Second Grave on the Left

Starred review from June 20, 2011
Jones perfectly balances humor and suspense in her tight second paranormal thriller featuring grim reaper, PI, and "all-around badass" Charley Davidson (after First Grave on the Right). In separate cases, smart-mouthed Charley pursues two missing persons by using a mix of ghostly informants, family police contacts, quick thinking, and just plain luck. The first, Mimi Jacobs, disappeared just as several of her old high school classmates met untimely deaths; the second, Charley's frustrating but sexy sometimes stalker and occasional lover, Reyes Farrow, who's literally the son of Satan, decided to permanently leave his body to demons and live in the immaterial realm. To complicate Charley's quest, Reyes has hidden his body so she can't find it. The fiery relationship between Charley and Reyes will satisfy paranormal romance fans, but it's the distinctive characters, dead and alive, and the almost constant laughs that will leave readers eager for the next installment.

Starred review from October 1, 2011

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and a full-time grim reaper. When her assistant Cookie's friend Mimi goes missing, Charley discovers that Mimi's high school crowd is dying, one by one. Is Mimi next? As a grim reaper, Charley is a portal through which the dead must pass from earth to the hereafter. A plague of demons wants to go through her to invade heaven. Charley's sometime lover, Reyes (who is the Son of Satan, literally--but a good guy), leaves his corporeal body in order that his spirit can be a barrier between the demons and Charley. It's complicated but delightfully so. Jones skillfully keeps the normal and the paranormal plots from getting muddled--the listener is always amused but never confused. Lorelei King's narration is ideal for all the characters. Highly recommended for public library collections. Note: the audio includes an interview with Jones by narrator King and a chapter of the series' third book. ["Charley's second adventure ends on a cliff-hanger, so there's certain to be more to come," read the review of the St. Martin's hc, LJ 6/1/11; the pb, also by St. Martin's, will publish in December.--Ed.]--Nann Blaine Hilyard, Zion-Benton P.L., IL

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