Meet Charley Davidson -- PI and grim reaper extraordinaire...
Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to 'go into the light.' But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.
Meet Charley Davidson -- PI and grim reaper extraordinaire...
Charley sees dead people. That's right, she sees dead people. And it's her job to convince them to 'go into the light.' But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.
Review of 'First Grave on the Right' on 'GoodReads'
2 stars
I loved the idea but didn't care for the execution. I listened to this on audiobook and I'm not sure if I was mostly irritated with the narrator or the writing but I just really didn't like the dialog. Author was trying too hard to be punchy and funny and came off as being written for pre-teens.
I loved the idea but didn't care for the execution. I listened to this on audiobook and I'm not sure if I was mostly irritated with the narrator or the writing but I just really didn't like the dialog. Author was trying too hard to be punchy and funny and came off as being written for pre-teens.
Hmm... Well it was better than OK, maybe more a 2 1/2 stars as it made me chuckle and the overall storyline was interesting.
So, I never got to like Charlie, she was sarcastic to the point of irritating though it sometimes was somewhat humorous. I still don't get a grim reaper, or the grim reaper. If she was "the" grim reaper then wouldn't all good souls go through her, that would be 1 ever few seconds. Didn't seem like that was happening so... yet... the end explanation didn't make sense to me at all. Is she the only one? This wasn't really focused on at all. So Charlie's sarcasm seem a lot like whining and I want to say, 'Get over it'. Other than that, it was an interesting concept and the support characters, though not delved into greatly were pretty good too.
Then there was Reyes and Garrett. …
Hmm... Well it was better than OK, maybe more a 2 1/2 stars as it made me chuckle and the overall storyline was interesting.
So, I never got to like Charlie, she was sarcastic to the point of irritating though it sometimes was somewhat humorous. I still don't get a grim reaper, or the grim reaper. If she was "the" grim reaper then wouldn't all good souls go through her, that would be 1 ever few seconds. Didn't seem like that was happening so... yet... the end explanation didn't make sense to me at all. Is she the only one? This wasn't really focused on at all. So Charlie's sarcasm seem a lot like whining and I want to say, 'Get over it'. Other than that, it was an interesting concept and the support characters, though not delved into greatly were pretty good too.
Then there was Reyes and Garrett. Reyes is a teenage memory and an unknown. Garrett is trying to understand after being a jerk but Charlie puts him off with barbs and sarcasm throughout. Yet, she likes him. Yet, she doesn't? I got kinda of mad at Charlie here. So Reyes and the spirit sex just didn't do it for me as I didn't have any investment in Reyes, did not know whether to like him or not, and didn't understand why Charlie was so knocked out. At the end of the book, I know Reyes more but still don't know whether to like him or not and think she should stay away.
Also when people want proof after you tell them, that is understandable and her refusal because they continue to want it and never give in... I don't buy it and it seemed like a child having a temper tantrum. If you are going to let some one know and you have to work with this someone, just get over it and give them enough facts that they don't ever question it again. It is irritating to hear, "oh, you just have to accept it or I will treat you as bad as you treat me, because, hey I solved all those cases and you didn't. Nanny, nanny boo boo." I mean detective work could be found out in other ways too.
So what was good. The story was and it was somewhat funny to, though the one liners got old. I really liked the characters except for Charlie. I'll try the next one and see where it goes but don't think that it'll surprise me.
To me this was Paranormal Chick Lit, like Queen Betsy but not as funny. I have to like the character and usually I like them more as I get to know them. I did like Charlie more in the end. Still, I don't know if she'll grow enough that I ever will truly like her.
Review of 'First Grave on the Right' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
Pretty impressive for a first novel. Charley Davidson is THE grim reaper-she not only sees dead people, but helps them "cross over" (I like the ambiguity of that, the author doesn't really specify WHERE they cross over). Reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich-the little bit of her I could stomach anyway. Much better written, but very much in the same style.
Pretty impressive for a first novel. Charley Davidson is THE grim reaper-she not only sees dead people, but helps them "cross over" (I like the ambiguity of that, the author doesn't really specify WHERE they cross over). Reminded me a little of Janet Evanovich-the little bit of her I could stomach anyway. Much better written, but very much in the same style.
