First Grave on the Right

I'm a bit behind the times on getting started with this series, but I'm so glad that I finally did. Charley Davidson is a complete riot. Her "squirrel" moments of easily distraction and rapid through-train changes made both her internal and external dialogue amusing and somehow perfectly timed for every moment. As the grim reaper, souls that haven't crossed yet can find her to help them cross over or take care of unfinished business. Although not all of them want to, like the intriguing Mr. Wong that hangs out in a corner of her apartment. I keep waiting for him to do something - and maybe he will eventually. With the ability to see the departed, Charley is an invaluable asset to Uncle, a detective on the police force. As she navigates her place in the investigation, often providing information that no one else can, she seems to stroll through life in her own cloud of uniqueness. The departed each have their own unique personalities as well. From Angel, the teenage gang banger, to the ones involved in her uncle's most recent case. Throw in the "Big Bad" aka Reyes - who is smoking hot and more than what he seems at first, and you have a hint of romance along the way - maybe. It's not entirely clear where this arc will go, but I really can't wait to find out.

Meet Charlotte Davidson, aka Charley: a PI with a father and uncle who are both cops, a mouth that doesn’t quit and oh, she sees dead people. Well, not just sees them, but helps them to ‘pass over’ because she is THE Grim Reaper. Apparently, a far different thing than the cloaked and hooded image we all know – she’s bright and sparkly, irreverent and wholly conflicted about her purpose in life – a purpose that she was given at birth, but has struggled with unanswered questions, a dismissive stepmother and some pretty strong reactions from almost everyone who has experienced what she is. Jones sets up the introduction to this character, and others that will become important, with a fairly conversational tone: Charley is first explaining who she is, then taking us along for the ride as she tries to puzzle out the correct answers. With a recurrent ‘visitor’ in the form of shadows, yet seeming to have a sort of ‘protective’ instinct toward her, well, when they aren’t burning up the sheets, the ‘what everyone is capable of” questions come fast and furiously. But this is a story of how three lawyers from the same firm, all murdered on the same night are tied to a sex trafficking ring, and just how their deaths will convict a mob boss, free a wrongly convicted man and provide Charley with plenty of new worries, particularly where her own purpose, failures and dangers are concerned. I’ll be honest and say that the story is twisty, funny and wholly different – with a snarky sense of humor and some clever quotes to begin each chapter. The connections that bring everything together, and the quiet ways in which Charley helps the recently departed get their last words / thoughts / tasks on earth completed are clever. But don’t get it twisted, she’s not simply willing to ‘tell the living’ what’s needed, she’s not some sort of mail delivery service or medium. In fact, even she’s not quite aware of all of her abilities or purpose – which makes her even more endearing. With her lovely PA Cookie, who, I have to admit, is far more accepting of all that she is learning – and wholly devoted to Charley and keeping her safe: a challenge most (if not every day). I loved the unfolding of the skills, characters and plot of this, as well as the new backstories and creation histories for Charley, her skills, and even the connection between she and Reyes, and the constant thread of danger and more questions he brings up. It’s a world that, while stretching the boundaries of imagination grabs attention and feels plausible, even in the most ridiculous moments. What I enjoyed most is the humorous voice of Charley’s narrative: she’s snarky, a bit sarcastic on a good day, curious and utterly bad-ass, even when she’s ‘pretending’ her way through it. This is a character and writing style that would most closely appeal to fans of MaryJanice Davidson and Molly Harper, as long as you are aware that Charley’s stories are very much adult-oriented, with plenty of sexy and steamy moments that manage to heat the pages, corporeal or not. I’m excited to follow this journey with Charley, and hope to find more answers about her abilities, her future with Reyes, and to see if the city of Albuquerque’s police force will finally see what a gem they have in this spunky PI. Well, the police with the exception of her Uncle Bob, her Dad and the skip-tracing guru Garrett. I received an eBook copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

This book has a little bit of everything, paranormal, suspense, mystery, hints of romance, an intriguing story line that keeps readers wanting to know more and a main character that is snarky and vulnerable which has readers wanting to get better acquainted. Charley Davidson’s character seems to have her life together, she’s a private investigator who consults with cops occasionally but she also has a secret side; she’s the grim reaper and unfortunately while she knows a little, there seems to be a whole lot that she doesn’t know about which adds a lot of intrigue but also makes her character vulnerable and one that readers can relate to. She has a snarky attitude and she’s full of pizazz which readers can’t help but like. The story hints at some hot and heavy chemistry with a shadow character that Charley’s not real sure is even real which adds even more suspense to a story that already has plenty and then there are a bunch of secondary characters that are every bit as fascinating as Charley who add quirkiness, laughs and drama. An original storyline that hooks readers from the get go and the intrigue just keeps coming with twists and turns that keep readers on the edge of their seats and unable to put the book down. A bit of mystery, a bit of action, well-written characters and quite a bit of dramatic interaction plays a big part in this book, add in a few laughs and readers never have dull moment. Overall, the author does a fantastic job of engaging the readers with the multiple sub-plots, wonderful characters and a series opener that promises a phenomenally great time and I am looking forward to reading more of Charley’s adventures. Did I mention that I really love her name?