I got an email that this series was available to read now for a limited time. I’ve been wanting to start this series for awhile, because it looked like a fun, quirky read. So I got excited and downloaded the whole series. Turns out that was a mistake.

I was not a fan of the way this book opened with way too much talk about the main character’s wet dreams/dream lover. It was crude and immediately off putting. But I chalked it up to the author trying to draw people in or surprise them.

Unfortunately our wise cracking MC didn’t become any more endearing as the story went on. What seemed like it would be a fast paced, fun writing style, quickly became irritating with one dumb quip and sarcastic remark after another. It was just too much. The heroine was also crude, self absorbed and over the top arrogant. I hated reading about her.

The plot was kind of all over the place, but it didn’t really matter because it was so overshadowed by the MC’s terrible voice and crude obsession with her abusive shadow lover. Had the writing and MC’s voice not completely killed this book for me, the very disturbing, rampant crush on a rapist storyline would have. That was just so disturbing, I really can’t get over it. I will not be continuing with the series, and I wish I hadn’t downloaded them.

So, first up, thanks for this book, but when I started reading, I found out that I already had read this book, or I should say, tried reading it. I dropped it after 20% or so, and thus I am not going to be reading this one here. I would just end up with the same disappointments that I hit upon while reading it the first time.

The premise sounded really fun, interesting, and also hilarious. But I quickly got annoyed with the MC, the ghosts. Then there was some annoying guy who was just a big giant dick about our MC's powers. From the moment we first met him I wanted to throw him a freezing pond with piranhas, and as the story continued I was adding newer things to the pond, like sharks. :|

I adored this book, funny, sexy and enthralling! Charley Davidson is such an amazing character, the kind of character you wish was your best friend. She's smart and funny. I was in stitches at some of her comments. It was a great story and I love Reyes as well, he's an intriguing character that I'm sure I'm going to grow to love more and more. He should in some respects be the bad guy but I get the feeling that despite the vibes he gives off he's more good then bad. In other words not so much a baddie as just a bad boy! he wants to do the right thing and has saved lifes but he also has the misfortune of being the wrong guys son as you'll learn! I just want to learn more and more about him, as does Charley!
The supporting characters are great as well, Cookie, uncle Bob, Charley's dad, even Garrett! I loved the dead people in this as well, the lawyers and the long term dead people, namely Angel, her aunt lillian and Mr.Wong who I'm interested in learning more about, particularily why he remains in the corner of her apartment, hovering but facing the wall and not moving or speaking?
I can't wait to learn more about Charley's world and hopefully more about Reyes as well! I hope he'll be a permanent character in the series! Honestly I wish I'd picked up this series sooner!

Love this series ,in fact I've read books 1-2 more then three times each ,so as Soon As I saw Netgalley was offering books 1-12 to download and read and review I had to jump for it. And I'm so glad I did this way I can finally read and review one of my favorite series. Love the characters ,can't wait to read books 3-12 . Thanks Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review one is my favorite series .

First things first: if you’re looking for a good time, First Grave on the Right is the book for you. Charley and her gang of friends, family, and acquaintances were so much fun. I wanted to climb into the pages of this book and hang out with them. Charley Davidson sees dead people. Some of them, anyway, and while her special gift has had a huge hand in helping her father and uncle solve crimes, it hasn’t endeared her to many other people. In fact, it’s made her the butt of a lot of jokes and left her without someone she thought was a friend on more than one occasion. But Charley has a lot of good in her life - her dad and her Uncle Bob, her neighbor, Cookie, and Cookie’s daughter, Amber, and finally her dream lover. (Anyone know where I can get one of those?) I loved the entire concept of dream lover from the beginning. It was sexy as all get out, and it made for a good mystery while Charley tried to figure out what the heck was going on. But at least she was waking up with a big old smile every morning! I loved Charley’s relationship with her father and her Uncle Bob, and I think the relationship with her stepmother really added another layer to the story and made you realize just how much was at stake once Charley came clean about who she was with people. Her stepmother’s betrayal was perhaps the biggest, but like in all things, Charley tries to push it off with a well-timed joke. So the particulars of the installment that kicks off the series is that after three lawyers are murdered, it’s thought a man may have been convicted of a murder he didn’t commit. Hijinks and detective work ensue, and I was charmed by it all. It wasn’t entirely unexpected; I knew I was going to like Charley. But what surprised me was how much I came to love the departed people around her. There are some that have been around for a while, and then some who are only here until their business is finished, but they’re all interesting and coming to terms with the fact that they’ve recently passed away. They really added a poignancy to the story that made me love it even more. And the way Charley was with them was so revealing about her character and her heart. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention her hilariously heated rivalry with Garrett, Danger and Will Robinson, and Charley’s Misery. They were just even more fun in a story that was already brimming with it.
The one thing I will say is that near the end, with the scene when oodles of information about her dream lover was imparted, it felt a bit overwhelming. I think it’s something that would have served the story better if it had been given to the reader in bread crumbs instead of all at once. But honestly, that’s such a small gripe and personal preference on my part.
First Grave on the Right definitely had some serious parts, but it was laced with enough humor to make you feel like you were having fun regardless. If Charley was garnering grave information from someone, part of you was giggling about how she did it while your heart was breaking for the information being imparted. And that really is this book in a nutshell - it was full of heart and excitement, and I cannot wait to read more of this series!

Re Read 12/12/14
BR! WooHoo!
It may just be the books I have been reading lately but I really enjoyed this re read.
Wow that last 5% .....


Like a piece of cheesecake at the end of the maze. What? So. I like cheesecake better than just about any cheese.

Charley Davidson cracks me up and always makes me crave coffee, even thought I don't much care for the beverage.
Reyes is hotness personified. We don't see much of him in this time around but after reading the first book agan I really like the build up.
I love Cookie, a perfect 'sidekick'. She has this momma/big sister protection for Charley. She gives Charley a reason to trust again. I want to be her assistant ;)
I adore Angel (Nya my sister! It's another JM for us *LoL*). He is Charley's recon man. I love their history and I so look forward to getting to know him better.
Garrett is one tasty side character. I would love if they have some fling at some point, you never know.
Ubie is one sarcastic loving pain in the bum Uncle.

One of my top fave guilty pleasure authors.



2012 read.
Cheap thrills galore! The quirky comments litter the story and the quotes at each chapter made me giggle. One of those guilty pleasure books. I will be continuing with the series, simple and enjoyable. Don't take yourselves too seriously people.

Five stars! You need to set aside some time to completely engulf yourself in this book!
As of late the paranormal/supernatural book market is choking with vampires, werewolves and witches. Enter Darynda Davis, whose debut book, First Grave on the Right, is a scintillating, slosh of freshness. Her writing slicks and soothes across our parched need for something refreshing and original. Behold, our new supernatural heroine, Charley Davidson, a sparkling beacon of light, she is the Grim Reaper. This book is such a bright, innovative entry into the field. Don't miss this one!

What I Liked:
*Charley, she is not your Grandma's grim reaper. She doesn't even don a hooded, black robe (she claims it is at the cleaners). Instead she is sexy, sassy, witty and one of kind. She absolutely drips with sarcasm. This gal has razor sharp wits and she is destined to vault over some of the favorite leading ladies in this genre. Did I mention sarcastic? Ladies and Gents this girl can snark with the best of the best. Since a majority of this book is written in a stream of conscious format, you are deluged with her clever commentary on anything and everything; you have a front row seat into her thoughts. I have always been a fan of the stream of conscious writing style, it certainly spices up the story. As the grim reaper Charley is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel; she is the gateway through which the departed pass to the other-side. She also has the ability to see and converse with the dead. Other than that she is just a normal human. She is a private investigator, who works with her Uncle Bob, a police chief, who wears a rubber band on his wrist to flick when his anger control slips. Using her ghost whispering abilities they work on solving a case involving three slain lawyers.
Even though she possesses the totally kick butt name Charley Davidson, sadly she is bereft of any super power type strength; thus she is always in situations where she is getting her butt handed to her. Oh, and she drives a jeep named Misery a tribute to Stephen King. Have I convinced you yet that this gal has swank? I could go on but I am writing a review, not a novel to pay homage to this book.
* Cookie, Charley's best friend, across the hall neighbor and secretary. Quite the gal isn't she!? Her name is fitting.... ahh Cookie she is Charley's comfort, shoulder to lean on, a warm hug not too mention a super valuable sleuth. Everyone should have a friend like Cookie in their lunch box.
* Big Bad, he is Charley's life long, enigmatic protectorate. He scares the pants off her. He is black smoke and mystery; appearing and disappearing at will swooping in just in time to save her. Folks when you get to the ending and you learn the true secrets behind his identity....let me tell you, that chapter is sizzling, smoking hot, scorching, read with your fan set to high and blaring in your face. Whew!
* The writing in this book is superb. Ms. Jones repertoire of similes and metaphors is absolutely astounding and breathtaking. I was blown away. This lady has some mad writing skills!
*The ghosts, that pop in and out of the story. They have personality and spunk; well except for Mr. Wong (snickering).
*I now feel compelled to get a new wardrobe of T-shirts that sport all the comedic quips that are at the beginning of every chapter. My favorite is the one that says "Jenius". Seriously, Ms. Jones ought to consider starting her own clothing line with all these gems!

And The Not So Much;
*This book has an intricate plot. I would say it starts out as a tree trunk; growing toward solving the murder mystery but then it branches out and you have numerous story lines; the search for Reyes, unmasking Big Bad, and numerous ghosts with their own stories popping in and out and crossing over. All of this is a lot to digest. The tree gets big with a lot of branches. Sometimes it is a lot to keep straight. To totally appreciate and understand this book you need to read it in a short time span, if you put it down (not that you will want to), you might get lost.
*As mentioned this book uses the stream of conscious format and sometimes having all of Charley's saucy, razor edge commentary weaving in and out gets distracting. Again, I am a big fan of this style but it can be complex. I had to read numerous passages over because sometimes I got caught up in her tangential thoughts and lost track of the story thread.
*While most of the characters were rich and deep, a couple missed the mark. Namely Garrett, I am still not sure how his puzzle piece fits into place. At times he is the perfect compliment to Charley. He can go toe to toe with her sarcastic banter. Other times he seems flat, like an extra and then he comes to the forefront again. His character needs growth. Angel was another character that disappointed me. He is briefly mentioned in the first pages, then he is glossed over and forgotten until he reappears in the second half of the story. Turns out he is Charley's ghostly, crime-solving sidekick. He appears as an integral character so why is he so late to the dance? I just felt that he should have been given more time and development.
*The ghosts that come out of the woodwork, don't get me wrong, I loved these characters but again there are so many coming and going and they each have a story and agenda. It makes it difficult to remember who is who. The lawyer ghosts are key players in the beginning and then they fade out of the picture for a long spell. Finally, they arrive back in the story at the finish to solve the crime and apprehend their killer. As I said a flood of people living and dead are in and out of the picture.

That being said, this is a superb, outstanding debut novel. I am just kicking myself for letting it languish in my To Be Read Pile for six months. Well, I am not going to berate myself too much because due to my procrastination I do not have to wait for the next installment. It is already sitting atop my pile. Book Three is due out in February 2012. I highly recommend you pick both books up immediately!

This is the first book in this paranormal series where the heroine is the grim reaper. I really enjoyed both the story and the characters and look forward to reading the rest of the series

This was my first time reading a book by Darynda Jones and I'm hooked. Love the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. The main character Charley Davidson is spunky and gets in a lot of trouble. Who is the mysterious Reyes? I read this book in two days since I couldn't put it down. The series gets more intense with each book (currently on book 4). If you like hot paranormal mystery stories then this will be for you.

First Grave on the Right is the first book I have read from Darynda. I never knew what to expect but it darn sure wasn't what I got. This book was amazing and I can't wait to read the other books in the series. I had more than a few laugh out loud moments and oh my, I don't even know where to start when it comes to Reyes Farrow. This book definitely had me from the moment I started it and finished it in one day. Definitely worth reading!!!

It was SUCH a joy to go back to the very beginning and remember just why I love Charley Davidson as much as I do. These stories are such page turners and never fail to have me laughing out loud. Darynda Jones wrote a fabulous start to a fantastic series and I'm going to be so sad to see it come to an end!

"Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people." I was hooked when I read this sentence in the blurb. Charley is one of the most awesome, unique, loyal, sassy characters ever. She is hilarious and has such a great sense of humor, I just love the way she is with people. She is a magnet for trouble. She is strong and brave, and will dive head-first into any dangerous situation. Besides private investigating and being a grim reaper, she also helps her uncle Bob, who is a detective for the Albuquerque Police Department, solve cases. Being able to see and talk to murdered/dead people will make it easy to figure out who the killer is. Charley and uncle Bob have the best relationship, it is unusual, but you can really feel the love between them. There is a lot going on in this book, but the author made it work perfectly. It never felt too much or chaotic.

More than 6 years ago I was introduced to the Charley Davidson series. I had no idea what I was signing myself up to. I had no idea how much these characters would mean to me. This was the first time I reread this book and I fell in love with this book/series all over again. This is one of the few series that has me laughing out loud one moment, and in tears the next. Darynda Jones has such an incredible story-telling ability, and she enchants me with her words each and every time. She has created the most awesome characters, and I love them all so much. I can't believe Charley's adventure's are coming to an end in January. It is going to be very difficult to say goodbye to all my favorite characters. This series is hilarious, action-packed, and so original. It is also very emotional at times, and I cry at least once a book. I highly recommend this series to everyone, and I really hope you guys give it a chance.

This book was amazing! I love the characters, Charley Davidson is a private investigator.. not only that but she is also the Grim Reaper! She is hilarious and all around awesome! Her side kick Cookie is the best friend we all need! Don't even get me started on Reyes.. swoon!! This is the start to an awesome series that I can't wait to get into!

For the re-read tour in celebration of the release of SUMMONED TO THIRTEENTH GRAVE I chose to go back to the beginning with FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT.

FIRST GRAVE has just about everything you could ask for in a book. Mystery, suspense, action, romance, HUMOR... OMG you will laugh your behind off. I don't think I went a few pages without laughing in the entire book.

FIRST GRAVE is where I fell in love with Charley and the rest of her gang. Charley's personality ROCKS. She is witty, sassy, sarcastic and determined...with horrible luck, but I absolutely want her to be my BFF. Cookie has a lot of spunk. She knows Charlie like the back of her hand, keeps her somewhat in line and they complement each other just like best friends should. Reyes is dark, mysterious and sexy as can be. He has many secrets and it was fun to be a witness to Charley peeling back some of his layers. Their connection is something to be envy of.

The story kept my attention, so much so that I had a hard time putting it down. There wasn't one thing I would change about it. If you haven't started this series yet, you NEED to pick up your own copy of FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT and start your adventure with the Charley Davidson.


* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A person who can see and talk to dead people is totally normal in Charley's life and she just also happens to be a PI.

This comes in handy when 3 lawyers are murdered with the same MO.......enter Charley (and Uncle Bob!)

Charley is hilarious, sarcastic and sometimes a little too much! But her inappropriate thoughts made me love her!

Then we have the sexy, mysterious Reyes, who I pictured as Ian Somerhalder whilst reading!!!

Fantastic plot, funny, fast paced, silly and sexy! This was girl heaven and I'm going to make sure my friends read it. With ice cream.

I couldn't leave without adding a line that made me snort:

'You named your breasts?'
'I named my ovaries too, but they don't get out as much.'

Book 2 please!

I’m so glad I jumped into this book. I’ve had a good friend recommending it for some time and I just was never in the mood. A great read from start to finish. Wonderful cast of characters. Charley is bad ass, snarky and a delightfully sassy lead. There was a good balance between a focused storyline and a secondary one setting things up for book two, which I can’t wait to read. I have a feeling this is a series I’m going to get totally lost in.

I had seen this series numerous times. I am so glad I finally delved in. A tough (grim reaper P.I.) female lead, within a story chock full of action and wit. The premise alone would be worth pursuing, but the humor and unanswered questions have convinced me to read the entire series.

Charley had been having the same dream for a month. Death via extreme pleasure was a serious concern. Tonight Charley had been pulled out of a dream, first a frosty chill went up her ankle then her phone rang at 4:30 am. Then Charley noticed there was a dead man at the foot of her bed. Charley had been beaten senseless the night before by a clients abusive husband and she was very sore. The call was from her Uncle Bob who was a detective and wanted her to go down to the police department as there had been two homicides Charley dragged herself out of bed and the dead man followed her -he had two bullet holes on the side of his head. He introduced himself as Patrick Sussman. He then said he had been murdered yesterday and a teen-Angel- told him Charley was the one to go to and she solved crimes. Charley told Patrick she was a Private Investigator. Charley had been told the dead see her as a beacon and Charley was also a Grim Reaper and it was her job to lead people to the light. Mr. Wong resided in Charley's living room with his back to them and his nose buried in the corner and he was also dead. Charley thought of her nightly dream and the man who appeared as if waiting for Charley to fall asleep and then he would make love too Charley and he reminded Charley of someone. The person in Cnarley’s dream wasn’t dead as he radiated heat. Dead people were cold. The dreams were so real , the feelings and responses his touch caused so vivid. This time the man invaded her shower and called her Dutch and only one person had ever called her that once a very long time ago-Reyes. As far as Charley was concerned her ability was nothing special. The dead existed on one plane and the human race on another. Charley existed on both planes.
I loved this book. I was drawn in from the first page and stayed that way until the last page. I laughed out loud a lot while reading this which isn’t the common for me. I loved how Charley named everything - her jeep, her furniture, even her body parts - so funny and quirky. I like quirky. I also loved Charley was a Grim Reaper and dead people popped up in her car, her apartment wherever. I also loved the plot and pace. I also really liked that she could help her Uncle Bob solve murder investigations. I happily could not find anything to criticize in this book. I can’t wait until the next book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend this book.

OMG this story is hilarious! I love Charley! She's kickass. The story line kept me turning the pages to see what happens next. I can't wait to read the other books.

Charley Davidson is "the only grim reaper this side of mars", she also plays private detective to pay the bills. When she's not following around cheating spouses, and helping her Uncle Bob solve murders, she does her best to give the recently deceased what they need to move on.

Not only can she speak to ghosts but she can see and touch them. It results in many interesting scenes of Charley interacting with nothing but air. It also causes a lot of animosity among the people around her. Namely the other officers at her uncle's station and her stepmother Denise.

Between the vague and sensual dreams she's having and the three recently deceased lawyers suddenly showing up, Charley has her hands full.

I immensely enjoyed Charley. She has an uncanny knack for getting herself into the strangest and most dangerous situations but managing to walk away, not entirely unscathed of course. Even though she prefers to find the humor in most situations, she's very empathetic to both the living and the dead. This book deals with some very dark issues like human trafficking, murder, and child abuse. But it tries to maintain a constant lightness that I appreciated. Dark books have their place but I'm always a fan of humor. I've read many urban fantasy books with a sarcastic and snarky FMC but Charley was fairly unique in that I've never read a character quite like her. Yes, she's a grim reaper and I have read books with those before, but never like this one.

While Charley is a good enough reason to read this book, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the side characters are just as good. Cookie her BFF/neighbor/receptionist is the best friend we all wish we could have. Garrett the wise-cracking, and sexy skeptic. Let me not forget about Reyes. I'm not going to spoil Reyes for you but lets just say if I could choose only one book boyfriend he'd be a top 3 contender. Oh and Uncle Bob, I'd be related to him any day.

If you're looking for a serious paranormal mystery then walk away now. This book is all about the humor. Honestly one of the most fun books I've ever read. I will be up front with you. This is not the first time I've read this book and I am currently up to date on the series, so I might be a little biased. This series is in my top 3 favorite series of all times. I highly recommend it for anyone that likes a witty and strong female main character, a hot as sin and very mysterious male main character, and a supernatural world that is hiding in plain sight.