Vampire Fiction Roundup: High-Stakes Fiction

Urban fantasy is hot these days, and its biggest stars are vampires, those blood-sucking, night-prowling paranormal creatures. As these five new titles demonstrate, the undead are not so very different from their human counterparts, running the gamut from cool, sexy radio DJs to terrifying murderers.

Ciara Griffin, desperate for a job, becomes marketing director at a local money-losing radio station facing a possible sale to a large corporation. Her task is problematic because the DJs, who only work at night, want to keep their true vampiric nature a secret; however, Ciara, who grew up in a family of con artists and has sworn to stay honest, comes up with a plan—change the station call letters, create a new slogan, "WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock n' Roll," and tell the public the truth. It would be great publicity, and no one would believe it, anyway. Her tactics work but lead to unforeseen problems. On the plus side for Ciara is the attention of Shane, the good-looking, undead DJ specializing in Nineties grunge music. A colorful premise and engaging characters make the author's ("Aspect of Crow" trilogy; Requiem for the Devil) latest a fun read. Recommended for all urban fantasy and paranormal romance collections.

In her third outing (after Another One Bites the Dust), CIA agent Jaz Parks once again partners with her handsome, intelligent vampire boss, Vayl, to track down monsters threatening human existence. This time, the target is the Wizard, an ancient being with strong paranormal powers. Jaz and Vayl join with a special ops unit led by Jaz's twin brother, but Jaz has secret knowledge of a mole in the unit and must identify the spy before the hunt can proceed. Rardin's previous books focused on the relationship between Vayl and Jaz, but her latest centers on Jaz's often dysfunctional family, her growing paranormal abilities, and the demons that beset her. The action rarely stops in this page-turner. Recommended for urban fantasy collections.

The hero of Lewis's humorous debut is Eric, a vampire having a bad week, with a poor memory and raging blackouts. In the midst of a rough tantrum, he realizes he has torn off the head of a fellow undead, but he can't remember who the victim is or why he killed him. As the story continues, however, Eric proves to be a much nicer guy than the opening would suggest. With a host of interesting characters—the elderly human Marilyn, the greatest love of Eric's life; Tabitha, the stripper-turned-vampire who loves Eric; evangelical werewolf William, who erroneously believes Eric killed his son; and Roger, co-owner with Eric of the Demon Heart Strip Club—this is a fast-paced story with a heady mixture of humor, violence, and sex. Recommended for large fantasy collections.

Hollywood stuntwoman Dawn Madison continues the search for her father, Frank, who went missing in Night Rising. With her team members, the psychic Kiko and the tech-savvy Breisi, she discovers an underground society for vampires, which could point to Frank's whereabouts and solve the vicious, vampirelike murders of two young women. Working with them in this quest is the mysterious Jonah Limpet, a man Dawn has yet to meet, who feeds them information and guides them toward their mutual goal. With a dark, dramatic, and erotic tone, Green writes a complex story featuring well-defined characters and more than enough noir mystery to keep readers enthralled. Fans of Charlaine Harris and Jim Butcher may enjoy. Recommended for fantasy collections.

Pennsylvania state trooper Laura Caxton gets a call from her former partner, Jameson Arkeley, to take a look at a recently discovered crypt in Gettysburg. Previously, in 13 Bullets, the two worked to destroy a nest of undeads created by the world's last vampire, Justinia Malvern, but the 99 coffins crowding this underground room show they failed. A splintered empty coffin tells Laura a vampire has risen, and she must hunt it down before many people die. This action-adventure will certainly keep readers' attention, but the graphic violence will limit its appeal to the unsqueamish. Recommended for large fantasy collections.