I’m starting to wonder how many more directions we’ll get to these graves. Right, left, ahead… I don’t even know if Charley knows where she’s going anymore. I just hope the cemetery isn’t that big. Personally, I just want to know the directions to the exit.
Third Grave Dead Ahead is the third installment of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones. Charley once again is pulled into a murder case, this time involving a possessive doctor and his missing wife. She’d like to be at her best, but after binding Reyes Alexander Farrow (Son of Satan and her lifelong protector) to his body, she’s haunted by him in her sleep, meaning she’s getting no rest at all. So she’ll just solve that little issue by staying awake. I go on record to say that Reyes is a better problem to have than Freddie Kruger…
Unable to rely on Reyes’s help when faced with grave danger, she may actually need to take care of herself! Oh the shock!
After reading this book, the events of book 2 were rendered completely pointless. Reyes goes from wanting his body to die (since it’s just a burden and he’d only rot in prison) to now wanting to save it to prove his innocence. Deux ex Machina much? He couldn’t have decided on that one whole book prior to this? There’s an excuse, but it’s as thin as the paper these books are printed on. Furthermore, I am completely apathetic to their relationship, and now he’s becoming a lot more of a problem than a sweet escape. Maybe in about 10 books from now they’ll actually fight, or do something way more interesting than what’s here.
At this point these books feel really formulaic. There are constant punchlines (very few actually made me laugh), no poignant drama, more humans causing trouble (as if they should be an actual threat to the Grim Reaper), and we get breadcrumbs at best for any development that relates to Charley’s powers. I honestly ended up skimming to the dialogue to get through this book, making me realize that I simply do not like Charley.
Finally the last 10% picks up in the paranormal department, but it should have happened a lot sooner. But of course, Charlie has to figure these things out for herself; it cannot be told. She’s just not smart enough to figure it out before the end.
I am still scratching my head as to how she didn’t figure out how to reverse a particular spell when the solution ended up being…oh, I don’t know…ONLY THE MOST OBVIOUS THING TO SAY!!
I gave three books a go. I really wanted to like it, but at this point this series is not for me. Where’s that exit again? Oh, here it is!
Freddie Kruger. Lol!
Freddie is more interesting, mind you. Buy Charley could have worse problems, lol. Not that I care anymore.