Fourth Grave Beneath my Feet
Fourth book in the Charley Davidson series
Release Date: October 30, 2012
Sometimes being the grim reaper really is that. Grim. And since Charley’s last case went so awry, she has taken a couple months off to wallow in the wonders of self-pity. But when a woman shows up on her doorstep convinced someone is trying to kill her, Charley has to force herself to rise above. Or at least get dressed. She quickly realizes something is amiss when everyone the woman knows swears she’s insane. The more they refute the woman’s story, the more Charley believes it.
In the meantime, the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, has been cleared of all charges. He is out of prison and out of Charley’s life, as per her wishes and several perfectly timed death threats. But his absence has put a serious crimp in her sex life. While there are other things to consider, like the fact that the city of Albuquerque has been taken hostage by an arsonist, Charley is having a difficult time staying away. Especially when it looks like Reyes may e involved. Just when life was returning to normal, Charley is thrust back into the world of crime, punishment, and the devil in blue jeans.
Excerpt from Fourth Grave:
With
renewed energy, I pulled back onto Academy— after hitting a drive-through for a mocha latte— and had just started for home when my phone rang.
“Yes?” I
said, illegally talking on the phone while driving within the city limits. Scoping for cops, I
waited for Uncle Bob to stop talking to whomever he was talking to and get
back to me.
My uncle
Bob, or Ubie as I most often referred to him, was a detective for APD, and I helped him on cases
from time to time. He knew I could see the departed and used
that to his advantage. Not that I could blame him.
“Get that
to her, then call the ME ay-sap.”
“Okay,” I
said, “but I’m not sure what calling the medical examiner ay-sap is going to accomplish.
I’m pretty sure his name is George.”
“Oh, hey,
Charley.”
“Hey, Uncle
Bob. What’s up?”
“Are you
driving?”
“No.”
“Have you
heard anything?”
Our
conversations often went like this. Uncle Bob with his random questions. Me with my trying to
come up with answers just as random.
Not that I had to try very hard.
“I heard that Tiffany Gorham, a girl I knew in grade school, still stuffs her bra. But that’s just a rumor.”
“About the
case,” he said through clenched teeth. I could tell his teeth were clenched because his words
were suddenly forced. That meant he was frustrated. Too bad I had no
idea what he was talking about.
“I wasn’t
aware that we had a case.”
“Oh, didn’t
Cookie call you?”
“She called
me a doody-head once.”
“About the
case.” His teeth were totally clenched again.
“We have a
case?”
But I’d
lost him. He was talking to another officer. Or a detective. Or a hooker, depending on his
location and accessibility to cash. Though I doubted he would tell a hooker to
check the status of the DOA’s autopsy report. Unless he was way kinkier
than I’d ever given him credit for. I found his calling me only to
talk to other people very challenging.
“I’ll call
you right back,” he said. No idea to whom.
The call
disconnected as I sat at a light, wondering what guacamole would look like if avocados were
orange.
I finally
shifted my attention to the dead kid in my backseat. He had shoulder-length blond hair and
bright blue eyes and looked somewhere between fifteen and seventeen.
“You come
here often?” I asked him, but my phone rang before he could say anything. That was okay.
He had a vacant stare, so I doubted
he would have answered me anyway.
“Sorry
about that,” Uncle Bob said. “Do you want to discuss the case?”
“We have a
case?” I said again, perking up.
“How are
you?”
He asked me
that every time he called now. “Peachy. Am I the case? If so, I can solve this puppy in
about three seconds. I’m heading down San Mateo toward Central in a cherry
red Jeep Wrangler with a questionable
exhaust system.”
“Charley.”
“Hurry,
before I get away!”
Now, we have her alone and she isn't going anywhere until she answers a few questions...so for all of you dyeing to know about the author behind the Grim Reaper Charley, here is a special interview with one Darynda Jones herself!
1. How long have you been writing? Did you always know you wanted to write romance?
I
have been writing since I was a kid. I’ve always loved to write but didn’t know
I wanted to BE a writer until I was in Jr. High School. While not everything I
write is strictly romance, everything I write has a strong romantic subplot, so
yes. I love romance. There simply must be
some kind of romance in every story I write.
2.
Do you have
any favorite romance authors? Have any of them influenced your writing?
The
first romance author I read and fell in love with was Kathleen E. Woodiwiss.
She was a huge influence on me. Her stories were larger than life, her
characters endearing. I wanted to be just like her for a very long time.
I
had planned an ongoing series from the start. I hoped it would be open-ended,
and it is. My editor wants it to keep going. I am working on
Fifth Grave Past the Light and the next book in the Darklight series,
which is my YA series.
She
is definitely NOT like me! Hahaha. I really wanted her to have this tremendous
burden of having to help the departed while trying to make a living and pay the
rent. But I didn’t want her to be a whiner. I hate whiners. I wanted her to
just accept who she is without complaining too much and to enjoy her ability.
So many urban fantasy characters do nothing but complain about their
circumstances. I wanted Charley to be different and fun. Someone the reader
could really root for.
I
think partly because he is so dark and mysterious, but partly because he has
had a very hard life as a human. He has been abused and has flaws, but through
it all he has loved Charley and protected her the best he could. That makes him
a hero despite his dark side.
Here goes my
short and sweet round of questions:
1.
What is your
favorite way of spending time?
Dreaming
up stories in my head and replaying them over and over.
Something
will happen to my children.
For
my family to be happy and healthy.
My
computer. LOL
Curling
up with a good book on a rainy day. Heaven on Earth.
Another special giveaway only for Grimlet Blogs
Click Rafflecopter link below, Html and I are not friends...
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work including a prestigious Golden
Heart®, a RITA®, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up
spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul
who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. Darynda lives in the Land
of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband and two beautiful
sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. |
| Goodall City Library Book Display |
I absolutely love Darynda Jones' books! I recommend everyone give em a try! Read them, then tell all your friends about them! I set up a display of the Charley Davidson books where I work, and two days later they were all checked out, and a waiting list was started!!!
