ARC: Game of Gravestone by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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Game of Gravestones
A Jane Ladling Mystery #3

Author: Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Released: 09/26/2022
Review Source: ARC provided by authors

She suspects everyone of everything. Except her oldest friend. Who's found next to a body. Holding the murder weapon.

For the first time, things are just right for cemetery owner Jane Ladling. Her cat only kind of hates her sort of boyfriend, Special Agent Conrad Ryan, and she isn't flat broke. When she's asked to host a murder mystery fundraiser for the people of Aurelian Hills, Georgia, she'd totally on board. Champagne, intrigue, and community. Yes, please. Then game night happens and a fake murder turns into a red one, leaving her mentor and knitting buddy Fiona at the top of the suspect list, with heir best pal Beau a close second. Oops?

Jane's not about to leave the fate of her loves one to, well, fate. On the hunt for clues, she turns the small town upside down. As scandalous secrets surface, a single truth becomes clear: if she doesn't solve the murder fast, Jane will be the next victim.

I will say this until I'm blue in the face - Lane Ladling  is one of my favourite characters. Ever. Her quirkiness and humour just calls to me and I always finish an instalment with the warmest feeling in my heart. I adored both previous instalments and you can read my review for Romancing the Gravestone (book one) here and No Gravestone Left Unturned (book two) here - both five star reviews, by the way.

Game of Gravestones is the latest instalment in the Jane Ladling Mystery series and of course, there's been another murder, but fear not - Jane is on the case! Her plan to solve the mystery? Befriend everyone with a cat and make playdates between Rolex and other cats....duh. Between Jane, Fiona, Conrad, Beau and the three hunks, there is never a dull moment here - and there's even new character's who pop up and become frequent throughout.

This cosy mystery series is heavily focused on plot and characters so I was pleasantly surprised when there was a smidgen more romance here -  flirty banter and a first date with Conrad. There was romantic progress here (and did I sniff a love interest for Beau too?!) and it was my favourite thing about this book. Conrad has me in a chokehold and I'm not even mad.

"I love you, Jane Ladling, and I'm never letting you go."

Major swoon, right?!

Book Review: No Gravestone Left Unturned by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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No Gravestone Left Unturned
A Jane Ladling Mystery #2

Author: Gena Showalter
and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Released: 03/28/22
Review Source: Purchased

She suspects everyone of everything. Now, everyone suspects her.

For cemetery owner and world’s best fur-mom Jane Ladling, death is her business, romance is her misfortune and suspicion is her passion. When she discovers a fresh body on her porch, she calls Special Agent Conrad Ryan, her smoke-show of a boyfriend. Who isn’t actually her boyfriend. Whatever. It’s complicated, especially now that she’s being framed for the murder of the only “hard-hitting” journalist in the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia.

Determined to clear her good name, Jane dives headlong into following the clues––with best friends Fiona and Beau at her side. But can she identify the killer before she goes to jail? Or worse…there’s another victim?

I highly suggest reading book one, Romancing the Gravestone before diving into No Gravestone Left Unturned - you'll get a great backstory of the drama, why the body was dumped on Jane's front porch and most importantly - an introduction to Conrad and Beau. It isn't a book you want to miss. You can read my review of Romancing the Gravestone here.

The absolute best thing about the Jane Ladling series is its ability to hook you instantly. Straight from the prologue her hilarious, quirky personality shone through and I was addicted. Jane is quirky and slightly bonkers and a firm favourite of mine. 

Argh! Earlier, she'd lost her sunglasses. What would be next? Her good sense? Her dignity? Or had she already parted with those?

This series put the cosy mystery genre onto my radar and I regret nothing - it is the cutest, funniest and quirkiest series I've read in years. This series literally makes me laugh out loud and I don't think I'll ever forget it. The romance is very minimal yet the grip Conrad has on my heart is insane (I'm also very partial to Beau). Jane is convinced her family is cursed as none of the women of her family have found true love and been able to to keep a hold it - but it's looking like Ladling curse with a certain hunky cop named Conrad. Or Beau. You know what, I'll be happy with either....or both.

What was my favourite part of the novel, you ask? Oh, I'll tell you. Have you ever witnessed somebody refusing to be dismissed by a cop? Jane Ladling did. In fact, she convinced the Sheriff to lock her up, and I completely lost it when she said this:

"I'm done arguing about this Sherriff. you lock me in the slammer and throw away the key, or ill be lodging a formal complaint with the city council. Then I'll come after your job! ill find a way to become next sheriff, just see if I don't.

Jill Monroe and Gena Showalter are the best and they have created such an iconic character with Jane Ladling. I will read anything they write - separately or together - and if you haven't read this one then you are missing out on a cracking series!

Book Review: Romancing the Gravestone by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

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Romancing the Gravestone
A Jane Ladling Mystery #1

Author: Gena Showalter
and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult 
Genre: Mystery | Romance 
Released: 09/27/21
Review Source: Purchased

She suspects everyone of everything. Sometimes she gets it right.

Jane Ladling is the sole proprietor of her family's landlocked cemetery, Garden of Memories. She's responsible for the, er, guests, but there's a slight problem. Well, besides her moody cat, Rolex, and her sixty-two-year-old best friend's unrequited crush on the sheriff. An extra body now rests in Plot #39.

Enter Special Agent Conrad Ryan. He's gruff, he's gorgeous, and oh, yes, he kind of suspects her of murder. What's an innocent—and very single, not that it matters—girl to do? Solve the crime herself. Even if she must turn the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia upside down.

The only line she won't cross? Falling for the first man to make her heart flutter. Nope, not happening. Not even a little.

Romancing the Gravestone is the first book in the Jade Ladling series by authors Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe and it was the cutest book I've ever read (can a book even be called cute if there's a dead body, a murderer on the loose and the main setting is a grave site?).

Dubbed "The Cemerary Girl", Jane is the sole owner and caretaker of Garden of Memories, a private cemetery she inherited from her Grandma Lily. In the middle of making her to-do list, Jane discovers a dead body, which isn't usually for someone who owns a cemetery, but what is unusual is the fresh body in grave of a well established closed casket. Cuddling isn't all that common in caskets, especially when only one body was buried. 

Jane is a special character - she is quirky with a mouth that doesn't know when to stop talking, a sixty-two-year-old best friend, an unhealthy obsession with hats and a passive aggressive cat called Rolex (who was really the star of the show). There's also Special Agent Conrad. The hotter than the sun detective who's assigned to Garden of Memories murder case. 

The romance in Romancing the Gravestone is a slow burn and Conrad clearly has a thing for Jane (although we're waiting on Jane catching up) and I am already gasping for air to read No Gravestone Left Unturned to get my fix. There's also Beau - a quite character but I hope we see more of him, because all it takes is a quite, manly man character to get me hooked. 

Although the book is not long, it is mighty and packs a punch. I was gripped from the very first page and everything from the stunning cover to the charming chapter headers add so much personality and I truly adored Romancing the Gravestone. It made me smile and I developed an unhealthy crush on Conrad (Beau too, not going to lie) and book two is much anticipated.

Cover Reveal: Fifty Shades of Graves by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe

We are so stoked about this cover reveal for Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe's latest novel!

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Fifty Shades of Graves
Author: Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Author Talk Media LLC

She suspects everyone of everything. Now, everyone suspects her.

For cemetery owner and world’s best fur-mom Jane Ladling, death is her business, romance is her misfortune and suspicion is her passion. When she discovers a fresh body on her porch, she calls Special Agent Conrad Ryan, her smoke-show of a boyfriend. Who isn’t actually her boyfriend. Whatever. It’s complicated, especially now that she’s being framed for the murder of the only “hard-hitting” journalist in the small town of Aurelian Hills, Georgia.

Determined to clear her good name, Jane dives headlong into following the clues––with best friends Fiona and Beau at her side. But can she identify the killer before she goes to jail? Or worse…there’s another victim?

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Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs and cats.

Jill Monroe is the international best selling author of over fifteen novels and novellas. Her books are available across the globe and The Wrong Bed: Naked Pursuit has been adapted for the small screen for Lifetime Movie Network. When not writing, Jill makes her home in Oklahoma with her husband, enjoys daily walks with her dog Zoey, texting with her two daughters who are away at college and collecting fabric for items she’ll sew poorly