Review: The Dirt on Ninth Grave

This is my guilty pleasure series. Whenever a new book comes out in the Charley Davidson series, I have no doubt that I will love it. It's a given. I remember picking up the first book in the series, First Grave on the Right, and wondering if it would be something I would enjoy. I had been reading another series and finally got sick of the repetitiveness of the plot. It just wasn't fun anymore and I was looking for something new. I swear that I read the first chapter and knew that Charley was going to be my new favorite badass heroine. Nine books later, I'm not bored or frustrated and I'm really excited for the tenth story. If you haven't read the series, there might be a bit of spoilage ahead but I'll try not to give too much away.

The Dirt on Ninth Grave finds Charley in Sleepy Hollow, NY with no memory at all. She doesn't know who she is or how she got there. I was hesitant about this at first because there are so many amnesia stories out there but this one was done well. As Charley slowly navigates life in NY, we realize that all of her friends and family are there too, supporting her and waiting patiently for her to remember who, and what, she is. The small cafe where Charley works is a perfect setting for the story and we meet some new characters who may or may not show up again in future books.

Charley was still Charley even without her memory. She was still just a little bit trashy (in a good way), inappropriate, and sassy. She still managed to get herself into trouble on several occasions and frustrate the hell out of her friends with her impulsive nature. There were also still a plethora of departed souls seeking her out, each with their own story, which added to the charm of the book. Add in a slightly unstable police officer/stalker, a few demons from hell, an angel trying to kill her, and her husband, the son of satan himself, and you've got quite a ride from beginning to end. A lot of suspense and a lot of fun with a couple of emotional moments thrown in for good measure. And of course, every chapter begins with a quote from a meme or t-shirt. My favorite from this book is...

“A dyslexic man walks into a bra- T-shirt”

The Dirt on Ninth Grave is another winner by Darynda Jones in my opinion. I finished it this morning and I'm still smiling.