Amazing Book Alert: Desires of the Dead (Body Finder #2) by Kimberly Derting

Holy crap, I could not put this book down.

Kimberly Derting has one hell of a way of creating suspense, all the while interweaving sweetness and romance and even some laugh-out-loud funny moments into the mix.  My favorite line came from Violet's friend Chelsea, in reference to Violet's boyfriend, Jay: "I swear, every time I see him, I'm halfway afraid he's gonna start crying like a girl or ask to borrow a tampon or something." 

It was the perfect read.

Yes, there were still some (though FAR fewer) annoying passive verbs, and gratuitous use of italics.  No, we still don't have a clue what Jay really looks like.  But I forgave all of the above long before the book arrived in the mail - and I know this because when it did, I stopped in the middle of reading another book so I could pick up where The Body Finder left off.  Always a good sign.

Here is the synopsis: 

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.



As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

This time, I was as drawn into the mystery portion of the story as I was the romance.  Though, not gonna lie, the romance was still my favorite part.  I love the way Jay touches Violet's fingers to his lips while they're talking.  I love the way she can barely remember what day it is when he kisses her.  And - *Spoiler alert* - I loved their first "time" scene.  It was so sweet and realistic, with just the right amount of physical and emotional intensity. 

Although I did find it kind of strange that they went right from making out to sex, and seemed to skip the bases in between.  Then again, it's not a romance novel.  Maybe the other stuff was supposed to be implied.

Either way, these two are one of my favorite literary couples, and I'm totally rooting for them.

Like The Body Finder, the mystery portion of the story isn't terribly inventive when all is said and done, but I definitely started to second guess myself when I thought I had it all figured out.  And I HAD TO KNOW, not only because the suspense was killing me, but because I've really grown quite fond of these characters, third person POV and all.

You've got me, Kimberly Derting.  I am officially a fan.  And for those of you who missed Kim's oh-so-encouraging post on her road to publication, please click here.

So yes, peeps, I wholeheartedly recommend this series!