Book Review: Curse of the Tenth Grave (Charley Davidson) by Darynda Jones

Curse of the Tenth Grave is the next book in the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones. At this point in the series you really need to have read all the other books to understand some of the more complicated plot movements.

As a part-time PI and full-time grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life: Why can I see dead people? Who is the hot supernatural entity following me? How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up? But, “How do I trap not one malevolent god, but three?” was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers? Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murder, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved.

Curse of the Tenth Grave is another foray into the more serious side of Charley and her life. Everyone is on edge, and keeping secrets in order to protect each other. And that never ends well. The twists and turns of the supernatural origins of our cast of characters becomes more twisted and complicated, and they need to deal with issues in trust, loss, and fear. Charley is still a little scattered, and has some cute asides. However, there are moments where her quirks start getting frustrating and make her feel more childish than amusing. The cast of characters is still extremely well done, and I love some of the twists and turns the story takes. I am still enjoying my binge read, working my way to the thirteenth and final book in the series. However, I am having more sympathy for the characters Charley has hassled earlier in the series than I am for her in some ways, and during some exchanges.