Storm Front CD (The Dresden Files, Book 1)

Product Description

Storm Front Audio Book
Written By Jim Butcher
Narrated By James Marsters (Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer & Angel)

My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. I'm a wizard. I work out of an office in midtown Chicago. As far as I know, I'm the only openly practicing professional wizard in the country. You can find me in the yellow pages, under Wizards. Believe it or not, I'm the only one there.

My ad looks like this:
HARRY DRESDEN--WIZARD
Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations.
Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates.
No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties
or Other Entertainment

With rent past due and a decent meal becoming an issue of some importance, Harry needs work, and soon. A call from a distraught wife, and another from Lt Murphy of the Chicago PD Special Investigation Unit makes Harry believe things are looking up, but they are about to get worse, much worse. Someone is harnessing immense supernatural forces to commit a series of grisly murders. Someone has violated the first law of magic: Thou Shalt Not Kill. Tracking that someone takes Harry into the dangerous underbelly of Chicago, from mobsters to vampires, while he himself is under suspicion of the crimes. One thing is certain, if he can't stop whoever is on this killing spree, Harry will be the next victim.

Customer Reviews:

Has everything a good book should!!.......2007-10-09

This book has everything that a good book should. It has action, thrills, the ocult in a very believeable and down to earth situation. It also makes you want to just up and shake Harry from time to time!!! I loved it!!!

The Dresden Files - How did I miss these????.......2007-09-30

A few weeks ago I ended up purchasing book 1 of the Dresden Files, Storm Front, deciding I would give it a chance. I believe I was reading a Christopher Golden Book (The Veil or the newest Menagerie Book) and saw something in the back about Butcher's books. Oh my gosh, I could not believe when I started reading the books that I missed out on them for so many years. From the first pages, I was hooked and looked forward to purchasing EVERY other book in the series. I haven't watched the show based on the books yet, but if it is 10% as good as this series, I'm all over it! If you like books about the modern world with hidden underpinnings of the supernatural, please give the series a try, you will not be disappointed!

Awesome.......2007-09-28

I stumbled onto the SciFi Channel series and finally got around to picking up some of the books.

I love the TV series but this book is so much better. I hope Jim Butcher is up to writing these for a long time.

Great. Just great!

Another wizard named Harry.......2007-09-26

I must confess that my affection for the short-lived TV series was what roused my curiosity and got me reading this book. I don't do detective novels, but this time I made an exception. The Harry Dresden series as a whole is one long, continuous story, a sort of combination of Sam Spade, Kolchak the Nightstalker, Harry Potter, and manages to throw in almost every element of the fantasy genre that their author could conjure up.

This first book in the series, "Storm Front", is the only one adapted for TV. The book is, of course, a lot longer and more complex, much more intense, the characters are drawn out in greater depth, and also, a great deal funnier. As in most of the Harry Dresden adventures, our hero is confronted with a supernatural menace that nearly brings about his destruction, only to foil his enemy at the very last moment. Along the way, he meets the love of his life, Susan, is forced into aquaintence with a mob leader, deals with a supernatural enemy, and of course has a wonderfully exciting, comical battle with giant scorpions and a demonic toad, all on a disastrous first date.

Harry is not only a guy you can believe in and feel for, but a true superhero.

Pretty good.......2007-09-23

Not bad at all. To be fair I watched TV series before I listened to the first book, and it seems they changed quite a few things in the TV series in regards to the relationships between characters.

The book does a good job of explaining some of the logic behind the magic in Dresden's world. The one thing I really do like (Butcher barely touches the idea in this book but it becomes more prevalent in later books) is that Dresden's brand of magic is not the only source of supernatural power in his world. Power can come from other faiths and beliefs as well.

Quite a few things were predictable but overall I would say the book was interesting enough to keep me reading on to the next book. Especially because I heard from those who read all the books thus far that the series becomes much better especially by the end of book 3.

Average customer rating:

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series
Vampire files vol. 2
ElrodJFseries1

The Vampire Files, Vol II
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441014275

Book Description

The Vampire Files, Volume Two includes three adventures featuring Jack Fleming, Vampire P.I. in prohibition-era Chicago, walking the line between both sides of the law-as well as the line between human and inhuman.

Customer Reviews:

Books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series.......2007-08-21

This is a collection of books 4-6 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series and contains entertaining supernatural stories which leaven the 'vampire' moments with the humanity of our bloodsucking protagonist, Jack. He's a great hero because he's fallible, seems to get shot and knocked out rather regularly, cares for his girlfriend Bobbi and his friend Charles Escott and tends to blunder around not being quite sure what he's doing a lot of the time. Perhaps his blundering and being shot may pall over time but at the moment it makes for a very different, and very likeable, hero.

ART IN THE BLOOD
"Art in the Blood" sees Jack coming to the rescue of a man at a party and then being sucked into problems within the art world. Alex Adrian was a famous artist but hasn't done anything since his wife committed suicide; Evan Robley and his sister Sandra are also artists and when more suspicious events start taking place, including a death for which Alex Adrian might be responsible, Jack and Escott have to unravel the plot and work out what's really going on. The Chicago underworld plays its part as usual with more dodgy characters who have it in for Jack and Escott.

This story gives us more of an insight into the relationship between Jack and Bobbi as well as Jack needing to use his powers of vampire hypnosis more and more, leading to more people finding out what he truly is. It's another great read with a lighthearted feel and yet sometimes a darker undertone.

FIRE IN THE BLOOD
The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.

BLOOD ON THE WATER
This story starts directly after "Fire In The Blood" and I think it would probably be rather difficult to understand everything that's going on, along with the fairly large cast of characters, without reading some of the previous books.

Jack Fleming, Vampire, had a bit of a shock in the last book when his vampiric nature got away from him and he nearly killed a woman. He's still struggling with the aftermath of those events in this story and is unwilling to use his hypnosis skills but equally doesn't want to talk about it to the rather perceptive Charles Escott, his partner.

The 'baddie', Vaughn Kyler, who we first met in the last book plays a significant role in the beginning of this story when he gives Jack the ultimatum to leave town or die. This gives Jack huge moral qualms - Jack knows that if he doesn't kill Kyler then neither Charles nor Bobbi will be safe, and yet how can he become a murderer? I think the way that the author showed Jack's fears about this was excellent.

In this story everyone is still chasing the bracelet from the last book and Jack enlists the help of Gordy, another local crime boss who's helped them in the past. Unfortunately a turf war seems to be breaking out with a new entrant, Angela Paco, playing her part as well. The three-sided war looks to be unstoppable and Jack has to decide on his actions with Kyler.

Once again, as in most of the other stories, Jack gets himself into various fixes and nearly dies. His physical limits are tested in a new way and there is more violence surrounding him. In the earlier books there was a lot of situation comedy where Jack was acting like a ghost and it happens again, very amusingly, in this book. However the turf war in this book lends it a darker feel and no doubt sets up for further instalments.

In short, it's another good read and we're getting further and further into Jack's character as the stories continue but this wouldn't be a good first book for a reader in this series.

Vampire files vol. 2.......2007-01-29

This was a fantastic book that I look forward to reading again and again in the future, it had a great story line that follows the first vol.
The author knows how to write a great book thats for sure.

ElrodJFseries1.......2007-01-07

This is a great book and a great value. The first 3 Jack Fleming novels together! Fleming is my fav of Elrod's characters and this series with it's "Dracula meets Mike Hammer PI" is fantastic.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Books
First three in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series
exactly as I expected
enjoyed bought the whole series
Captivating!!!

The Vampire Files
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441010903
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Book Description

Bloodlist introduces Jack Fleming, an investigative journalist in Prohibition-era Chicago who got bitten by a vampire.

In Lifeblood and Bloodcircle Jack hunted for the men who killed him, and for his long-lost love, Maureen. Now, the original vampire-noir cult classics by P.N. Elrod are together for the first time in one volume-easier for fans to sink their teeth into.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Books.......2007-08-05

Set in 1936, our hero finds himself on a shore with a man tyring to kill him. The series of books follow Jack's adventures to find out why someone whats to kill him and his search to find his lover Maureen. Excellent light reads 9/10

First three in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series.......2007-08-01

PN Elrod's "Jack Fleming, Vampire PI" series is a great read with humour and a fantastic setting in 1930s Chicago with film noir aspects. This collection of the first three stories is excellent value for money.

BLOODLIST
The story begins with "Bloodlist" where we meet Jack Fleming waking up having crawled out of the sea. No sooner has he staggered to the road when a passing driver clips him with his bumper - clearly on purpose. Jack finds himself in discussion with the car driver and discovers that he is supposed to be dead, killed because he wouldn't tell people where an important list was hidden.

Jack realises pretty quickly that he has become a vampire. Fortunately he knows about the vampire life, having had a vampire girlfriend previously, and he prepares his life accordingly (fetching some of his home earth, finding somewhere safe to sleep the day, feeding from the stockyards). Elrod gives her own particular selection of traits to vampires - garlic, crosses and invitations into rooms don't work, disappearing, extra strength and glamour do. What's fun about this story is that we learn about Jack's skills and nature as he does and because he's clearly not evil, just a pleasant and friendly ex-reporter who wants to get to the bottom of his own death.

Chicago is a city of gangsters and other dodgy types in this story and Jack falls foul of several of them. What's great about Jack as a character is that if he were fully human he would have died multiple times as he really isn't quite up to dealing with these characters. However his vampire nature gets him out of a lot of sticky situations and also enables him to have a great time scaring some of the people who were involved in his death. Assisted by the trusty Charles Escott, a brave private agent and sometime actor, the two of them try to find out why Jack was killed and what was on the list. In the course of their investigations Jack meets Bobbi, girlfriend to one of the gangsters and a surprisingly phlegmatic person who seems able to cope with his vampiric nature.

There are a lot of amusing jokes and allusions to various books and films which went over the head of this relatively young English reader but that didn't matter as the story was always enjoyable. The best parts are when Jack is 'haunting' his killers but the fun is interspersed with some serious moments as he slowly begins to remember all that they did to him and to come to terms with his new nature.

This is an excellent first story in the series and Jack is a great new character, both as a vampire and also as a slightly hapless investigator.

LIFEBLOOD
The second story, "Lifeblood", takes place just a few weeks after the first story finishes. Jack and Bobbi have settled into some kind of a relationship and Jack also spends some of his time helping Escott with his private investigations. However they soon decide that it would be wise for Jack to have some more of his home earth stored at Escott's place in case he has a problem with returning to his hotel room so Jack drives 'home' to Ohio to collect it. On the way he realises he is being followed and eventually has a showdown with the two people in the car - vampire hunters. They're obviously both rather loony and have read far too many vampire novels, thinking that they are safe from Jack with their garlic and crosses. He gives them a flat tyre and then continues on his way.

Once he's collected the earth he passes his parents' house to find the vampire hunters are there. He chases them off, then returns to Chicago but worried about his parents. Unfortunately he hasn't completely escaped the vampire hunters and they start to plague him in Chicago; he's worried about Bobbi and whether they will go after her. His attention is also taken by an old woman, Gaylen Dumont, who has responded to his adverts in the papers asking for Maureen to contact him (Maureen is his lost love and the vampire who made him). Gaylen is Maureen's sister, now 74 years old, and she gives Escott some information which might help him to find Maureen. However there's more to Gaylen than Jack initially realises and more danger to Bobbi than just from the vampire hunters. Jack is faced with an impossible situation, one that he realises Maureen found herself in, and it's only with the help of Escott his friend that he can survive at all.

This story is more gritty perhaps than the first as we have more emotional engagement from Jack. Being a vampire makes him mostly bombproof but it doesn't mean that he isn't extremely vulnerable because of the friendships he has made and because of his family. The story is always interesting with some great humorous touches and Jack as a character is always very appealing. I found that as a reader I really cared about what happened to him and wanted things to work out well for him. It's a great second book in the series and possibly could be read as a standalone book although it might seem rather complex. The ending leaves the question of Maureen still unresolved and this is dealt with more fully in the third book.

BLOODCIRCLE
The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

exactly as I expected .......2007-05-26

I received the book within the time frame specified and it was in great condition

enjoyed bought the whole series.......2007-05-12

What a concept a vampire reporter, working for a detective, fighting the mob. Fast paced, witty, and complex at the same time, keeps one guessing.
Like it so much bought the series.

Captivating!!!.......2007-05-06

I'm not going to review the plot of the stories here. Other reviewers have done a great job and I owe them a debt of gratitude for introducing me to Elrod's story. What I will address here is just how compelling the stories are. Rarely do I find myself drawn to think about a storyline and/or character during every waking moment, but I couldn't stop myself. Are Elrod's stories stuff of great literature like War and Peace or The Three Musketeers? No. Are these three stories captivating? ABSOLUTELY! Elrod's writing flows smoothly, her characters are interesting, funny, and the reader can fully identify with them. The vampire issue is just a mild charater feature and add on. I simply couldn't stop reading the stories.

I was happy to have this volume rather than three separate books. This way, once I was finished with one story, I could plow on ahead into the next. And I did that more nights than I should have. I stayed up way late past my bedtime reading them. These three stories really flow like one continuous story with mild plot adjustments kinda forcing you to read on into the next story. The Vampire Files and the story of Jack Fleming are addictive. The type is easy enough to read and the book paper is fairly durable. That's important 'cause I'm going to be reading this volume again. Sooner rather than later if I don't get Vol 2 fast enough. (It's in the mail as I write this.)

Have fun with this series. Elrod did. But remember to get some sleep.

Lady Crymsyn: A Novel of the Vampire Files

Average customer rating:

Lady Crymsyn: A Novel of the Vampire Files
Character development more interesting than plot.
Another Fine Effort by Elrod
gumshoes in the supernatural
Miss Elrod you are breathtaking!

Lady Crymsyn: A Novel of the Vampire Files
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0441007244
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Book Description

Spiked with "a flavor of the supernatural" (Science Fiction Chronicle), P. N. Elrod's series, The Vampire Files, goes one step beyond detective noir. Its hero is Jack Fleming, a private detective on the right side of the law-but on the wrong side of the living-in post-prohibition Chicago. This vampire-turned-gumshoe will take on mobsters, monsters, and everything in between. Now, in Lady Crymsyn, Fleming tries to find a good-time girl gone bad, who may have been the victim of a premature burial...

Praise for The Vampire Files series:

"Elrod's treatment of the practical aspects of vampirism is clever and refreshing."-Booklist

"Echoes of Hammett and Chandler abound...an entertaining exercise in supernatural noir."-Publishers Weekly

"Plenty of action, full of twists and betrayals, and the quirky characters and many touches of period flavor keep things amusing."-Locus

"Snappy vampire-with-a-conscience yarn, laced with blackish humor."-Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

Lady Crymsyn: A Novel of the Vampire Files.......2007-08-26

I want more!!! I have read all the Vampire Files and I want more. This was on par with the other books, getting darker all the while. PN Elrod may not be the best writer out there, but I throughly enjoy reading her books.

Character development more interesting than plot........2002-09-03

Like the rest of the books in this series, "Lady Crymsyn" was written in a unique style of writing that evokes a person from the 1920s speaking directly to the reader. As usual, the main character Jack- a former reporter turned vampire and private detective- has to solve a mystery, in this case who killed the woman found walled up in the basement of his new nightclub.

However, this book is different from previous books in some key ways. The main character, Jack, is changing. He does a few things in this story that he would never have done a few books back, and at times I wanted to whack him for being stupid and immoral at the same time. The changes are subtle, though, and Jack is still usually a good person. Although I enjoyed the book less because of the changes in Jack, I can not rate it poorly because it is clear that this is simply the author's decision, and the writing is nonetheless excellent.

Personally, I was not very interested in the plot of this book. The complex, twisting plot did not hold my attention as much as it could have. Also, the story was darker than previous tales, and I found the ending rather depressing.

I was pleased that mob boss Gordy was featured in this book, althought unfortunately Shoe Coldfield made only a few brief appearances.

All in all, it was an entertaining book, worth the [money]. Despite the darker aspects of the book, it had many humorous moments as well. And it is a sign of a healthy book series when the characters change, rather than becoming fossilized in recycled plots. I recommend this book highly, and only gave it 4 stars because at times the plot seemed a little convoluted and in one scene I thought that the author was trying a little too hard to make Jack seem like a good person.

Another Fine Effort by Elrod.......2002-05-14

It's been interesting watching P.N. Elrod grow as a writer. The first six books of her Vampire Files were decent, but quickly fell into formulaic and uninspired writing. With A DARK SLEEP, and now LADY CRYMSYN, she has produced two first rate mysteries, with familiar, comfortable, and interesting characters that follower's of the series will relish.

In LADY CRYMSYN we find Jack Fleming - vampire, nightclub owner thrown into a mystery when he finds the remains of a woman who has been walled up in the basement of his nightclub. There are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises along the way. Thumbs up.

gumshoes in the supernatural.......2002-02-04

This is the eighth in Elrod's Vampire Files series. Like all the others, it is a very good and very quick read. The hero is a mild-mannered reporter turned private investigator in post-Prohibition Chicago. And, oh by the way, he's a vampire.

I really enjoy this series. The characters are believable, the plot is engaging and the style is right out of the old gumshoe pulps. To me, the best part of the series is that the hero's vampirism is almost an afterthought. He has real ambitions and real concerns. And some supernatural abilities (and limitations) that both help and hinder him. If you like the old detective magazines, you'll love this twist.

Miss Elrod you are breathtaking!.......2001-05-17

"lady crymsyn" is just another one in a series of absolute perfection! The whole Vampire files is collectively addictive! The characters are alive and vivid, and As I have just finished reading this book, I am sad.....I want MORE! In this story Jack gets his UNlife long wish, and then some! He gets an ugly , terrible mystery, and it will take all his skills to solve the problems he faces, but no fear Jack is on the job.............I couldnt put it down! I hate to sound like a cliche-machine, but this has more twists and turns, than any roller-coaster ride..........I hope I have enough tickets to get back on again, because I want to ride it again! I shouldnt have to tell you this.........read this book!

Average customer rating:

Book 1
This is the SEVENTH book
Not my favorite
Meet Charles Escott!
One of the better Jack Fleming/Vampire Files novels

The Dark Sleep (Vampire Files)
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441007236

Amazon.com

Jack Fleming is one hell of a lucky guy for a dead man. As Elrod's eighth entry in the Chandleresque Vampire Files series opens, Fleming's got some mob money that nobody's missing; his gorgeous girlfriend, Bobbi, headlines a new revue that could lead to stardom; and his partner, the P.I. Charles Escott, has what looks like a simple, profitable case. Miss Sommerfield, a saltine-cracker heiress, wants some papers retrieved from a former boyfriend. Piece of cake, when your partner is a vampire.

But Escott won't let Jack do it the easy way. He seems to court danger. He's also secretive about his past, though it keeps him awake at night. Jack's worried about him but distracted by popular radio personality, Archy Grant, who's offering Bobbi more than just an appearance on his show. Archy's not above using mob connections get Jack out of the way. The heiress's former boyfriend wants the papers back, and he's got a gun. Soon bullets are flying, Escott's in mortal danger and seems to be unraveling, and Jack's out for blood--as soon as he can figure out whose.

The Dark Sleep will give fans new insights into Jack, Bobbi, and Escott, along with plenty of action. If you like your detectives hard-boiled and your vampire heroic, this is the series for you. --Nona Vero

Book Description

The novel that vampire fans have been thirsting for...the newest addition to P.N. Elrod's popular series The Vampire Files. Called "fast...intriguing," by Science Fiction Review, and "good-natured fun" by Locus, P.N. Elrod's series The Vampire Files has captured the imaginations of vampire fans and mystery readers alike. Jack Fleming, a vampire detective, makes his "living" on the mean streets of post-prohibition Chicago. As he struggles to fight the gangsters at large, he is also trying to sustain an ordinary life. At least, as ordinary as it can get when you're a vampire... Death hasn't ended Jack Fleming's problems. His girlfriend Bobbi has caught the attention of a famous radio star, who promises to open doors for the lovely singer-including the one to his bedroom. His current case-retrieving incriminating letters from the ex-lover of a rich, foolish young socialite, looks simple until bullets start flying. Now Jack's mortal partner is in the hospital. Who's behind the gun? The ex-lover? The radio star's goons? An old enemy? Jack has to find out the truth-before the lives of those he loves are put at risk...

"Well done...original. You won't want to miss this series." -Cemetery Dance

Customer Reviews:

Book 1.......2007-01-11

This book was really neat. It had almost an old fashioned style of writing which I found very refreshing. The main character is very stylish.

This is the SEVENTH book.......2006-01-09

Not the eighth book in this series. I think it's great, well written as parts of Escott's past are revealed. Have fun reading it!

Not my favorite.......2005-03-30

I read the other books in this series and although they were a bit bland, I did find them somewhat enjoyable. That was a few years ago. I picked up The Dark Sleep two days ago and attempted reading it. I made it to page 90. I normally can finish a book in a day, sometimes two. By the time I reached page 90 of this one I was asking myself "So what's the conflict?" I found no major conflict in this story. How can you have a story without conflict? Perhaps something will come up later on, but I'm just too bored with it to read on and find out. As far as I'm concerned, every great author knows you should introduce the problem early on to hook the reader. I'm SO not hooked!

Sorry, but I can't imagine myself ever returning to this series or author.

Meet Charles Escott!.......2002-03-28

I love P.N. Elrod's "The Vampire Files" series (beginning with Bloodlist and most recently, Lady Crymsyn) mainly because they contain one of the most fascinating characters I've ever encountered--Charles Escott.

The series in a nutshell: It's 1930's Chicago. Private agent Escott has joined forces with vampire Jack Fleming to rid the world (or at least, Chicago) of evil. The story moves along at a quick pace, and Elrod's characters are wonderful. My only complaint is that before The Dark Sleep, there simply wasn't enough Escott! I know, I know! It's the VAMPIRE files, not the Escott Files, but still!

Charles Escott is, well, basically Sherlock Holmes of 1930's Chicago! The steely gray eyes, the brilliant feats of deduction, complete with Sherlockian habits and characteristics are here--even the insomnia! In the first five books of the series, Elrod drops hints here and there about Escott's background, but we never really find out what he's all about. Why is he in Chicago? Why did he become a private agent? He's an enigma. In The Dark Sleep, we finally get an entire novel focusing on the mystery behind this man and his motives. You won't be disappointed.

One of the better Jack Fleming/Vampire Files novels.......2000-11-06

Jack Fleming works a lot better when the focus on his detective work is a lot narrower. Unlike "A Chill in the Blood," where he tries to stop a gang war, this time around our Vampire Detective is involved in a more traditional mystery involving a young socialite. Meanwhile, Jack's gal pal is trying to advance her career through a slick radio star. Just because Jack is dead does not mean he doesn't have feelings. As always, Elrod does a nice job of combining genres. Why are we surprised that vampires and noir go so well together?

Average customer rating:

Long time fan
Another Excellent Addition to the Vampire Files
A Solid Entry
Cold Streets
"The Vampire Files" should be a TV series.

Cold Streets (The Vampire Files)
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0441011039
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Book Description

Vampire detective Jack Fleming's latest venture-the Lady Crymsyn nightclub-has become the favorite haunt for Chicago's elite. But amongst his patrons lurk a smarmy blackmailer and a dangerous up-and-coming mobster from New York-both unaware how deadly Jack can be when blood is spilled...

Customer Reviews:

Long time fan.......2005-03-02

I happened on LifeBlood back when it was first released and havent stopped reading since. This latest edition of the Vampire Files is good, just not as good as the others - Until the end. The last 1/4 of the book is written in true "jack" style with all the tricks of the trade including the wiseacre remarks and
that temper we've all grown to love. I can hardly wait for the next edition!

Another Excellent Addition to the Vampire Files.......2004-03-15

It's good to see P.N. Elrod take The Vampire Files beyond the repetitive plot lines of the first six novels. The last three editions to this series (including Cold Sleep) have been excellent mystery novels that reveal something new about these now familiar and comfortable characters.

Here Jack, our vampire hero, and his partner, Charles Escott, find themselves entangled in not one, but two difficult situations that intersect with explosive results. It also leaves room for Jack to continue to learn grow into his vampiric state. This was a very entertaining and enjoyable novel. I look forward to next installment.

A Solid Entry.......2003-11-09

I love reading P.N. Elrod's Vampire Files series. To me, it's like tuning in to your favorite weekly television program. Her books remind me of the times I used to watch the Untouchables at night as a kid when it came on around midnight. I was the only one awake at that time of night, and I'd sit close to the television and I'd lower the volume I could barely hear it. You get to know the characters and the setting pretty well. Like a good episode, Cold Streets is a solid entry in the series. I thought her last one (Lady Crymsyn) would be tough to follow, but Elrod manages. Character development once again is strong. The way Elrod has her characters speak has you feeling like you're right there - post-prohibition Chicago. I love it!

Cold Streets.......2003-07-06

Continue on with the life of a vampire. Would love to have more people reading Elrod's books.

"The Vampire Files" should be a TV series........2003-05-15

It has the structure of episodic TV. Each novel has a whole adventure story in it involving new people we've never met before, their problems, and eventually a resolution of their problems.

But meanwhile, within each novel, Jack Fleming struggles to become a "better" vampire -- when he's not even sure what it means to be a vampire. He has problems that resolve at the end of the novel into even worse problems yet to come.

Charles Escott, Jack's human partner, struggles to keep his private investigating business going despite Chicago's gangsters and the depression.

Together, they are telling us a tale of two people assimilating trauma and overcoming it. All right, those of you who've read my vampire novels like Those of My Blood know that's what I write, so it's no surprise it's what I prefer to read.

Charles Escott has had his psyche reamed and re-arranged by events -- from the first book where a vampire walks into his office in dire need of blood, to his Dark Sleep where he must confront his past. And Jack wakes up murdered and now a vampire, and must confront the implications of his hypnotic powers and his bloodlust. Every time he thinks he has it all together and stabilized, another case comes along and he learns he really has no clue what being a vampire is all about.

In COLD STREETS - we go with Jack to a whole new level of bloodlust -- learning, feeling, and knowing what it means when a vampire has all his blood drained out of him. Is there anything he won't do to replenish himself? And how can he live with it afterwards? Will his human friends stand by him? Do they know how to administer psychiatric therapy to a nearly catatonic vampire?

It seems to me this series is very much like the TV Series Magnum P.I. -- with Jack Flemming as Magnum and Charles Escott as Higgins. Instead of being set in Hawaii, it's in 1930's Chicago, and instead of being a caretaker of a large house, Charles is the owner of the house and the private eye. But their relationship is very similar.

In COLD STREETS we've come to 1938. I keep wondering what's going to happen when the war comes to America. Will Jack enlist? Will they draft him? Will he dodge the draft and go overseas by himself on his own mission? After all, Charles' family and friends in England are going to need help.

I do hope P. N. Elrod keeps writing these novels. I'm dying to see what she plans to have happen next. I guarantee it won't be what I would write -- but I won't be able to put it down once I get my hands on the next book.

Live Long and Prosper,

Jacqueline Lichtenberg
...

Average customer rating:

I love it!

Surprises until the End!!

Solid Addition to the Vampire Files

More Trouble for Jack!!

exciting vampire crime thriller
A Song in the Dark (The Vampire Files, Book 11)
P. N. Elrod
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Lady Crymsyn (The Vampire Files)

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Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8)

ASIN: B000ILZ5K6

Book Description

Nearly tortured to death by a New York gangster, Vampire P.I. Jack Fleming gave the punk his just desserts. But now the mob bosses want revenge.

Download Description

P. N. Elrod's novels of The Vampire Files blend the seductive shadows of classic noir into a sanctuary for a most unusual private investigator-vampire Jack Fleming. In Elrod's newest novel, Jack is under the gun when the New York mafia wants his hide, and the love of his life is wanted for murder.

Customer Reviews:

I love it!.......2006-01-15

It appeals to me a lot, don't know about anyone else but it's about time our hero had something to worry about other than a little headache disappearing could cure when he dips into folks minds. But then maybe I'm a sadist, I love it when characters are in pain and somehow resolve it! (Knight Rider where Michael was poisoned, Star Trek where Kirk was stabbed come to mind as my favorite parts of the series)

Surprises until the End!!.......2005-10-28

I have yet to be disappointed with any of these Vampire Files books from P.N. Elrod.

They have continue to surprise me with the depth of research on the genre (Chicago gangs), the understanding and presentation of the various psychological issues -- especially in this latest book.

I don't give spoilers out its not fair in my opinion to those that haven't read the book yet. I was surprised more then once including at the end of the book.

A joy to read and I am looking forward to reading the next one.

Solid Addition to the Vampire Files.......2005-10-12

**Spoiler Alert for Cold Streets**

A Song in the Dark is the 11th installment from P.N. Elrod in the Vampire Files. This novel picks up right where the last novel, Cold Streets, ends. Jack Fleming, our hero vampire, is trying to overcome the physical and psychological damage he endured after being skinned alive (or skinned dead in Jack's case) by a sadistic, diabolical mobster from New York. At the same time he's trying to fill in as mob boss for his pal Gordy, who is recovering from gunshot wounds incurred in the previous episode. At the same time, there's an internal mob conspiracy to unseat Gordy and the target at the moment is Jack. And he's not quite sure what to make of the New York mob boss, Whitey Kroun, who is trying to figure out what to do about Jack's killing of Hog Bristow - the nasty piece of work that did a little knife work on Jack. All this swirls around a murder mystery tied into all these subplots.

While A Song in the Dark is a solid addition to the Vampire Files, it is a bit of let down. While it ties up part of the loose ends from Cold Streets, it does little to advance the story of Jack Fleming, Charles Escott, and Bobbi Smythe. Instead of moving the characters forward they are stuck in a rut. We've seen Jack before grapple with his vampirism and frankly it is getting a little old. And Escott and Bobbi, except for a few interludes of drama, are basically role players here. This particular installment, for the most part, comes across as being a bit formulaic and drags out a little slowly.

There are some upsides to this novel though. There is some great foreshadowing and surprises along the way that are deftly handled. And the one character who does progress in the novel, in subtle ways, is Myrna, the resident ghost of Jack's nightclub, Lady Crymsyn. There are also enough surprises along the way to jolt the reader back into the story just as the action is lagging.

For fans of this series, this will be an enjoyable read, but probably a bit of let down from Cold Streets. And it is highly advisable to read Cold Streets prior to this novel, as a lot of what takes place is explained in the previous novel.

Finally, there is one big gaping hole left unfilled from Cold Streets. Where is Gilbert Dugan? In Cold Streets, Jack and Escott thwart another sadistic character who kidnapped a mentally disabled child. He subsequently finds out Jack is a vampire and blackmails him. After a confrontation with Jack he disappears. Jack currently has Gordy's gang looking for him. He is mentioned briefly early in A Song in the Dark - that he has not been found but that Jack has other things to worry about at the moment. No doubt, the resolution of this dilemma sets up another installment of The Vampire Files. Despite some of the drawbacks to A Song in the Dark, this reader looks forward to it.

More Trouble for Jack!!.......2005-09-11

In the previous Jack Fleming book, Cold Streets, Jack was mercilessly and hideously tortured by the sadistic Hog Bristow. Due to his vampiric nature, he survived something that would have killed an ordinary man a dozen times over.
In P.N. Elrod's latest book, Song In The Dark, which takes place only a week after Cold Streets ended, Jack is trying desperately to come to terms with not only the pain he endured, but also the form his revenge took. His psyche is still that of an ordinary mortal, and though the physical scars are fading fast, he is having a near impossible time recovering from the psychological and emotional wounds he suffered. And to make matters worse, he's begun to have debilitating seizures, can no longer hypnotize anyone without having the most god-awful headaches imaginable, and has a nearly uncontrollable craving for blood.
However, life (or in Jack's case, Undeath) goes on, and there are plenty of other complications to keep Jack and company busy. Jack is still standing in for Gordy while he recovers from a gunshot wound. He's also got his nightclub, Lady Crymsyn, to run. Whitey Kroun, the mob boss who sent Hog Bristow to Chicago is in town himself, and wants to know who's responsible for Hog's death. With him is his deputy Mitchell, a man from Bobbi's past. Add to that two murders, lots of lowlife suspects, and dozens of twists and turns!
Throughout the entire book, Elrod lets us see how Jack's new disabilities affect his relationships with his partner Escott, as well as with Bobbi. And even though there are lots of hints of what's to come, the confrontation near the end between Jack and Escott is absolutely mesmerizing!
As always, reading a Jack Fleming book is a little like catching up with old friends (or in certain cases, old enemies!), and I'm certainly glad that Elrod's left Jack in somewhat better straits than he was in at the end of the last book!

exciting vampire crime thriller .......2005-08-26

After being tortured for over an hour and being skinned alive, vampire Jack Fleming, owner of the nightclub Lady Crymsyn, in Chicago of 1938 is recovered physically but is an emotional wreck. He can't hypnotize anyone without getting a vicious headache. He has uncontrollable muscle spasms and an unholy thirst for blood to drink. He is afraid if he is with his girlfriend Bobbie, he will be unable to control his bloodlust so he keeps his distance from her at a time he needs her most.

His friend, mob boss Gordy is sick and while he recovers, Jack takes his place. A New York Crime lord is in Chicago to hear why Jack killed the man who tortured him before bumping off Jack. The vampire risks the headache and hypnotizes him into becoming his friend. When the lead singer at and his ex wife are both murdered, Jack resolves to find the killer. When a mob war breaks out Jack has to watch his back from his enemies because in his present condition he could be killed and in a horrible twist, his greatest enemy uses Bobbie to bring him to his knees.

P.N. Elrod has written another exciting vampire crime thriller featuring an immortal but not invulnerable protagonist who suffers from panic attacks because of lingering psychological trauma. This vulnerability makes Jack even more of an endearing character in the tradition of Heathcliffe. The infighting in Chicago is very realistic in an Al Capone sort of way. Only Jack limits the violence as much as possible. This long running series just keeps getting better and better.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:

Garbage
7 Vampire Files Novels and Counting
Vampire and Chicago Mobsters
A Chill in the Blood
Avoid at all costs

A Chill in the Blood (Vampire Files)
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441005012

Amazon.com

Gangland Chicago, 1937. Jack Fleming, vampire PI, doesn't care for the Mob. He was killed once by a Mob boss, see, and he's seen too many shot down since. Ambitious gangsters are like roaches--there always seem to be more coming out of the woodwork. And the wise guys never seem to learn that knives, bullets, and drowning don't kill the immortal Jack. They just make him mad. In A Chill in the Blood Jack has good reason to be mad. The prohibition laws have just been repealed, and the mobsters are immersed in vicious warfare on his turf. Jack's very mortal partner, Charles Escott, has a hit placed on his life, and Jack is forced into negotiations with a powerful gang leader--Angela Paco. It turns out that Angela is the daughter of the mobster who ended Jack's human life, thus transforming him into a vampire.

A Chill in the Blood is the seventh book in P.N. Elrod's noir detective series, the Vampire Files. Mixing horror, mystery, and comedy, these books really bite! Nona Vero

Book Description

In the series that Science Fiction Review called "fast...intriguing" and Mystery Scene dubbed "very entertaining," P.N. Elrod's Vampire Files have blended the macabre humor of vampire lore with the hard-boiled storytelling of detective fiction to create a series that has achieved both cult status and critical acclaim. Now the hero who has thrilled thousands of readers returns for his most dangerous adventure yet. Jack Fleming was a man of many trades. When he was alive, he was a reporter with a nose for the grittiest news. Now that he's dead, he's a private eye with a thirst for justice--and blood. But being a vampire with morals is no midnight stroll on the mean streets of post-prohibition Chicago. There's a cold wind blowing off the lake. It smells of death. And even Jack can feel its chill. For in the city of sin, the gangs still rule--and they're on the brink of an all-out war. No one--not the crooks or the cops--cares how much blood, innocent or otherwise, flows during the fight. No one--except a certain undead P.I. caught between the local hoods and the boys from New York. Can Jack stop the battle before it starts? And how much of his remaining humanity will he have to give up to do so?

Customer Reviews:

Garbage.......2004-10-18

A Chill in the Blood is GARBAGE. I love vampire novels as well as detective stories. I never would've thought it possible that an author could combine two of my favorite genres into such a rotten book. Some other review referred to this as a "hard-boiled" detective novel. Nonsense. I have never, EVER, read about such a wishy-washy private eye. This guy, our "hero" spends half his time getting beaten up and the other half whining about his ethical problems about using his vampiric abilities to defend himself. Hard-boiled? Maybe if the reader is 9 years old. The plot is half-baked and transparent. It occurs to me that perhaps the reason the "hero" is such a wimp is because an individual with any courage or strength would've brought the story to a close in about 25 pages.
Don't waste your time. You want hard-boiled? Read L.A. Confidential or Altered Carbon. You want vampires? Read Salem's Lot, The Vampire Chronicles, or Dracula. But avoid this turkey like the plague.

7 Vampire Files Novels and Counting.......2004-07-02

CHILL IN THE BLOOD is the seventh installment of the Vampire Files. While it too is rather repetitive because it uses the same plot devices as the previous stories, it does have some redeeming qualities.

Once again Jack is in a fight with the mob and goes through all kinds of physical abuse. I think in every story so far his head is smashed in by somebody. But at least here we get some more insight on some mobsters Jack befriends, like Shoe Colefield, the black mobster on that side of town. And Bobbi, Jack's lady friend, is always fun to be around.

Not the best of the Vampire Files by far, but not a total waste of time either.

Vampire and Chicago Mobsters.......2003-06-16

This book is indeed a fun read. P.N. Elrod continues the sagas of Jack Flemming, Vampire, and his adventures with the mobsters and corrupt polititions during post prohobition in Chicago.

This episode finds Jack caught between several local mob bosses, the boys from New York who are showing their muscle and of course the corrupt arm of the law. The book is very entertaining, funny, a mystery, has good old fashioned Chicagoland gangsters, and a Vampire who does his best to keep the peace.

Jack, as most Vampires nowadays has a conscience and will not feed from humans, but by living in Chicago close to the stockyards always provides him with all the nutrition he needs.

If you're looking for a fast paced, gangster mystery with a good hearted Vampire, then you're going to enjoy this book.

A Chill in the Blood.......2001-10-17

You would think that after this many books the series would be getting a little stale but it's still kicking. The one falt I can think of is fighting with the mob is getting a little repetitive. Other than that this book is another one of those books you don't put down until your done reading it if only just to see how that savy vamp gets out of it now. I think sense I have the whole series any way I'm going to grab the next on for my personal collection too.

Avoid at all costs.......2001-02-08

This book defies description, it so bad. The dialogue is trite, the characters shallow, and the writing amateur. Sorry, Elrod, maybe you should go back to your day job.

Customer Reviews:

3rd in Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series.......2007-08-01

The third story, "Bloodcircle", continues straight from where "Lifeblood" left off. Jack Fleming, vampire investigator, and his assistant/boss Charles Escott are still trying to find out what happened to Maureen Dumont, the female vampire that made Jack. She disappeared five years ago when realising her sister Gaylen was going to force her to make her a vampire. Jack and Charles have a small clue to follow about Maureen's disappearance so they set off on a trip to New York State to follow the clue.

Eventually their search takes them to a rich household of the reclusive lady Emily Francher whose mother died in strange circumstances. Jack goes to investigate and soon discovers that Emily's gigolo lover is rather more significant than he might seem. They follow more clues which culminate in Jack being seriously injured and with a very amusing scene where Charles appears to be a body snatcher. The unmasking of the villain and the explanation of what really happened five years before is no great surprise but is well written and enjoyable nonetheless.

In this episode of the Vampire PI series we learn more and more about Jack's personality, particularly with regard to his morals and his feelings. There are some really interesting little vignettes into his thoughts, for example when seeing coffins sized for children when he is in the funeral parlour. Jack's about as far from the traditional view of the evil vampire as it's possible to get and yet he also has to drink blood and carries out mind control on people. The scene where he's trying to find a meal in a farmyard is an amusing episode amongst some of the darker events of the story.

Again this is a great read, like the two previous stories, and it seems like P N Elrod has settled well into her characters and is slowly revealing more and more about them. It's a most enjoyable series and a welcome change from the usual overblown and sex-obsessed vampire genre tale.

The Vampire Fun Continues.......2004-07-02

Book Review by C. Douglas Baker

If you have not read LIFEBLOOD, Book Two of the Vampire files, warning that this contains spoilers for that book.

BLOODCIRCLE, Book Three of the Vampire Files, literally picks up right where Book Two, LIFEBLOOD left off. After surviving his encounter with Gaylen, Maureen's diabolical and homicidal sister, Jack Fleming is found working his hypnotic magic on an initially recalcitrant police official to get out jail. Once on the loose, Fleming and Charles Escott go in search of Maureen, Fleming's long lost vampire lover.

Fleming and Escott's search for Maureen is the sole focus of BLOODCIRCLE. Their search leads them to the vampire Jonathan Barrett, Maureen's former lover who she turned to for help after her sister escaped from a mental institution placing Maureen in mortal danger. Little did Maureen expect that she would face danger from less likely quarters. Nor do Jack and Escott, for awhile anyway. Their encounter with Barrett leads to two murders and two attempted murders. And yes, Fleming gets his skull smashed in again (a quite unhealthy habit). Once again Escott plays the Sherlockian role as he pieces together the information he and Fleming gather along to the way to discover who wants Fleming dead (again) and why. Eventually the entire mystery, including that of Maureen, is solved.

If you liked the first two books in The Vampire Files then BLOODCIRCLE is definitely for you. Then again, if you did not like the first two books you probably will not read this review or BLOODCIRCLE.

Jack Fleming finally finds out the truth about Maureen.......2001-07-05

After cleaning up a few loose ends from their previous adventure, nice guy vampire Jack Fleming and his private agent friend Charles Escott try to uncover what happened to Maureen, Jack's former lover and vampire sire, when she disappeared five years ago. Apparently on that night she was at the estate of Miss Emily Francher, whose personal assistant Jonathan Barrett not only turns out to be a 160-year-old vampire, but also is revealed to be the one who sired Maureen. With plenty of in-jokes for those who still remember the soap opera "Dark Shadows," P. N. Elrod follows our hero and his faithful human companion as they seek to solve the mystery of Maureen's disappearance, which has been haunting Jack for years. Once again, Elrod saves the best for last, as the climatic chapters of this novel elevate the story line to a new level. What I continue to appreciate with these novels are not only how Elrod deals with the practical aspects of being a vampire, especially once they are staked, but how Jack never responds in a predictable manner. I also like the fact that "Bloodcircle," like its two predecessors in "The Vampire Files," are clearly part of a larger story, always "to be continued" and always compelling our continued interest. These books are fun reads, perfect for a day at the beach or living the commuter lifestyle.

Jack meets another vampire with a "day job".......2001-02-01

The third novel in the series about Jack Fleming, PI and vampire. In this book in the series, Jack goes searching further for Maureen, and winds up meeting Jonathan Barrett, an almost-200-year-old vampire who has landed a cushy job as a private secretary to a recluse. There are several mysteries surrounding the recluse's family and neighbors. Barrett (who appears as the star in a separate Elrod series) also wants to protect himself, and although he's not evil, his ideas about his own best self-interest conflict with Jack's drive to find out more about Maureen. When we find out some of the solution to the mysteries above, we get an interesting depiction of the fine line between sanity and insanity, expressed in terms before the word sociopath was is everyday vocabulary.

Those who already know that they like vampire novels, anything at all that features a vampire, can skip this review, and likewise, those who hate the whole idea of vampires can skip it. But for those trying to decide whether or not to read more of this genre, or whether the one vampire novel you've already read was a fluke, it may help to have some ways to categorize these novels. Thus: BunRab's Standard Vampire Classification Guide. First, most authors of vampire novels approach from one of the main genres of genre fiction; thus their background may be primarily in romance, or in science fiction/fantasy, or in murder mysteries, or in horror. Second, many vampire novels come in series; knowing whether this is one of a series, and where in the series it falls, may be helpful. Then we have some particular characteristics: - Is the vampire character (or characters) a "good guy" or a "bad guy"? Or are there some of each? - Are there continuing characters besides the vampire, through the series? - Are there other types of supernatural beings besides vampires? - Can the vampire stand daylight under some circumstances, or not stand daylight at all? - Does the vampire have a few other supernatural characteristics, many other supernatural characteristics, or none other than just being a vampire? (E.g., super strength, change into an animal, turn invisible) - Does the vampire have a regular job and place in society, or is being a vampire his or her entire raison d'etre? - Does the vampire literally drink blood, or is there some other (perhaps metaphorical) method of feeding? - Is sex a major plot element, a minor plot element, or nonexistent? - Is the entire vampire feeding act a metaphor for sex, part of a standard sex act, or unrelated to sex? - Is the story set in one historical period, more than one historical period, or entirely in the present day? - Does the story have elements of humor, or is it strictly serious? - Is the writing style good, or is the writing just there to manage to hold together the plot and characters?

P.N. Elrod's series about Jack Fleming is in the hard-boiled detective genre. Fleming is a good guy (although with worries about his own ethics). Fleming is a former journalist (before he died), now working as a sidekick to a private investigator. The series takes place in the Chicago of the '30s, after Al Capone is locked up, but before the Depression ends. Criminal gangs are still a big force in Chicago. Besides Jack and his boss, various criminal mobs, and police both honest and corrupt, are recurring characters in the series. So is Jack's girlfriend, Bobbi, a nightclub singer. Jack drinks blood, but it doesn't have to be human- he uses cows at the Stockyards usually, and likes horses as a treat. He does, however, also drink a little from his girlfriend during sex. Sex is discreet and not too frequent in the series- no explicit details; this is a detective series, not a romance. Jack has a few supernatural powers associated with being a vampire: the usual ones of being stronger and faster than humans, and he also can turn invisible and float through walls. He must sleep during the day, on his native earth - but garlic and crosses don't bother him. There aren't any other kinds of supernatural characters in the series. As befits the detective genre, there is a certain amount of wisecracking in the dialogue; Jack can be a smart-ass sometimes, and the criminals can be inadvertently funny. Overall, the series is a well-done version of the genre, each book being easy to read and most of the characters being well-described and thought out.

Wonderful, as always.......1999-07-11

Bloodcircle has proven to be as satisfying as the two before it. The conversation is sparkling, the plot gripping, and the world of the vampire, as always, totally engrossing.

Average customer rating:

Book 5 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series
Reptitive from Previous Books, Mostly
Not so Bad
Yuck!

Fire in the Blood (Vampire Files, No 5)
P. N. Elrod
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0441859461

Customer Reviews:

Book 5 in the Jack Fleming, Vampire PI series.......2007-08-21

I find this review not in agreement with the others on this page. Yes, this book isn't a 'must read' but I still think it's an excellent story with interesting characters, a plot and learning more about Jack and his vampiric nature.

The first page in this book is great fun as we meet Jack apparently stripping Olivia Vandemore's evening gown from her and about to sacrifice her on an altar to Sabajajji, the Spider God. Fortunately this is just part of the novel he is writing rather than reality - although reality for Jack Fleming, Vampire PI, is often as bloodthirsty as this novel.

Jack and Charles Escott, Private Agent, are summoned to see Mr Sebastian Pierce, a rich retired Chicago man who tasks them to find a valuable bracelet that his daughter's boyfriend or a friend of his may have stolen. Jack finds himself shadowing the daughter to Bobbi's club and soon enough they stumble into murder and mayhem. A new member of the Chicago Underground, Vaughn Kyler, comes into play in this book and he's a particularly creepy individual who is resistant to Jack's vampire hypnosis. This book also sees the darker side of Jack having an outing after an episode of hypnotising goes rather wrong. Once again Jack finds himself in dodgy situations and only escapes by the skin of his teeth - is this ability going to pall any time soon?

The ending of this book is rather open and in fact leads directly into the next story, "Blood on the Water", although fortunately this episode does reach some sort of a conclusion. However Jack's rather more off balance in this book because of the darker side of his powers and we are learning more about him through it. Another great episode in this excellent series - a series that it probably pays to read in order.

Reptitive from Previous Books, Mostly.......2004-07-02

Book Review by C. Douglas Baker

FIRE IN THE BLOOD is somewhat disappointing. For those who have read the previous four books in the series, it will get quite boring. Jack is such a clumsy and sometimes stupid guy, he can't seem to keep his head from getting smashed in over and over again, despite his super human strengths and abilities.

The book does introduce us to Jack struggling with the morality of being a vampire and his need to feed on blood. Elrod begins to explore this inner struggle as Jack loses controls of his actions. But the novel leaves the resolution of these problems to future books. If Elrod can get out of the rut of writing repetitive plots that read just like the last book, and further explore Jack's struggles as a vampire, good things will happen.

(And since I've now read every single one, I can tell you indeed, this does happen.)

Not so Bad.......2001-03-13

Unlike the other reviewer, *sheesh what a vicious writeup* I never thought Elrods books were that bad. Fleming isn't her best series, her other is actualy better, but that doesn't mean that this one isn't somewhat entertaining. I partly like it because I found some of it's triteness to be funny, and I like it better than some books because of it's 'vampire theory' where you don't nessisarily become a vampire just because you were bitten. So if you're looking for an easy read and a desent laugh, this book is ok. Otherwise, I'd say L.K. Hamilton. She's pretty good.

Yuck!.......2001-02-08

This book defies description, it so bad. The dialogue is trite, the characters shallow, and the writing amateur. Sorry, Elrod, maybe you should go back to your day job. I'm ashamed I have bought all of Elrod's book on the advice of another author at Uncommon Con in Dallas/Fort Worth last year. I'm beginning to think she was in cahoots with Elrod to sell books for each other.

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