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Title: Blood Trail (BLOOD SERIES) |
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Review of Blood Trail (BLOOD SERIES)
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Comments for Blood Trail (BLOOD SERIES)
- Posted on 2008-05-12
Shooting In the Country
Blood Trail (1992) is the second fantasy novel in the Blood series, following Blood Price. In the previous volume, Norman Birdwell used Vicki Nelson as a living sacrifice to call a Demon Lord. As the demon appeared, so did Henry Fitzroy. Then Mike Celluci advanced through the shattered door.
Coreen kicked Norman into Hades, Henry made a deal with the infernal creature, and Mike took care of Vicki until the ambulance came. Coreen paid her bill while Vicki was still in the hospital. Mike created a masterpiece of indirection for his report.
In this novel, 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.
This tale has Vicki hired by the werewolves to investigate the murder of their kin. Since the Heerkens live on a farm which is three miles outside London, Ontario, Henry drives her there. On the way, he tells her how he met the family during the Second World War.
Since the victims have been shot with silver bullets, the murderer obviously knows that they are werewolves. Only three people are known to be aware of their affliction: an elderly doctor, the local game warden and a police officer.
This story is full of action and suspense. Naturally, Vicki finally learns who has been doing the shootings after much work and a little luck. Enjoy!
Highly recommended for Huff fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of preternatural entities, police procedurals, and a touch of romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Score: 5
- Posted on 2006-05-01
great ideas but not so great execution
I really *wanted* to like Tanya Huff. And I like the storyline a lot - Vicki's handicap, Henry's ancestry, and a mystery surrounding a family of werewolves. It sounds great, tons of potential.
I think I'd read about half the book before I realized that I didn't like it. I thought the writing was rather awkward - not bad, just not smooth or particularly evocative - and little things kept bothering me; the thoughts of the villain were over-the-top foreboding and gloomy, the fact that the culprit is revealed to the reader so early in the book killed the momentum, the really abrupt shifts in Vicki and Henry's relationship just confused and disappointed me.
Score: 3
- Posted on 2006-01-09
Grows on you
I'm quite liking this book. Unpretentious storytelling is a rare thing, and that's what Huff does quite well. The story takes you along at a nice pace, with just enough of everything to make it satisfying; nice, heroine, description, and plot. Good dialogue. All in all, I'm impressed enough to read more.
Score: 3 - Posted on 2004-03-10
This Entire Series is Excellent! Highly Recommended
This is Tanya Huff's second novel in the "Blood Series." If you have not read Ms. Huff's entire series, be sure to obtain all five books. They are excellent and you will not be disappointed! (Blood Price; Blood Trial; Blood Lines; Blood Pact; Blood Debt).
In her first novel, Blood Price, you met ex-cop Vickie Nelson turned private investigator, who had to leave the police force due to a dibilitating eye condition which leaves her literally blind at night. Quite by accident while working on a case, Vickie met romance writer/400 year old vampire Henry. Henry helped Vickie with her first case by being her eyes at night. Vickie and Henry are not only friends but there is an attraction beginning to blossom between them. Also in the mix is Vickie's ex working partner, Mike Celluli, who she still sees as a friend and romantic interest. This second book continues here.Vickie receives a telephone call from her friend Henry. He has a new case for her if she decides to accept. Vickie goes to Henry's apartment to meet her new clients, who turn out to be none other than werewolves. It seems that someone has discovered the werewolves' secret (that they are indeed half human, half animal), and has been shooting and killing various family members. The various killings have all taken place at night while the weres are at their home (they own a farm in the London countryside). As you can guess, the weres cannot go to the police in fear of their secret being discovered. Vickie and Henry will have to go to the weres' farm and work together to help the weres discover the killer before any further family members are killed. That's the basic premise of the story.
I have noticed that many vampire fans of early Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series have always recommended Tanya Huff's series as another excellent vampire series. I have to agree. I collect all types of vampire novels, and next to the early Anita Blake's work, this series is just as good. You will not be disappointed. I highly recommend.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2003-12-13
The storyline thickens
The love duel between the vampire and the policeman over the former police detective is about 2/3 of the plot. The mystery of who's killing the werewolves seems almost secondary. I found it a little more entertaining than the first in the series, but it still didn't keep me up at night.
Score: 3