First Grave on the Right

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

February 2011

ISBN: 978-0-312-66275-2

Pages: 310




Modern Day, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Charlotte “Charley” Davidson is the grim reaper. Being the Grim Reaper means that Charley comes in contact with a lot of dead people it also makes her life very complicated. Most of them are happy to cross over but sometimes the dead want Charley to solve what they have left behind and most of the time that means solving their deaths when they have been murdered. That is where Charley’s second job as a private investigator comes in handy. It helps her work on solving the deaths and making sure that the guilty do not get away with what they have done and that the dead get justice too. Most of the time things are fine for Charley but lately she has been having some very sensual dreams and now she has to figure out who and what is invading her dreams.

Charley is pretty sure the hot guy in her dreams is not dead but if he isn’t dead just what is he and who he is. Between trying to figure that out and solve her latest case Charley has her hands full and suddenly a lot is coming and Charley and if she isn’t careful she will be lucky to come out of this latest case intact.


This is new author that has really found her niche. This story is very different from most paranormals but it is one that is a lot of fun to read. This one takes off from the very beginning and doesn’t stop until the very last page. Charley is a great character that has a lot of sarcastic wit that will have you laughing out loud and turning the page just to see what she does next. Charley is one character that always seems to do the unexpected and you are never disappointed with what she does at any given time. The story will also have you eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series. If all grim reapers were like Charley the grim reaper would be a very popular character in books and written about a lot more.


I give this one 4-1/2 red roses