Member Reviews
Best Charley Davidson yet!
✓ Grim Reaper backstory explained
✓ More demons
✓ More powers
✓ More fight scenes
✓ Added quality secondary characters
✓ Sizzling corporeal sex scene
This was also the best of her investigative cases. Actually, by the end there were four cases solved.
What I appreciated the most was the character growth displayed by both Charley and her father. Both have tried to impose their will heavy handed on those they love. This book sees them come around and realize it’s unworthy and unrealistic to control others this way.
Strong four stars.
Another extremely enjoyable instalment in this wonderful series. This is actually probably my favourite so far. I'm so glad there are several more books in this series to feed what has become a bit of an addiction for me.
Highly addicting and Darynda Jones is an amazing storyteller. I love how Darynda can multitask the storyline and keep the pace exciting.
The adventures of Grim Reaper Charley Davidson and her irresistible lover, son of Satan, aka Reyes continue in this fourth installment. Charley has been hit hard by events described in the previous book, and is wallowing in self pity and a box filled apartment courtesy of her new addiction to the shopping channel. To add to the misery she has banished Reyes from her life. What she really needs is a new case to hold her interest ,and one soon appears on her door step in the form of a young woman who is convinced that someone is trying to kill her, despite everyone she knows telling her she is crazy.
Fast paced and action packed, this series is a perfect pick me up when you want something fun and flirty to distract from life's daily grind.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own,
After the end of the third book, Charley has to take some time off for post to medic stress disorder. And then, she gets a new case. A woman has been gaslighted basically her whole life, and Charley has to solve the problem. Definitely a lot of twists and turns.
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet starts about two months after leaving off in Third Grave, with Charley addicted to the Home Shopping Network. She's surrounded by boxes of random crap in order to hide the area where she was held by Earl. It's an odd mix of sad and silly. Her father also kicked out of her office, but that doesn't stop her from taking on a new client. This time it's a woman who thinks someone is out to kill her after leaving a dead rabbit in her bed. Apparently, this has been happening for years, but no one has believed her until Charley.
I have to say that I was a bit confused reading Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet because the description talks about an arsonist taking the city hostage. That takes up approximately five pages scattered throughout the book, so if you blink you'd miss it. The much more important plot is that the demons are out to get Charley, and Reyes is of course out to get the demons. There's plenty of demon battles along the way! And there's the fact that Charley also gets accidentally involved in a bank robbery. That takes up a lot more page time than the arsonist.
The reason that I didn't enjoy Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet quite as much as the others was the mystery plot. Harper comes to Charley because no one else will help her, not even the police. She's been tormented since she was a child. Yet it's all just pushed aside as her wanting attention after her father remarried. Well, we learn early on that she spent a week with her grandparents and after that is when things changed. She also doesn't remember that week. Obviously something happened and yet no one else puts two and two together? And everyone conveniently forgot that someone else was at her grandparents' house during that time? I don't think so.
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet was still a fun read, but it required a bit more suspension of belief than I could give it. I do have to say that there was a clever twist involving Harper which shocked me.
I love this series as a whole. Daryna Jones has perfected her storytelling to where all parts flow together flawlessly. Would recommend!
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet is the fourth installment in the Charley Davidson series. While it would be best to read the series in order, I believe you if you'd read the first few, the reader would not be lost to jump around. While there are a few threads that tie each book to the last, it is so subtle, with the cases taking center stage.
Charley is emotionally suffering at the start of the novel, a combination of agoraphobia and PTSD. Charley is terrified, yet she stays in the apartment where she was attacked, even leaving the chair exactly where it sat during her torture. Instead, Charley has barricaded herself into the apartment with unneeded home shopping network purchases, the boxes clear to the ceiling.
Another emotional punch, Charley and her father are on the outs after what he did at the end of the previous novel. Charley and Cookie no longer make use of the offices they utilized on the second floor of Dad's bar across the alleyway. Which is yet another pile of boxes Charley is using to make her feel safe inside the nest she's made in her home.
But Grim Reaper duties come calling.
Many main threads and side threats pop in and out of importance during the novel. The uncle's arsonist. The terrorized woman asking for private investigator services. Bank robbers. Demons. The motorcycle gang. Family issues with Dad. Learning the scope of being the grim reaper. Fight clubs. Nuns at the convent. An apartment being renovated that they wanted but were told no. Ghosts and more ghosts. Reyes.
All of that is a bit much to fit into a novel, so it came off as a bit chaotic, zany, and all over the place at times, losing focus of its own plot.
With that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed Fourth Grave, finding the same humor I've adored in the other three installments. The same confusion and gut-punch with the daddy issues, even if to me none of what's going on makes any sense with dear ol' dad.
Reyes. Reyes. More Reyes.
It's beyond a slow reveal with the paranormal elements featuring the grim reaper and her abilities, the portals out of hell and into heaven, and why Reyes is with Charley. A trickle from book to book. But slightly more information is given this time around. Slightly. Maybe in another eight books we'll get to the meat of the story.
Highly recommend to fans of crime sleuthing stories with a paranormal twist. Cannot wait to see where the story goes next for Charley and company.
Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
After four books, I think I’m properly addicted to this series. Charley is starting to feel like an old friend and I think the writing in this book is the best yet.
This story is a more complicated read than the first three books. Our tough talking Grim Reaper is still traumatised from events at the end of book three and for the first time we actually see her vulnerable and scared. But this is also the most action packed of the books so far. After four books, I think I’m actually starting to understand the whole Grim Reaper/Son of Satan storyline and the demons add a whole new level of suspense and action to the story.
Charley’s PI escapades add much needed comic relief to a book that could easily become too intense. This time we get bikers, nuns, and a few great scenes from Charley’s increasingly dysfunctional family. I love that most of Charley’s PI success is almost accidental and I love how fate constantly throws beautiful men in her path.
This is an easy series to binge read. I think the writing keeps getting stronger and I love how all the characters continue to develop as the series unfolds.
Shelby – ☆☆☆☆
Book #4 in the Charley Davidson series was necessary, but not my favorite. I would suggest reading these in order, to fully appreciate the building relationship between Reyes and Charley, but I believe you could start anywhere in the series and still enjoy Charley's PI cases.
I'm not going to summarize the story, what I'm going to do is say that I feel the Reyes and Charley angle NEEDS more attention. I really want to see them together and working as a team, I know it would be a dysfunctional team, but it would be awesome for them to work together.
This story was really all over the place. The case was an interesting one, though, and was perfect for Charley to break out of her home. Of course, nothing is cut and dry, and I will say that the resolution did surprise me on this one.
I'm really hoping that the next installment brings some resolution to Charley/Reyes dynamic or brings Ubie and Cookie together. Either way, I need to see what happens next.
Dawn – ☆☆☆☆
Again this book leaves off where the last one finished, so I do suggest you read them in order to understand what is happening.
Charley is still dealing with the aftermath of what happened in the previous book. I love that even though she is dealing with a lot of issues, she is still sassy.
We get to see more of Reyes in this book, which I love because, well, he is yummy.
I feel with this book there is a bit of a slow pace, I really hope it does pick up again in the next book.
This series is like crack. Highly addicting!
There is so much going on with Charley this go ‘round. We see a more vulnerable side to her as she deals with the fallout from the previous book. The relationship between her and Reyes grows deeper and through him we learn more about the Grim Reaper. Things between them are up and down but there’s never a question that he’s there for her. The real question might be how or why. And we really don’t get a confirmation on any of it.
The humor and fun shines through once more. While I had a list of things I needed to do today, once I sat down to read just the first chapter, I soon found myself totally immersed, before I knew it I had finished. I absolutely love Charley as well as Reyes and all the other characters that are feeling more like my own family and friends than fictional characters designed to entertain me.
Moving on to the next book as soon as I hit my list…then again, maybe I’ll just read the first chapter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and St. M
The 'Graves' series continues to be good; I am looking forward to the next book, and the next and the next...!
These books are pure entertainment! Charley as an incompetent Grim Reaper is the center of attention but her supporting cast will keep you reading long after bedtime! Book 4 finds her recuperating from the climatic events in Book 3. Charlie has yet to find a home shopping show that will not accept her credit card while she continues to remain safe within her apartment. But Charlie's life has never been THAT easy. She soon finds herself broke and trying to fix her broken psyche. You never know where Darynda Jones will take Charlie and crew but you will always enjoy the trip. Looking forward to Charlie and Reyes' next journey already.
Let’s start with the simple things – this is a series that you can’t pick up in the middle and understand what is going on: you’ll enjoy it, sure, but with each story building on information and events of the previous instalments, make the time to read these from the beginning. You won’t have al the answers, but you’ll find that the stories will make sense as answers appear, in a Charley-induced sort of ADD-influenced way. Picking up about two months after the last book, Charley’s attack from Earl have left her with issues: she’s mostly healed from the physical wounds, but it’s the agoraphobia and fear, from a woman who actually never really felt that emotion before that have her hiding out in her building while ordering everything from a television shopping channel. She’s also not speaking to her father after his drastic choices to have her arrested to protect her, and everyone, including Cookie and her sister Gemma are worried. But a new case of a woman being threatened for most of her life, discovering that Reyes somehow dissolved from a corporeal body and the “Gentleman Bank Robbers” that, although masked, look familiar all have her attempting to regain her life and find a way to pay the bills.
With so much coming at us from every direction, threads and issues move from fore to background as Jones manages to provide more information, snark, danger and questions as Charley seeks to find answers to the questions (and cases) she has. With her gang-banger Angel now at her ‘command’, her guardian Artemis appearing to frolic with every shower she takes, and the revelations from Amber that she knows what Charley is, has a grasp on Reyes and his “skills’ in the bedroom, and Charley’s guilt and worry that her life and choices have but Amber and Cookie into danger, and the renovation of the last vacant apartment on their floor – there’s plenty going on, especially when the new case leads her to the uber-wealthy side of town to meet with some not so forthcoming family (suspects) in her case.
Best of all are the answers, and some additional questions that require Charley to really dig down and decide what her gut tells her about Reyes, and whether or not she’ll heed his warnings about the many demons that have stepped up their search for her – and the fact that it is her fear that comes off her in waves, that draws them. With encounters with several people possessed by the demons, a visit to the long-ignored Garret and messages he’s brought back from his time on the other side, a discovery about the bikers at the asylum and more time with Reyes that bounces from hotter than hell attraction through anger, fury, rage and an overwhelming charisma, the push-pull between these two also brings Charley some answers, more than ever before, and a strangely appropriate (if shocking) start at reconciliation with her father and stepmother. There is so much happening here, yet it all fits together building the world, the characters and the relationships in steady and solid ways, even with all of the frenetic action around it. All with a dash of snark, a dollop of self-delusion and the attention span of gnats in some moments – all adding to the joy that is Charley’s world - from this safe remove.
I received an eBook copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aaB /”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>
I love this series I'm really enjoying it.I like how it has a little bit of everything mystery, humor,passion Suspense and more.This has become one of my favorite series I'm looking forward to the next one.
As all of you know, I’m a big fan of these book series and I was really excited about reading this book, especially after the way things ended up in the last one. The biggest reasons for that are: the amazing writing style of the author, a unique and interesting storyline and most of all I like them, because these are one of those rare books where I actually like all of the main characters.
reading through this series in order has been fun. I'm loving Charley and her antics and sarcasm.
The author still does too much recapping for those that have read earlier books...so if you haven't started yet you could possibly jump in here, but you won't get the full affect of some of the actions and decisions.
Love this laugh out loud, heart pounding, thrilling adventure filled with so much danger, emotion and hotter than hot passion..... The continuing story of Charley Davidson is both entertaining and emotionally engaging on every level. Charley has so much to overcome after her last case gone wrong and has so much more to learn about her own powers.... looking forward to more.
In the last book, Charlie had a BAD time with one bad guy and that had not ended well, but everyone is still in the game. Beside her guardian. But check out book 3 to find out more about it!
As always there will be lots of fun, but also some serious moments with Gemma (I think I start to LOVE her!). Sit and fasten your seat belt, be comfortable and let Charlie take you for a roller-coaster ride in the case that started a lot of years ago and demonic part!
What will happen there?
Love me some Charley Davidson, this one is spinning a little “out there”. I am reading these out of order and I do know how the story ends. At least this installment has Charley well and fighting, much better than it’s predecessor. Fun, good read. On to the next.
Kinda feeling like a broken record at this point. Also still forever wishing for half stars. Because in some ways this was better than book three but I can't quite round up.
We finally finally learn a bit more about Charley's potential and supernatural background which was a delight after three and a half books of 'you are capable of so much more' vaguey mcvagueness (which, to be fair, even Chuck was annoyed about) and after the events of the last book we actually had Charley in a very vulnerable and surprisingly realistic place for most of this one. Which I was pretty pleased with. Honestly it's just the romance and the general antics I'm pretty tired of.
I enjoyed the mystery Murder of the Week for this one, mainly because it wasn't glaringly obvious, <b>and</b> it's about time I mention the fact that Jones is consistently impressing me with her effortless inclusion of all kinds of representation. There <b>are</b> good and interesting elements at play in this series. So, yeah, it sucks I'm not loving it but I suppose I am ever hopeful.
Yet another amazing story to add to the series. I just love the characters and the world that has been created. The character development and relationship buildings have been great throughout. This is a 'must read' for sure!!!