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?!