Dead Until Dark

Title: Dead Until Dark (Book 1 in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series)
Author: Charlaine Harris
Published: 2001

Jason and I are HUGE fans of the show True Blood on HBO, we both love a good vampire story! So, when I found out that the show was based on a series of books I knew I had to read them. This book introduces us to our 2 main characters: Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a charming Southern girl who is as strong as she is feminine. Sookie can read people's thoughts and she sees this as more of a curse than a blessing. She works as a waitress at the local restaurant owned by Sam Merlotte who may have a few secrets of his own. We meet Bill when he comes into the restaurant one night and Sookie ends up saving his life. Bill is a charming and attractive vampire from the Civil War era. Before long they start up a relationship that confuses as much as it intrigues the town on Bon Tempes. The main action in the book revolves around a series of murders that shock this small, Southern town. One thing that connects all of the murdered women is that they are all "fangbangers". This means they are humans who like to be bitten, amongst other things, by vampires. Sookie's brother, Jason, has a connection to all of these women. Is he to blame? Or is he being set up? Can Bill and Sookie's relationship survive the scrutiny it receives? I tore through this book very quickly. The writing is smooth and the story is fast paced. The resolution to the murders is very satisfying. If you enjoy vampires, murder, and a good love story then you will not be disappointed!