Like anything, watching and reading horror is subjective to your mood. Sometimes, you want something deep and disturbing that delves into the vast histories and development of the characters. Other times, you just want to keep things simple and ingest something that encapsulates the genre; a story that never gets too complex but still delivers the goods. Think in terms of Hereditary vs. The Blob.
The latter is how I’ll always think of horror writer Christopher Golden. Since diving into Golden’s bibliography a few years ago when he released Road of Bones, I’ve come to look at him as the John Carpenter of the horror literary world. Nothing ever goes too deep, but it still offers surface-level commentary, and you’re guaranteed to get a spooky story and some hardcore gore.
His work rarely has the intricacies or character development of the likes of Stephen King, Catriona Ward, or Paul Tremblay, but his fast-paced, often brutal and unsettling storytelling is what keeps me coming back for more. His newest book, Carry Me to My Grave, is a perfect example of prime Christopher Golden.
Carry Me to My Grave Is Still Another Recent Vampire Banger, Despite Lacking Character Depth
Period piece vampire stories have been taking off in the last decade, with the genre moving away from the classic romance blend and into a more modern, high-octane thriller style. Books like Grady Hendrix’s The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, Stephen Graham Jones’ The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, and most recently, Keith Rosson’s Coffin Moon have fully caught the eye of the horror reader, and Golden’s newest novel fits right in the mix.
Carry Me to My Grave takes place in the 1950s and follows Malcolm Grace, who, along with his sister-in-law Violet, has been tasked with transporting his mother’s body across the country and burying her corpse in the town she was born in, before sunrise in two days’ time. During her life, Malcolm’s mother, Maggie, was known as a local witch, and with her death, ancient evil creatures that Maggie had cursed will surface again to spread death and destruction.
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Most of the story takes place in transit from Indiana to Maine via train, as Malcolm and Violet race against time to return Maggie’s body to her gravesite, while vicious bloodsuckers attack at seemingly every turn. Although most conventional vampire rules seem to be picked and chosen, they must still avoid sunlight, and they kill in an unrelenting, indiscriminate fashion.
Although there was some great backstory for Maggie, especially with her witchcraft lore and the opinion from the public (“Maggie Wise will take your eyes!”), the deeper the development went, the more rushed the story felt. The same can be said for Malcolm, Violet, and a few other characters. No one is explored thoroughly enough to be an incredibly memorable character, but they’re all explored just enough for the reader to care whether they live or die.
Christopher Golden Includes the Perfect Blend of Gore and Spookiness
For what Carry Me to My Grave lacks in character depth and development, it makes up for with a fast-paced, thrilling, and chilling story that doesn’t leave much time for character exploration, regardless of how it would have benefited them, especially Malcolm. From the time Malcolm and Violet get on the train with Maggie’s body, they’re tasked with defending themselves from creatures that easily rip through innocent bystanders and can take control of their victims.
The book’s main villain, Root, is about as spooky as they come when it comes to animalistic and vicious vampires, but outside of a simple revenge plot, we don’t get much information on him, other than he’s weak from his slumber and indiscriminately violent and manipulative.
Again, though, the story’s breakneck speed over the span of just two days doesn’t leave much room for depth, as it puts most of its focus on the character showdowns and the obstacles that continue to land in Malcolm’s way.
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Carry Me to My Grave is more in the vein of Rosson’s Coffin Moon, providing a more linear emotional tale, paved with blood. In true Golden fashion, this one is a gorehound’s dream, offering plenty of decaying skin, decapitations, and nightmare-inducing creature descriptions.
If there’s one thing guaranteed in a Christopher Golden book, it’s that he doesn’t play favorites when it comes to killing off major characters. No one is safe from beginning to end.
Overall, Carry Me to My Grave made for a quick, extremely solid read. I wouldn’t rank the book among Golden’s best that I’ve read (I’m a huge fan of All Hallows, Snowblind, and Road of Bones); it’s much more in line with 2025’s The Night Birds. It’s perfect for a cinematic adaptation, which is why it’s currently being optioned for a movie by Lionsgate.
I totally recommend checking it out, especially for those who want a fast, one-off, hardcore horror tale.
Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden is now available at all major book retailers.
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