23 Hours: A Vengeful Vampire Tale

David Wellington. Three Rivers Press (CA), $14 (305pp) ISBN 978-0-307-45277-1

Wellington's smooth fourth horror novel to feature vampire hunting, lesbian ex-cop Laura Caxton (after Vampire Zero) finds Laura behind bars at Pennsylvania's Marcy State Correctional Institute, where she's serving a five-year sentence for kidnapping and torturing a federal prisoner-a sociopath who'd killed his whole family to impress a vampire. Meanwhile, Justina Malvern, the world's oldest living vampire, is at large, wreaking havoc. Then Justina shows up at Marcy State, already hungry for convict blood. Justina gives Laura 23 hours to decide whether to become a vampire or die. Wellington's deadpan humor enlivens the satirical goth-gore proceedings as Laura battles the half-dead and their evil leader.

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