Embrace the Grim Reaper: A Grim Reaper Mystery (Grim Reaper Series) [Kindle Edition]

Judy Clemens (Author)

Book Description

Casey Maldonado’s life is over—at least as she knows it. In one brief moment of fire and wrenching metal, everything important was gone. The car manufacturer was generous with its settlement, but it can never be enough. Her family and friends—not to mention her lawyers—want her to go for more. More money. More publicity. More everything. But Casey is done. No financial gain or courtroom retribution will bring back what really matters. So she packs up, puts her house on the market, and leaves town. Her only companion: Death, who won’t take her, but won’t leave her alone.

She stops on a whim in tragedy-stricken Clymer, a small blue-collar town in the midst of Ohio farmland. Not only is HomeMaker, the town’s appliance factory and main employer, moving to Mexico, but the town has been rocked by the suicide of a beloved single mother.

Casey is drawn to the town, and soon realizes that many of the citizens don’t believe the verdict of suicide at all. Death encourages her to investigate, and she uncovers information that points to the factory. Was the victim’s death a cover-up? Did she truly have the means—as she claimed—to keep the factory from leaving town?

When Casey begins to receive messages that she should leave well enough alone, she decides she’d be better off back on the road, but the murderer can’t let her go with everything she knows….

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The intriguing first in a new series from Clemens (Different Paths and four other Stella Crown mysteries) introduces a classic tragic heroine, Casey Maldonado, and her companion, the Grim Reaper. Casey, who's trying to come to terms with personal losses suffered in a fatal car accident, regularly wishes that Death will take her so she can spend eternity with her departed loved ones. Unfortunately for Casey, it's not her time, and Death decides only to tag along on her sad journey. Hitching rides to anywhere, Casey ends up in Clymer, Ohio, a town as deeply troubled as she is. Casey is soon drawn into investigating the death of a young mother, who supposedly committed suicide after losing her job. Clemens is adept at creating an appealing cast of characters while keeping the plot moving at a fast clip. Casey and Death make an oddly entertaining pair, and readers will hope to see their relationship fleshed out in future titles. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Devastated by the deaths of her husband and infant son in a car crash that she alone survived, Casey Maldonado has taken to traveling, accompanied by Death, whom only she can see. She ends up in Clymer, Ohio, a small town devastated by the defection of a manufacturing company. She quickly becomes involved with Home Sweet Home, an organization that feeds struggling families, and she also takes a part in a local theater production. When she learns of the apparent suicide of a local woman, Ellen Schnieder, she begins an investigation, along with Ellen’s boyfriend, to prove that the death was actually murder. Complicating matters, the theater’s director seems to be in some kind of trouble with some unsavory men, and Casey is being pursued by executives from the car company who paid her settlement. An interesting premise (shades, almost, of The Fugitive) and a vulnerable but strong protagonist are the highlights here, though the character of Death adds an unexpected dimension. Clemens, author of the Stella Crown series, could have another winner. --Sue O'Brien

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 574 KB
• Print Length: 329 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1590585895
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press (May 25, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003WQARS4
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,963 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Story, Well Written Lead Character, But a Bit Unethical as We Need to Buy the Next Book to Know What Happens May 7, 2011

By James N Simpson

Format:Hardcover

Embrace the Reaper is part of a trilogy of novels (so far at the time of this review, it could even be more in the future) by Judy Clemens. The novel doesn't actually end, you've got to buy The Grim Reaper's Dance to know if the various parties after Casey catch up with her, as literally the last pages of this novel are her fleeing with them all chasing. The only thing missing is a voiceover, will Casey make it, will those after her catch up, tune in next week.... That's the only thing that's wrong with this great story, and all this would have been fine if the fact the story isn't a standalone read was mentioned on the cover. It's a bit unethical after customers have invested financially and emotionally by getting engrossed in the plot to make them buy more books, instead of wrapping up this story then starting the next with the same main character (or characters if you include Death and some towns people).

It is more than worthwhile buying the series though. Casey Maldonado is one of the best written female lead characters I've come across. Death, isn't really essential to the plot, in fact he plays no part in doing anything other than to annoy Casey by his presence and to play tricks on others such as making them feel really cold. Most of the time he's just sitting around eating a leg of chicken or something. He sort of reminded me of The Cat in the Hat. In fact the town of Clymer, Ohio's setting sort of has a Dr Seuss vibe and with Rosemary and Lillian, the two women Casey stays with, resembling the sisters Vivian and Lily from Pushing Daisies, this book has a really surreal and likable vibe going.

Basic plot of Embrace the Grim Reaper follows Casey, on the run from pursuers, she's distraught from having survived a car accident and wants her companion Death, to take her too. He refuses and why he's hanging around isn't really explained, nor is why Casey is one the run, hitching rides from truck stop to truck stop. She never stays with the ride for too long, to maximise the difficulties those after her will have in tracking her down. It is a tiny town with one main employer, where Casey decides to stay awhile after volunteering at the local soup kitchen. She's learnt that a woman named Ellen who Eric, the guy running the kitchen was dating, has died. The official word is suicide but with Ellen by all accounts being pretty happy, and having a young family to live for (the very thing taken away from Casey), she doesn't believe Ellen died by her own hand. Casey wants to get to clear her name for the children's sake, with professional acting skills, a black belt in hapkido (some sort of Karate/Judo type thing) and a strong bond to Eric, she's sticking around town until she's done just that. Unfortunately a local policeman keeps giving the hint she should move on, and those pursuing her before she got to town, are still doing so.

A great story, and I will definitely be checking out The Grim Reapers Dance and Flowers for Her Grave. The publishers though should have mentioned this wasn't a standalone storyline or even complete storyline novel on the cover though.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating paranormal amateur sleuth May 8, 2009

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Hardcover

The accident left her husband and their son dead; no one can figure out how Casey Maldonado survived with many believing it was divine intervention. Casey knows how because after Pegasus Car Company settled, she fled her family, friends, lawyers, strangers and media whose constant refrain was to demand more. Her traveling companion knows why she lives; Death using human forms when he deems to appear explains to her that "life" should prove much more interesting riding around with someone suffering from survivor guilt.

Casey stops in Clymer, Ohio though is unsure why except Death pushes her there as this town is no different than the others she has recently seen. It is on the verge of collapse as its only industry HomeMaker is leaving for Mexico. Casey follows her nose to the Home Sweet Home soup kitchen where she offers to serve. Usually optimistic Eric Jones nee VanDienbos accepts her offer even as he and most of the townsfolk are depressed, grieving the alleged suicide of his girlfriend Ellen Schneider. No one who knew the single mom believes she killed herself. Casey, encouraged by B&B owners Lillian and Rosemary and guided in an enigmatic way by Death, investigates with clues leading her to HomeMaker where Ellen worked.

EMBRACE THE GRIM REAPER is a fascinating paranormal amateur sleuth tale starring an intriguing lead female struggling with grief and guilt and her more interesting traveling companion Death who surfaces at odd moments in differing persona. The story line is fast-paced from the opening when Death explains why Casey lives and never slows down as she investigates Ellen's death. Although the violent climax comes as a shocker, urban fantasy mystery fans will enjoy Judy Clemens' departure from her Pennsylvania dairy farmer Stella Crown "normal" amateur sleuth series.

Harriet Klausner

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Takes a lickin' and keeps on kickin' September 26, 2010

By Silver Mom

Format:Paperback

I really wanted to like this first book in a (so far) two book series. The "Death [a woman!] as sidekick" device is intriguing, with lots of future potential. However, I'm afraid I'm not going to be reading any further in this series, and it's because of what I've come to call the "Anna Pigeon Syndrome". Casey Maldanado, the heroine of the Grim Reaper series, and Anna Pigeon, the heroine of Nevada Barr's mysteries (as wonderfully written as they are, I've given up on them, too) share the complete improbability of being able to (at least once per book) get beaten to a pulp and not only live through it, but have enough charge left in their batteries to some how do in the bad guys. In fact, even after Casey gets smashed in the head, kicked in the kidneys, arm almost broken, and slashed in the shoulder with a knife (all in the same episode), she overcomes TWO heavy-duty bad guys, runs all over a small towm, jumps over fences, hides, climbs, and then engages in a little (almost) whoopee-making. Excuse me, but the woman would be in shock - from the blood loss, at least, if not the pounding she's just taken. I like fantasy just fine, but the premise of this book (other than the real live Grim Reaper, of course) is that it is real life. Superhero Casey is not real life. (Also, I thought that naming the flawed vehicle that killed her husband and son a "Pegasus" and making it a hybrid was a bit too close to taking a cheap shot at the Toyota Prius.)

More About the Author

Judy Clemens has lived in seven states and decided to settle in the beautiful farmland of Ohio. She has been nominated for the Anthony and Agatha awards, and is the immediate past president of Sisters in Crime. She loves chocolate, watching movies, reading fantasy (especially YA and middle-grade) and is an active member of Grace Mennonite Church. She has two children, is married to a soccer coach, and lives in a farmhouse that is constantly being renovated. Learn more about her at www.judyclemens.com.