Book Review | Bury Me In Shadows by Greg Herren

Jake is adjusting to life after a terrible breakup and a hospital stay due to a drugs-and-alcohol binge. To help him recover, his mother sends him to her dying mother’s home in rural Alabama which he hasn’t visited in over a decade. What greets him is a dilapidated house, a suspicious roommate, and a town that is not exactly welcoming. There are rumours of a meth lab nearby, and an archaeological team is digging the ruins of a plantation house on the land.

To make things worse, Jake starts experiencing unexplained visions and emotions that overtake him without warning. He realises he has to find out about his family history or his life might be in danger.

In my head I heard a loud noise, and somehow, I was inside, running, terrified, through a darkened hallway.

Must get away must get away don’t want to die oh my God I don’t want to die...

What happens when your past is a lie? Bury Me In Shadows explores this idea through the eyes of 19-year-old Jake. Amidst the struggle in his personal life, he discovers the truth behind his family’s secrets. Like why his mother kept him away from his grandmother for a decade, and why his uncle disappeared without a word years ago. There are ghosts, literally and metaphorically, in this story.

I thought the book does a great job portraying what it’s like for a young gay man to live in a rural Southern town, and how fragile safety can be. The description of the rundown, dirty home and secluded location made it feel even more suffocating. There’s a gothic gloominess that shadows Jake’s steps. He meets other gay men who are dealing with their living situations in their own ways, sometimes to their own detriment. It made for a sobering read, particularly in a scene where a seemingly nice character casually uses a homophobic slur.

The book also explores oppression through a racial lens, where Black people get the same cold treatment just for living in that town. There are mentions of slavery and racism, and how the trauma is passed down for generations. It shows how difficult life was for gay and Black people in the past, and how progress still has some ways to go even now.

Though the ideas in this book were intriguing, I wish the mystery had been more complex. The pacing is uneven at times which affected the urgency of the situation. I also felt the characters’ voices could be more distinct with less repetitive conversations. But I still enjoyed this book, because it’s willing to show the worst of humanity yet also the potential for something better.

Bury Me In Shadows is a solid addition to queer representation in horror. It’s a thoughtful depiction of secrets and trauma where the real world is as scary as the supernatural.

I received a copy from the publisher and Netgalley for review purposes.

About the author: Greg Herren

Photo by Eric Muhr