Dead In the Family (Sookie Stackhouse Series), by Charlaine Harris

Review by Brenda Seward, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

For those of you who have become hooked on the wildly popular guilty pleasure of HBO’s True Blood, the latest (ninth) installment in the trials and tribulations of Sookie Stackhouse may be a bit confusing. Unless of course you have been following Sookie’s adventures in print long before (or since) True Blood premiered. In that case you will be able to fall right back into the wild happenings in deceptively sleepy-looking Bon Temps and the ever-changing escapades of its inhabitants.

Harris has been able to accomplish a heady feat with this series; she has been able to keep it fresh, entertaining, and although it is campy and kitschy in places, it has wide appeal to anyone who loves a wild and fun literary ride. The Sookie series has been a fun, more adult alternative to the teenage angst of the popular Twilight series, while drawing on and going beyond some of the same supernatural elements.

Harris has managed to weave drama, mystery, romance and intrigue with vampires, were-creatures and fairies while maintaining a plausible and lucid storyline- and last but not least has done it with her tongue ever so subtly in her cheek. The reader can tell that while the Stackhouse series may be big, serious business now, Harris knows how to inject just the right touch of humor into all this supernatural intrigue.

 

In this latest installment of the series, our intrepid heroine will find herself trying to recover from her latest near-death experience while trying to reconcile her feelings about her relationship with her vampire “husband” and the complications stemming from that. In addition to all this, poor Sookie has to deal with some pretty heady family issues while dealing with the latest murder and intrigue - quite literally occurring in her backyard. Just another day in the life of your average southern barmaid/telepath/vampire sheriff’s wife…

Without giving anything away, I can relate that this most recent of the Sookie Stackhouse adventures ends in such a way that Harris could shut the coffin lid on the series with this one and not leave many loose ends- but I wouldn’t bet on that happening. There is still a lot more that can happen and I believe that Harris is having way too much fun in Bon Temps to take her leave just yet. As they say in that neck of the woods: “Laissez le bon temps rouler” ( let the good times roll)!

Review by Brenda Seward, Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts

www.simplepleasuresbooksandgifts.com

Dead In the Family is available at Simple Pleasures Books & Gifts online store:

http://www.alibris.com/stores/spbooks1