First Grave on the Right

First Grave on the Right
By Darynda Jones

Okay, this will be a first for me. I am going to highly recommend a book that I didn't enjoy, namely because the next books are awesome. First Grave on the Right will be worth it when you begin reading Second Grave on the Left, Third Grave Straight Ahead and Fourth Grave Under My Feet. Fifth Gave Past the Light just came out yesterday (July 9) and I am seriously considering buying this book (yep, miss cheap library/bookswap may just have to cave in).

First Grave received all kinds of honors but I just don't understand how. Sure, a character who sees dead people who need to come through her to get to heaven is new but Charley does not seem like the type of person any living soul would want to be around for any length of time. I really got tired of her immature and snarky personality. In addition, she figures stuff out in this first book that solves at least two mysteries. Yet, she is working with her Uncle, a veteran police officer with the resources of the force behind him, a very successful skip-tracer who dogs her heals AND three dead lawyers who are determined to find out who killed them. Who is the smart one here? Surely the lawyers at least would have unraveled the clues Charley finds before death if not afterwards. I suppose Jones is simply introducing Private Investigator Charlene Davidson and wants her to show off a bit. But it does not sound like anyone else is competent at all. And Charley is always making smart-*%^ comments about and to everyone she converses with - including her family and good friends. I kept wondering why anyone even liked her, let alone spent time with her.

I also did not like how repetitive and long-winded Jones would become. All she would have had to do is to introduce Garrett and mention how he didn't like Charley now that he knows her secret. But every time Charley sees him from then on in the book, this gets mentioned. It got very tiring. And Charley would think about someone or see someone and then think about these long stories or histories about this or that person or situation. I was listening to this book on CD and really wished I had a hard copy so I could skip entire paragraphs.

So, why did I decide to read the next book? Reyes Farrow. Charley's love interest is a mysterious character that she only met once as a teenager. He now appears to her in very erotic dreams. As she begins to get closer to solving her waking mysteries, she also begins to learn more about Reyes and the connection the two of them have. I won't tell you more as I will spoil it for you (plus I am having trouble remember what is revealed in which novel!).

What did this book have to do with my faith? God exists. Yep. Charley is the conduit to help folks cross over into heaven and God is surely behind her ability. Nice to have a secular book uphold God's existence. Of course, some discussion takes place about the King of Lies but it only confirms God's power and sovereignty.

I highly recommend that you read this book!

Happy reading!

Amelia