as they try to establish their place in the new family. Instead of working together during one of life’s most challenging events, they push each other away. And as Olivia starts to hallucinate and becomes fearful of the black haired woman, she keeps it to herself and won’t share with Kris. Of course Kris thinks her wife is going crazy, and she isn’t wrong!

There’s a final reveal at the end involving one of the side characters, that came out of left field. I think it was meant to be a shocking twist, but it just fell flat for me, unfortunately. 

Ultimately, I loved the dark aspects of Olivia’s journey into motherhood, but other elements in the story, like Shannon’s strange shenanigans in the mental hospital and too many confusing side stories and characters, took away from the main story themes. I do love Katrina Monroe’s writing though, and I’d be willing to try another of her books.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.