Sunday, September 28, 2008

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

2nd book in the Sookie Stackhouse series.

The last thing Sookie wanted was to find Lafayette Reynold's body in the back Andy Bellefleur's car. Lafayette was the cook at Merlotte's Bar, where Sookie waited on tables. Andy was a police detective who left his car at the bar because he was too drunk to drive it home. Now Bon Temps, Louisiana is a small rural town, where murders are mercifully rare. However, anything like this is bound to be a major headache for Sookie, who is telepathic, and whose boyfriend is Vampire Bill, the town's major predator. Make that ex-predator; Bill is one of the good people, getting his nourishment from artificial blood these days. As does any vampire who wants to fit into the mainstream world.

But a simple murder case is not enough. Before Sookie and Bill can look into Lafayette's death, Eric, the local vampire leader, summons them to Shreveport. Eric has agreed to send them to Dallas, where Sookie's telepathic talents are needed to solve a disappearing vampire problem. Even before they get to Shreveport, stuff happens. Sookie has a run in with a maenad, who wants tribute from Eric, and decides to write him a note about it on Sookie's back. Bill barely gets Sookie to Eric's lair, where she can be healed. Don't expect Dallas to be any better. There, Sookie finds herself kidnapped by the local anti-vampire club, 'The Fellowship of the Sun,' and scheduled for sacrifice.

Two very different storylines going on in this story. I was impressed by how well it all tied together. Of course lots of sexual tension and blood sucking a long the way but hey it is a romance! I read the first book years ago and haven't really tried any for a long time. But with the series on HBO - Trueblood which is based on this series I thought I would give it another chance. A lot more fun than I remember it being.