Redheaded Reviews: Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet by Darynda Jones

This is the fourth book in the Charley Davidson P.I. series (I suggest starting with the first one, First Grave on the Right, as you'll otherwise be a little lost reading this book). Charley Davidson's mother died giving birth to her and her father married an evil step-monster a year later who would make Charley's childhood miserable. She has a sister who is a therapist and her dad, a former cop runs a bar, while her Uncle Bob, still on the force uses Charley's unique abilities to help him solve cases. Charley is a Grim Reaper.

She can see and talk to ghosts, they can pass through her when they are ready to move on to heaven, and Satan has plans to use her as a gateway to heaven to take over, using his son, Reyes, who has the map out of hell tattooed on his arms. Reyes has been waiting centuries for someone of Charley's talent to come along and has spent time protecting her when he could. Reyes, who was innocent, went to prison for killing his very abusive adopted father, but after ten years gets released when new evidence comes to light. Charley and Reyes have a very sexually charged relationship, even though they have never physically had sex. Reyes hates Satan and refuses to be a part of his plans and is currently killing off demons possessing people, so they don't get to Charley.

Charley names everything in her life. Her jeep is named Misery, her breasts are Danger and Will Robinson, her brain in Barbara. Charley's secretary/partner in crime, Cookie, and her twelve-year-old daughter help with the detective businesses. This book opens up with a traumatized Charley afraid to go outside of her house after what happened in the third book (Third Grave Dead Ahead). She spends her time watching the Home Shopping Network and buying multiple things she has no use for.

A new client gets her off the couch. A woman believes someone has been trying to kill her since she was five-years-old, which is right after her father and new step-monster came back from their honeymoon. Her step-brother believes her, but her family sends her to multiple shrinks all her life and even lock her up once. She ran away for three years to get away from it but has now returned home to Albuquerque only to have things like unstuffed rabbits with their throats slit found in her home. Charley puts her in a safe house, for a while as she figures out what is going on.

While acting tough on the outside, Charley is rather scared in this book due to her past trauma and because of the demons hunting her down trying to kill her. I can't recommend this series highly enough. It's full of sarcasm, wit, a hot son of Satan, and a kick ass Grim Reaper who is just now realizing some of the powers she really has.

Quotes

He raised a flashlight and scanned Misery’s ‘[her car] innards. Sadly, all he’d find was a mishmash of files, a couple of jackets, and basic survival gear that consisted mainly of Cheez-Its and an emergency stash of Thin Mints. Frickin’ Girl Scouts. Those things were way too addictive. They had to be laced with crack.

---Darynda Jones (Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet p 56)

Why kill them with kindness when you can use an axe?

--Darynda Jones (Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet p 73)

Insanity does NOT run in my family. It strolls through, takes its time, and gets to know everyone personally.

-- Darynda Jones (Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet p 101)