Bill has gone missing, right in the middle of a top secret project for the vampire hierarchy. Eric needs Sookie to find him or the Queen of Louisana will hit the roof and heads will roll. Again, I mean this in the literal sense.

As Eric is somewhat challenged in daylight hours, he arranges for a werewolf named Alcide to take Sookie out and about. He inadvertantly drags Sookie into more drama – involving his psychotic ex-girlfriend Debbie – at Josephines; a bar catering for all sorts of supernaturals.

While at the bar (the second time. Quite a lot happens, so I’m just hitting the high points here) Sookie saves several vampires from a nutter from the Fellowship of the Sun, inadvertantly being staked in the process.

Alcide – a visual!

Undergoing treatment at the King’s mansion, Sookie demonstrates her industrious nature by rescuing Bill; escaping the vampire clutches and killing Lorena. As a reward, Debbie Pelt locks Sookie into the trunk (boot) of a car with a blood starved and tortured Bill. He wakes up, feeds, then … I want to say forces himself on Sookie…but really he rapes her. No two ways about it and I don’t want to mince my words.

Sookie manages to identify herself before he kills her and returns to Bon Temp with Eric. En route, they are promptly set upon by werewolves with murder in mind. Sookie manages to save the day, leaving Eric not a little embarrassed and piqued.

When she eventually does get home, the only way she can get any peace is to rescind both vampires invitation to her home – realising a second later that Bill’s super secret project is currently locked in her closet.

Eric. And why not.

Much much better than Living Dead in Dallas, this book had so much happening, that I couldn’t wait to see how it all panned out! Josephines was well described, particularly the security measures protecting it from normals. I always enjoy delving a little deeper into the political world of vampires, which this book delievered in spans, though the whole playboy mansion aspect was a bit OTT. The were’s, shifters and other aspects were also really well developed. The author manages to confey a ton of information without it ever feeling like an info-dump.

It was fun seeing Tara outside of Bon Temps, though her appearance was both slight and a little silly and likely a set up for a future meater role. She’s one of the few characters that I get confused about – constantly comparing her to the tv version.

Debbie Pelt – what a delightfully vicious character. I’m really looking forward to seeing her in future books, though her mere existence makes the otherwise delightful Alcide look to be a bit of a wally. How could he possibly not know that she’s a total jerk?

Bill. Ugh. I’m so sick of him. He’s hot, he’s cold, he’s up and down. All the time. Like every freaking paragraph. Now, I can live with that. I’ve read the Brontes – even managed to love a few of their heroes.
It’s that he’s also a total selfish asshole that really puts me off. I LOATHE him. A bit strong for a fictional character, but still. What a prick. His assault on Sookie might not have been totally under his control, but christ, it’s unforgivable. And it’s not like their relationship hasn’t been built upon some pretty rocky and voilent foundations.

Eric continues to be one of the few constants within the series. He really hasn’t changed a jot. He is selfish, egotistical, inconsiderate and once again, watches out for and saves Sookie’s life. He is also one of the few (vampires of humans) who actually treats her with a bit of respect. I like the whole flirty thing – it’s a hell of a lot better than the lying, cheating and back stabbing that she received from her actual beau.

Score – 7/10

(Ok, these scores are all series related. I’m usually a pretty harsh scorer, but this is significantly better than the preceding two, and I want to acknowledge that. It’s by no means one of the better books that I’ve ever read, but for a fun sunny day, or late night curl up, it’s pretty decent!)

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED