Expected publication date: October 31, 2017
Cover blurb:
Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series.
Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidently trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.
Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes, can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?
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Oh wow, was WW ever jealous when she heard I got my hot little hands on this ARC!!!! (Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press!!) For full disclosure, Reyes is WW’s book BF, not mine…but I may call dibs on Garrett now! He is seriously hawt in this book!
Darynda just writes the funniest, snarkiest, hottest lovin’ books EVER! (And there is one scene I am thinking about in particular in this book that’s sizzling!) But she is also the meanest person at the same time…these endings are KILLING me! At the end of book 11, you will remember that Charley sent Reyes into the god glass in an attempt to reconnoiter, but when she attempted to recall him it didn’t work. Instead, the pendant exploded and Rey’Azikeen appeared…the god, not Reyes her husband. But is her husband in there or is he gone forever?
So when we pick up in book 12, it is 3 days later and Charley is still trying to find a way to restore the Reyes she knows and loves. In the midst of investigating a haunted house and a disturbing series of murders, she has not told any of her cohorts what has happened with the exception of Angel who has been looking for Rey’Azikeen. Charley is afraid that he might be behind the murders, and she reluctantly brings in the rest of the gang in to help discover a way to bring Reyes back.
At the same time, she has to help Pari avoid arrest for murder, and provide guidance for Amber and Quentin who are investigating the theft of office supplies at their school. Soo…pretty much normal life for Charley! All the while dealing with knowing that the being that was her husband has the knack of showing up whenever he wants, and that he is searching for something that he thinks she knows the location of, and he’s not happy she won’t tell him. (I figured it out early on, so I beat Charley!)
The whole book is a roller coaster of emotion, for both the characters and the reader. That is the thing about these books; there is a LOT of humor, but it’s equaled by all the negative emotions as well, especially guilt and grief. There are 2 moments in particular where I was like, whoa, this can’t be happening! And the last few pages…I just can’t. We thought the end of 11 was bad, but this one was SO much worse for me. Especially knowing it’s going to be another year until #13, but then again I don’t want the year to end because I know that will be the last book in the series, not fair!
If you haven’t read this series, wtf are you doing reading this review? Get yourself to the library, or the book store or Amazon and START. You will not regret it…unless you have no sense of humor. (I’m sure that there are some people like that out there.) I don’t recommend starting with this book as you really, really need the background of the previous novels to really understand what happens in this book. But if you are an old-timer like me, sit back and enjoy (most) of the ride!