Susan Squires, One with the Night

One with the Night

Susan Squires

St. Martin's, Apr 2007, $6.99

ISBN 0312941021

In 1821, obstetrician and research scientist Dr. James Blundell takes his daughter Jane to Urquhart Valley, Scotland, where he continues his work to find a cure for vampirism, a disease that his offspring suffers from, having been infected by a blood sample in his laboratory. When a monster attacks the Blundells, vampire Callan Kilkenny comes to their rescue. Afterward, he asks James if he has found the cure, but the scientist explains he can kill the parasite, but has not found a way to save the human host too.

Jane helps Callan, injured in his recent fight to the death with the monster, inside their home. Though she has told her father almost everything about her needs, including sipping blood like a lady from a cup, she hides from him her exponential craving for sex that she has barely controlled until now. She hungers for Callan and he burns for her. As they fall in love, others have read of James' research. They have come from as far way as Marrakech to steal his "elixir" with avaricious plans to use expendable vampiric pawns to gain even more deadly power.

Few writers combine a sensual romance within a supernatural thriller as well as Susan Squires consistently does. Her latest is a terrific Regency vampire romantic suspense starring two courageous heroes battling one hell of a meanie. The storyline grips the audience from the opening birthing to the final confrontation between good and evil as sub-genre fans will wonder who will prove triumphant.

Harriet Klausner