The Ghostkeeper

The ghost population of the Victorian town of Rookwood is in crisis: Death’s Door is locked, and even ghosts who have found peace can’t cross over to their final resting place. Mild-mannered Dorian— a “ghost specialist” whose exorcisms resemble meditation sessions between the specter and its host—discovers that the key is attached to ghost child Lucy. Dorian sets out to reopen Death’s Door and save the suffering spirits, but the work takes a toll on him and on his fledgling romance with his flatmate Brody. While the ghosts demand a cure for their rot, an infection that’s begun sprouting from their transparent blue bodies, human Rookwood citizens tire of the unruly specters and turn to plague mask-wearing exorcists, who use a chemical to reduce ghosts to a sticky bog. Gentle, contemporary depictions of managing one’s own mental health and setting boundaries are woven throughout a warmly erudite graphic novel debut that’s rich with engaging lore. Taylor’s lush illustrations portray a visually diverse community that populates an imaginative world teeming with cozy bookshops, ghost cats, and glowing banshees, among other paranormal delights. Ages 12–up. Agent: Laurel Symonds, KT Literary. (July)

Correction: A previous version of this review misstated the work's setting.