First Grave on the Right, Darynda Jones

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romanc, Mystery and Thrillers

As part of the Summoned blog tour reviewers were asked to choose an earlier book for review a swell as the final one, and I thought it would be interesting to go right back to the start. I often find on rereading novels I pick up on things I missed first time round, look at characters and events with different eyes now I know the full story, and it was very much a case of reading First Grave with fresh insights.

I certainly looked at some of the original gang with a different opinion. It made me wonder – did Darynda plan events all the way through, of did the story dictate what happened to characters?
We see the main gang right from the start, Cookie, Amber, Ubie, her dad, Gemma, the wicked stepmother ( ok, maybe she's not thaaat bad, just feels it), Garret, Angel, My Wong, Aunt Flo, and of course Reyes Farrow..........mmmmm.

Cookie remains this stalwart, slightly scatty, slapdash character, who's actually got an amazingly sharp mind under all the fluff and frivolity face she presents. Amber is still a kid, but sharp and sweet, adores her mum and Charley. Charley's dad and Uncle Bob, great supports to Charley even if on a strange level, though when she was a kid they really let her down IMO. But then she wouldn't be the Charley I love without that so a pass for that. Garret has just been told about Charley via a drunken binge with Ubie and he's one of those, who expect Charley to perform miracles, a skeptic always testing, but still can't believe her results. The supernatural gang, or at least the beginnings of it, and Reyes. Nuff said.
As with each book we get Charley's day to day life as a PI with Cookie, a sometimes police “consultant” via her dad and now Ubie. There's a complete story in each but the overall story arc advances too each time.

What I love about Charley is her heart, her irreverent humour, and her determination to get the bad guys, do whats right even at the cost of her own well being. She comes over as immature sometimes, scatty, inappropriate, and yet she's got an incredibly sharp mind. Doh, she'd say, Grim here, knows every language ever spoken, ever invented, can speak with the dead, so what do you expect?
She always plays down what she does, treats everything as a bit of a joke, and maybe that's because she's learned to get in first rather than wait for ridicule, a kind of way of coping, way of protecting herself. As well as her heart, her snark, her sharp intelligence, her coffee addiction, I love the way she names everything. By the end of the series I'm very familiar with the girls Will Robinson and Danger ;-) Misery the jeep, George the shower ( though that's later). Her first thought on getting something new is what to call it. And of course her convoluted mind comes up with some real crackers.

Anyway, in book one we get to meet all these great folk, the nucleus of the incredible support team she develops over the series, and not only does Darynda deliver all that, along with a realistic environment for her, but we get a gripping mystery, that starts simple – as they all do – and grows ever more complex and dangerous. Does that stop Charley? You've guessed, no...she's in because its the right thing to do, but despite getting battered, bruised, shot at, attacked, she carries on. Good side of the Grim job, she heals quicker, not instant but certainly quicker than human.
It ends with one mystery wrapped up, but the wider one of Charley and Reyes, the supernatural world, the people who get caught up in it, developing further with a great lead in to book two, and the start of the overall story opening out.

I have to mention the chapter headings, by the end of the series they were something I eagerly looked forward to at the end of each chapter. I knew turning the page would bring a smile to my face, even if the story was full of death and despair, those headings reminded me it would lighten up, that good would prevail. Its that mix of drama and humour, done so perfectly throughout the series that made it so perfect for me. I'll miss these characters, though whisper in the world of books is that Beep may be bringing them back in a new series ;-)

 Stars: Five, a great start to a fabulous series. A real treat to read, if you love a well written, suspenseful, supernatural romance.

ARC via Netgalley and Publishers

NetGalley allowed me to read this book and provide an honest review.

It was a quick and light read. Reminds me a bit of Evanovich's Plum series with a supernatural quality to it. Overall, it was not a great thriller, but it was entertaining and I really like Reyes and curious to see what happens in that future.

Definitely entertaining, with some genuine chuckles out of me. I was interested in the story and characters, but not enough to continue reading the series and paying for each book. At times the sheer number of characters introduced seemed unnecessary, and distracted from the main story overall. The protagonist is funny but somewhat nondescript, and the relationship throughout the book is based on some pretty negative interactions. I don't think I'd continue this series, but might consider something else by the author.

This book is a great example of what most good paranormal romance should be - FUN! Yes, it's a little over the top. That's okay. It's supposed to be something that makes you laugh. Relax a little.

I haven't read a ton of PNR in the last few years as I've been so focused on SCIFI/Fantasy and Mystery. But, I was in the mood and this didn't disappoint.

Now I need to go and binge read the rest of the series. **coughs** Reyes. Swoon.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

When I first seen how many reviews I was at first thinking why bother but I too want to tell my 1 cents worth to this addictive series. Having had this on my tbr for eons I finally set aside all others and opened this one up. Naturally I was hooked to Charley and her snarky personality that is only part of her explosive life she lives. She is not your average but much different with many aspects to what she does. The other characters make this one well rounded read that in this one murder will lead to all kinds of wow. Oh and the one that makes her blood roar is not your average either. So I sat back held on tight and followed her through this one with colors galore. By the time I finished I was exhausted and already jones for the next hit.

Charley sees dead people. And in doing so she is, as PI and consultant, an asset to the Albuquerque Police Department – at least to the ones who believe her, mainly her uncle and her dad.
But there is more behind her ability than even she understands, which becomes apparent to her when she is haunted herself in her dreams.
While solving a mystery about the murder of three lawyers she deals with the mysterious entity invading her privacy, a reluctant new believer, quirky ghosts, and the revelation of some of what she is.

The author has a very witty writing style, up to a point where I wasn’t sure if I find it annoying or funny, but it grew on me, and despite a few things I found a bit hard to understand (why can a ghost push a button, but not make coffee? Why would Charley be afraid of something that is saving her life repeatedly?) I enjoyed the fast-paced story.
As for romance: while she is hot for one guy and we do have some picturesque sex, and another guy is hot for her, I would not necessarily call this book a romance but rather a paranormal mystery with some romance thrown in.
I am hunting up the second book in the series as we speak ...

I very clearly remember when this book came out seeing it in the bookstore. I’m not going to lie, I initially had no intention of reading this book because I wasn’t too fond of the cover. But then word-of-mouth starting spreading, as it does, and I found myself picking up this book in one of those moments where I had no idea what I would be getting into for the next, what will be going on nine years early next year.

Warning: There will be spoilers.

First Grave made Darynda Jones a household/auto-buy name for me. I looked forward to each release of this series, and the thought of it ending seems very surreal. It’s just not possible.

So, when given the opportunity to join the re-read I was excited to be able to go back to the beginning, to where it all started. It’s rare that I get to do a good re-read of a series, so I really enjoyed going back and seeing the intro to the greatness that is Charley Davidson and picking up things that I didn’t the first time around and/or noticing things I gleamed over the first time.

I remember Reyes being such a power in this first book. The second time around he still is for sure, but coming from a place where I know what’s to come, I could see the underlining of the bigger picture, namely that Charley is way more than just your typical grim reaper. So when she so eloquently states near the beginning that “As far as my ability goes, there’s nothing particularly special about it.” I couldn’t help but give a little snicker. Little does Charley know…

Charley’s quirkiness, and extreme need for coffee, has always been a standout of the series. I remember laughing out loud when being introduced to Misery, Danger, and Will Robinson (car, right breast, and left breast respectively) and those would only be the tip of the iceberg in terms of objects, or body parts, that Charley affectionately gives names to over the course of the series. But what stood out for me this time around, was the obvious way that quirkiness often hides the isolation she endured, especially as a child growing up with her powers. I could feel that genuine need to be believed, but the hesitancy to tell people about her abilities based on previous reactions.

Like all my favorite urban fantasy and paranormal romances there’s that couple that defines the series: Kate and Curran, Cat and Bones, Reyes and Charley, to name a few. I’ve always appreciated the fact that in this series, it’s always been Reyes and Charley—even when amnesia comes into play. But I was equally surprised to remember the chemistry between Charley and Garrett Swopes. I mean there’s definite attraction there—at least on his end—and it makes me kinda wonder what could have happened between these two if Reyes wasn’t such a force to be reckoned with. But I have always enjoyed the teasing and banter that has developed between Swopes and Charley over the course of the series. Some of her best one-liners have gone to making his life difficult and providing this reader with some great laughs.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the scene that stuck in my mind the most: Reyes disappearing from the hospital at the end. It was such a stunning way to end the book. Half of First Grave is spent with Charley trying to solve the murders of three lawyers, and the other half on untying the mystery that is Reyes Farrow. We learn quite a bit about him by the end, but it does nothing to assuage my curiosity in him. That ending, which I still found stunning by the way, really made me sit up and realize that I had just stumbled onto something special, and here we are, come January, at the end.

I knew after reading the champion novella to this series, I just knew that I had to buy and read all of the books. The novella was that good.

I love it when I am not wrong!

This is one of those series that you need to make sure you have nothing else going on that day before starting because you certainly aren't going to get anything else done after you have started.

This book will consume all of your time, all of your thoughts and the characters will stay with you and refuse to leave.

Charley is such a great character. You haven't met true sarcasm until you have met Charley Davidson.

I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud so many times while reading a book, which by the way, elicited lots of strange looks from my family members, but I couldn't help it, there were so many funny one liners and even when Charley was talking and thinking to herself, she was hilarious, in fact, most of her inner dialogue was probably some of the funniest moments in the book.

And can we just talk about Reyes for a moment? Actually lets not, I might get distracted again and never finish this review.

Lets just say he is definitely swoon worthy in all his devilish good looks and ways.

This is a must read series. I can't rave about it enough and it really is just something you have to read and experience for yourself!

I received an early read of the final book in this series and went back to see where it all started. I actually enjoyed it more that the first time as I knew all the characters.
This is a crazy read, it will take you all over the place so you can't get too comfy with all the what the! moments. Charley is a smart-mouthed, hilarious character and she'll have you either chuckling or rolling your eyes through this book. I loved it and highly recommend this series.

Funny story but for all my friends who have read First Grave on the Right, the recommendation to read this book actually came from NetGalley. Just one of those random emails I get, briefly look at the blurb and then think maybe later. Not this time, there was something that made me pause and think, oh why not. And…it turns out this is probably the best ‘oh why not’ I have ever done.

Charley is part-time PI, helps out at her dad’s bar, and oh yeah full-time grim reaper. Her main job is to help the dead people she sees go into the light. Not all dead people need help. Just those who have lingering issues they want to address. In this case, it’s three murdered lawyers. They need her help solving their murder. With the aid of her assistant and best friend, she sets out to help her uncle solve the murders. Of course, her mysterious dark lover that visits her dreams, she’ll have to solve that one on her own.

OHMYGOSH!!! This book was AWESOME!!!! I love, Love, LOVE Charley Davidson (what a name!)! Snarky, sarcastic, witty, she has a comeback for nearly everything. The cast of characters, both living and dead, are so lovable. Well, almost. Garrett, I had my doubts about, but I eventually warmed up to him. I knew I was in for a hilarious ride from the very first chapter, but I had no idea I was going to love it this much. Total kudos to the author for sneaking in Charley’s backstory at a completely unexpected moment. And then there is Reyes. *Fans self* Him I’m not going into details about only because that little gem is one yummy, shocking surprise that you need to discover on your own.

Fast-paced fun served up with wit and the dead, author Darynda Jones has tripped all my happy buttons with First Grave on the Right. I actually find myself giddy with anticipation dying to read the next book. It’s been a long time since I have found myself this excited. What makes it even more exciting I see the thirteenth book will be coming out next year. So much Charley for me to read and enjoy! Snoopy dancing. This is most definitely a series I will recommend.


I received this book from NetGalley with the express purpose of an honest review. The opinions, contents, and rating of this review are solely mine
Stars – 5

What a great idea for a series! And what a great heroine character.

Combines mystery, paranormal, romance, fantasy, I am so glad to have met this series!

Witty, funny, fast paced and with some sizzle, this was a really fun read, and a promising beginning to a crime series with a difference. That difference is that out heroine, Charley Davidson is no ordinary P.I., she is in fact a grim reaper, able to speak to the dead and help them finish unresolved business before they cross over. Being able to speak to a murder victim makes solving the crime a lot easier, so through family connections she also works as a consultant to local police.
When three lawyers working the same case are all murdered and turn to her for help, Charley finds herself involved in trying to expose a child trafficking ring. To further complicate matters, the literal man of her dreams has begun to manifest in her life, and it soon becomes apparent that she may have only days to save him too.
Dropping the reader straight into the action and keeping it moving while at the same time cleverly revealing Charley's backstory takes no small amount of skill, and the author handles it well. While the book has a complete story arc and could easily be read as a stand alone, there are enough suggestions of potential directions for the characters to go, to entice a reader into continuing the series.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you for the review copy!

I read the start to this paranormal series a few years ago. It is a great urban series with interesting characters. I hope to start book two soon so I can return to this well-crafted world. I recommend this series to fans of paranormal fiction.

First Grave on the Right is full of suspense mystery and Hot Chemistry! You have a world that has spirits that walk the earth with the purpose of figuring out what happened to them and wanting to give their families closure. In order for this to happen God has sent the grim reaper or the light to come and help those to pass. The reaper is actually a firey strong funny woman named Charley Davidson. She is not only the reaper but also a PI that works with her uncle to solve murders. It was breath of fresh air and I loved it. I can’t wait to see what’s next. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading this arc.

4,5 stars.

In paranormal/ fantasy/ urban fantasy the world building is extremely important, and the author did it beautifully. She kept it up right through the last page.
I love the main character Charley. She’s spunky and selfless, and I would totally hang out with - except in her apartment... Mr. Wong is kinda creepy.
I’m now moving straight to the next in the series.
I’d recommend this to fans of Urban Fantasy series like Mercy Thompson

Thanks to the author for an ARC to read and give my honest opinion.

This was a first by this author and I have to give her kudos because she basically nailed a great book. Second chance romances make a part of all of us flutter because let's face it...plenty of us have an ex we would love for this to magically work with. I truly enjoyed Lex as a character and his come about from bad way. His stoic character and the lovely Lila made for a great pair.

What did I like? Love the MMA angle and all the seriously delicious sex scenes that seem to come with making out with a rock hard ab God. Lex seemed to have really turned his life around which had to of been hard to get away from both drugs and gang affiliations. Second chance romances are just fun, you get the slight drama and the fun makeup sex without all the nastiness.

Would I buy this book? I would definitely say it's a good read, the only hiccup was introducing the child that they had together but Lex didn't know about. I felt that was a bit awkward almost like a stumble. At first it did not seem like that's where the author intended to go but she covered up herself fine after that. I'm sorry if that feels like a spoiler but to me it did not make much difference in my reading fun.

Would I read from this author again? Yes, I enjoyed the book. I'm a busy reader so I can't say I'd run over and read everything she had but if she needed me to beta read again I'd be delighted.

Four stars of entertainment! Thanks for a good read!

First Grave on the Right
By Darynda Jones

5 stars.

Darynda Jones introduces a new fiction series combining action, supernatural and romance. Featuring Charley Davidson: part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Charley 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 a mysterious entity Reyes Alexander Farrow who has been following her all her life. Along for the ride is her best friend Cookie, a team of police officers, and spirits that allow her to solve crimes, bring justice to the dead.

While not my usual genre, I found the books engaging and face paced to keep me picking up title after title.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a review copy in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#NetGalley

Reviewed by Heath Henwood
www.books-reviewed.weebly.com

Charley is a Grim Reaper and it is up to her to help the dead resolve their outstanding issues so they can move on to the after life. Working for the dead doesn't exactly pay the bills though so she also works as a private investigator, consults for the police and moonlights as a bartender in her spare time. When 3 lawyers from the same firm turn up dead Charley's uncle (a police detective) wants her on the case, but, although she can talk to the dead it isn't always much help if they didn't see the person who killed them. As if investigating a triple homicide wasn't enough Charley is also receiving visits in her dreams from someone (or something) that she has never come across before. Who is the mysterious visitor and what does he want from her?

What I loved most about First Grave on the Right was the humor, I don't think a page went by without me snorting with laughter (or at least grinning to myself like a madwoman). This was mainly down to Charley's sarcastic wit and the banter she had going with the various different side characters, along with the crazy situations she manages to find herself in. Charley was a great character and I'm looking forward to spending more time in her head as I continue reading the series. Although she has supernatural abilities I like the fact that she is still vulnerable, she takes quite a beating throughout the story but always manages to remain strong and won't back down from confrontation.

I liked the side characters we are introduced to and am particularly looking forward to seeing more of uncle Bob, the other PI Garret and her best friend Cookie. I have to admit I didn't really see the attraction to Reyes until very near the end of the book. Although Charley finds him sexy I actually thought he was creepy and couldn't understand why she was so keen on him considering what happened the first time they met. He did grow on me as we learnt a bit more about him in the last third of the book but overall I still preferred Garret as a potential love interest.

The plot was well paced and there were enough twists to keep me guessing but I did feel that the murder of the lawyers was solved a little too quickly and easily. I'm glad that storyline was resolved though because it meant you did have some closure in the book despite the major cliffhanger when it comes to a different plot thread. Thankfully we don't have too long to wait for the next 2 books in the series! Overall I'm impressed with Darynda Jones' debut and will definitely be picking up the rest of the series. If you like your stories with a lot of snarky banter, a fun selection of characters and a paranormal twist then I'm sure you'll enjoy First Grave on the Right.

Wow! This is an amazing start for an awesome series. I love the cute meet between Charley and Reyes. They have amazing chemistry. I love the worldbuilding.
Charley cracks me up with laughter. I can't wait to start the second book.
Fantastic job Ms. Darynda Jones! Bravo!

As a joyful extoller of Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels’ series— minus the finalè novel— I am all about searching for a new fix in the butt-kicking female-empowered sci-fi world. In Darynda Jones’ first in a series of THIRTEEN, we are introduced to a female Grim Reaper, Charlotte ‘Charley’ Davidson . Different, and quirky enough to pique my initial interest, I persisted in the read. However, as I progressed with the read, I became increasingly perturbed by the Charley and her narration. Charley harps on about her hatred towards her sister and her step-mother, yet there is no history shared by Charley that would reveal her actual hatred. When she did share a flashback, I actually felt empathy towards both hated characters, and thought they were behaving justifiably normal. Instead, I felt intense dislike towards Charley and her selfish character traits towards her family, and the grieving human beings around her. Hopefully since this is a THIRTEEN book series, this is only a starting point for her growth to expand because her personality of false bravado, and limitless ego are wearing.

While there were some entertaining moments, there was an excess of information being funneled into the reader’s brain-hole, and there was an information overload.

The male lead, Reyes Farrow was a mute burst of eye-candy until the last 10 pages of the book where he suddenly seemed to remember he had working oral muscles and made deep, dark revelations. I kept getting impressions throughout of a wearying sci-fi soap opera that keeps the viewer guessing in the dark until the end where everything is unloaded.

I will read the second novel in the Darynda Jones series to see if there is character development, and improvement in the story line.