Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Myriad Backyard Graves by Jamie Eubanks is a tale of survival centered around Theresa Lowell and Don Sinclair, whose lives intersect in a dystopian town. Theresa and her sister are set upon at a campsite, where men in foreign uniforms address Theresa as "Sister Theresa" and relocate her against her will using threats. Simultaneously, Don, responding to a warning about his ex-wife and son, makes a promise to save them and finds himself in a mysterious town under Colonel Greer's control. Greer reveals Don's reactivation into military service and the town's draconian rules, enforced with lethal consequences for those who attempt to leave. As Don and Theresa navigate their captivity, they bond over their shared desire to escape and reveal the town's oppressive surveillance and psychological manipulation tactics. Their defiance leads to violent clashes and personal sacrifices, with Don critically injured and Theresa burdened by guilt. When they manage to break free with another prisoner, facing harsh conditions and environmental decay, they cling to survival as they seek refuge, only to realize the terrifying truth about the world and that their part in it is far from over.

Jamie Eubanks creates a palpable atmosphere of tension and suspense from the very beginning of Myriad Backyard Graves. Introducing Theresa first, the setting is described in almost cinematic detail, like the fog-laced forest and the eerie silence broken by mysterious cries. The tone is completely foreboding and transitions right to Don. Through Don we get a genuine high-stakes scenario and moral dilemma the moment he opens his mouth. He faces not only the imminent threat to his family's safety but also ethical choices driven by the anonymous caller's demands. I loved the world-building. The town they are both relocated to, its structure, hierarchy, and operation, are all exceptionally well fleshed out, but it's the genre-bending speculative elements that make the story unique. Eubanks has us transcending physical space and time. There is a scene where Don, Theresa, and Bobby find themselves starving, hurt, and displaced, and it hits Don that they might have been transported. This sort of resets the story in a brilliant and unpredictable direction, and the surprises continue until readers reach the heartbreaking realization about the book's title. Eubanks gives us a lot of moving parts but clicks them into place beautifully. Very highly recommended.