Calliope Reaper-Jones

Calliope Reaper-Jones by Amber Benson

Genres and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy / Chic-Lit / Fantasy-Mystery

Per author: urban, chick-lit fantasy
Reader: supernatural-horror/chick-lit

Series Description or Overview[]

The author pulls from religion and mythology in creating this magical universe. ~

Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig's List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss... But when her father—who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle—only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first. ~ Death's Daughter by Amber Benson

Books in Series[]

Calliope Reaper-Jones:

Death's Daughter (2009)
Cat's Claw (2010)
Serpent's Storm (2011)
How to be Death (2012)
The Golden Age of Death (2013)

Shorts, Novellas, Anthologies and Guides[]

1.5. "Callie Meet Happy" in An Apple for the Creature (2012)

World Building[]

Setting[]

New York City, Hell,

Other Places:

Sea Verge: Family Estate, where Callie lives with her family at the onset of the story
Purgatory: (bk-2)
Las Vegas: (bk-2)
Ancient Egypt: (bk-2)
New Port, Rhode-Island: location of Sea Verge
Hall of Records: in Purgatory, contains records of deaths
Heaven:
Manhattan:
Alameda:
Paris:
California:
Zinia:

Supernatural Elements[]

Reaper, Death, faun, Siren, hellhound, devil, gods, demons, Japanese sea dragon/god, various demonic creatures, wormholes, lock ness monster-like creature, werewolf, Harvesters, Minx, Valkyrie, Forgetting Charm, Egyptian gods, time travel, , , ,

Glossary:

Cerberus: 3-headed dog (Hellhound),
Harvesters:

Organizations:

Death Inc: Callie inherits CEO slot on the company Board

World[]

The heroine of the series is Calliope (Callie) Reaper-Jones, who is Death's Daughter. She lives on the family estate, Sea Verge, with her family, which comprises her parents, her older (evil and greedy) sister, Thalia, and her younger (sweeter) sister, Clio. Callie's mother is a Siren who eventually gives in to her longing for the sea. Other continuing characters include Death's executive assistant, Jarvis (a faun); and Daniel, the devil's sexy protege (and Callie's ongoing love interest). A motley array of goddesses and devil-related beings play smaller roles. There are few human characters. ~ Fang-tastic Fiction

Protagonist[]

Callie is the typical wisecracking, fashion-loving, career-minded chick-lit heroine, with her big mouth always getting her into trouble. She approaches life's problems like a spoiled brat—never wanting to take much responsibility for her own actions and relying on others to help her out of bad situations. As one character sums it up for her in Serpent's Storm, "You are Death's Daughter....But you act like Death's idiot. What do you have against thinking for yourself?" (p. 121) ~ Fang-tastic Fiction: CALLIOPE REAPER-JONES

Callie wants "Sex in the City" and she is stuck with "Dante's Inferno".

Sidekick — "Runt"[]

"Runt" or Giselda — female Hellhound — sidekick to Callie — talking, sentient

Characters[]

Character Resources:

Characters	What	About
"Callie" Calliope Reaper-Jones	Death's Daughter; mother is a Siren	She lives on the family estate, Sea Verge, with her family
"Runt", Giselda	female Hellhound, sidekick	talking, sentient, becomes her sidekick
Daniel	Devil's protege;	attempts hostile takeover of Death, Inc.; Callie's boyfriend; trying to change the landscape of Hell
Death	Grim Reaper	Callie's father: kidnapped in book one; assistant: Jarvis;
Jarvis	faun	Death's Executive Assistant; showed up to tell her that dad has been kidnapped
Thalia	older sister	evil and greedy; tried to overthrow Death Inc. and her own father the Grim Reaper; escaped Purgatory, deal wiht Devil to overtake Death, Inc. (bk3);
Madame Papillon	aura reader	gives magic lessons to Callie; has rude Minx
Watatsumi	Water God	shifts into a Purple Jellyfish;
Hyacinth (Hy) Stewart	Callie's boss	Sales for Home and Yard a company that supplies the Home Shopping Network
Marcel	The Ender of Death	father’s archenemy
Edgar Freezay	Detective Inspector	a supernatural Sherlock Holmes
Father McGee	family lawyer	betrayed them to Marcel
Cerberus	three-headed dog	Hellhound; guards the gates to Hell
Vargr	werewolf
Kali
Uriah Drood
Senenmut	architect of the Egyptian Pyramids	Cerberous "favor" from Callie is to find him, due at the Gates 1,000 years ago;
Bast	Egyptian goddess	Queen of Cats, villain
"Sumi", Watatsumi	Purple Jellyfish	appears as a Japanese male, and shifts into a Purple Jellyfish
Madame Papillon		requested by Calliope's parents to give magic lessons to her; Minx: Muna;

To expand the table, right-press on a row of the table or (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add row.

Author[]

Amber Benson

Website:

Bio: Amber Nicole Benson was born in Birmingham Alabama. She is best known for her portrayal of Tara Maclay in the TV series Buffy the vampire slayer, but there is a lot more to this amazing woman than that. While working on Buffy she wrote, directed, produced, edited and acted in Chance a film that also featured James Marsters. Following this she worked on a series of animated films for the BBC with the co-creator Christopher Golden called Ghosts of Albion: legacy. She has continued to create her own work through her production company Benson Entertainment including her second film Lovers Liars and Lunatics.

Amber is also an accomplished author having worked on novels and comic books including Willow and Tara Buffy the vampire slayer comics, short stories, and the continuation of the Ghosts of Albion animation again with Christopher Golden. This incredibly talented woman also has a lovely singing voice which can be heard on the soundtrack for the Buffy episode Once More With Feeling. As well as this she made an appearance on a VH1 celebrity karaoke tribute to The Rocky Horror Show when she sang "Toucha Toucha Touch me". ~ Amber Benson - FF

Other Series by Author[]

Ghosts of Albion ~ Link
The Witches of Echo Park ~ Link

Cover Artist[]

Artist: Spiral Studio - ISFdb Summary Bibliography

Publishing Information[]

Publisher: Ace
Author Page:
Bk-1: Paperback, 359 pages, Pub: Feb 24, 2009—ISBN: 0441016944

Book Cover Blurbs[]

✤ BOOK ONE—Death's Daughter (2009): Buffy fans will go wild!

SHE WAS TARA ON BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

Now she's the author of Ace's hottest new series - killer novels featuring Calliope Reaper-Jones, who doesn't want to be daddy's little girl anymore...

Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig's List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...

But when her father-who happens to be Death himself—is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle - only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first. ~ Death's Daughter (Calliope Reaper-Jones, book 1) - FF

✤ BOOK TWO—Cat's Claw (2010): Calliope Reaper-Jones is Death's Daughter. She owes a debt to Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards the gate's of hell-a debt that involves a trip to Purgatory, Las Vegas, ancient Egypt, and a discount department store that's more frightening than any supernatural creature she'll ever encounter. ~ #2 Goodreads

✤ BOOK THREE—Serpent's Storm (2011): Calliope just wants to make it big in the Big Apple like any other working girl. But Callie is also Death's Daughter, no matter how much she tries to stay out of the family business. And now her older sister has made a deal with the Devil himself to engage in a hostile takeover of both Death Inc. and Heaven-once they get Callie out of the way. ~ #3 Goodreads

✤ BOOK FOUR—How to be Death (2012): All Calliope Reaper-Jones ever wanted out of life was a fabulous job in New York City and a really hot boyfriend. But now, she's the brand-new President of Death, Inc. With the Board of Death breathing down her neck and her dad's copy of How to be Death (A Fully Annotated Guide) unopened, Callie's really feeling the tension. And when the guide book is stolen at a fancy formal dinner, Callie has to figure out how to be the boss--before the powers held within the book get out and destroy humanity forever... ~ #4 Goodreads

✤ BOOK FIVE—The Golden Age of Death (Feb 26, 2013): Meet Amber Benson's "authentically original creation" (Locus)…

My name is Calliope Reaper-Jones (Callie to my friends). I’m Death’s Daughter and—as of very recently—the (reluctant) head of my father’s company, Death, Inc.

I was gradually learning how to be a businesswoman. Had the power suits and shoes down, though the day to day was slow going. Then I was blindsided by Enemies Unknown and sent off to I-don’t-know-where. Not a good thing.

Now not only must my friends and family be frantic, but without a CEO, Death, Inc., can’t function. With the newly deceased left free to roam the Earth, it’s the zombie apocalypse come true.

I’ve got to get back—for my sake and the sake of, oh, all humanity… ~ #5 Goodreads

First Sentences[]

Death's Daughter: My name is Calliope Reaper-Jones, and I think I'm losing my mind.
Cat's Claw:
Serpent's Storm:
How to be Death:
The Golden Age of Death: