The Dirt on Ninth Grave by Darynda Jones

Happy Monday, readers! Today I am pleased as punch to be taking part in The Dirt on Ninth Grave tour!

Fair warning, guys, if you're not current with the series there are definitely spoilers ahead!

After giving birth to Beep and learning her celestial name, Charley vanished, waking in Sleepy Hollow, NY with no memory of who she was or where she came from. It took some time, but her friends did manage to track her down and have convened on the town in the hopes that their Reaper friend will eventually come to her senses. Unfortunately, according to Charley's sister Gemma, it's best if they wait for her to remember on her own. And it's a warning Reyes is sticking to.

Even without knowledge of her special skills Charley - aka Janey - still manages to attract both trouble and the dead and soon finds herself in the midst of a possible kidnapping. What's more, Reyes and the others know there's a BIG enemy hiding out nearby, one that's an even bigger danger to their friend now that she's got amnesia. 

I do love this series! Giving Charley amnesia in the midst of a HUGE loss not only made sense but allowed Jones to shake up the series a bit. New setting, new characters, new cases even when our PI reaper doesn't have a clue she's an investigating natural. Of course all of her friends rally around her, trying their hardest not to spill the beans about actually knowing who and what she is even when she's at her most frustrated.

Darynda Jones's singular sense of humor is ever present here. Amnesia doesn't take away Charley's penchant for naming things nor does it take away her snark or love of coffee. Or love of Reyes for that matter! She recognizes something in him and all the rest of her friends, latching onto each and every one of them much the same way she has in her normal life. Course now she has no clue what Reyes is and she has no one to share her visions with either. Her musings about her special gifts are particularly funny, especially when she convinces herself she must be a time traveler and Cookie a psychic.

If you're a fan of the series, you will not be disappointed. If you stumbled upon this and ignored my spoilers warning, then I do hope you'll venture out and grab a copy of First Grave on the Right. It's full of fun, mystery, sass, and ghosts. And there's just a bit of steam in there as well.

The Dirt on Ninth Grave doesn't hit shelves officially until January 12 but you can most definitely pre order a copy now. You can also head over here to treat yourself to a little excerpt if you like.

For more on Darynda Jones and her work, you can check out her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. There's also an official Darynda Jones fan group over on Goodreads with discussions, Q&As, and giveaways!

(I should note that yes, there is a bit of a cliffhanger ending in Dirt but Jones has been a busy, busy bee and we only actually have to wait til June for the next installment! In the meantime, you might not have known that there's also a new ebook written from Reyes's perspective.)

Rating: 5/5