Definitely Dead

by Charlaine Harris

Ace: $23.95; 324pp

Oh yeah! Sookie Stackhouse is back wheeling and dealing with the undead and other assorted supernatural critters in the wilds of Bon Temps, Louisiana.

I am sure I am preaching to the converted here when I say how wonderful this whole series of books has been. This is the sixth book and it is just as yummy and engrossing as the last five.

Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress with telepathic talent at Merlotte’s Bar. It’s a nice comfortable bar. The current owner, Sam… well he’s a mite on the shape-shifting side (usually a collie). Luckily, the town of Bon Temps has a mostly easy peace with those of the supernatural persuasion.

And Sookie, bless her, gets to tangle with all of them.

On this particular outing, Sookie finds that she’s inherited from her recently deceased cousin Hadley who was the vampire Queen of Louisiana’s consort. And though she doesn’t want to, she finds she has to go to New Orleans to claim her inheritance.

And in the meantime, the ghost of Debbie Pelt (a character in the last novel) has come back to haunt Sookie’s life. Not literally, funnily enough. But her family is persistent in trying to sort out the circumstances regarding her death and Sookie is reluctant to tell them all.

Ahh, the tale just gets more wonderful as it moves along.

It seems everyone wants ol’ Sookie. First, there is Calvin Norris, head of the neighboring clan of were-panthers. Then there is Alcide Herveaux, also a Were, who is still mighty sweet on Sookie. There are also a couple of fairies and some demons and the usual assortment of Weres and vampires. Sookie’s friends and potential lovers are just never, well…normal.

Sookie reluctantly goes to New Orleans to sort through Hadley’s estate and gets convinced to go to a high-level vampire conference which involves the outrageous court of the vampire Queen of Louisiana and her new King from Arkansas…an uneasy marriage at best, but politically necessary.

Oh, and did I mention? Sookie has a new boyfriend!!!

She completely dumps that sucker Bill. (Okay he really is a sucker, a vampire from the Civil War and Sookie’s nearest neighbor). I have to admit, I am sorry she dumped him because he was pretty cool, but he kind of dumped Sookie for another vampire…it’s long story…actually, another novel.

But now, Sookie has Quinn, a shapeshifter, whose usual animal form is a were-tiger. I have to admit, based on Ms Harris’ description of Quinn, he ain’t my type. He is mostly huge and… bald.

But he is good to Sookie.

Eric (the gorgeous Viking era vampire), who still wants to jump Sookie’s bones and owns Fangtasia (a vampire bar), is back in the story as is Bubba, an undead and very famous performer when alive.

Trust me - this book is full of the scary and heart-pounding escapades that we know and love as Sookie tries to untangle her cousin’s legacy and stay alive in vampire-haunted New Orleans. More fun for us! - Sue Martin