Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris

Title: Grave Secret
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Harper Connelly #4
Release Date: October 27th, 2009
Publisher: Berkley 
Buy: Amazon

Goodreads Summary

"While Tolliver slept, I wondered if it was possible that Cameron was still alive...At first, I'd thought she'd been abducted by a gang, sold into slavery, something lurid and horrible. Then I'd wondered if maybe she'd simply been fed up with her life: the tawdry parents and the tacky trailer, the sister who limped and looked abstracted, the baby sisters who never seemed to stay clean. Most days, though, I was sure she was dead."

Lightning-struck sleuth Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver take a break from looking for the dead to visit the two little girls they both think of as sisters. But, as always happens when they travel to Texas, memories of their horrible childhood resurface...

To make matter worse, Tolliver learns from his older brother that their father is out of jail and trying to reestablish contact with other family members. Tolliver wants nothing to do with the man - but he may not have a in the matter.

Soon, family secrets ensnare them both, as Harper finally discovers what happened to her missing sister, Cameron, so may years before.

And what she finds out will change her world forever...

Wow.

I cannot believe this series is over.

It's been a long journey.

I was reluctant to read this book because well I love this series. It's hard to come across something that's just different. 

The synopsis kind of reminded me of When Lightning Strikes, with a girl getting hit by lightning and gaining super powers. Now that I think about it they even gained similar powers, one gained the power of finding missing people while the other can find dead bodies and tell the cause of death.

Personally I prefer the finding dead bodies. I guess it's because the author doesn't dress the power up. She makes it seem like something 'normal' (or as normal as something like that can be). The power isn't some ohmygerd that is so badass. It drains her and it doesn't really help her save lives only tell how they were lost. 

I guess it's not only that but how she presents our female lead.

Harper is a down to Earth person. She had a shit childhood and still has to deal with the aftermath of getting hit by lightning but you know she has moved past that. She, with the help of her step-brother Tolliver, started to make a living off of her powers. What I like most about her is that she doesn't let the non-believers bring her down. She does her job and takes the money she doesn't care if people believe her or not as long as she gets the money. She also doesn't let people make her feel guilty for charging money. Everyone has got to earn their living right? She is also very dependent on Tolliver. I guess it could make her a bad female lead when everyone wants a kick ass lead but for me I like it that she isn't trying to prove how tough she is to the world and you know it is alright to depend on someone. 

The other thing is that the mysteries in each of the books are believable. Neither Harper nor Tolliver are bad ass detectives or anything. They put some clues together with the help of Harper's powers but they make wrong guesses all the time. They never get anything right at first try and to add to that well they don't usually want to get involved in them in the first place. I guess this makes the characters more relateable because they aren't perfect. 

Tolliver and Harper's relationship is interesting. I mean I always knew it was going to happen. It seemed to me and I'll admit I was waiting for it to happen but when it did it felt weird. On one hand their relationship didn't change a lot it just had the added physical elements but there were times were I felt awkward trying to read a specific scene. But that said they share a great relationship. They are supportive, tell each other everything, take each other's advice. The kind of things you look in a good couple.

I also think this book was a great ending to a great series. The book ties things up and answers our questions. The ending isn't picture perfect but it's all tied up nicely, no lose ends, no open endings.

Meh I am just sad I have no more Harper Connelly books to look forward to. Maybe I'll find something, maybe I won't.