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Title: The Blood Books ( Vol. 1 (Blood Price / Blood Trail)) Author: NA Rating: Not available Avg. Score: 5 Submit Comment Hits: 18

Review of The Blood Books, Vol. 1 (Blood Price / Blood Trail)

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Comments for The Blood Books ( Vol. 1 (Blood Price / Blood Trail))

• Posted on 2008-06-19
  Private Investigator and Her Vampire Friend
  
  The Blood Books, Volume 1 (2006), is an omnibus edition of the first two fantasy novels in the Blood series. It includes Blood Price and Blood Trail.
  
  Victoria Nelson -- Vicki -- is a former Toronto homicide detective who had resigned for medical reasons. She had been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa and experienced various visual disorders, including night blindness, tunnel vision and myopia. Now she works as a private detective on cases that don't overtask her senses.
  
  In Blood Price (1991), eight months after leaving the force, Vicki witnesses the death of a young man attacked by something that tore out his throat. Her former partner -- Mike Celluci -- responds to the call. As usual, she and Mike fight over everything, but even Mike confesses that he had missed fighting with her.
  
  Now she can't seem to let go of the case, particularly when similar deaths occur. The media start speculating about the murders being vampire slayings. She keeps calling her friends in the coroner's office and the Criminal Investigation Division to find out more information. She even goes to the scenes to look for clues missed by the police.
  
  One night, she catches up with the killer just as he is disappearing. She also finds a vampire on the scene, but he punches her out and takes her to his apartment. Henry Fitzroy, the vampire, has a choice: kill her or trust her with his story. He takes the second course, although he can always remedy any mistake by killing her later.
  
  Henry is the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII of England. He is now four hundred and fifty years old and has been a vampire for most of that time. He was made a vampire by Christina, who also rescued him from his deep grave after his apparent death at the age of seventeen.
  
  Henry explains to Vicki that the killer is a lesser demon, who is working on a scheme to open this world to Hellish havoc. Since they can't trust the police with this information, Henry and Vicki need to nullify the scheme. Vicki is charged with finding the master and Henry will try to take out the lesser demon.
  
  Then Coreen, girlfriend of the first victim, hires Vicki to find the alleged vampire. Even if the police don't believe in vampires (or demons), Vicki has an acceptable reason to search for clues. Besides, the client will pay for her time and expenses.
  
  In Blood Trail (1992), Vicki is tired and sweaty from working a case on industrial sabotage and is just starting to shower when the phone rings. Being a compulsive phone answerer, she quickly dries off and races for the receiver. It is her mother calling about spending time together. Mothers!
  
  Vicki finishes the shower and is preparing supper when the phone rings again. This time it is Celluci. He wants to know some information about a previous case and is using Vicki's memories instead of the files. Former partners!
  
  She is eating cold eggs and watching the Jays play in Milwaukee. It is the bottom of the seventh, the Jays behind by two runs, two out and one man on second. Just as a Jays power hitter steps up to the plate, the phone rings. This time it is Henry. He has some friends who need the help of a private investigator. Phones!
  
  In this story, Vicki goes over to Henry's apartment to meet his friends. The security guard recognizes her and buzzes her through, but also gives her a suspicious look. When she reaches the condo, the door swings open to reveal a huge russet colored dog.
  
  A young woman is waiting with Henry in the living room. Henry introduces her as Rose Heerkens and then Rose introduces the dog as Storm. Sitting on the couch, Vicki puts on her professional face and asks why she is needed.
  
  Rose tells her that two members of her family have been shot in the past month. When Vicki asks about the police findings, Rose tells her that they don't know about the shootings. Vicki is puzzled about this remark, so Henry tells Rose to show her.
  
  Rose takes off her sandals, then stands up and removes her sundress. Standing there naked, she suddenly transforms into a white dog and the russet dog turns into a young man, who now introduces himself as Peter. The pair are werewolves.
  
  Highly recommended for Huff fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of supernatural ploys, preternatural concerns and a touch of romance.
  
  -Arthur W. Jordin
  Score: 5
• Posted on 2007-12-17
  quite enjoyable
  
  I really enjoyed these books - more than I thought that I would (let's face it, there is some pretty bad stuff out there in urban fantasy to along with some really good stuff - thankfully this is on the good stuff end).
  
  I liked the three main characters - but especially Henry Fitzroy - one time royal duke, son of Henry VIII, now a vampire living in Toronto making a living by writing bodice rippers! Henry charmed me. And I loved the snippets we get of his past (that was always my favorite part of the Highlander tv show, too - seeing bits of the immortal character's past).
  
  I also really liked the werewolves. I thought that they were both very original and very charming. Werewolves charming? These werewolves are!
  Score: 4
• Posted on 2007-12-07
  MyrnaLynne
  
  As others have said, I discovered these books because of the Lifetime series "Blood Ties" (which unfortunately I only started watching near the middle/toward the end of the 22 episodes) and on the recommendation of a friend who was reading them. I bought the whole series and can't read them fast enough!! I find them to be real page turners, and very difficult to put down. I love the character of Henry Fitzroy the vampire especially but it is the interplay of Henry, the tough and complicated heroine of the piece Vicki Nelson, and her ex-cop partner Mike Celluci that make this story so intriguing and readable.
  Score: 4
• Posted on 2007-12-04
  Boring
  
  This book was recommended to me based on my prior Amazon purchases. I found the story to be boring. I did not care for Vicki. She came across as a selfish, childish, wishy-washy woman that never made a choice between the two men in her life. I thought the relationships between he,r Henry and Nick were uninspired and half baked. The underlying "mysteries" were not interesting, either. I read the whole series, hoping that I would begin to care about these characters. I cared about Henry, but one character can not carry a series.
  Score: 3
• Posted on 2007-11-29
  the blood volumes
  
  I love a good vampire story and love the TV show but find this book a little underdeveloped as far as the charactrs are concerned. I think there is so much more story that could be fleshed out, so I was slightly disappointed with the book.
  Score: 3