Second Grave on the Left

 Book 39 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Second Grave on the Left

by Darynda Jones

Summary (via Goodreads)

Book 2 of the Charley Davidson series

published 2011

Charley Davidson, Grim Reaper Extraordinaire, is back in this sexy, suspenseful novel of supernatural shenanigans.

 When Charley is rudely awakened in the middle of the night by her best friend who tells her to get dressed quickly and tosses clothes out of the closet at her, she cant help but wonder what Cookies up to. Leather scrunch boots with a floral miniskirt? Together? Seriously? Cookie explains that a friend of hers named Mimi disappeared five days earlier and that she just got a text from her setting up a meet at a coffee shop downtown. They show up at the coffee shop, but no Mimi. But Charley finds a message on the bathroom wall. Mimi left a clue, a womans name. Mimis husband explains that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old friend of hers from high school had been found murdered a couple weeks prior. The same woman Mimi had named in her message. 

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. Hes left his body because hes being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes cant let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven. And if they have a portal to heavenwell, lets just say it wouldnt be pretty. Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Will Cookie ever get a true fashion sense? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel them as they do?

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover

This is a re-read.  I gave it 5 stars the first time around but that was years ago.  I'm interested to see if it holds up as an absolute love but I do think it will definitely fit my reading needs at the moment - something light and entertaining.

My Opinion

4 stars

Nothing to do with the book but the summary on Goodreads is a jumbled mess.  Most of the time I use the book jacket unless Goodreads has the same info but I've already returned the book to the library (behind on reviews always!) so what's above is what I have access to.

On to the book...

The side cases specific to this book weren't my favorite (it was a lot of extra people and hard to keep track of) but the overall stuff moving the story along as it goes through the series was interesting and cohesive.  I'm glad she's finding people she can trust.  I mentioned it in my review of the first book but something different that I like about this series is that her powers aren't new to her.  There are still new situations as she navigates living with them, especially as it relates to those around her, but she has a clear foundation of who she is and how she's different.

It ended on a cliffhanger that makes me want to immediately continue.  That's a bonus of waiting to start a series - I can jump right into the next book instead of waiting for them to come out.

Original Review (December 2012)

Even better than the first book in the series. Tense action while also making me laugh out loud. Can't wait to read the next one.