Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door

The novel’s protagonist is Riley Thorn. Her parents are Roger and Blossom, and her sister is Wander. In the narrative present, Riley is 34 years old and lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Since her ex-husband Griffin Gentry cheated on her and they divorced, Riley has been living in an attic room of a mansion on Front Street. Riley doesn’t mind her living quarters, although this single life isn’t what she expected from her adulthood. She was forced to give up her job in television production after her divorce and has since taken a low-end editorial job with the marketing firm Sullivan, Hartfield, Aster, Reynolds, and Tuffley (SHART). Although she’s a natural-born psychic and is tired of her predictable life, Riley does everything in her power to avoid adventure and maintain normalcy.

Riley struggles to accept herself because she’s afraid of repeating her mistakes. As the novel opens, she’s heartbroken over her personal and professional disappointments. Although she’s a strong-willed character, she has a habit of hiding her sorrow from the world via a facade of wit and humor. However, her self-defense mechanisms keep her from maintaining relationships and enjoying her life.