Book Review: The Hollow Dead by Darcy Coates

Kiera has forgotten her past and only knows that she can see dead people and that she's being hunted. She has already deciphered that an organization called Artek, which sells energy tapped from dead bodies, is behind all her troubles. She has joined with two friends, the ever-resourceful smart-mouth Zoe and the super caring Mason, who are committed to being with her till the end of her battles. Together, they are preparing to decimate the central hub of Artek from which they conduct their nefarious operations. She also has to deal with her forgotten past and her responsibilities with dead people who are not ready to leave Earth unless their wishes are fulfilled.

"The Hollow Dead" is the fourth part of the 'Gravekeeper' series written by Darcy Coates. I've read one novel by her titled "Dead of Winter," which is a horror thriller with a closed-room-style mystery embedded in the plot. To be honest, I detected the eventual surprise plot twist miles ahead. But even then, I thoroughly enjoyed it due to the writer's skill in depicting the thriller elements. She totally engaged me with the shady characters, the tight situations, and the insertion of the right amount of tension at the right place in the plot. This one's also not different even though she uses an overall different tone.

I haven't read any of the previous parts of the series. The writer plunges right into the plot, continuing the story from the previous book, but without alienating the new readers. The recap of the previous events and character introductions happens swiftly but without affecting the flow of the plot. A few particulars that are left out are revealed in time as the necessity arises. I feel this tactic of exposition is pretty effective for any series of books. Many books over-explain what happened in previous books, and some are silent on them so that readers have to visit all of them before making any sense of the one that they have.

As a fantasy novel, "The Hollow Dead" never goes all out to fulfill every requirement of a good one. The usual format that includes great worldbuilding, which is consistent with its rules, and the characters on a quest that transforms them innately, is followed up here also. But the writer underplays these tropes by keeping these elements grounded and depending on a relentless plot. More effort is spent on the actions of the characters instead of descriptions. As I found out from my previous read of her, Coates's brilliance in tightening the narrative with enough action and subplots makes this also a worthy read.

I am surprised by the abundance of humor in the narrative. The characters, especially Zoe and Harry, are hilarious throughout the book. Some of the incidents are also good examples of dark humor. There are instances of a few of them not landing properly. But there's enough stuff that enhances the plot and offers some good chuckles frequently. Though the novel is light on the elements of fantasy, "The Hollow Dead" packs enough action and humor that it's fun to read it.