First Grave on the Right

December 6, 2010
The grim reaper gets a shiny cool makeover in Jones's blazing hot debut, a paranormal romantic thriller. Charlotte Jean "Charley" Davidson, a 27-year-old PI and consultant for the Albuquerque, N.Mex., police department, exists on two planes—one for the dead, the other for the living. As the grim reaper, she escorts the recently departed "into the light." In her dreams, she's haunted by a "dark, seductive stranger," whose warmth suggests he's something "not dead." In the real world, Charley helps her APD detective uncle, Bob Davidson, investigate the fatal shootings of three lawyers who were representing a client accused of murder. Meanwhile, Charley finds herself oddly attracted to the devilishly handsome Reyes Farrow, a convicted criminal in a coma. Fast-talking Charley's wicked exuberance and lust for life will appeal to fans of MaryJanice Davidson and Janet Evanovich and maybe fill a hole for those mourning the recently canceled Ghost Whisperer.

Narrator Lorelei King has proved herself the queen of snark, the sovereign of inspired performances of sassy female detectives. She's pretty amazing with a large cast of secondary characters, too. King's a perfect choice for portraying Charley Davidson, an Albuquerque P.I. and grim reaper responsible for leading the dead to the other side. Charley, the daughter of a police officer, has been talking to dead people since she was a child. Now she's trying to understand why three murdered law partners won't move on and discover the identity of a shadowy figure who's become her nighttime lover. Jones's book will leave romance, chick-lit, humor, and mystery lovers waiting for Charley's second adventure. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from May 1, 2011
This series starter—Jones's first work of fiction—is funny, sarcastic, and erotic and includes a darned good detective yarn. Part-time PI/full-time Grim Reaper Charlie Davidson works with the police to solve murders—which is made easier by her ability to talk with the victims. So who killed three different lawyers in the same evening, and why is her supernatural guardian suddenly visiting her in her dreams? Good pacing, easy introduction of the backstory, and tons of snappy, sometimes four-letter retorts add to the enjoyment. When Charlie announces that the names of her breasts are "Danger" and "Will Robinson," listeners know they are in for a wild ride. Actress/Audie Award winner Lorelei King is comfortable in Charlie's skin and performs a wide variety of characters distinctly. For anyone enjoying sexy paranormal detective fiction. [The St. Martin's hc also received a starred review, "LJ"11/1/10, and won the Romance Writers of America 2009 Golden Heart for best paranormal romance manuscript; the St. Martin's Griffin pb will publish in July 2011.—Ed.]—J. Sara Paulk, Wythe-Grayson Regional Lib., Independence, VA

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