ARC Review: Grave Words by Gerri Lewis

Grave Words
Author: Gerri Lewis
Series: Deadly Deadlines (Book 2)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (June 10, 2025)

Description: In the second installment of the Deadly Deadlines mysteries, obituary writer Winter Snow faces her biggest challenge yet when the body of a homeless man is found in a burning building and her best friend is the main suspect, perfect for fans of Eva Gates and Kate Carlisle.

Winter Snow has had it! With her business in a death drought, her best friend Scoop implicated in a string of arsons, and an obituary listing Winter herself as deceased, her life is heating up. But just as she’s trying to cool things down, she receives her newest assignment: an obituary for Chester, a homeless man found in a burning building.

Promising the local funeral home manager that she will have the obituary by the deadline, Winter is stonewalled at every turn, failing to discover Chester’s last name, or where he came from. When it is discovered that Chester was murdered and that the fire was set to cover it up, all fingers immediately point to Scoop. Not only is Scoop a person of interest in the arsons, he was also the last person to see Chester alive.

As more nails are pounded into Scoop’s coffin, Winter’s uncle Richard hopes to help by inviting the notorious town gossips, The Nosy Parkers, to a neighborhood food fest. Unfortunately, the breadcrumbs they toss set murder in motion.

More determined than ever, Winter must figure out the twists and turns of the case to clear Scoop’s name, putting her on a deadly deadline to solve the murder and avoid meeting the same grave consequences.

My Thoughts: Winter Snow, freelance obituary writer, returns in her second case. The story starts with a mix-up. One of her clients has posted an obituary that wrongly states the Winter is the one who has passed away causing all sorts of trouble for Winter as she tries to correct the mistake. 

Meanwhile, her friend Scoop is in trouble with the police for seeming to know too much about a series of arsons around town. He won't give up his source when Winter's boyfriend Kip pressures him. But when a third apparent arson results in the death of a homeless man named Chester things heat up for him even more. It seems Scoop was the last one to see Chester alive. 

Carla, Winter's friend from the funeral home, tasks Winter with writing Chester's obituary which send Winter into an investigation of her own as she tries to learn more about Chester. She's being stonewalled. She can't even find out his full name. She's angry at Kip for trying to steer her away from her inquiries into Chester which causes some conflict in their relationship. 

Winter uncovers some secrets, and each discovery leads her into a more dangerous place as she uncovers a money-making scheme and actors who wouldn't at all mind seeing her dead. But she has to persist if she wants to save her friend Scoop and satisfy her own curiosity. 

This was a nice mystery with a main character with a unique occupation. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.