First Grave on the Right

Charley Davidson, Book 1

By: Darynda Jones

Narrated by: Lorelei King

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Keep chilled: spend some more time with Charley Davidson.

©2011 Darynda Jones (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Sexy, sassy . . . Jones's characters, both living and dead, are colorful and endearing. . . . Cheeky charm . . . sarcastic wit.” —The Associated Press

“Jones's wickedly witty debut will delight aficionados of such humorous paranormals as Casey Daniels's Pepper Martin Mysteries and Dakota Cassidy's Accidental Friends series.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Fast-talking Charley's wicked exuberance and lust for life will appeal to fans of MaryJanice Davidson and Janet Evanovich and maybe fill a hole for those mourning the recently canceled Ghost Whisperer.” —Publishers Weekly

A witty combination of clichés & stereotypes

First Grave on the Left is a witty combination of clichés, one-liners and stereotypes; add well-written characters and an original storyline to the mix, and you can’t help but call Darynda Jones’ debut novel a raging success. Grim Reapers are quickly becoming one of my favourite supernaturals and this book went a long way towards bumping them further up my list. I’d even go so far as to say that they currently rank second, right under werewolves and you all know how much I love them! I was as intrigued by the plot line of this novel as I was entertained by Jones’ side-splitting humour. As a result, this entire series has become a must-read for me.

With a name like Charley Davidson you pretty much have no choice but to have a sarcastic side to your personality; having to constantly deal with smart-aleck comments about your name tends to do that to a person. I should know. That point aside, I found that her overall character was incredibly thought out and after only one book I felt like I walked away really knowing her. I’m positive that she still has a lot more to share with readers but Jones does a phenomenal job conveying Davidson’s complexity in just one installment. My first impression of Charley was “boy does she have a mouth on her!” but later on it became apparent that her snark is actually a defense mechanism. No one told her how to be a Reaper and it’s difficult for her to get close to anyone because if she shares too much they usually think she’s nuts. Underneath the surface Davidson is compassionate, fearless and has an innate sense of justice which makes her a stand up gal in my books.

There are three engaging plotlines in First Grave on the Left that are guaranteed to keep you interested. Charley’s investigating the murder of 3 lawyers, trying to figure out her Reaper side and then there’s the mystery that is Reyes Farrow. You’d think that with this many competing plotlines the story would get a bit muddled but Darynda isn’t just gifted in the area of character development, she’s also a natural at storytelling. I loved all of the ghosts that Davidson encounters in this book; they’re quirky and just plain funny. There’s her crazy aunt who likes making “coffee”, the evil demon child, the weird guy in the corner who Charley’s named Mr. Wong, and of course the 3 lawyers. The other secondary characters are also equally as enjoyable and last but not least there’s Reyes. Jones describes him in such a way that by the end I found myself drooling at the mere mention of his name. I highly doubt that this is the last we’ll see of him and thank god for that!

In the span of just one book Darynda Jones went from being a previously unknown author to me to an absolute must read. This novel also allowed me to discover Lorelei King as a narrator and I immediately became an insta-fan of hers. She reads the story like it was written for her and is the perfect voice for Charley’s brand of humour. First Grave on the Right is a brilliant first installment; now on to Second Grave on the Right!

A little wordy

The author hasn't met an adjective she didn't like. Everything is described in detail from the bathroom to every freaking guy she sees. With the same narrator it makes it hard to remember this isn't a Stephanie Plum book. There's the same lusting over multiple guys and describing and thinking about them until I want to scream! By the time I'm ready to run my car into a tree from boredom she finally stops drooling over some guy and we get to some action. But it's not enough to make it worth the price.

I LOVED THIS...WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? LOL

What did you love best about First Grave on the Right?

All of it...it was funny, sexy, well narrated and a great story!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of First Grave on the Right?

When She finally learned the truth about Reyes...

Which character – as performed by Lorelei King – was your favorite?

Charlie of course!!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

well not sad really but lots of funny!

Any additional comments?

I have had this book in my library for probably like 2yrs and I just hadnt got to it...and now I am going to dive into the entire series....and devour it..I love a good pnr and funny too...this is a great start to a series I am sure to love!! Thank you book club fr finally making me take a listen!!

Love it!!

Love this book! I'm not finished with it yet, but don't remember enjoying a book so much.

Strange tale of transition of death.

Very interesting tale of a human being a ten sport portal to the afterlife. The various antics in the tale were very funny and extricating herself from death were extremely imaginative. Narration was excellent and the story kept my attention.

Outragous, funny, well worth listening to!

I am totally enamored with Charley - and with every other character in Jones' hysterical take on what it means to be the Grim Reaper - whether you asked for it or not.

There are many women who write well, some humorous, some serious, but Jones puts forth a brilliant first effort in the Charley Davidson series that has me alternately admiring her writing skills, and rolling on the floor laughing at her humour. You really LIKE Charley, Cookie, and the gang, and want to see them succeed in their lives - - because even if you are the Reaper, you don't 'have' to be "Grim." I listened to First Grave on the Right, like I do so many other books, from the Audible.com site. Read by the wonderfully talented Loreli King, whose voice carries every character she ever does with aplomb, I gulped down the first installment in a day, then immediately grabbed Second Grave on the Left, and tonight, in the middle of the book, my battery on my Zune went down - OH, the Humanity!!!! Guess I will just have to sleep tonight instead of sitting up all night listening again. I have a fresh bag of coffee beans and a whole Sunday to enjoy the rest of this new obsession of mine.

While I have made mention of the humour in Jones' series, the pathos of the story of Reyas and his life is a crushing reminder of just how vicious and uncaring fate can actually be. It doesn't matter if you are the six-year-old with leukemia, or a Son of Satan, (who is SO unlike his father) come to Earth to live as a 'real boy' only to have his dream turn into a nightmare. Life can be a series of horrors the likes of which even Poe or Dostoyevsky could not do justice to - Jones does a moving rendition of the pain that humans can cause in another persons life with a depth of caring that is both well considered and well written.

Bravo, Ms. Jones. I see that Third Grave Dead Ahead is scheduled for publication January, 2012. I have already set it on my calendar to grab it as soon as it arrives - I can hardly wait!

Not Bad!

If you could sum up First Grave on the Right in three words, what would they be?

Funny, predictable, enjoyable.

What did you like best about this story?

The dialogue was good. The reading by Lorelei King was superb.

Which character – as performed by Lorelei King – was your favorite?

Charley

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

Son of Satan, a lil far fetched, going to get the next book to see what happens with him.

An interesting concept but.....

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I did not care for the narrator. The June Cleaver voice delivering the wisecracks of a smart-ass detective was definitely at odds. I also did not appreciate the early part of the story in which the narrator at 15 years of age is basically molested by a teenage boy. She then develops a lifelong lust for this character.

Would you be willing to try another book from Darynda Jones? Why or why not?

I have no interest in pursuing the rest of the rest of the series.

Would you be willing to try another one of Lorelei King’s performances?

No

Hilarious

This book ended way too soon for me. This was my first Darynda Jones book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I've already determined to get the second one but while on my way home I had extra time to fill so I started this book over again. Loved it! :)

Better than I expected.

This book kept coming up in my recommendations. I really fought against buying it. Im really glad I finally made the purchase. Fun new twist and enjoyable.