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Release-Day Review: Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #8)

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Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones // VBC ReviewEighth Grave After Dark
(Charley Davidson #8)
Darynda Jones
Published: May 19, 2015 (St. Martin’s)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Margaret

Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars

Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it does make reference to previous books in the series. If you haven’t started yet, check out VBC’s review of book 1, First Grave on the Right.

Eighth Grave after Dark opens about eight months after the end of Seventh Grave and No Body with Charley Davidson and her friends preparing for Cookie and Ubie’s wedding. It’s being held at the abandoned convent where Charley and Reyes have been living in order to escape the hellhounds that are waiting to rip her apart but cannot cross onto hallowed ground. Charley’s having a little trouble squeezing into that matron of honor dress though, because she’s now nine months pregnant.

I really wish that I had gotten to see Cookie’s relationship with Uncle Bob develop since they had just started dating in the last book, but I understand the decision to put so much time between books. Charley would have spent much of that time dealing with her pregnancy and her father’s death. And since she and Reyes are confined to the convent and its grounds, their lives probably haven’t been that interesting. In fact, I was starting to feel like not much happens in this book.

That’s not really true, of course. There’s a wedding and a birth and Charley works a missing person’s case without ever leaving the house. But for about eighty percent of the story, the only “action scenes” involve Charley falling down. But WOW, was the end exciting! Some big questions get answered as well, like “Who is Mr. Wong?” and “What’s Denise’s problem?”

I’m still confused on some of the details about Charley’s greater purpose and the nature of grim reapers, but some of those questions are answered as well. I understand a lot more about Charley’s origins and even her childhood, along with Reyes’s. It seems like gods, demons, and possibly the Vatican will play a much bigger role in Charley’s future.

I’m happy that I don’t have to wait a whole year to see how Charley’s friends get her out of the situation she’s in at the end of Eighth Grave; Dirt on Ninth Grave releases in January. But DO NOT read the blurb until you finish reading Eighth Grave. I know better, but something caught my eye and I read it anyway. It contains a major spoiler and it’s kind of distracting. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what was going to cause that cliffhanger situation.

I still really enjoyed Eighth Grave after Dark. Charley is always fun and snarky. Reyes is always broody and sexy—I actually got a little sick of her talking about his body all the time, but I’m probably in the minority on that. And I love the supporting cast. I’m excited about the possibility of Amber playing a bigger role in the story and some of my old favorites coming back into the picture.

I had some reservations about the series plot after the previous book, but this story is really getting good. This is a must-read for Charley Davidson fans!

Sexual content: sex

3 Responses to “Release-Day Review: Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones (Charley Davidson #8)”

  1. Brenda R. says:

    Cool. I’m looking forward to learning more about the mysterious Mr. Wong.

  2. Angie says:

    Thanks for the warning. I shall not read the blurb of the next one… I must not, will not…. it’s like not thinking about the pink elephant but I will prevail. 🙂

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