Reviewed by Sarina
TITLE: The Devil of Pinesville
SERIES: Critter Catchers #4
AUTHOR: Hank Edwards
PUBLISHER: Startled Monkeys Media
LENGTH: 258 pages
RELEASE DATE: October 28, 2017
BLURB:
It’s business as usual for Critter Catchers Demmy and Cody, with one pretty major change. Now, they’re not only juggling their animal control business and decades of friendship, but the beginnings of a romance as well. Cody’s always put a time limit on his past relationships, and he’s certain he’s going to mess things up with Demmy. For his part, Demmy is pretty sure Cody will, too. But trouble arrives in the form of one of Demmy’s ex-boyfriends who contacts them about a case they might be able to handle in Pinesville, New Jersey. Sensing not just physical but romantic danger, Cody makes certain to accompany Demmy on the trip.
In Pinesville, they meet up with a handful of residents just as colorful, if not more so, than those in Parson’s Hollow. And both are surprised to find they have some competition on this case, namely the Critter Ridders, a pair of very competitive women operating their own animal control business.
As the case intensifies, tempers flare and loyalties are tested, bringing Demmy and Cody to the point where they must decide if they’re willing to save the business, their friendship, or their romance.
REVIEW:
Pretty much throughout the entirety of the previous three books I’d been rooting for Demmy and Cody to get their acts together and act upon the oh so obvious attraction they had for one another. Needless to say that when it finally happened at the end of book three, I was thrilled! In this latest installment to the Critter Catchers series, both men are still trying to find their footing in their new found romantic relationship while maintaining their friendship and business at the same time which turns out to be both easier and harder to manage at the same time. Either way it was completely entertaining!
While I’ve enjoyed the series so far I have to say that this one is probably my favorite. Last book’s ‘monster’ was okay in my opinion but it didn’t really grab me in any meaningful way. Honestly the story was kind of secondary to the relationship drama for me in that book. In this one, however, I was totally drawn in to both aspects of the story; I liked the monster a heck of a lot more and the issues between Demmy and Cody blended well into the overall plot instead of alternately taking over or falling behind whatever else was going on in the book.
On the relationship front, since Cody has never dated another man before, despite occasionally finding the odd male attractive, he’s still struggling to come to terms with his new found bisexuality. (Or Demmy sexuality as the case may be.) A lot of his problems stem from letting anyone know he and Demmy are now an item which causes no end to Demmy’s insecurity in how long their relationship will last or whether Cody will run off after the next pretty girl to turn his head. This obviously caused some tension throughout the book but it also made it much more rewarding when Cody finally figured himself out and then took steps to make sure Demmy knew where he stood. That was hands down my favorite part of the book and was totally worth waiting for!
Add in a good cast of secondary characters, both old and new, and I’m happy to proclaim this was one good story. With the way things ended, The Devil of Pinesville could conceivably be the last book in the series but it would also be easy for the author to continue on if he so wished. Either way I’m satisfied where and how the book ended and feel this was an afternoon well spent reading. If you enjoy mysteries with a bit of paranormal mixed in, this could be the book for you but you do need to start the series from the beginning as each book builds on the one before it. The whole thing is well worth the read in my opinion. 🙂
RATING: 
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