Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

Small town cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse's supernatural existence puts her in the line of fire in the fifth novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series--the inspiration for the HBO? original series True Blood. When Sookie Stackhouse sees her brother Jason's eyes start to change, she knows he's about to turn into a were-panther for the first time. But her concern becomes cold fear when a sniper sets his deadly sights on the local changeling population, and Jason's new panther brethren suspect he may be the shooter. Now, Sookie has until the next full moon to find out who's behind the attacks--unless the killer decides to find her first... Editorial Reviews Praise for #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse novels It's the kind of book you look forward to reading before you go to bed, thinking you're only going to read one chapter, and then you end up reading seven.--Alan Ball, executive producer of True Blood Vivid, subtle, and funny in her portrayal of southern life.--Entertainment Weekly Charlaine Harris has vividly imagined telepathic barmaid Sookie Stackhouse and her small-town Louisiana milieu, where humans, vampires, shapeshifters, and other sentient critters live...Her mash-up of genres is delightful, taking elements from mysteries, horror stories, and romances.--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The series continues to be inventive and funny with an engaging, smart, and sexy heroine.--The Denver Post Blending action, romance, and comedy, Harris has created a fully functioning world so very close to our own, except, of course, for the vamps and other supernatural creatures.--The Toronto Star - From the Publisher When she is not waitressing or preoccupied with her own amorous adventures, telepath Sookie Stackhouse is tracking down a serial killer of shapeshifters. Her sleuthing is partly altruistic, but she's also trying to save her were-panther brother, Jason, who has become the chief suspect in the crime. A three-ring circus of sexy supernaturalism. - Harris's rousing fifth Sookie Stackhouse fantasy-mystery (after 2004's Dead to the World) pits vampires, were-creatures, shifters and one fairy godmother against a sniper with an apparent aversion to nonhumans. If trying to discover who's behind the shootings isn't enough, the telepathic cocktail waitress from Bon Temps, La., has to cope with a few other distractions: her sexy Were friend, Alcide Herveaux, needs her help in his father's bid to become the next leader of the local werewolf pack; her boss, Sam Merlotte (a collie in his spare time), gets shot; her house partly burns down; and what's she to do about the handsome vampire bartender who dresses as a pirate at Sam's place? Between one mishap and another, Sookie is one busy gal. Harris does an admirable job of creating a heroine who's not only interesting but completely believable in a world of the strange and the different. Natural and humorous dialogue and a nicely paced plot that doesn't dwell so much on Sookie's old boyfriends help make this entry the best yet in the series. Agent, Joshua Bilmes at Jabberwocky. 10-city author tour. (May 3) FYI: Harris is also the author of the Aurora Teagarden (Real Murders) and the Lily Bard (Shakespeare's Landlord) mystery series. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. - Publishers Weekly Plot twists and fascinating characters abound in this welcome addition to Harris's Anthony Award-winning Southern Vampire series. Charming heroine and cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse must once again use her mind-reading talents to solve a mystery and take out some really bad guys. Someone has been shooting shapeshifters. Even Sam, her boss at Melotte's tavern, who from time to time turns into a collie, becomes a victim. For help, she turns to the local vampire honcho, the handsome, sexy Eric, who complies but expects a favor in return. As if this isn't enough, Sookie herself is targeted by an assassin; she almost dies when her house is torched and is then shot but fortunately not badly wounded. On top of everything else, her Were friend Alcide compels her to witness the brutal, bloody ritual used to choose a new werewolf pack leader. Much of the action here has its roots in Dead to the World, but the author unobtrusively keeps new readers apprised of what happened earlier. Harris lives in Arkansas.-Patricia Altner, Information Seekers, Columbia, MD Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. - Library Journal The Witch War may be over, but there's still danger aplenty for the supernatural citizens of Louisiana's Renard Parish. Vampires and werewolves owe a debt to waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Dead to the World, 2004, etc.), whose telepathic powers helped them triumph over the witches. So when bar owner Sam Merlotte is sidelined during a rash of attacks that leaves werefox Heather Kinman dead and werewolf Calvin Norris hospitalized, he sends Sookie to Fangtasia to ask vampire Eric to lend him a bartender. Sam, who'd love for Sookie to be more than just his messenger, doesn't know that she's been equally in Eric's debt since he took the bullet Debbie Pelt aimed at her for ruining her relationship with werewolf Alcide Herveux. Eric doesn't know either: the shotgun blast erased all memories of his brief but torrid affair with Sookie. But Eric obligingly sends ex-pirate Charles Twining to help Sam and short-order cook Sweetie Des Arts. Since Sookie still has the lightproof room Eric used during his convalescence, Charles stays with her, annoying both Alcide, who wants Sookie as his consort, and Bill Compton, Sookie's first love. Luckily for Sookie's admirers, Charles is on the scene when her house is set afire by Jeff Marriott, whose grudge against Sookie is as mysterious as his origins. Sorting out her suitors leaves Sookie scant time to worry about why she's become a target: here, the mystery is swamped by the ongoing supernatural-soap-opera romance. Author tour - Kirkus Reviews I love the imaginative, creative world of Charlaine Harris. Everyone should read Dead as a Doornail.--Christine Feehan [Harris's] mash-up of genres is delightful, taking elements from mysteries, horror stories, and romances.--Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - eloquence quotes As a telepath, Sookie Stackhouse has always led a strange life in her Louisiana town. Can Sookie solve a murder mystery and clarify her feelings for the various supernatural men in her life who make her heart race? Even though Johanna Parker reads without much of a Southern accent, she gives characters rural, threatening, or intriguing inflections as needed and conveys Sookie as a strong but conflicted heroine. Parker also provides masculinity for the male characters, making for a well-rounded performance. Listeners will be drawn to seek out the previous three novels. J.M.S. ? AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine - OCT/NOV 05 - AudioFile