10/02/2026
Cedar’s Staff Pick
The Burial Tide by Neil Sharpson
This book opens with a woman clawing her way out of her own grave, and it only gets darker from there.
Mara Fitch doesn’t remember anything about her life before she woke up trapped in her own coffin. She doesn’t remember the quiet coastal island that was supposedly her home, and she doesn’t remember the man claiming to be her husband. Declared healthy despite having had been sick with the same terrible illness that killed several others (sick enough to have been buried), Mara reluctantly returns to her life and hopes a sense of normalcy will bring her memories back. But strange things are happening on the island, and impossible creatures lurk in the shadows—all of which seem tied to Mara. Most troubling of all, the more Mara starts to remember about her past, the more it seems the villagers are determined to hide it from her. Mara can’t trust anyone, including her own memories, but one thing does become clear: if she doesn’t solve the mystery of her past soon, she might lose the chance forever.
Atmospheric and steeped in Irish folklore, this was such an immersive read; every time I looked up from my book, I was surprised not to find myself surrounded by gray skies and an ocean full of secrets. Spooky, mysterious and full of feminine rage, this book was a cocktail of so many of my favorite things. This is a must read for lovers of saltwater horror, Irish folklore and protagonists who embrace their fury.
You can find a copy of this title on Cedar's Staff Picks bookshelf in the bookshop, or in their Staff Picks list on Bookshop.org (make sure to tag our bookstore as your local shop)!
