Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Second Grave on the Left
by Darynda Jones

Published August 16th 2011 by St. Martin's Press
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"I scooted through the basement window on my stomach and dropped into a somersault landing on my feet on the cement slab of the basement.‘Cause that’s how I roll.
The times I’d tried that same maneuver only to land on my ass with dirt and cobwebs coating my hair didn’t count."

***Hi. This here is a review of a sequel, you know, the book after the first. If you read this before you've read the first book then you're doing things the wrong way. Duh.**

For private investigator Charley Davidson, solving crimes and finding missing persons is hard enough as it is, but when you're also The Grim Reaper (yes THAT Grim Reaper) tracking down missing persons of a less corporeal nature makes for a long work day.

Reyes has gone missing, deliberately, the jerk and he's done it just to annoy her. He has hidden his physical form and forbidden Charley to find him. He said something about it meaning the end of the world and giving evil a gateway into heaven, blah blah blah- as if a direct order from a general of the legions of hell is really anything to take seriously. It's a toss up really as to what she should do. On one hand, if she finds him, something really bad will happen and on the other hand, if she doesn't find him, something really bad will happen. It's a lose-lose situation so why not go for the option that she knows will piss him off the most? It's her way of flirting.

In the land of the living, Cookie's friend Mimi has also suddenly skipped town, her disappearance close on the heels of the untimely death of several of her old classmates. The one time buds shared a dark secret that no one wanted to come out, especially not when one of them is running for the senate. Charley isn't sure exactly what Mimi has herself mixed up in but several rather severe gentlemen in suits have suggested that she not try to find out- at gun point actually. But if she doesn't find her soon, Mimi's probably a goner. It's a lose-lose situation, so again, why not go for the option that will piss everybody off the most?

If you haven't read First Grave on the Right, then you've been missing out on one hell of a good time. Charley is a bad ass. She's smart, funny, good at her job and can rock a killer pair of high heeled boots- all the while ushering the souls of the departed through the portal into heaven (And what did YOU do today, huh?). Her relationship with Reyes is unbelievably steamy considering the fact that he's never physically there. He's always either in jail, or he's in a coma, or he's being held prisoner by demons- the guy keeps pretty busy. Plus, as an added bonus, she's a really good detective and I found myself getting into the whole mystery element as I watched Charley work a case- and I'm not big on mysteries.

Ya know, I never once worried that Miz Jones wouldn't be able to pull off a stellar sequel. First Grave was so wondrously entertaining and funny that I knew she had more in her and she did a great job with the second book. Very pleased, very happy, and apparently I have a crush on the Son of Satan. Think my mom will like him?

Oh and watch the blog, I'll post a giveaway of the audio book later this week!