Tandem

Bateman (Thirsty) revisits her vampire venue of Abbey Hills, Mo. Months after vampire-related killings, the estate of one of the victims, Markus Chisom, is being settled by an auction house owned by the family of Lauryn McBride. Lauryn is doing the work; her father, her only close relation, is declining from Alzheimer's. Chisom is tied to a really old New Orleans family, and a letter from Lauryn brings Amede Dastillion to town, ostensibly for family heirlooms but really in search of a family member. Both women confront pain in their histories even as ritual killings resume in the town. This sequel is less successful than its imaginative predecessor. The villains are less well drawn; Lauryn's former love, Billy, a preacher's kid become missionary, is a bit of a holy roller in an evangelical Christian novel that deals logically with the theme of redemption without getting preachy about it. Still, this is a well-plotted novel that offers a plausible Christian take on the ubiquitous vampire theme. (Oct.)