First Grave on the Right (2011) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

• Charlotte (Charley) Davidson: Part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, she sees dead people. She is 27 and has dark brown hair and gold eyes.
• Reyes Alexander Farrow: Very old acquaintance of Charley's having met once when they were teenagers. He has the ability to visit her in her dreams.
• Big Bad: Unknown being that told Charley that she is a Grim Reaper. He has saved her life on a number of occasions.
• Garrett Swopes: Private Investigator/Skip Tracer
• Angel Garza: Thirteen-year-old attitude-infested investigator and ghost.
• Robert (Bob) Davidson: Charley's uncle who she calls Ubie; a detective for the Albuquerque Police Department.
• Cookie Kowalski: Charley's best friend
• Amber Kowalski: Cookie's daughter, a very sweet girl.
• Jean Davidson: Charley's father. He owns the bar in the building where Charlie lives but is also a retired police officer who used his daughter's powers to help him solve cases while on the force.
• Patrick Sussman III: One of the murdered lawyers
• Elizabeth Ellery: One of the murdered lawyers
• Jason Barber: One of the murdered lawyers
• James Enrique Barilla: Kid found murdered in Mark Weir’s backyard
• Amador Sanchez: Reyes' cellmate
• Kim Millar: Reyes's sister.
• Taft: Young officer at the Albuquerque Police Department. Initially skeptical of Charley's talents, he is forced to seek her help after being haunted by the ghost of a young girl.
• Denise Davidson: Charlotte's step-mother
• Gemma Vi Davidson: Charlotte's step-sister
• Mr. Wong: Ghost that just hovers in Charlie's living room.
• Neil Gossett: Deputy Warden at the Penitentiary of New Mexico
• Dwight Yokel: Sergeant
• Mr. Habersham: Dead guy in 2B
• Rocket: Ghost that lives in an abandoned insane asylum who is a good friend of Charley's. Before he died, he could see the dead.He also has the knowledge of every single person who ever died and can instantly tell, when given a name, whether that particular person is alive or dead.
• Mark Weir: Man accused of murdering a teenage boy; a client of the three dead lawyers. Charley tries to prove that he is innocent.
• Teddy Weir: Weir’s missing nephew
• Janie Weir: Mark's sister and Terry's mother
• Pari: Friend of Charley, an artist, who shares space in her office
• Billy: Native American ghost who hangs around the detention center where he committed suicide.
• Nora: Administrative assistant for the law firm
• Rosie Herschel: Charley's client
• Zeke Herschel: Rosie's abusive husband
• Father Frederico: Priest
• Benny Price: Strip clubs owner

Quotes edit see section history

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• “I eyed him with my infamous death stare, second only to my infamous fluster stare, and got a response immediately.”

  Charley Davidson

• “My fore-parts, as you so ineloquently put it, have names.” I pointed to my right breast. This is Danger." Then my left "And this is Will Robinson." I would appreciate it if you addressed them accordingly.”

  Charley Davidson

• “I went down like a drunken cowgirl trying to line dance to Metallica”

  Charley Davidson

• “That took balls. No, that took ovaries in which I have two.”

• “All I have left is my sanity. And a breakfast burrito.”

  Charley Davidson

• “It was 4:34 A.M. What kind of sadist called another human being at 4:34 in the morning?”

  Charley Davidson

• “Did you know you have a dead guy in your living room?”“Isn’t that a bit like the pot calling the kettle African- American?”

  Charley Davidson and Mr. Wong

• “I’m a private investigator when I have clients, a bartender when my dad needs me, and technically, I’m on the APD payroll as well. On paper, I’m a consultant. Probably because it sounds important. In real life, I’m the secret to Uncle Bob’s success, just as I was for my dad when he worked APD. My ability rocketed them through promotion after promotion until they both became detectives. It’s amazing how easy it is to solve crimes when you can ask the victims who did it.”

  Charley Davidson

• “Mom’s going through withdrawal. We ran out of coffee last night.”

  Amber

• “Were you just possessed?” Cookie asked after a long moment, awe softening her voice. “ ’Cause let me tell you, sweetheart, if that was possession, I’m selling my soul.”

  Cookie

• “Someone hit me.” “Again? I didn’t realize it was National Kill Charley Davidson Week.”

• “That’s when the world fell out from under me. Was it karma? Was my less-than-caring attitude toward Taft coming back to bite me on the ass, hot as it was? I checked and double-checked, searched and prayed, only to be left utterly and completely without a single coffee ground. How was this possible? How could the universe be so cruel?”

  Charley Davidson

• “Charley, you were almost killed today.” Garrett’s silvery gaze glittered with anger. He was so moody. “And yesterday. Oh, right, and the day before. Maybe you should give it a rest?”

  Garrett

• “I still can’t believe you did this. You make it through a drunken bully hell-bent on rearranging your face, a ten-foot fall through a skylight, and not one, but two attempted murders, only to be brought down by a stiletto. I knew those things were dangerous.”

  Uncle Bob

• “Just because I see dead people, doesn't mean I want to be dead people.”

  Charley Davidson

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• Genius has its limitations. Insanity … not so much.

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• I love children, but I don’t think I can eat a whole one. —BUMPER STICKER

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• I once signed up for an anger management class, but the instructor pissed me off.

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• Never knock on death’s door. Ring the doorbell then run. He totally hates that. —T-SHIRT

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• Well-behaved women rarely make history. —LAUREL THATCHER ULRICH

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• I’d have a longer attention span if there weren’t so many shiny things. —T-SHIRT

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• A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. —STEVEN WRIGHT

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• Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. —BUMPER STICKER

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• When fighting clowns, always go for the juggler. —BUMPER STICKER

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• Do not disturb. Already there. —T-SHIRT

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Calamity's: Charley's father's bar

Organizations edit see section history

• APD: Albuquerque Police Department
• Sussman, Ellery, and Barber: Law firm where the murdered layers worked
• Bandits: Local biker gang

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Glossary edit see section history

• Grim Reaper: human beings such as Charley who serve as portals through whom spirits of the recently deceased reach heaven.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Women private investigators: Describe this theme.
• Women mediums

Series & Lists edit see section history

Followed by Second Grave on the Left.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Darynda Jones (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• Golden Heart (2009: Best Paranormal novel)
• RITA Award (2012: Best First Book)
• RITA Award Finalist (2012: Strong Romantic Elements)

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3610.O6236 F57 2011
• Dewey: 813.6

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Some sexual content.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Mystery › Women Sleuths
• Books › Literature & Fiction

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Darynda Jones: Author's website
• Number One Novels: Number One Novels interviews Darynda Jones about First Grave on the Right.

More Books Like This edit see section history