Emma and the Vampires
Jane Austen and Wayne Josephson
Sourcebooks, Aug 10 2010, $14.99
ISBN: 9781402241345

In Highbury, England blue blooded vampires live among the human residents with the latter unaware that some of local gentry are Undead. Daughter of an affluent widower, Emma is especially clueless even though she notices weird dental bites and black curtains, but never puts together another thought as to what that denotes. Instead Emma plays the town's matchmaker until her BFF Harriet Smith declares her love for Mr. Knightly. Emma wants him unaware that his fangs are not due to poor teeth.

Everything changes when the vampires begin stalking and attacking the town's girls. Not one to remain a spectator, Emma grabs a stake that she ties to her thigh and stalks the Undead.

With a nod to Steve Hockensmith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and a wink at Jane Austen, Wayne Josephson converts Emma into a vampire thriller with stakes and tea. Although everyone knows vampires exist, Emma is terrific as she goes from totally clueless to Regency Buffy like slayer. Although how the Highbury citizens failed to know the bluebloods were Undead is mindful of Los unable to see past Clark's glasses (hypnotic glamour must be super powerful), readers will enjoy Mr. Josephus' jocular biting of Emma.

Harriet Klausner