[ARC Review] No Gravestone Left Unturned by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
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Jane Ladling is back with her fantastic (and frankly enviable) crew, fresh off of solving a murder in Romancing the Gravestone. But this time, someone is out to frame Jane for a murder and it's going to take all the help and insight from her maybe-boyfriend Conrad, security guy Beau, and best friend Fiona to keep Jane out of jail and the rest of Aurelian Hills safe.
Right from the start, I knew we were going to be in for a wild ride in this book. Hallucinogenic plants, speed dating, and Jane's family curse repeatedly used as a crutch - Jane has a whole lot going on in sleepy Aurelian Hills, Georgia.
And as much as Jane has going on, there's even more to love about this book. The cozy mystery aspect is done so well. Jane, by her very nature, suspects a handful of people in every murder investigation she takes part in, so as the reader we may suspect right along with Jane but we can't really know until the big reveal. Showalter and Monroe did an excellent job at giving us just enough clues without revealing the ending until Jane figures it out herself.
Jane herself gave me so many laugh-out-loud moments; from her accidental plant ingestion, to her slow fall for Conrad, to literally every time Jane and Fiona are on the page together, Jane is a star on the page whether she realizes it or not (and one of the many things I love about Jane is that she doesn't, in fact, realize she is). Jane runs in about a thousand directions at any given time, and she's just honestly a breath of fresh air - especially in a cozy mystery setting. Jane wasn't without her faults, though, specifically when it comes to panicking over her family's curse; I'm anxiously awaiting the book when Jane accepts all the love Conrad has to offer.
Of course, Jane doesn't carry this story alone. The supporting cast is beyond excellent; Beau, Conrad, Fiona, and the feisty black cat Rolex are entertaining, supportive, and remain friendship goals. Fiona is just the best at encouraging Jane's questionable decisions, and I love that this sexagenarian is Jane's number one cheerleader. Despite the fact that Jane and Beau's end goals don't always seem to line up, I love him in this big brother/protective role he's taken on since the first book; there were some great bits in Beau's character arc in this book and I can't wait to see where his journey takes him in future Jane Ladling mysteries.
Conrad deserves a paragraph all on his own. Conrad has gone to secretive grump in the first book to a less secretive grump with hints of softy showing through. He really is the perfect guy for Jane; he is patient when others are not, understanding even when Jane is breaking the law, and loving even when Jane is afraid to accept it. By far, my favorite quality of Conrad's is his ability to just get Jane. He has my favorite quote in the whole book: "'Don't worry,' he said. 'I'm done pushing tonight. I'll continue to give you space until you're ready for more.'" How utterly swoon-worthy is that coming from him, the stoic, quiet Special Agent? He loves her, but knows Jane is skittish and is willing to wait for however long she needs. And Conrad backs up his words with his actions. He never pushes Jane, and you can tell he means what he says. When Jane finally looks past her family's curse and lets herself fall for Conrad, it will be magical on the page.
I loved every aspect of No Gravestone Left Unturned. The mystery was, indeed, cozy; the characters were well done and had such great arcs; and the ending wrapped everything up while still leaving me wanting more from all these characters. I thoroughly enjoyed No Gravestone Left Unturned and can't wait for the next Jane Ladling adventure.
A huge thank you to authors Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe for sharing an advanced review copy of this title via their Author Talk Media company.
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Release date: 3/28/22
Format: eARC
eARC provided via: Author Talk Media
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