Charlaine Harris‘s Dead to the World is the fourth book in the Sookie Stackhouse southern vampire mystery series, a series that gets better and better. Sookie faces more obstacles in this novel, but mostly because there are new enemies in town — witches — and her brother has disappeared. These witches are stronger than the local Wiccans because they are shifters, possibly Weres, and drink vampire blood, which only makes them stronger.
Harris carefully weaves in the main plot and the subplot, while peppering her prose with ethical and emotional complications. All the while, readers are immersed in backwoods and old world atmosphere of Bon Temps. The dialogue between the characters is full of humor, and readers will enjoy the author’s sense of fun with shape shifters like Debbie Pelt whose names resemble their two-natured state.
Bill, her former boyfriend and intimate vampire, has left town for Peru, leaving her to mull over their past relationship. Wallowing a bit in self pity, Sookie soon finds a a half-naked man by the side of the road, and it is none other than Eric, but he’s not so much the Eric she knows. Their tentative friendship blossoms, but only in a surface kind of way.
Will Sookie find her brother? Will the vampires and the shape-shifters save Bon Temps and Shreveport from the more powerful intruders? You’ll have to read Dead to the World to find out. Looking for a great summer read to kick back in the lounger with, Charlaine Harris is your author.
This is book four out of 10.
This is my 3rd book for the 2010 Vampire Series Challenge.
This is my favorite book of the series.
I absolutely love this series! I don’t want to put the books down once I start them!
And here we both are making progress on the already-over challenge. I’m in the middle of From Dead to Worse right now. 🙂
I’ve heard this series gets better and better. I’m only on book 2 but plan on working through them all. I wish I hadn’t read the Bill leaving part though!
I just sent off an e-mail to my mom recommending this series to her. I think the books are great light reads for the summer and I know she will like them. I am glad that the series continues to be good for you. I must get back into it. Sookie is a really great character. Great review! I hope you get to complete your challenge!
Not only did I love the books, but I adore the art work on all of the covers! They are just so cute!
I’m glad to see the series gets better. I stopped at book 1 because it didn’t thrill me, but want to give the series another chance.
I hope you do. This was my favorite of the series so far.
Glad you’re enjoying these books. Sounds like they might be fun.
I think you should give them a try sometime. I have them at the house whenever you are ready.