There's nothing to do or see in Auchenmullan. But the small, Scottish town harbors a secret. When a baby is born in the town, Maggie rises. And she's not stopping until she gets what she wants.
The small town of Auchenmullan is hell for Beth and her friends. They just hang out, bowl and drink. But new mother Alice has been busy recently, what with the baby and all. An American tourist comes by, and the friends decide to pay a visit to the only thing of note in the town. Maggie's Grave. But Maggie is more interested in the baby.
The Vibe
People talked, and there was nothing more suspicious to small-town minds than a woman living alone.
The deaths in this book are vivid. People are murdered, viciously, sometimes even from the inside out. It's up there on the gross out scale, but often feels more juvenile than horrifying. 4 candles.
Maggie's Grave is not a very interesting story. The bones are there, but an over-reliance on small-town tropes and weird deaths brings the experience down. There's an abundance of eye-rolling moments. For example, after the reveal of the town's secret, there's the ever obligatory orgy, since the town is obviously filled with weirdos and cult members. It comes out of nowhere, and fits even worse.
The story is not completely without merit, though. There are well done action scenes, and the surprises culminate in a satisfying ending, but it's not enough to compensate for the tired tropes and tonal misfires. It is a 2-star read.