Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave - OUT NOW!

MYSTERY JAMES DIGS HER OWN GRAVE

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

THREE WAYS TO READ

Dying to read the book?
🪦 Buy a digital or physical copy from your local indie bookstore.
🪱 Borrow a digital or physical copy from your library.
⚰️ Listen wherever you get audiobooks.

ABOUT THE BOOK

13-year-old Mystery—who was abandoned in a cemetery and raised in a funeral home—is plagued by sleep paralysis and the smell of ghosts, but she’s used to that. Even though her life might seem “strange” on the outside, she loves it.

That is until a priceless heirloom goes missing and her family’s funeral home is in danger of being shut down. To clear her Tia’s good name, Mystery embarks on an adventure to figure out what really happened to the misplaced necklace.

But to do so, she must contend with the angry patriarch of the town’s wealthiest family, a sleep paralysis demon, a graverobber, and the ghastly vampiric ghost that’s lurking in the Olde Ellis Town Cemetery.

Look inside and read/hear an audiobook sample here.

WHERE TO BUY SIGNED COPIES

I’ll be haunting two indie bookstores! If you want a worm + a signed and stamped book, RSVP at the links below!

Friday, September 26 | 6:00 p.m. ET
Stories Like Me (in conversation with librarian Jocelyn Codner)
Pittsburgh, PA
RSVP

Friday, October 10 | 7:00 p.m. ET
Copper Dog Books (in conversation with horror author Josh Roberts)
Beverly, MA
RSVP

If you can’t make it to an event, you can still order signed copies from these bookstores. While supplies last.

PRAISE FOR MYSTERY JAMES

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!

“Fast-paced and deliciously thrilling.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The eerie, thrilling plot moves rapidly leaving breathless ­readers eager for the next chapter. Some unfinished threads by the end of the novel will have tweens awaiting the sequel.”—SLJ

“Russell crafts an engaging blend of supernatural adventure and classic whodunit with a Faustian twist…this will surely satisfy the curiosity of well-rounded Tim Burtons in the making.”—The Bulletin

“A great addition to the middle-grade horror canon.”—Booklist

“Hand this novel to middle grade readers who love thrills, detective work, and page-turning adventures.”—Literary Hub

“A new middle grade heroine you’re going to love.”—BookRiot

YOU ALREADY READ MYSTERY JAMES—NOW WHAT?

Appreciate you! Here are three ways to celebrate this ghoulish little book’s birthday.
🪱 Leave an honest review wherever you shout about books.
🪦 Ask your local bookstore or library to order the book for their shelves.
🦇 Post about it on socials! (This one is really easy. Just go to my Instagram page and hit share or repost on a photo or video that features the book.) Be sure to tag me or use the #MysteryJamesDigsHerOwnGrave hashtag.

Thank you for reading this far. The book has plenty of scary moments, so instead of leaving you with something actually scary, enjoy this footage of reading superstar Levar Burton. ::whispers:: He’s probably dancing because he just received his copy of Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave…