All Together Dead
Charlaine Harris
Ace, May 2007, $24.96
ISBN: 0441014941

Bon Temps, Louisiana, psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse feels her plate is overflowing with three weddings to attend. If that is all she had to deal with Sookie could easily cope. Instead, she is expected to attend the vampire conference in Rhodes instead of storm-damaged New Orleans; she knows two of her former lovers will be there also and vampire politics can be blood curdling even when everyone leaves their teeth shield home. On the plus side is her lover Quinn the were-tiger who will accompany her to the convention.

However, Sookie finds a new catastrophe for her to prevent. With her power at an all-time low and forced to reside in Baton Rouge while her capital city recovers from the hurricanes, Louisiana Vampire Queen Sophie-Anne Leclerq is at risk from someone who wants to destroy the cluster of vampires. This individual plans to insure the DEFINITELY DEAD attendees are permanently DEAD TO THE WORLD. Sookie investigates before the vampire conference turns into CLUB DEAD; complicating her inquiry as to why there are a horde of males offering their best dental side at her side.

Though New Orleans was used in the last tale (see DEFINITELY DEAD), fans will enjoy the return of Sookie and the vampire horde in a suspense-filled thriller. Vampires from all over the region converge with many seeing this as an opportunity for a coup d'etat. Sookie, as always, is caught in the middle, but with her humorous asides, she tries to do what she believes is right for the living and the dead. Fans will enjoy her seventh entry as her past loves show up to cause havoc with her heart and a hostile takeover plan sends her sleuthing to prevent a tragedy. Sookie soars superbly in this post-Katrina fantasy.

Harriet Klausner