DEAD UNTIL DARK
by Charlaine Harris
Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
ISBN: 9780441016990
Paperback, 304 pages, $7.99
Genre: Paranormal Mystery

Book one of the Southern Vampire Mystery series introduces young, attractive Sookie Stackhouse, cocktail waitress in a small town in Louisiana. Sookie has telepathic abilities which she and others look upon as a disability. She lives with her grandmother and cat and keeps to herself because she desires silence after hearing other people’s thoughts while working. Sookie is intrigued when she meets Bill, her first vampire, not only because he’s a vampire but because she can’t read his thoughts. Sookie rescues Bill from a couple intent on draining him, and she and Bill become friends, which leads to a romantic relationship.

Since Bill’s appearance, people are turning up dead, including Sookie’s grandmother. The police initially suspect Bill but begin to focus their investigation on Sookie’s brother, who had contact with each of the victims. With Bill’s encouragement, Sookie uses her telepathic abilities to try to find the murderer, placing herself in danger.

This is an engaging concept, a mind reader in a world in which vampires are attempting to integrate into society. Vampires drink synthetic blood and are surrounded by fans called fang-bangers, which makes for intriguing scenes. Harris provides a good read, wrapping a well-done mystery around a plethora of interesting characters, vampiric and human.