Review: First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right (Charley Davidson, #1) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: St.Martins Griffin
Publication date: July 5th, 2011
Number of pages: 338 pgs
Format: Mass-Market Paperback
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Private investigator Charlotte Davidson was born with three things: looks; a healthy respect for the male anatomy; and the rather odd job title of grim reaper. Since the age of five, she has been helping the departed solve the mysteries of their deaths so they can cross over. Thus, when three lawyers from the same law firm are murdered, they come to her to find their killer.

In the meantime, Charley's dealing with a being more powerful - and definitely sexier - than any spectre she's ever come across before. With the help of a pain-in-the-ass skip tracer, a dead pubescent gangbanger named Angel, and a lifetime supply of sarcasm, Charley sets out to solve the highest profile case of the year and discovers that dodging bullets isn't nearly as dangerous as falling in love

It took me until a few months ago to pick up the first book. A friend of mine kept telling me to read this series, but when I see the word 'Ghosts' and I start to feel disinterested because it's not my favourite aspect to the supernatural world. When she told me that it wasn't ghosts exactly, but the fact the main character is a reaper --- that is the point I thought, Oh well, that is different, so I decided to take the chance and pick up the first book.

In this first novel, Charley is a reaper for ghosts who have died and want to pass on.  She is basically like the light tunnel to which they go through to their ever after. Some stick around though, sometimes because they aren't ready to move on, and sometimes, to maybe bug her, LOL 
In the meantime, Charley has been having hot and sexy dreams of a mystery man, and also she tends to see him in real life from time to time.  She has no idea who he is or why she is seeing him, but why question the sexy man? :P
Work also keeps her pretty busy, especially now when she has more than one case to deal with.  She needs to deal with the fact she has three murdered lawyer ghosts trying to get her to help find their bodies and solve their murders.  Ah, the life of a reaper.  Life is never dull for Charley. Just an everyday occurance.

Charley is a very fabulous heroine.  Not only is she smart, talented and gorgeous... but she also has this awesome wit where you can't help but laugh at some of the things she says, does or events she finds himself in the middle of.  If she wanted easy, she would not be in this job --- not that this was a choice where she could decide yes, or not if she wants this career path. This was chosen for her, but it's not so bad.

The hero for this series, well he is unlike any other male. I have had heard about Reyes from Alpha male contests around the web and also from friends, but until I met him, I had no idea what I was really dealing with.
We see small things regarding him. He is a mystery I can't wait to find out more about. Charley discovers some things about him when she finds out he is the man from her dreams. I loved what I have read about him so far, and I can't wait to dig into the rest of the books to get to know him even more deeply than you do in this first book.

I was surprised at how much I loved this book. It just goes to show that sometimes the best stories are the ones you don't have in your life.

I can't wait to dig into the next book in this new fab series.

Rating: 5/5