ARC Review: Deeper Than the Grave by Tina Whittle

Deeper Than the Grave
Author: Tina Whittle
Series: Tai Randolph (Book 4)
Publication: Poisoned Pen Press; 1 edition (November 4, 2014)

Description: It’s taken almost a year, but Tai Randolph has her new life together. She’s running a semisuccessful Atlanta gun shop catering to Civil War re-enactors. Her lover, the sexy-if-securityobsessed Trey Seaver, is sorting out his challenges. There’s not a single corpse on her horizon, and her previously haphazard existence is finally stable, secure… and unsurprising. Then a tornado blows by a Kennesaw Mountain cemetery, scattering the skeletal remains of a Confederate hero. Assisting the bones recovery effort is a job her late Uncle Dexter would have relished, as does Tai. Does she hit the jackpot on discovering a jumble of bones in the underbrush? No. The bones reveal a more recent murder, with her deceased uncle leading the suspect list. As Tai struggles to clear Dexter’s name— and save the business he left her— she uncovers deadly secrets were also buried in the red Georgia clay. And realizes there’s a live murderer on the loose, a clever killer who has tried to conceal the crimes of the present in the stories of the past. As she risks her own life to unravel two mysteries—one from a previous century, one literally at her doorstep—Tai rediscovers her dangerous taste for murder and mayhem.

My Thoughts: Tai gets swept into a complicated situation when she is called in by a friend of her uncle's to try to find some bones a civil war hero after a tornado destroys his fancy mausoleum. Tai's search has her recovering much more recent bones. The bones belong to Lucius Dufrene and the last person to see him alive might have been her late Uncle Dexter. Tai has to get involved to clear her uncle's name.

Tai's investigation has her looking at the black market in civil war memorabilia, a drug traficking ring, and some of the best families of the Old South. While she is doing this, she is also worried because Trey is nearing the anniversary of the accident that caused his traumatic brain injury. Previous years have had him shutting down and retreating to his apartment for the day. Tai doesn't know what she can do to help him.

Both Tai and Trey are damaged people who have build nice solid brick walls to protect themselves. However, being in a relationship means that they both have to break down their walls. This isn't an easy or pain-free project for either of them.

I enjoyed the mystery and really enjoyed watching Tai and Trey's relationship develop. Fans on non-standard detectives will find much to enjoy in this series.

Favorite Quote:

I tucked the radio back into my pocket and started to move some more leaves out of the way. But before I could, I heard a stomach-dropping noise to my left—the unmistakable "kachunk" of a pump action shotgun. And then a woman's voice, cold and authoritative.

"Hold it right there, you goddamned thief."

 I got this eARC from NetGalley for review. You can buy your copy here.