Tuesday's Treasure: Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham

Harlequin [Mass Market Paperback]

Genre: Historical Romance, Paranormal

Length: Novel

Release Date: November 23, 2010

Reviewed by: Kristal Lee

Heat Level: 3 (Campfire)

Rating: 4 gold coins

Cole Granger, a Texas sheriff and his friends—a former union soldier and a Confederate native, have put aside politics to fight the real enemy of humanity. Vampires!

Cole has learned that in this war any hesitation could cost him his life. But, in the midst of a battle to cleanse the “disease” from a Union prison he encounters a woman with lightning reflexes and a sassy wit. Only her tongue isn’t the sharpest tool in her mouth and he’d be dead, if she’d wanted him to be.

Half-blooded vampire, Megan Fox, is in Washington D.C. at the request of General Robert E. Lee. She’s to aid in the extermination of the vampire infestation that’s ravaging both North and South by teaming up with her brother’s three-member hunting party. Except her brother, Cody, doesn’t know he has a sister or that she’s come to help.

When she suddenly appears in the midst of a fight to cleanse the prison of vampires, the three men are immediately suspicious of her motives. None more so than Cole. Although he trusts Cody with his life, Cole is unwilling to simply accept that Megan is his best friend's sister or that she's on a military mission to help them.

That changes when President Lincoln seeks out Megan and asks her to put an end to his wife’s nightmares of a little drummer boy who's out to destroy everything. The President sends Megan and Cole to Harper’s Ferry to find the grave of the vampire child with orders to put his soul to rest before more of his contamination spreads.

But, Cole will have to learn to trust Megan and Megan will have to learn to believe in Cole if they are to survive the Night of the Vampires.

Heather Graham’s paranormal, historical romance is written with such finesse one wonders if she hasn’t stumbled upon a dark, terrifying truth that our government would prefer to keep hidden. But, the story isn’t about conspiracy theories or subterfuge. It’s a story about two very different people forced to overcome prejudices on their quest to make the world a safer place and they happen to fall in love along the way.

The vampire element provides a fresh take on the atrocities our Nation suffered during the dark time of the Civil War. Despite the oppressive nature of that tragic era, this story isn’t bogged down by the retelling of consequential events. Rather it’s presented as if those events are going on around the characters, on the periphery, allowing their story to move forward unencumbered by the tomes of history. Ms. Graham provides enough descriptive detail to give a sense of life in war-torn America circa the 1860’s without a drawn-out expository—something I prefer to avoid when reading fiction. The setting never overpowers the plot and sometimes that is difficult to accomplish when using monumental historic events for authenticity.

In case you're wondering, Night of the Vampires is filled with more suspense than horror. Now, there are some throat ripping, heart-staking, off with their head moments that will delight vampire enthusiasts; but, I believe that readers who are less blood-thirsty will also find this book enjoyable.