Steve Robinson's books just keep getting better. Inspired by his own family history, To the Grave is told in alternating chapters and time frames. In the here and now, we watch Jefferson Tayte as he wades through old documents and speaks to as many of Mena's family members and contemporaries as he can. As interesting as Tayte's chapters are, I was quickly hooked by young Mena's story during World War II. Mena's smart and good-hearted, but her family life leaves much to be desired. Her mother is judgmental, cruel, and completely immersed in her religion. Her father is a very loving but passive man who's learned to survive with a modicum of peace by letting his wife have total control over the household. Mena's older sister is already doing her bit for the war effort, and Mena wants to do hers, too-- especially since that would mean she gets to escape the oppressive atmosphere at home.

So many mysteries center around long-buried secrets that genealogists make perfect sleuths. It's refreshing to watch someone solve a crime by researching old documents and talking to the elderly rather than with guns, handcuffs, and forensics. Jefferson Tayte still manages to find more than his share of danger, but he's learned from his experiences in the first book. (Oh oh. I mentioned the first book in the series. Do you have to read it in order to make sense of this book? Absolutely not. To the Grave stands alone very well.) What I found exceptionally well done was Mena's story. Robinson made that era come to life, and I almost regretted the times when the action switched back to Tayte.

After reading To the Grave, I'm really looking forward to the next book, The Last Queen of England. I wonder if I can sign on as Jefferson Tayte's research assistant?

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