Deeper Than the Grave
A Tai Randolph Mystery #4
Tina Whittle
Poisoned Pen Press, November 2014
ISBN 978-1-4642-0164-3
Trade Paperback

This is the fourth novel in this series by Tina Whittle, but my first introduction to her characters, Tai Randolph and Trey Seaver. The setting is Atlanta where Trey, an ex-cop who suffered a brain injury in an accident, is now an agent for a corporate security firm, and Tai, who inherited a gun shop from her late Uncle Dexter that caters to a group of Confederate re-enactors. Tai is working to get the gun shop back up and running and worried about the fast approaching first anniversary of Trey’s traumatic accident.

When a tornado sweeps through the old Kennesaw Mountain Cemetery disturbing the mausoleum of a Confederate hero and scattering his remains, Tai is called in to help find the missing bones. She uncovers a skeleton, but it doesn’t belong to the Confederate soldier. They are the remains of a young man recently murdered.

When Tai learns the victim was known to her Uncle Dexter, and that Dexter might be a suspect, she decides to investigate, vowing to find the real killer, and clear her Uncle’s name. Trey cautions Tai, worried she may put herself in danger.

Throughout the story we meet an interesting cast of friends and locals as well as the family of the Confederate hero. But as Tai diligently follows the clues, getting ever closer to the truth, the killer becomes desperate to stop her.

I was intrigued by the history of the Confederate Hero and drawn to Tai’s efforts to uncover the truth. Trey and Tai care deeply for each other and their relationship is one of mutual respect and love. There were enough twists and turns to keep this reader engaged until the killer was finally revealed.

I’ve made a note to seek out the writer’s earlier novels in this series. I certainly recommend checking out Deeper Than the Grave.

Reviewed by guest reviewer Moyra Tarling, April 2019, for Buried Under Books.