Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Released: 2001

Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark introduces Sookie Stackhouse, a 25-year old virginal bar waitress in Louisiana who has the gift of reading minds. The novel is set during an alternate time in which vampires are real and nearly socially acceptable. When Sookie becomes directly involved in a murder, a vampire named Bill steps in to help keep her safe, and the two become romantically involved.

Contrary to many vampire erotica-like novels in this day and age, the heroine and protagonist Sookie Stackhouse is written to be innocent and beautiful, which is quite funny and hard to believe given the supporting characters and setting. On the contrary though, by no means should this mystery be considered a light and humorous cozy. The murders and outcomes of the characters will cause your jaw to drop on numerous occassions throughout the book.


I'm disappointed in Bill's character because I don't find him appealing or sexy for a dark and brooding vampire. In some cases, he doesn't stand up for Sookie as a man and her boyfriend in specific scenes where certain confrontations involve other, more dangerous vampires. Bill is boring and has no charm or wit. On the other hand, I really enjoy reading about Sam, Sookie's boss at the bar, who actually is charming and more of a man than Bill.

As for the mystery itself, any experienced mystery-solver will be able to determine "whodunnit". A TV series called True Blood has been inspired by the Sookie Stackhouse books, and has generated a cult following.

                  

I didn't feel the book had any redeeming qualities and I couldn't get through the first episode of True Blood. Good luck to readers who want to give this series a try! Dead Until Dark follows with Living Dead in Dallas and continues with Club Dead and Dead to the World.