(Charley Davidson, #3)
Darynda Jones
Release date: January 31st, 2012
by St. Martin's Press
Goodreads / Purchase
Grim reaper extraordinaire. Whatever. Charley Davidson is back! And she’s drinking copious amounts of caffeine to stay awake because, every time she closes her eyes, she sees him: Reyes Farrow, the parthuman, part-supermodel son of Satan. Yes, she did imprison him for all eternity, but come on. How is she supposed to solve a missing persons case, deal with an ego-driven doctor, calm her curmudgeonly dad, and take on a motorcycle gang hellbent on murder when the devil’s son just won’t give up?
*A copy was provided by St. Martin's Press for review purposes*
"Death comes to those who wait. And to those who don't. So either way…"
-Quote from Third Grave Dead Ahead (ARC)
I could never get tired of our dear Charley Davidson. First Grave on the Right and Second Grave on the Left were both incredibly funny and smart. Third Grave Dead Ahead is no exception. It only took about 10 pages for me to be falling off my chair laughing.
The plot in Third Grave Dead Ahead is similar to the others. Charley gets a case; trying to find a missing person, while dealing with Reyes and the other pain in the butt men in her life. The mystery behind the case isn't particularly hard to decipher. I had most of it figured out well before the end. But this book isn't to be read for the suspense behind the plot; read this for the incredible characters and especially entertaining dialogue. Don't get me wrong, the case is still fun, but the characters make the show.
I can't say enough about the personalities in this series. Charley is, as always, witty, sarcastic and incredibly hilarious. I love how she takes everything lightly in grave situations. It doesn't only get her into trouble, it also makes her brave - which is a must for a PI. And don't fret, Danger and Will also make a few appearances. Her best friend and receptionist, Cookie, is equally entertaining, and she complements Charley like a hand and glove. We meet a few new characters as well that make a great addition to the story. I'm not sure what's going to occur with Donovan, but I'm positive it'll be pretty amusing. At least before it all goes to hell - yes the hell. As for Charley's dad, I don't really understand the length he went through to try to get his way in this novel. I'm getting a bit annoyed by him - he's not very... nice, especially after painting a target on Charley's back in the previous book.
Now... Reyes *sigh*, he's more present than in Second Grave on the Left, but he still hasn't really joined the cast of main characters. The coming apocalypse storyline also doesn't progress much. I'm hoping when it does we'll get to see more of him. On the other hand, we did get answers to a few burning questions I had from the previous books: Mistress Marigold and Owen Vaughn. I didn't expect to get both of those revelations in this one , so I was very pleased. I think Owen is a bit psychotic: I understand what happened was awful but to the point of attempted murder…? So I doubt we've seen the last of him.
Third Grave Dead Ahead is no insignificant installment. It's fun, funny and full of charm. If you've enjoyed Charley before, you'll definitely enjoy her again in this one!
"How would you feel about us becoming plumbers? I have a nice crack."
-Charley in Third Grave Dead Ahead (ARC)
The Charley Davidson series:
 |
| 4 Hot Espressos |
The Charley Davidson series:
For my reviews on the previous books, click the links below:
1. First Grave on the Right
2. Second Grave on the Left
