Picking up where Cold Streets
(2003) left off, Elrod's winning 10th Vampire Files novel finds nightclub-owning vampire Jack Fleming, who usually works for the "good guys" as a private detective in 1938 Chicago, on the other side of the law. When Jack agrees to fill in for his wounded gangster boss pal, Gordy Weems, he winds up nearly tortured to death at the hands of sadistic hood Hog Bristow. Jack gets his payback by killing Bristow, but must face the music after the arrival of the big boss from New York, Whitey Kroun. Though Jack manages to make nice with Kroun, he still has other problems. Bristow's rough treatment has left Jack with seizures, impaired vampiric hypnotic ability and an overwhelming craving for blood. A thug who wants Jack dead and the murder of a singer at Gordy's club further complicate an already tough situation. Interesting twists, good period detail, fine characterization and snappy dialogue lift this genre-crossing tale. Agent, Lucienne Diver at Spectrum Literary Agency. (Sept.)
