Ray Garton, Night Life

Night Life

Ray Garton

Leisure, April 2007, $7.99, 352 pp.

ISBN 0843956755

Private investigators Karen Moffett and Gavin Keoph are linked by multi-millionaire horror novelist Martin Burgess. He wants them to investigate former New York Times reporter Walter Benedek under a pseudonym wrote an article about evil vampires for the New York Post. Mr. Burgess wants to know if they are real. Karen tracks Walter down to a small town in upstate New York where he tells her vampires are real and he did battle with them.

He gives them an introduction to nice vampires Casey and Davey, a married couple who drink blood from containers obtained through an underground network. The "brutals" believe mortals are meat to do with as they choose and they dine on anyone looking for them. They never forget a slight and when Davey, Casey and Gavin are in the home of a psychic vampire, Karen and Casey are kidnapped and placed into a hotel belonging to the most dangerous brutal of all. The place is a fortress but they are going to make a rescue attempt regardless, knowing there will be casualties on both sides.

NIGHT LIFE is the direct sequel to Bram Stoker nominated LIVE GIRLS and it is a fascinating modernization of the vampire legend. These vampires can stay awake in the day, wear sunblock to go outside, are allergic to garlic but religious objects don't bother them, unlike in most vampiric novels. The characters are full-blooded and the storyline is fast-paced, action-packed and totally terrifying. Ray Garton writes horror fiction at its most frightening best.

Harriet Klausner