# Nearly Departed in Deadwood

By Ann Charles · Deadwood Mysteries, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/nearly-departed-in-deadwood-8ab7f40b/

Violet Parker has three weeks to make her first real-estate sale or lose the job she hoped would support a fresh start in Deadwood. Girls are disappearing from town, and she fears for her daughter. Selling an unpromising old house is only one of the problems competing for her attention.

## What makes it funny?

At her first meeting with Harvey, Violet tries to keep selling while he points a shotgun at her. Their conversation wanders into his gambling debt and a disastrous attempt at bikini mud wrestling, with Violet offering customer service through her panic.

### The comedy at work

Violet’s first-person narration gives her frightened thoughts more freedom than her professional smile. The gap lets her curse a terrible referral inwardly while she tries to persuade the armed homeowner to sign a contract.

### Try this if…

A fit for readers who like a sarcastic amateur sleuth juggling work and motherhood, with romance and a little paranormal suspense around a dangerous criminal investigation.

### Good to know

Child abduction supplies the central threat. The opening includes gun threats, profanity and sexual jokes.

## What to expect

- Genre: Crime & thriller · Mystery
- On the shelf: Amateur sleuth
- Kind of humor: Banter
- Format: Novel
- Length: 390 pages
- Published: 2011

## More in Deadwood Mysteries

- Book 2: Optical Delusions in Deadwood
- Book 3: Dead Case in Deadwood
- Book 4: Better Off Dead in Deadwood
- Book 14: Cops & Clobbers in Deadwood

## A few distinguishing details

- A real-estate appointment conducted at gunpoint

## Sources & further reading

- Publisher: [Blackstone Publishing lists Nearly Departed in Deadwood by Ann Charles as a 390-page print hardcover, ISBN 9781641468978.](https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/products/book-j43y)
- Publisher: [Publisher: hardcover edition](https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/products/book-j43y)
- Book information: [Google Books: original published edition](https://books.google.com/books/about/Nearly_Departed_in_Deadwood.html?id=TXo5EAAAQBAJ)
- Review: [Review: Cyrene Olson, Uncaged Book Reviews](https://uncagedbooks.com/uncaged-review-nearly-departed-in-deadwood-by-ann-charles)
- Reading sample: [Author: chapter one excerpt](https://anncharles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1-Nearly-Departed-Excerpt.pdf)