Juana Burkett

Juana Burkett is a character created by George Pelecanos. She appears in the novel Right as Rain. She is a waitress at Rosita's. She has a relationship with Terry Quinn.

Background
Juana grew up in the Bronx, New York and still has her accent. She is the daughter of a Puerto Rican mother and an African American father. She says that her varied background sometimes makes her feel comfortable in a variety of settings and sometimes in none.

She has long, curly black hair, brown skin and near black eyes. She has a mole on her cheek to above and to the right of her upper lip. She has a slight build, with slender shoulders, smallish breasts and a round bottom.

Juana is studying law in Washington and working as a waitress to pay her college fees. She drives a Volkswagen Beetle.

Right as Rain
Juana catches the attention of Terry Quinn when she shops at the used book store where he works. He tracks her down at work and asks her out. They go on a date together after her shift, heading to Crisfield's for oysters and coleslaw. Juana recognises Quinn from the media coverage of his exit from the police force following his fatal shooting of Chris Wilson. She is unfazed by his past and appreciates his openness, the fact that he listens to what she has to say and is not boastful.