Charley Davidson Character Guide

Character Guide

*This is a breakdown of all of the characters in Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson series, complete up to the e-novella For I Have Sinned.  While I have tried to keep things general, this is a reference that may include spoilers.

This is alphabetical by first name, with main or vital characters highlighted in red.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————–

-A-

Amador Sanchez

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former classmate of Reyes Farrow
  • friend of Reyes Farrow and Kim Millar
  • former prison cellmate of Reyes Farrow
  • out of jail on parole

Amber  Kowalski

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • daughter of Cookie Kowalski
  • pretty and smart
  • 12 years old
  • long dark hair, blue eyes

Anaya, Detective

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • Albuquerque Police Detective
  • friend of Bob Davidson
  • not fond of Charley Davidson
  • lead detective on the Mark Weir case

Angel Garza

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased partner of Charley Davidson
  • works as an investigator for Charley Davidson
  • former gang-banger
  • tough talking
  • was close to his mother
  • died in a drive-by shooting at age 13
  • died trying to save someone else
  • killed 12 years ago

-B-

Becky Taft

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased sister of Officer David Taft
  • called Demon Child by Charley Davidson
  • died at around age 9
  • small and blonde with silvery blue eyes
  • drowned years ago in the lake by the Taft family home
  • follows her brother Officer David Taft around
  • jealous and possessive of her brother

Benny Price

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • human trafficker of children
  • targets homeless kids
  • kidnapped Father Frederico Diaz
  • murderer
  • orders the deaths of Patrick Sussman, Elizabeth Ellery, Jason Barber, among others
  • responsible for the death of James Barilla
  • tried to kill Charley Davidson
  • owns the Patty Cakes strip clubs
  • short black hair
  • neatly trimmed mustache and goatee
  • father of two

Bianca Johnson

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • murdered child
  • first body Charley Davidson helped find

Billy

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased prison inmate
  • committed suicide in prison
  • died 7 years ago
  • spirit stayed behind to help other inmates
  • Native American
  • good looking

Bob Davidson

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • called Ubie by Charley Davidson
  • Albuquerque Police Detective
  • uses Charley Davidson’s abilities to help solve his cases
  • lead Detective in the Reyes Farrow case
  • Uncle of Charley Davidson

-C-

Carlos Riviera

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • tortured and killed
  • found floating in the Rio Grande
  • death arranged by Benny Price
  • long arrest record
  • former employee of Benny Price
  • working with Father Frederico Diaz to stop Benny Price
  • had information that would free wrongfully convicted Mark Weir

Chaco Lin

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • friend of Julio Ontiveros
  • works for Benny Price
  • probable shooter of Sussman, Ellery and Barber

Charlotte Jean “Charley” Davidson

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • called Dutch by Reyes, Calamity by Bob
  • the Grim Reaper
  • the portal through which the dead pass
  • mother died in childbirth
  • first soul to pass through was her own mother just after she was born
  • exists on both the human and departed planes
  • has been able to see and interact with the dead since birth
  • remembers everything since the day she was born
  • has always known every language ever spoken
  • able to sense a persons guilt or innocence
  • private investigator, sometimes bartender for her father
  • consultant for the Albuquerque police dapartment
  • has helped both her father and uncle Bob solve crimes since she was 5
  • often works to help the deceased solve their murders
  • a brilliant light that acts as a beacon to the souls of the dead
  • saved several times from certain death by Reyes Farrow
  • heals relatively quickly
  • bachelor’s degree in Sociology
  • former member of the Peace Corps
  • quirky sense of style
  • small tattoo of a grim reaper on her left shoulder blade
  • 125 pounds, curvy
  • chocolate brown hair, golden eyes
  • 27 years old

Chrystal

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • former classmate of Reyes Farrow at Yucca High
  • big and startlingly pretty
  • dark brown bobbed hair and wide smile

Cookie Kowalski

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • best friend of Charley Davidson
  • Charley Davidson’s receptionist and neighbor
  • wrongly thought to be a witch by some
  • breast cancer survivor
  • divorced, with a daughter named Amber Kowalski
  • honest and down to earth
  • great at tracking down information
  • plus sized
  • wiry black hair
  • very attracted to Garrett Swopes

-D-

Dave

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • known as “Delivery Dave”
  • delivers bread
  • almost set up on a date with Cookie Kowalski by Charley Davidson

David Taft

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • young Albuquerque Police officer
  • sucks up to Detective Bob Davidson hoping to advance his career
  • followed around by the spirit of his dead little sister
  • almost died as a child trying to save his sister from drowning

Debra

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • cousin of Chrystal, sister of Emily
  • has information that helps Charley Davidson track down Kim Millar

Denise Davidson

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • uptight and disapproving
  • refuses to acknowledge Charley Davidson’s abilities
  • stepmother of Charley Davidson and Gemma Davidson Roland

Donnie

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • works at the bar Calamity’s
  • quiet
  • Native American
  • long black hair
  • well built and good looking

Dunlop, Mr.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • worked at the bar when Charley Davidson was a child
  • a cook

Dunlop, Mrs.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former lover of Bob Davidson
  • next door neighbor of the Davidson family

Dwight, Sergeant

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • Albuquerque police officer
  • military buzz cut
  • stuffy and uptight
  • dislikes Charley Davidson

-E-

Earl Walker

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • bought Reyes Farrow from a child abductor
  • child molester and abuser
  • lived under several aliases
  • long criminal record
  • pure evil
  • father of Kim Millar
  • believed to have been murdered by Reyes Farrow

Elizabeth Ellery

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased “client” of Charley Davidson
  • partner at Sussman, Ellery and Barber law firm
  • former lawyer of wrongly accused Mark Weir
  • killed by two gunshot wounds to the head
  • death arranged by Benny Price
  • born on June 20th, died October 18th
  • 5 foot 10
  • blonde hair, blue eyes

Emily

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • sister of Debra, cousin of Chrystal
  • former friend of Kim MIllar

-F-

Fiona

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • around 12 years old
  • friend of Amber Kowalski

Frank M. Ahearn

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • legendary skip-tracer
  • mentor of Garrett Swopes

Frederico Diaz, Father

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • Catholic Priest
  • honest and kind
  • runs a mission for runaway kids
  • tries to bring down the human trafficking ring run by Benny Price
  • operates an underground railroad to save targeted kids
  • graying bear, thick dark hair
  • kidnapped by Benny Price

-G-

Garrett Swopes

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • top skip-tracer and private investigator
  • very good at tracking people
  • confident to the point of being cocky
  • tricky relationship with Charley Davidson
  • friend of Detective Bob Davidson
  • skeptical of  the abilities of Charley Davidson
  • handsome
  • half African-American
  • short black hair, chocolate skin, smoky gray eyes

Gemma Vi Davidson

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • over eager and pushy
  • prissy and uptight
  • competitive
  • very smart and over-achieving
  • PhD in Psychology
  • blonde curly hair, blue eyes
  • older sister of Charley Davidson
  • daughter of Ken Davidson, step-daughter of Denise Davidson
  • married to professor Dr. Roland

George, Mrs.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • potential client of Charley Davidson
  • determined
  • convinced her husband is being unfaithful

Gonzalez, Mr.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • school teacher of Amber Kowalski

-H-

Habersham, Mr.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased “neighbor” of Charley Davidson
  • lives in apartment 2B
  • tries to spy on Charley Davidson in the shower
  • peeping tom and dirty old man
  • after death relationship with Charley Davidson’s great aunt Lillian

Harriet

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • large and bossy
  • friend of Michelle Sussman
  • consoles Michelle Sussman after her husband Patrick  is killed

Holly

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former classmate of Reyes Farrow at Yucca High

-I-

-J-

James Enrique Barilla

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • homeless
  • kicked out of home by his mother when she remarried
  • lived in Mark Weir’s shed
  • friend of Teddy Weir
  • killed at age 15
  • murder ordered by Benny Price
  • Mark Weir wrongly convicted of his murder

Janie Thomas

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • mother of Teddy Weir
  • sister of Mark Weir
  • kicked her son Teddy Weir out of the house
  • some trouble with the law in her past for drugs and shoplifting

Jason Barber

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased “client” of Charley Davidson
  • partner at Sussman, Ellery and Barber law firm
  • killed by two gunshot wounds to the head
  • former lawyer of wrongly convicted Mark Weir
  • death arranged by Benny Price
  • has difficulty believing he is dead
  • strained relationship with his mother

Jessica

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • high school best friend of Charley Davidson
  • turned on Charley Davidson when she found out what she was
  • became hostile and cruel to Charley Davidson

Jillian Lightfoot

  • first appearance in For I Have Sinned
  • nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital

Jo Anne Montgomery

  • first appearance in For I Have Sinned
  • ghost
  • deceased “client” of Charley Davidson
  • cannot remember who she is or how she died
  • sick her whole life
  • severely diabetic
  • died after giving birth
  • sacrificed her own life to have a child
  • in her late 20′s
  • chestnut hair
  • mother of Melody Jo Anne Montgomery
  • daughter of Ruth Montgomery

Johnson, Mrs.

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • mother of murdered child Bianca Johnson
  • told by 5 year old Charley Davidson where her daughter’s body was
  • brown hair

Jose Ontiveros

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • staying at a shelter in Corpus Christi
  • nephew of Yesenia
  • brother of Julio Ontiveros

Julio Ontiveros

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • questioned in the shootings of Sussman, Ellery and Barber
  • gang-banger
  • works at a body shop for Noni Bachicha
  • talks and acts tough, major attitude
  • hair shaved off at the sides
  • has been searching for his brother for years
  • raised by his aunt Yesenia

-K-

Kim Millar

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • works out of her home
  • intelligent
  • around 27 years old
  • sister of Reyes Farrow
  • daughter of Earl Walker
  • mother a drug addict that died of Hepatitis
  • abandoned by her mother on Earl Walker’s doorstep as a child
  • used by Earl Walker as a weapon to control Reyes Farrow
  • Irish looking, with dark auburn hair and light green eyes

-L-

Leland Davidson

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • retired Albuquerque police Detective
  • used Charley Davidson’s abilities to help solve crimes
  • own a bar called Calamity’s
  • kind and supportive
  • tall and slim
  • married to Denise Davidson
  • brother of Bob Davidson
  • father of Charley Davidson and Gemma Davidson Roland

Lillian

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased great great aunt of Charley Davidson
  • routinely visits Charley Davidson
  • may or may not know that she is dead
  • small framed, toothless smile
  • after death relationship with Mr. Habersham

Louise

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • former classmate of Reyes Farrow at Yucca High
  • Latina
  • curly hair and beautiful skin
  • dark brown eyes

Lowenstein, Mrs.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • neighbor of Charley Davidson and Cookie Kowalski

Luann

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • secretary of Deputy Warden Neil Gossett
  • highly efficient

-M-

Mark Weir

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • wrongfully convicted of the murder of teenager James Barilla
  • calm and collected
  • tall and gangly
  • in his 40′s
  • sandy blonde hair, kind blue eyes
  • uncle of Teddy Thomas, sister of Janie Thomas

Mary Jane Holbrook

  • first mentioned in For I Have Sinned
  • died at age 84

Melody Jo Anne Montgomery

  • first appearance in For I Have Sinned
  • infant daughter of Jo Anne Montgomery
  • mother died when she was born
  • going to be a very successful artist
  • same birthday as Charley Davidson
  • daughter of Jo Anne Montgomery, grand-daughter of Ruth Montgomery

Michelle Sussman

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • widow of Patrick Sussman
  • soft and pretty
  • honest and kind
  • large brown eyes, blonde hair
  • mother of two small children

-N-

Nancy

  • first appearance in For I Have Sinned
  • nurse at the Presbyterian Hospital
  • friend of Charley Davidson
  • Hispanic
  • short bob and almond shaped eyes
  • gorgeous

Neil Gossett

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • former high school classmate of Charley Davidson
  • high school football player
  • deputy warden of Penitentiary of New Mexico
  • former prison guard
  • slightly balding
  • tall, bulky build
  • gray eyes

Noni Bachicha

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • Santa Fe body shop owner
  • honest businessman
  • acquaintance of Charley Davidson
  • employer of Julio Ontiveros

Nora

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • administrative assistant
  • highly competent
  • works at the law firm of Sussman, Ellery and Barber

-O-

Owen Vaughn

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former school-mate of Charley Davidson
  • attempted to run Charley Davidson over with his SUV in high school

-P-

Pari

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • friend of Charley Davidson
  • talented tattoo artist
  • gave Charley Davidson the Grim Reaper tattoo she has on her shoulder

Patrick Sussman the Third

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • partner at Sussman, Ellery and Barber law firm
  • deceased “client” of Charley Davidson
  • killed by two bullets to the head
  • murder arranged by Benny Price
  • died on October 18th
  • neat and tidy, wears glasses
  • former lawyer of wrongly convicted Mark Weir
  • married to Michelle Sussman
  • father of two small children

-Q-

-R-

Reyes Alexander Farrow

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • able to come to Charley Davidson in her dreams
  • fiercely beautiful and dangerous
  • dark, intense and sensual
  • the son of Satan
  • former General in Satan’s army
  • created from a supernova and forged from Earth’s elements
  • being of unequaled power
  • left his life in Hell to be with Charley Davidson
  • appears and saves Charley Davidson’s life when she is in danger
  • first came to Charley Davidson at the moment of her birth
  • has been hiding from Satan and his army for centuries
  • sometimes appears as a dark, shadowy blur
  • taken from the family he was born to on Earth and sold to Earl Walker
  • beaten and abused by Earl Walker as a child
  • convicted of the murder of Earl Walker
  • protective of his sister Kim Millar
  • about 30 years old
  • has been in prison for 10 years
  • knows the future
  • immeasurably high I.Q.
  • had been studying to be a lawyer
  • educated himself in prison
  • Degree in criminology, Masters in computer information systems
  • saved the life of a prison guard during a riot
  • shot in prison saving a friend
  • swirling tattoo is the key to opening the gates of Hell
  • piercing mahogany brown eyes flecked with gold and green
  • thick dark hair
  • devilish grin
  • lean but muscular

Rocket

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • former mental patient, given electroshock therapy
  • lives in an abandoned mental asylum
  • had been a child during the Great Depression
  • knows the moment of everyone’s death
  • carves the names of the dead into the walls of the asylum
  • never forgets a name
  • was able to see the dead before his own death
  • almost childlike, but very strong
  • huge, but baby-faced and playful
  • obsessed with following the rules
  • hard to keep his attention focused
  • appears to be in his 40′s
  • younger sister died from dust pneumonia

Roland, Dr.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • professor
  • married to Gemma Davidson

Rosie Gutierrez Herschel

  • first mentioned First Grave on the Right
  • originally from Mexico
  • client of Charley Davidson
  • had a miscarriage after being punched by her husband
  • trying to leave her abusive husband Zeke Herschel
  • killed by her husband Zeke Herschel

Rupert

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • young Albuquerque police officer
  • part of the task force sent to capture Julio Ontiveros

Ruth Montgomery

  • first appearance in For I Have Sinned
  • mother of Jo Anne Montgomery
  • grand-mother of Melody Jo Anne Montgomery
  • beautiful and strong

-S-

Sarah Hadley

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former fiancee of Earl Walker
  • testified against Reyes Farrow
  • attracted to Reyes Farrow
  • afraid of Earl Walker

Stan Eichmann

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • lead defense attorney for Reyes Farrow

Stone, Mr.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former teacher of Reyes Farrow at Yucca High
  • wrongly accused Reyes Farrow of cheating on a test

Suzy

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former classmate of Reyes Farrow at Yucca High

-T-

Taft, Officer

  • see David Taft

Tarpley, Ms.

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • administrative assistant at Yucca High
  • worked at the school for 10 years
  • stylish
  • dark hair with red highlights
  • green eyes
  • very good looking
  • flirty with Bob Davidson
  • grand-daughter died two years ago

Teddy Weir

  • see Theodore Bradly Thomas

Theodore Bradley Thomas

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • also known as Teddy Weir
  • 16 years old
  • nephew of Mark Weir
  • kicked out of the house by his mother Janie Thomas
  • lived with his uncle
  • missing, police believed killed by uncle Mark Weir
  • friend of murdered James Barilla
  • works with Father Frederico Diaz
  • helps to rescue trafficked children
  • targeted by Benny Price
  • tall, very good looking
  • sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes

-U-

-V-

-W-

Westfield

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • student at Yucca High
  • a jock

Wong, Mr.

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • deceased “roommate” of Charley Davidson
  • hovers in the corner of Charley Davidson’s apartment
  • never moves or speaks
  • barely 5 feet tall
  • small and painfully thin
  • looks gray

Worthy, Mrs.

  • first mentioned in First Grave on the Right
  • former high school teacher of Charley Davidson

-X-

-Y-

Yesenia

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • ghost
  • Latina
  • aunt of Julio and Jose Ontiveros
  • gives Charley Davidson the information needed to question Julio Ontiveros
  • raised Julio Ontiveros

-Z-

Zeke Herschel

  • first appearance in First Grave on the Right
  • husband of Rosie Gutierrez Herschel
  • cocky and arrogant
  • abusive, a wife beater
  • over 200 pounds
  • arrested for assaulting Charley Davidson
  • murdered his wife Rosie Gutierrez Herschel
  • attempted to shoot and kill Charley Davidson
  • spine severed by Reyes Farrow
  1. #1 by LisaH on April 21, 2012 - 5:29 am

    darlin’ there’s a typo on the page. find “Ken” and replace with Leland as Charley’s dad. also, thanks for the hard work you put into this character bio.

    • #2 by kaleigha on April 21, 2012 - 3:42 pm

      Darn, thought I had done that already. I noticed the name when I was going through the second book – and of course I deleted all of my notes. Meh.

  2. #3 by Cindy McCune on April 25, 2012 - 1:29 am

    I don’t see Elaine on your list…fanatic in love with Reyes.

    • #4 by kaleigha on April 25, 2012 - 1:31 am

      Hi Cindy. Nope, I am only done book one and the novella. I had all of the notes done for books two and three…and then deleted them before I got the list updated. That means a whole new re-read of both of them. Meh, what a dufus I am, since I have done that before, too.

  3. #5 by Cindy McCune on April 25, 2012 - 3:44 am

    Come join us on Goodreads…we’re Darynda Jones *cough* Reyes fans….we talk about all the books and just have fun! I’ve been sending the girls your way :) Love your stuff!!!http://www.goodreads.com/topic/group_folder/112301 We’re also on FB https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/210374592385601/

    • #6 by kaleigha on April 25, 2012 - 3:54 am

      Thanks, Cindy! Kind of you. I will have the second and third books re-done and added before the fourth one comes out. I am playing catch up on the guides now, but I hope to have everything straightened out soon.

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