Embrace the Grim Reaper

Judy Clemens
Poisoned Pen Press (2009)
ISBN 9781590585894
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/09)

Having seen her husband and son die in a car crash, Casey Maldonado is on the run.  The only problem is she can’t escape herself or her new sidekick, Death.  Death seems to find Casey’s life interesting.  More so than Casey thinks it is.  Surviving on a settlement from the car company whose negligence caused her family’s deaths, Casey hits the road, with a backpack, so that she doesn’t have to deal with them or face her pain.  She ends up in a small Ohio town.

This town has been rocked by the apparent suicide of a young mother.  It is believed that she killed herself because she was so distraught over losing her job.  HomeMaker, the company that she worked for, is moving to Mexico supposedly because it will be cheaper to do business there.  Having it be the largest employer in town, there are a lot of people out of work.

When Casey learns of this death, something just doesn’t feel right to her.  The victim’s boyfriend and close friends don’t think that she would have committed suicide. Death even encourages Casey to investigate.  The more Casey looks into the matter, the more she sees how linked together this small community is.  Casey gains a great deal of information volunteering at a soup kitchen and joining the local theater troupe.  The more involved she gets, the angrier others get and she finds herself using her very proficient martial arts skills.   She also finds herself drawn to the victim’s boyfriend.  As she observes his grieving process, it helps her deal with her own.  She also finds herself keeping busy trying to stay alive and away from the police. 

“Embrace the Grim Reaper” by Judy Clemens was so much fun to read.  Although it does address some very serious issues, it also is a fun adventure. Judy Clemens has created some very vivid characters, including the one of Death.  For the most part, I either liked a character or strongly disliked one. The jury is still out on how I felt about Death.  Sometimes, he just seemed misunderstood.  I recommend that you read this book and decide for yourself!

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