Vampire Fiction January and February 2009

The books listed below have either a vampire main character or a vampire with an important role. I have also included one nonfiction tome.



Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson, Book 4)

by Patricia Briggs
Ace Hardcover (February 3, 2009)

From the publisher: In a world where “witches, vampires, werewolves, and shape-shifters live beside ordinary people” (Booklist), it takes a very unusual woman to call it home. By day, Mercy Thompson is a car mechanic in Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shape-shifter with some unusual talents, Mercy’s found herself maintaining a tenuous harmony between the human and the not-so- human on more than one occasion. This time she may get more than she bargained for.


Dark Haven (Chronicles of the Necromancer3)

by Gail Z Martin
Solaris (January 27, 2009








Deader Still
by Anton Strout
Ace (February 24, 2009)

From the publisher: Sequel to Dead To Me.
It’s been 737 days since the Department of Extraordinary Affairs’ last vampire incursion, but that streak appears to have ended when a boat full of dead lawyers is found in the Hudson River. Using the power of psychometry—the ability to divine the history of an object by touching it—agent Simon Canderous discovers that the booze cruise was crashed by something that sucked all the blood out of the litigators. Now, his workday may never end—until his life does.





Evil Ways (Quincey Morris 2)
by Justin Gustainis
Solaris (January 5, 2009)

From the publisher: In a story that ranges from Baghdad to Los Angeles, EVIL WAYS sees eccentric billionaire Walter Grobius attempt to unleash a devastating magical apocalypse. Quincey Morris and his partner, white witch Libby Chastain, are drawn into their deadliest case yet, but from different directions. In Los Angeles, Quincey is blackmailed by the FBI into investigating a series of ritualistic child murders. In New York, Libby barely escapes an attempt on her life by assassins armed with magical weapons. Both of these threads eventually intertwine, leading the investigators to a conspiracy so vast and diabolical as to defy belief.

The final, bloody confrontation takes place at Grobius’s isolated Idaho estate, on Walpurgis Night -- the night of the Witches’ Sabbath. Quincey and Libby, and their allies, must fight a desperate battle against immensely powerful dark forces that threaten the future of all mankind.


Grave Sins (A Cin Craven Novel)
by Jenna Maclaine
St. Martin's Paperbacks (February 3, 2009)

From the publisher: In the arms of her lover Michael, Cin Craven has found satisfaction for her most primal longings, reaching heights of pleasure no mere human could ever imagine. She has also found a purpose for her unearthly powers. Cin is a member of The Righteous, a band of slayers that hunts down vampires who inflict evil upon the world. With Michael by her side, Cin’s latest mission brings her face-to-face with Marrakesh, a beautiful, half-mad vampire queen charged with slaughtering humans. If she’s found guilty, Marrakesh will pay with her life. But Cin is convinced that someone —or something—far more ruthless is trying to steal the queen’s throne.. It’s a mission that will pit Michael and Cin against each other for the first time, awakening their darkest instincts and testing their love like never before…



In Shade and Shadow: A Novel of The Noble Dead
by Barb Hendee, J.C. Hendee
Roc Hardcover (January 6, 2009)

From the publisher: After her adventures with Magiere and Leesil, Wynn Hygeorht has returned to the Guild of Sagecraft, bearing texts supposedly penned by vampires from the time of the Forgotten History and the Great War. Seized by the Guild’s scholars and sent out for copying without Wynn’s consent, several pages disappear—and the two sages charged with conveying these pages are murdered. Suspicious of the Guild, separated from the only friends she fully trusts, and convinced the Noble Dead are responsible for the killings, Wynn embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of the texts.



Jailbait Zombie (Felix Gomez, Book 4)
by Mario Acevedo
Eos (February 24, 2009)

From the publisher: Vampires versus Zombies, round one . . . Vampire detective Felix Gomez has seen a lot of weird things since becoming one of the undead—nymphomaniacs, aliens, and X-rated bloodsuckers, just to name a few—but now he comes face-to-face with the worst sort of undead. To stop a ravenous army of zombies, Gomez must team up with a precocious teen with clairvoyant powers whose cooperation comes at a price: she won't help unless Felix makes her a vampire . . . if the zombies don't get her first.




Legacy of the Dark Kind: Blood Lament (Book 2)
by Raven Dane
Four O'Clock Press (January 20, 2009)

From the publisher: The re-animated corpse of a suicidal, junkie, male whore vampire - Jazriel's description of himself.... Others have more colourful and explicit opinions about him! Jazriel is the least obvious character to join the pantheon of literature s heroes; vain, hedonistic, insecure and not too bright. Harsher demons then most haunt him - demons like hope and optimism. He is also beautiful, charming and recklessly courageous. With the Dark Kind's future hanging in the balance, their only hope of survival is the unlikely pairing of this dissolute wreck of a blood-drinker and Gabrielle Devane, a feisty, vampire-hating human. Blood Lament continues the story of the Dark Kind; eternally youthful, amoral beings of the night, who have preyed on man since the dawn of recorded history but who now, in turn, are in danger of being preyed upon by their enemies.


Lord of Misrule (The Morganville Vampires, Book 5)
by Rachel Caine
Signet (January 6, 2009)

From the publisher: In the college town of Morganville, vampires and humans coexist in (relatively) bloodless harmony. Then comes Bishop, the master vampire who threatens to abolish all order, revive the forces of the evil dead, and let chaos rule. But Bishop isn’t the only threat.

Violent black cyclone clouds hover, promising a storm of devastating proportions as student Claire Danvers and her friends prepare to defend Morganville against elements both natural and unnatural.


One More Bite (Jaz Parks, Book 5)
by Jennifer Rardin
Orbit; 1 edition (January 5, 2009)

From the publisher:It's Jaz Parks. I've already smoked the guy who was the pain in the CIA's you-know-what for the past few years. But now, in the power vacuum left by the death of Edward "The Raptor"Samos, a struggle for supremacy has begun between his former allies. The CIA feels the balance must be maintained. So when an agent planted among the Weres discovers a plot to assassinate the Coven's leader, my vampire boss and I are brought in to take out the woman hired to do the deed, a killer who might be as wily and Gifted as ourselves. So it's off to the Scottish Highlands for some twisted fun among murderers, demons and half-crazed relatives. Sometimes being a top-secret CIA assassin isn't all it's cracked up to be.



Ravenous: The Dark Forgotten
by Sharon Ashwood
Signet (February 3, 2009)

From the publisher: A dark AND sexy paranormal romance—from an exciting debut author.

Vampires, Werewolves, and other creatures have emerged from the shadows. And some of them have sinister THINGS on their minds...

Holly Carver is a witch who sometimes relies on the help of Alessandro Caravelli for her family’s preternatural investigations business. Alessandro is the oldest and strongest vampire in Fairview—and he’s made no secret of his desire for Holly. But while she aches to succumb to his suggestive wiles, she knows it would be an invitation to trouble. Then Alessandro’s queen, Omara, complicates matters when she turns up in Fairview to enlist his help. Sultry and manipulative, she is jealous of Alessandro’s feelings for Holly, and demands he use Holly to trap Geneva—the most evil demon of all.




Real Vampires Don't Diet (Glory St. Claire, Book 4)
by Gerry Bartlett
Berkley Trade (January 6, 2009)

From the publisher: Gloriana St. Claire—curvy, stylish, and undead—is spending New Year’s Eve alone. And it’s all because her boyfriend, Jeremy Blade, is traipsing off to parts unknown to rescue his supposed daughter from the clutches of “dangerous radicals.” But just as Glory settles in for the evening, a phone call from the bodyguard of a drunk, newly-undead rock star could end her year on a crazy note.



The Reckoning (Immortals)

by Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, Robin T. Popp
Love Spell (February 24, 2009)

From the publisher: Three novellas set in the Immortals world by authors Jennifer Ashley, Joy Nash, and Robin Popp.

Werewolf Logan defies his entire pack and everything he’s ever known to protect a demon woman from the “Wolf Hunt,” by Jennifer Ashley.

A vengeful vampire thirsts to claim a “Blood Debt” from the two beings responsible for his eternal nightmare: the Old One who turned him—and the beautiful Sidhe muse who killed him (by Joy Nash).

Haunted by her past and reeling from her sister’s murder, one woman turns to a sexy spirit-walker on a ghostly cruise ship that takes them “Beyond the Mist,” by Robin T. Popp.




Road Trip of the Living Dead
by Mark Henry
Kensington (February 24, 2009)

From the publisher: Celebrity party girl Amanda Feral is back from the dead, and hungrier than ever for a good time. With her zombie gal pal Wendy and vampy gay sidekick Gil, this stone cold fox is dressed to kill, on the prowl, and ready to take a big juicy bite out of Seattle's supernatural nightlife. But what's a zombie chick to do when her 'Mommie Dearest' gets sick? If you're Amanda Feral, you can either ignore the wicked old witch - or bury the past by visiting Ethel before she kicks it. Amanda's not thrilled about the idea of crossing three states just to be criticized. But Wendy, who's always looking for fresh meat, is up for the adventure. And Gil, who just launched his 'luxury' resurrection business, needs to disappear because a pissed-off client is out for his blood. First, they pack their stiletto pumps and plasma into a skeevy rattrap on wheels that used to be a Winnebago. Then, with a little help from a Korean-ghost hood ornament, a masochist named Fishhook, and a slew of 'moderately accurate' psychics, they hit the highway - their way. Of course, they'll have to navigate past some neo-Nazi skinheads, a horny dust devil, a hunky werewolf cop (who could pass for an underwear model) and an unsightly horde of supermarket shoppers. But for this glamorous gang of ghouls this trip is about to take a dangerous detour that could give road kill a brand new meaning.




Stay the Night: A Novel of the Darkyn
by Lynn Viehl
Onyx (January 6, 2009)

From the publisher: Outlaw, immortal vampire, and art thief, Darkyn Lord Robin of Locksley has evaded authorities for the last 700 years. At the moment, he’s falling for undercover federal agent Christina Renshaw, who has no time for an affair. She hopes to snag an elusive art thief, but soon has no choice other than to join forces with Robin.

When the chase becomes dangerous, both will have to choose between losing each other and losing everything they value...



The Thirteenth (Vampire Huntress Legends)
by L. A. Banks
St. Martin's Griffin; 1 edition (February 3, 2009)

From the publisher:The final story in the now cult favorite Vampire Huntress series.

The entire Neteru Guardian team is on the run, having now been labeled as America's most-wanted terrorists following the gruesome demon battle that felled the Washington Monument and crashed the front doors of the White House. The Anti-Christ is positioned for emergence, the powers of darkness have released the pale horse of the apocalypse, and half the Neteru team is pregnant. Plagues from hell that ravage the country are being cited as stemming from bio-terrorism. The nation is under martial law. The Neterus and their team are underground. If things weren't bad enough the Dark Realm breaks the sixth Biblical seal, which plunges the world into perpetual darkness…and irrevocably into the Armageddon.


The Vampire's Revenge
by Raven Hart
Ballantine Books (January 27, 2009)

From the publisher: Jack McShane: lover, killer, seducer, family man, and vampire. In the shadows of Savannah, with its hip nightspots and moss-draped oak trees, Jack is trying to save humankind from a threat it doesn’t know it faces: an explosion of the otherworldly, the weird, the wanton, and the wicked.

Tourists are heading to Savannah for St. Patrick’s Day–and Jack is racing through tunnels below the city to the edge of Hell itself to hold off a plot posed by the double-dead and demented. But Jack must also hold off his own desire for Connie Jones, the beautiful cop he turned into a vampire slayer. Connie, her blood running hotter than she can handle, can’t imagine the games that Jack is playing with her body and her mind, or that the other monster she’s falling in love with is all part of his devious plan.

Welcome to the world of Jack McShane, a blue-eyed vampire who knows how crazy things can get–once you get a little taste for blood.




Vamps #2: Night Life
by Nancy A. Collins
HarperTeen (January 27, 2009)

From the publisher: Fashion victim just got a whole new meaning.

When vampire heiress Lilith Todd decides she wants a modeling career, she won't let her father stop her—even if he does threaten to cut off her credit cards. Lilith's rival, Cally Monture, is in a different kind of hot water. Her boyfriend, Peter, is a vampire hunter—a sexy, sensitive soul mate who just happens to be sworn to destroy her entire race. With the Rauhnacht Grand Ball fast approaching, both girls need the same things: a handsome escort and a dress to die for. But in a sea of shifting and dangerous loyalties, there's no telling who will betray them next.

Note: Nancy Collins wrote the Sonja Blue vampire novels. Still one of my all time favorite series.



White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows, Book 7)
by Kim Harrison
Eos (February 24, 2009)

From the publisher: Some wounds take time to heal . . . and some scars never fade.

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken her fair share of hits, and has broken lines she swore she would never cross. But when her lover was murdered, it left a deeper wound than Rachel ever imagined, and now she won't rest until his death is solved . . . and avenged. Whatever the cost.

Yet the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and when a new predator moves to the apex of the Inderlander food chain, Rachel's past comes back to haunt her.

Literally.



Wolferain and The Vampires of Congo
by Mick Van Wes
Publisher: Lulu.com, 2009

Description: August 1835... Wolferain awoke atop a tree house he had built ages ago. He stood, overseeing the rainforest he protected and called home. Something was different today. He understood his five senses. Today another sense seemed to be crawling out from centuries long ago. Something was not right in the jungle. He could not have known that Daemon Drago, a seven hundred year old vampire, had found a new place to live nor that Daemon was a kind of foe that he had never faced before, more powerful, possessing centuries of knowledge and filled with an unquenchable thirst. Nor, as Wolferain began racing through the treetops, could he suspect the effect a vampire bite would have upon his friends, the gorillas of Congo.

NONFICTION

The Everything Vampire Book: From Vlad the Impaler to the vampire Lestat - a history of vampires in Literature, Film, and Legend (Everything Series)
by Barb Karg, Arjean Spaite, Rick Sutherland
Adams Media (January 17, 2009)

From the publisher: From Bram Stoker's "Dracula", to Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series, vampires have fascinated and frightened young and old alike for centuries. Whether it is an evil, sharp-fanged creature who appears from the mist, or a handsome, erotic man or woman of mystery, the vampire in all its incarnations is one of the most popular and intriguing characters of literature and film. Vampires alternately terrorize and become objects to be idolized and desired. "The Everything[registered] Vampire Book" examines their notorious history and legends, their evolution and portrayal in books, television, and cinema, and the on going fascination with the 'vampire lifestyle'.