Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet (Charley Davidson, #4)

by Darynda Jones

[EBookObsessed]

Poor Charley is still recovering from the trauma of her attack. She believes PTSD can be solved with non-stop Home Shopping Channel, until Gemma and Cookie stage an intervention.

Charley Davidson is a private investigator and grim reaper. She can speak to the departed, which makes solving their deaths so much easier. Charley sometimes works with Uncle Bob, a detective with the Albuquerque Police Department to solve crimes.

NOTE: There might be small spoilers here on the emerging relationship between Charley and Reyes since the last book. You’ve been warned.

Charley is suffering from PTSD. It is hard to be a PI when you won’t leave your apartment, and Cookie has cut off her credit cards since Charley’s apartment is now filled with boxes from the Home Shopping Network.

Framed for murder, Reyes is finally a free man but that doesn’t mean a happily ever after for Charley and Reyes. At least not yet. If it wasn’t bad enough that her father set her up with no warning, then Reyes did the same. It’s Charley’s turn to be pissed off.

Not only did he set her up, but now that he’s out of prison, he hasn’t stopped by to see how she’s recovering. How is she going to let him know how pissed off she is, if he won’t stop by? So she decides to serve him with a bill for her services for helping get him released from prison.

Reyes has been spending his new freedom skulking about town trying to find the demons who are looking for Charley. After their last attempt failed, they have a new plan. They are possessing the bodies of people with special gifts, usually those would can see the dead…and the special light that comes from Charley. The type of light like her friend Pari can see whenever Charley is around.

Uncle Bob asks for Charley’s help again. There is an arsonist burning down buildings around town and when Charley finally realizes that these are all residences that Reyes lived in and was abused in as a child, Charley is afraid her uncle will be sending Reyes back to prison.

Charley can push him off for a little while, since she does have a new client. A woman claims that she has been tormented by someone since she was a young girl but that no one has ever believed her. After spending most of her life with a step-mother who called her a liar and an embarrassment, Charley wants to help prove that Harper’s tormentor is real.

THOUGHTS:
Charley’s investigations are usually quite interesting and this story included a very interesting twist which was quite unexpected.

We also meet a new character who will become an important addition, deaf teenager Quentin will join out usual cast of characters.

My one frustration is the constant statement from both Angel and Reyes that Charley “can do anything” and “if she only knew what she could do…” I am getting as frustrated as Charley with these vague responses. They don’t even give her a hint like “Wouldn’t it be cool to shoot laser beams out of your eyes?” or “You’re inner light could kill a demon. Figure out how to make it shine.” Nothing.

I highly recommend the audiobooks. Lorelei King does a wonderful job, especially bringing to life the quirkiness of Charley.