Harper Connelly Mysteries


The Harper Connelly Mysteries is a series of fantasy mystery novels written by Charlaine Harris, and first published in 2005. Harris is known best for penning The Southern Vampire Mysteries, a series rich in supernatural characters such as vampires, telepaths, werewolves, shapeshifters and fairies; she has also written more traditional mysteries. The Harper Connelly Mysteries is also centered on a character with supernatural abilities, however these abilities are more subtle than in The Southern Vampire Mysteries.
The series is narrated by 24-year-old Harper Connelly, who comes from a self-professed “riches to rags” family. Her mother married a man when Harper was a teenager, and she acquired a step-brother, Tolliver, in the process. They watched their parents succumb to drugs and their family life reduced to nothing. At 15, Harper was struck by lightning, a life-altering event that left her with the unique ability to sense dead people. When near a dead person, she can hear a “buzzing sound” that intensifies if the death is more recent. Along with this ability, she can see how the person died, but in the case of murders, not the identity of the murderer. Intent on making the most of her situation, Harper and Tolliver charge customers who are in need of her special talent.

The Harper Connelly Novels

  1. Grave Sight,
  2. Grave Surprise,
  3. An Ice Cold Grave,
  4. Grave Secret,

    Characters

Main characters

Harper Connelly: The main character, Harper is 24 years old in the first novel of the series. As a result of being struck by lightning at the age of 15, Harper can find dead bodies by sensing a buzzing sound when they are near. In addition, she can see their cause of death.
Tolliver Lang: Tolliver is Harper’s stepbrother, and is 28 years old in the first novel of the series. Harper’s mother married Tolliver’s father when Harper was a teenager and they have relied on each other for strength ever since. After Harper acquired her unique ability to sense the dead, Tolliver became her manager and travels with her, booking appointments with customers. There is a certain degree of sexual tension between Tolliver and Harper, and they both must deal with their feelings for each other as well as their status as stepsiblings.

Recurring characters

was developing a series based on the Harper Connelly Mysteries series with Ridley Scott and Tony Scott as executive producers. Charlaine Harris later stated that CBS had passed on the show and it would not be adapted.
In April 2012, Charlaine confirmed that SyFy was making a television adaption of the Harper Connelly Mysteries series.