Club Dead

Club Dead
Author: Charlaine Harris
Ace, 2003
292 pages

Ahhh, there's nothing quite like a short, easy-to-read book when it took you a month to read the previously read book.

We're back with Sookie Stackhouse and the rest of the True Blood gang in this third-in-a-series paranormal yarn about a Louisiana waitress and her two hundred year-old vampire boyfriend. This time Bill the vampire goes missing while working on a top-secret assignment. Unfortunately, Sookie hears rumors that he's reunited with an old vampire flame, Lorena. Needless to say, she's not very happy about that, especially when there are so many other potential suitors around vying for her attention, such as Eric Northman (the vampire "sheriff" of Area 5 in Louisiana, which includes Sookie's hometown of Bon Temps) and Alcide, the really nice werewolf who's been hired to take her to Jackson to look for Bill.

In Jackson, Sookie learns all about werewolves and more about shape shifters, increasing her knowledge of Supes (creatures with supernatural powers). While a guest at Club Dead - the nickname for a mysterious bar frequented mostly by Supes - Sookie meets the vampire king of Mississippi and saves him from an assassination attempt. This provides her access to the king's castle, where with the help of a few friends (including Bubba, the never stated but heavily implied Elvis in vampire form), she learns Bill's fate.

Will she rescue him? Will they break up over his behavior? You'll have to read Club Dead to find out. Which unless you're a True Blood or paranormal romance fan, you probably won't. I realize that. But for some weird reason I'm hooked, and I plan to read this entire series.