One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon Books
Published: 30th August 2011
Pages: 358
Goodreads Synopsis:
Having narrowly averted an (under)world war, Cat Crawfield wants nothing more than a little downtime with her vampire husband, Bones. Unfortunately, her gift from New Orleans' voodoo queen just keeps on giving--leading to a personal favor that sends them into battle once again, this time against a villainous spirit. 
Centuries ago, Heinrich Kramer was a witch hunter. Now, every All Hallows Eve, he takes physical form to torture innocent women before burning them alive. This year, however, a determined Cat and Bones must risk all to send him back to the other side of eternity--forever. But how do you kill a killer who's already long dead?


Review:
Right in there with the action, this series never disappoints. This novel tells of the witch hunter, who just happens to be a ghost that gets a body every Halloween. Sounds kind of cliché, right? Well, this jackass uses his body to torture, rape and burn alive three women every year and has been doing so for plenty a decade. Cat and Bones come across this S.O.B from a friend of their pet ghost Fabian, Elisabeth, who was one of his first victims centuries ago and has been hunting him down and trying to send him to the true grave ever since. The sick part? Kramer honestly believes he gets a body every year to do the work of God and rid the world of witches. Now, without going into a dangerous religious debate, this twisted mindset also angered my feminist side. As well as Cat's. Which made every fight scene with him all the sweeter when Cat got a punch in. 


This story does focus a lot more on Cat than anyone else. And while I love her, there just wasn't enough Cat/Bones, although I did love how strong their relationship had become. Their love and loyalty to each other really shone through in their actions and inner dialogue. However, I did miss the lack of side-plots and characters. Spade, Denise and Ian had their moments (You're shagging a woman who can turn into a dragon? Blast you, Charles, I am sick with envy! ) but they were not the focus for often, which I miss as some of the best moments come from their interactions. 


The action was as gripping as ever, but that might just be my feminist girl-power willing Cat on. Kramer was such as asshole and I really wanted him to bury a shovel in his head, not just for his completely old-fashioned motions but the sick way he acted on them and the cruel way he attacked the main characters - as she's getting out the shower? Rude! But Cat did get in some wicked comebacks, just to spite his seventeenth century ideals. 


One thing I did not appreciate in this book was the lack of explanation or even much follow-up on the whole Don and Madigan situation. Or the lack of Cat's former teammates - I live for Juan's stupid comments! While I'm hesitant to say the new characters of Tyler and Elisabeth made up for it, the story did them justice and was everything I expect from an epic Jeaniene Frost novel. All I have to say now is bring on Once Burned!