Dearly Beloved Reader,

We are gathered here to celebrate the life and cover reveal of Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave, but first…a brief love letter to cemeteries.

I discovered my love of cemeteries when I moved to Massachusetts at the age of twenty-three. These spaces of eternal rest quickly became therapeutic places that offered me quiet and inspiration, and if given the chance, I could have easily spent entire days meandering through Mount Auburn Cemetery or Sleepy Hollow Cemetery or the Old Burial Hill Cemetery. (Insert any New England cemetery, really.)

When my husband and I moved north of Boston, we unknowingly rented an apartment within walking distance of a cemetery. We moved into that apartment seven months before the pandemic hit, and in the months after March 2020, I can’t tell you how often we escaped to that cemetery—to reflect, to breathe when our tiny apartment felt too small, to run away from the sound pollution of 24/7 car traffic, and to step on crunchy leaves in the fall.

Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave is special to me because it’s a story about a young girl who finds life, death, answers, and comfort in a cemetery.

I’m excited to share the cover with you…

But!

If you want to see it, you’ll have to follow me into a cemetery at night. What say you?

Wait!

Before we go—are you afraid of vampires? Grab some garlic. It probably won’t work, but grab it anyway.

Okay. Are you ready? Are you scared?

Good. Grab your shovel and let’s dig.

And because I can’t wait another second to share this with you…take a deep breath and feast your eyes on the cover of Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave!

Abandoned in a cemetery and raised in a funeral home, a girl who can see and smell the supernatural must solve the mystery of a priceless heirloom stolen from her family's business. Perfect for fans of Netflix’s Wednesday and Beetlejuice!

This deliciously creepy cover was illustrated by Devin Forst and designed by Carol Ly!

While growing up, I gravitated toward the ghoulish girls on the television screen, and nearly three decades later, I’m proud to add Mystery James to the canon of gothic “it” girls. I hope young readers will gravitate toward her and develop a soft spot for cemeteries after reading this book.

Please add Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave to your virtual TBR, and if you’re really excited to read about dead stuff, you can preorder the book now. (Hang on to your receipt!)

And because this book is so special to me, here’s an extra treat for you. Enjoy this short animated cover reveal.

Eternally Yours,

Ally

P.S. For those who are brave enough to stroll through a cemetery at night, here’s something actually scary.