The Gravedigger — Peter Grandbois

A Spanish gravedigger with the power to hear the dead struggles to keep his family together in this debut novel.

In a small, whitewashed village, indistinguishable from any other in Andalusia, Juan Rodrigo is a gravedigger. The job was handed down to him by his father, as was the ability to hear the voices of the dead and to tell their stories to the living. Though the details and revelations of these accounts aren't always well received, Juan is a respected member of the community who encourages people to understand and to forgive. But his own tolerance is tested when his young daughter, just on the brink of adulthood, falls in love with a Romani boy Juan doesn't approve of. Incorporating aspects of magic realism, Peter Grandbois' distinctive voice and style lures readers to an enchanting place where spirits and people coexist harmoniously.

“Readers who revel in magic realism will embrace this poignant debut about a poor but honest Spaniard with a gift for communicating with the dead. . . . Reminiscent of the work of Luis Alberto Urrea and Gabriel Garcia Marquez, this luminous first offering brims with earthy humor and heart.” -- Booklist, starred review

“A thoroughly engaging novel, full of beauty and charm.” -- Rocky Mountain News