An independent novel

The Gravedigger’s Handbook

Lucien knows how to care for the dead. The living are less straightforward.

About the story

At St Aubin’s Rest, Lucien Morel keeps the graves, observes the rules and takes his responsibilities seriously. Then Nat, a grieving young artist, begins to unsettle the careful order of his days. Among the headstones, old promises and unspoken sorrows are asking to be heard. Lucien finds himself drawn towards a tenderness he cannot tidy away. A complete, quiet Gothic love story about grief, art and compassion, with gentle haunting and a bittersweet ending.

What to expect

A gravekeeper, a grieving artist and a cemetery full of unfinished stories.

Ending and reading order

Bittersweet; a complete story.

Content notes

Death and grief
Ghostly themes

Reader reviews

Quotations in English, with links to the original reviews.

This book had my heart from the first few pages. The characters are so sweet and the writing style and descriptions are gorgeous.

Amazon Customer · Amazon

If you’re in the mood for queer gothic intimacy, emotional slow burn, atmospheric rural settings, and a nostalgic, immersive story that wraps around you like fog… this is absolutely the one to pick up.

sabrina · Amazon · Review of an advance copy (ARC)