Darynda Jones

“First Grave on the Right” is the smashing, award-winning debut novel that introduces Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper.

Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e., murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. 

This is a thrilling debut novel from Darynda Jones, an exciting newcomer to the world of paranormal romantic suspense.

“First Grave on the Right” is the winner of the 2012 Rita Award for Best First Book.

First Grave on the Right

Jasmine

So much fun but I still haven't really grown attached to this storyline or the characters. I have to say Charley is very a hilarious Heroine and Reyes is irresistibly sexy so I look forward to more of them together. There's a lot of cheesiness and normally the overly cheesy type of books make me want to cringe but I didn't feel that way towards this one, it had a likable charm. I think that First Grave on the Right does a good job of mixing both humor and serious moments, like tackling the issue of child abuse. This is a series I will more than likely continue reading because it nice having a lighter fun pnr that still has some dark moments. Overall I'm conflicted I liked some of the direction of this story but honestly, a lot of this book is pretty forgettable. If I need a light pnr read I will probably start reading the second book and see how I feel after that.

Evie's Annotations 

This was bloody amazing! And those last pages 🥵!!

Lauren Sullivan

Charley Davidson is the grim reaper, which means she sees dead people and helps them “go into the light.” But since that doesn’t pay anything, she’s also a PI who uses her dead-people skills to help her cop uncle with his cases and also bartends at her ex-cop dad’s bar. When three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, Charley’s Uncle Bob calls her in. Can Charley help solve the case before more people end up dead? And does it have any connection to the mysterious dream lover who’s been haunting her for the past month?

I liked Charley’s attitude. She’s hilarious and acts like she doesn’t take anything seriously. Sometimes her quirks got a bit annoying, but her reactions are explained by her (slowly revealed) back story. I especially liked the gradual reveal of her history. As you’re reading, you get hints about why her relationships with her family and most people are antagonistic, but it’s not until near the end of the book that you get the full story and start understanding how strong and resilient Charley is. 

Now, for the negatives. There was definitely a hint of the “I’m so hot, everyone wants me!” trope, which I personally can’t stand, but it was not egregious enough to stop me from reading. I also have reservations about the main love interest, since it felt like a lot was revealed about his identity towards the end of the book and not really dealt with, but I’m hoping that is explored further in the next book. Also, the plot is… well, it’s a bit of a mess. It flips back and forth between investigating the murder of the three lawyers and figuring out the identity of her dream lover with a speed that gave me whiplash.

Overall, I had a good time reading this book, mostly thanks to Charley’s humor. It’s a light, fun read, basically book candy. I’d recommend this to anyone looking for an urban fantasy/paranormal romance mash-up with lots of sarcasm and humor.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Kelsi Proulx

This was such a fun read! Very original and the characters surprised me and had me laughing at every turn. The ending definitely made me want more from this series. I feel like there is just so much more to learn about Charley and her world. Such a great book, especially for a debut novel! I will for sure be reading more from Darynda Jones.

Nickie Mohler

Charley Davidson is the Grim Reaper. She is also a P. I. Her ability to see dead people keeps her in business, and also makes her an asset to her uncle, Detective Davidson. Charley has a new case, and it will take more than the living to solve it. This is another book that has been on my TBR pile for way too long. I loved it!! Now I have ten more to read without the wait. Yay!!

Alice

Ally Wagner

3.5 Stars. Not horrible and I’ll probably read the rest of the series.

Brandie States

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (like murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. But what does he want with Charley? And why can't she seem to resist him? And what does she have to lose by giving in?

*My Review*
I absolutely loved this first book! It was funny, fast paced and even though it was a fast read, it was addicting! The character Charley is easy to relate too, and her quick-wit is great! The character Cookie is also a solid partner character, and has that motherly instinct to protect those she loves. As for Reyes...all I can say it HOT! Highly recommend this book for those that haven't had the pleasure to pick it up!

Chantale

This book is fantastic. Very well written and I tell you I couldn't stop reading this one. 

I saw this book in BookOutlet site and it really sounded interesting so I bought the first 2 books in hardcover. I am so happy I did because this book is funny and I just couldn't stop reading this one. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and I can't wait to buy then other books in the series. 


I highly recommend this book

Émilie 

Le debut est un peu lent mais c'est tout pardonné. Charley est divertissante, surprenante et intrépide. Une héroïne badass comme on les aime. Et Reyes... hâte d'en savoir plus à son sujet ;)

First Grave on the Right

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