Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door

The lead investigator in the murder case, Nick Santiago, soon becomes the novel’s male romantic lead, too, though he doesn’t receive the same narrative tension as Riley on the page. In some chapters, the third-person narrator inhabits his consciousness to offer insight into his perspective; such chapters convey his conflicted feelings for Riley and create tension against her surrounding chapters.

Nick is physically attractive, charming, mysterious, and protective. Riley notes his good looks: “Tall. Broad shoulders, muscled chest. Bronze skin. Short dark hair that curled just a little on top. Assessing eyes under thick brows, full lips,” and “matching deep dimples” (24). Although she’s sure that she doesn’t want to pursue a romantic relationship, she’s immediately drawn to Nick. Riley not only enjoys looking at him but also feels comfortable and safe in his presence. She and Nick quickly engage in playful banter and sexual teasing. Their physical chemistry immediately compels them to use a fake dating scenario as their cover, which fuels their trajectory from initially disliking one another to entering a professional arrangement and eventually a committed romantic relationship.

An ex-cop, Nick is now an independent private investigator. Although his decision to leave the police force was fraught, he loves “working for himself” because he can “set his own hours” (28). Nick is especially protective of his independence in both the vocational and relational spheres. He likes to take on cases he prefers and to date women at his leisure. Most often, Nick avoids romance altogether, instead engaging in noncommittal sexual affairs. He feels confused when he meets Riley Thorn because his interest in her subverts his expectations and conflicts with his freewheeling bachelor lifestyle. Over time, however, Nick discovers that giving up some of his personal freedom is a sacrifice he’s willing to make to be with Riley. Like Riley, he proves himself to be a dynamic character who is open to change. His personal, professional, and romantic adventures throughout the novel alter his outlook on life and transform his character.

The secondary character Dickie Frick is Riley’s next-door neighbor at the start of the novel. He lives in the attic apartment across the hall from her. Although the two don’t often interact, Riley often gets annoyed with Dickie for his gauche habits; his behaviors are especially irksome because they share a bathroom. In general, Riley regards him as “a grumpy, presumably perverted old man” (6). The only other details Riley knows about him are those she gleans from hearing him come and go. He has “a job that involve[s] working late, and, depending on his mood, like[s] to watch NCIS reruns or porn” (6-7). Riley does her best to get along with him and to ignore him. Everything changes, however, when she sees a vision depicting Dickie’s murder. Riley isn’t invested in Dickie on a personal level, but she tries to warn him that he’s in danger. She notifies the police and leaves him a note; despite her efforts, Dickie disregards Riley and is killed.

Dickie’s character dies just 12 chapters into the novel. Although he doesn’t feature in its scenes, he’s the subject of the novel’s central mystery and is the “dead guy” to whom the title refers. Riley and Nick become invested in his story and learn about his past as they seek out his murderer. The longer they investigate his death, the more discoveries they make about who Dickie was and the events leading up to his murder. His aunt (Mrs. Zimmerman) makes comments indicating that Dickie wasn’t a nice person. She informs Nick that although Dickie was “a disgusting disappointment” (113), he was her family, and she wants his murderer found. During the investigation, Nick and Riley discover that Dickie was running an illegal gambling scheme out of the bar he co-owned, Nature Girls. They also learn that he was working with corrupt politicians, including state legislator Rob Bowers and the city’s mayor, Nolan Flemming. When Dickie took advantage of these relationships and they soured, he became the target of Flemming’s wrath.

The novel uses Dickie’s character as a narrative device to create tension, bring the primary love interests together, and heighten the narrative stakes. Because no one knew him well or was attached to him, his murder doesn’t create emotional upheaval. However, his death incites significant narrative conflict and action.

Riley’s family members are secondary characters who encourage Riley and provide details about her character development and her past through their interactions with her and each other. Blossom is Riley’s mother, Roger is her father, and Wander is her sister. They feature intermittently throughout the novel and help satisfy the cozy mystery trope as members of the protagonist’s quirky support group while also providing narrative humor. All of them possess special spiritual talents, and Blossom, Roger, and Wander have their own uncanny world together. They defy cultural tradition and embrace their own idiosyncrasies with verve.

Blossom insists that Riley embrace her psychic powers and learn to accept her gifts with excitement. She constantly encourages Riley, always checking in on her when she fears Riley is in danger, and never lets Riley give up on herself. Meanwhile, Roger plays more of a peripheral role. He assumes the soft-hearted paternal part, bolstering Riley when necessary but largely minding his own business. Wander is the high-powered, driven daughter whom Riley envies at times. Although she’s “proud of her sister,” Riley has never “understood [Wander’s] desire to step into the spotlight” (236). Wander was “head cheerleader and homecoming queen,” and has since created a yoga studio and run her own business (237). Riley wishes she could be more like Wander, but she also resists mimicking Wander’s lifestyle choices. Despite these disparities between the sisters’ personalities and circumstances, Riley and Wander get along. Wander never disparages Riley, instead encouraging her to take more chances and to accept life’s surprises.

Another of the novel’s secondary characters is Gabe, who satisfies the role of Riley’s archetypal guide. After Riley starts seeing intense visions of the future and becomes overwhelmed by others’ private thoughts, Gabe appears in her life to give her spiritual counseling. She’s taken aback by him the first time they meet because he doesn’t meet her expectations of what a spiritual guru might look or act like. He’s “built like a Mack truck,” has a booming voice, and is “way too happy, way too fit, and way too calm to be human” (120). Despite Gabe’s imposing stature and shocking poise, Riley gets along with him. He genuinely seems to want to help her “develop [her] connection with [her] gifts” and never judges Riley when she’s confused or frustrated (125). He offers her the guidance and clarity she needs to navigate her overwhelming psychic and clairvoyant powers.

In addition, Gabe’s character creates narrative tension because Nick is threatened by him. Riley repeatedly underscores the platonic and pedagogical nature of their relationship, but Nick can’t help feeling that Riley will fall for Gabe instead of him. In Chapter 26, for example, Nick gets upset when he discovers that Gabe is “leaving heart-shaped brownies at her door,” a sign of affection he thinks may trump his attempts to get close to Riley (188). Gabe is a charming character, but he never oversteps Riley’s boundaries or gets in Nick’s way. He’s a nonthreatening figure who offers Riley the support she needs while helping her trust her abilities, thus helping inform her thematic journey in Developing Self-Acceptance Via Personal Challenges.