Death & the Gravedigger's Angel (Auction Block Mystery)

by Loretta Ross

[kimbacaffeinate]

So we have a few mysteries. Who is the owner of the antique sketchbook and where is the final art piece? What's up with the dead man and the civil war uniform? Who killed the man Tony is accused of murdering. Themes and situations found within the story are relevant to events in the news, and I liked the subtle way these were mentioned. All of the threads soon became woven together and I quite enjoyed the solving of these mysteries.

While not perfect, Ross does offer a nice balance between mystery, small-town character development and a healthy dose of humor. Ross addresses some serious issues such as PTSD and depression. Death a Marine Veteran left the service after sustaining a permanent injury that has damaged his lungs. He suffers PTSD, so much so that he won't spend the entire night in Wren's bed. This brings about bouts of depression and Ross had a firm grasp of what this entails. Tony an Army Vet suffers from blackouts, nightmares and flashback episodes added details that enlighten while providing an interesting murder mystery.

Wren and Death's romantic relationship continues to develop and we get to spend time with townsfolk, their families and take part in an auction. Of course, we get plenty of laughter. There was a heated verbal exchange using biblical quotes that had me laughing so hard, I had to stop and wipe away tears. We get hints about things to come and a nice epilogue.

Amanda Ronconi once again narrates and is perfectly matched for Ross's characters. She has become the voice of Death and Wren for me, and I hope she continues.

Audio provided by the publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer