Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

If you've managed to get into True Blood, the HBO series, and want your immersion into the world of Sookie Stackhouse to be complete, this book (the first in a long series) may be for you.

The series follows our heroine, Sookie - a mind-reader from Bon Temps, LA - as she solves mysteries and struggles with the issues involved with dating a vampire. In Sookie's reality, vampires have come "out of the coffin" and exist in the open. Some attempt to "mainstream" and live among humans while others remain in the shadows behaving more like the devilish blood-suckers vampires are typically portrayed as. Dead Until Dark focuses on the mystery surrounding a serial killer going after women who are comfortable interacting with vampires. After multiple women get killed in the small town, the killer turns his attention to Sookie. Her vampire boyfriend, Bill, strives to protect her, but his abilities are limited to the night. During the day, it's up to Sookie to protect her self.

This book (along with the rest of the series, I'm sure) is pure escapist, pretty sexy, somewhat gory reading. Don't go into it expecting much more than to just be entertained, mostly. Some of the story is a little trite (a certain long-dead musician makes a vampire cameo that it totally unnecessary) and our narrator, Sookie, has a tendency to over-explain things at times. The writing does read quickly and creates an alternate and believable reality where vampires, humans, and a few other "special" folk live together.

If about an hour per week is all you need for your vampire fix, skip the books and watch the series on HBO, it's fantastic!