A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse - The Complete Stories)

I am a huge fan of the series, so when I saw a new book was coming out I of course pre-oredered. I was extremely disappointed to find out it was just a bunch of previously published short stories. As a fan of the series I had already purchased the original printing. Big waste of money!

I pre-ordered this book thinking it would be a gem. This book seems like a couple of chapters that got thrown out of the other books. What a disappointment! I can't believe Charlaine Harris released this to her publishers or that her publishers released it to the public. I wish I could just get my money back.

I was looking forward to this book after the letdown from Dead and Gone (The writing was certainly better in these earlier stories). Admittedly, I should have read the book description but this is a reprint of her earlier short stories. After going through the trouble of purchasing these short stories in anthologies in the past, this was a waste of money. I will read the description of the next book before purchase but to list this as Book 10 is a little misleading. Ah well.

I've read all of CH's books and to be blunt I think she's getting bored of Sookie and Bon Temps. This series of short stories, covering a variety of timelines in the Sookie Stackhouse universe, really feels like fanfiction rather than original work by the author. The dialogue is abysmal and the plot contrivances are amateur at best. I've never seen CH's work as being superlative in general, but she at least creates a generally cohesive set of characters and dialogue that tends to further their development.

In fact, the last story in this series really sets Sookie into a completely negative light. I've enjoyed the fact that Sookie has "moved on" after Bill and has pursued some other relationships, albeit only with other supes. But without spoiling the story (thin at is in the first place) she all but spends Christmas Eve with a male prostitute. Sookie deserves better treatment than cheap one-night stands, but Ms. Harris must believe she is just not worth a true relationship any longer.

Rather than being short stories, I feel these were drafts for other books she simply decided to abandon or were edited out of her manuscripts. They should have remained as unpublished or released as "bonus stories" on her website. Don't bother, even if you are a true fan. You'll find yourself thinking far less of CH and her character Sookie if you read this.

I read books 1-9 in less than a week so I was so very excited to hear that the 10th was going to be released soon. I must say that I am a big Sookie fan, but this book was a tremendous let-down. It was very short, had very large print, unnecessary illustrations, and exaggerated spacing. All of this, including the illustrations, were used as a way to take up page space. I really thought this one would be another great volume of the Sookie story, but it was just a bunch of thrown together short stories. I hope that the next will be released soon to make up for this one.

I pre-ordered this book since I have enjoyed the series but must say the book was rehashed stories. If the print had not been so large, the book would have been an pamphlet. Very disappointed that I ordered it but more disapppointed that I was had.

I am a huge fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, of Charlaine Harris and of TrueBlood.. But this was a waste of my 9.99 (kindle edition) Why release something like this if we were able to get it for free on her website, Or in previously printed places?

Is the Author and publisher so desperate for cash that they have to recycle old stories and present them as "New"?

Save your money..

To the publisher~ SHAMEFUL!!

I suppose I should have read a little more closely about this book before I purchased it. I thought it was book 10 in the series, but it is just a bunch of boring/short stories to fill in the gaps that the author left out in the previous books. Not worth the money or the time it takes to read it(which shouldn't take long b/c there are only 192 pages).

This book is a collection of short, boring stories. Even if you do not know Sookie's personality through Ms. Harris's style of writing, this book would be terrible. Because I know & like Sookie's personality through Ms. Harris's style of writing, I was terribly disappointed by the collection. The stories had nothing to hold one's interest and were poorly written. Ms Harris, did you actually create this writing or did you OK the ghost writer who did? I cannot believe you let this one get through with your name on it. I finished it in under 2 hours and was mad at myself for paying money for it. I don't even want it in my library! Yuck & ick!!!

If I wanted to get reprinted short stories, I would have visited a used book store, and gotten them a lot cheaper! And only 208 pages too!

I too thought this was book 10, not an anthology. If the book publishers want to turn their failing business around, misleading is not the way to do it!

Looks like I'll be pre-ordering a lot less from Ace.

What's the problem? Does Charlaine Harris have writer's block?

I waited patiently for the next book in the Sookie Stackhouse series and I am very dissapointed. It's a group of 'little short' stories that seem to have little substance. Other than a little quirkiness of Sookie and following a little story line of past books they did not entertain like the Sookie books. I wouldn't recommend it for diehard fans (fans before the True Blood Series began).

this is not a follow-up to book 9 like i thought along with everyone else. it is a mixure of short, not so interesting stories. the editor should title these types of books differently, so that we (the fans') are not angry.

I enjoyed once again getting involved in Sookie's life but was disappointed by the short story aspect. I wanted more. It was very short and a quick couple of hours read. I hope there will be more to read about Sookie's exciting life.

In A Touch of Dead you get five Sookie Stackhouse short stories that Ms. Harris has written over the years and have finally been published together for the first time.

"Fairy Dust" takes place after Dead To The World.
There we meet Claudine and Claude who have asked Sookie for "special" help in order to solve a murder mystery.

"Dracula Night" takes place before Dead As A Doornail.
Eric is throwing a big bash at Fangtasia to celebrate the birthday of the one-and-only, you guessed it Dracula. And Sookie's got an invitation to the fun.

"One Word Answer" takes place after Dead As A Doornail.
Sookie finds out that her long lost cousin is dead and meets some well-known characters for the first time.

"Lucky" takes place after All Together Dead.
Sookie and Amelia are approached by local real estate agent to help him solve a mystery. But this mystery is much more complicated then the girls originally anticipated.

Gift Wrap" takes place before Dead And Gone.
Sookie is spending this Christmas on her own. But when when she finds a naked man on her property and an unexpected guest pays a visit, it just might be a Christmas that is unforgettable.

As a fan of Ms. Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels - this book is a needed addition to your collection. I don't know if you're like me, but there was a time or two where I would start one of the books and feel like.. huh? did I miss something? Now we know why. These short stories fill in some of those gaps no matter how small they were. THIS is what you were missing. I personally never went out to buy any of the books Ms. Harris and Sookie were featured in. With A Touch of Dead, you have them all in one volume and can read them as you are reading all the books or, like me, who is all caught up in the series, can read them all together.

This was a fun, quick read... with a special dose of the Sookie Stackhouse universe we have all come to love. This is a must-read for any fan of the series.

I'm definitely disappointed in this book and am having problems rating it. For the stories themselves, I would give it 3.5 to 4 stars. I rate the book lower as it's not the sum of it's parts. Each of these short stories have been recently published in other anthologies. Charlaine Harris is the editor of several of those previous works:Wolfsbane and Mistletoe and Many Bloody Returns

There are no other stories in the book other than the five listed in the description. It would have been nice to know there was nothing extra. Several other recently published stories might have fit into this collection as they appear to be in the Sookie Stackhouse universe albeit without Sookie making a direct appearance.

As the other anthologies are not hard to find, I suspect that many people already own the five stories in this work. Since Ms Harris edited several works and is the prominent author of several others, it feels as if this is a rerun rather than something new.

If you do not own any of these stories or care only for Sookie and don't wish to see other short stories of Charlaine Harris, it is worth buying. But if you already have some of the other works, this book is not worth the money. It feels like it could have been so much more had more of Charlaine's short stories been included.

When I preordered this book it was listed as Sookie Stackhouse Series book 10- clearly implying it was the next in the series. At the time I don't think there even was a description or cover art.

I actually don't mind short stories and if they were short stories that moved the series forwards I would have been ok- but these all clearly take past before the events of the last book.

Ive been waiting months for this book to come out and am disappointed. I probably would have still purchased this but certainly would have waited for the soft cover edition.

I was very anxiously awaiting this book, silly me thinking it was a continuation of the series. What I have found are a few short stories, and as a considerable Sookie fan, found this very disappointing. I wasn't interested in this type of read. I guess I'll stick it on the shelf and wait for the "real" next book.

I am a huge Sookie fan and could not wait for another new book. This book arrived on Thursday at 4pm. I was finished with it before the end of the night. I am not a fan of the "short" stories. I would have loved to get into Sookie's life for some real adventure. These stories were not what I was looking for.

I'm usually pretty thorough in reading descriptions, so I'm not sure how I came to pre-order this book of 'short stories', as it is not at all what I thought it would be. As with others, I mistakenly thought it was the NEXT book in the series. Honestly, I usually roll my eyes at reviews that give a low rating simply because the reviewer failed to actually read the product description..... hardly fair, right? Well, I'm mixed on this one. I'm trying to think back when I actually pre-ordered the book, if there was a description of the book listed... or even a photo... may have been, I don't remember. What I do know though, is when you start typing 'Sookie Stackhouse' into the search box, and options pop up, this book comes up as 'book 10', which might lead (cough) some to believe it IS the next book in the series.
I flipped through this book, and can't even bring myself to start reading it. I'm guessing die-hard fans might consider this collection of short stories a must-own gem. Those who are new to the series, and have the opportunity to read the stories in the proper order, as they read the 'real' books may really enjoy this book as well. As for myself, I very rarely read a series twice, and am not very interested in going back in time and reading bonus material from books I read long ago. Worse still, I can't help but consider these type of books as 'filler profit'. While waiting for the next book in the series to be released, OF COURSE fans will pay for bonus material/short stories/companion books... so, why not package something like this in the form of a 'new' book, and make more money? Great idea! I guess it is, as there is obviously a market for it, but it would have been nice in this case if it were a little more clear that the book is not part of the actual series in order to avoid confusion and/or disappointment. I will admit to not doing my job in reading the description (if it was there when I ordered), so that is my own fault. But, the appearance of this book... the picture as well as the title fit right in with the other books in the series... even the the store title doesn't reflect anything different about the book. So, as a fan of the series, it's not a stretch to see the 'new' book on the store, available for pre-order and just assume it is the next book in the series. Many fans may not think they need to know what the book is about... they just think it's the next book in the series and know they must have it! Yes, if you supersize the photo, you can clearly see the (smaller) white writing above the title, which says 'Sookie Stackhouse: The Complete Stories' (which actually seems oddly worded to me anyway). Without the larger version of the photo though, that writing seems to be lost on my computer screen. At the very least, that 'extra' portion of the title should be included in the the store title. I'm guessing that would lead most people to look a little further at the book description, and avoid further disappointment with the book.

I really was expecting a followup to book 9. I wish Charlaine Harriswish hadn't made this book #10. This is just missing stories or maybe editor rejected chapters from previous Sookie Stackhouse books. Man! I read this book in four hours. Don't look to clutch your fingers at every page. The stories are pretty light. I guess Charlaine Harris needed a go between book to make her publisher happy. Unfortunately, she wasn't thinking about her fans.

A Touch of Dead is an omnibus of five short stories in the Sookie Stackhouse series by popular American author, Charlaine Harris.
Fairy Dust: Claudine, the only fairy that Sookie has ever met, comes into the bar with a request for help. And while fairies are notoriously bad tippers, Sookie will get paid for using her telepathic powers, so she agrees. They go to Claude’s house (Claudine’s brother, identical, who knew?) where Sookie, in her unique way, questions three of Claude’s work colleagues at the exotic dance club, Hooligans. Claude and Claudine are certain that one of the three murdered their triplet (yes, there were three of these beautiful people!), Claudette. The culprit is uncovered, revenge is extracted, and the reader learns a bit about the fairies in the Sookieverse. A small but enjoyable dose of Sookie.

Dracula Night: Eric invites Sookie to celebrate Dracula Night at his nightclub, Fangtasia. Dress-code cocktail wear, so she buys a new dress, pink with sequins. She’s quite amazed at Eric’s almost groupie-like hope that Prince Dracula himself might grace their humble club, and consequently, his judgement is a little off. But Sookie has her finger on the pulse, and takes the necessary action, although this draws the ire of the club’s patrons. A mini-dose of vampire fun.

One Word Answer: Whilst Sookie is doing some evening yard work with Bubba the Vampire, visitors arrive in a fancy black limo. The passenger brings news of the death of Sookie’s cousin Hadley, and a legacy coming her way. But Sookie is interested in how her cousin met her end, something that, apparently, the vampire limo driver knows more about. Sookie is grateful that her talent for telepathy allows her to keep a poker face when the full story is revealed. Bubba shows some initiative when it matters. Sookie’s enigmatic one word answer may not please all readers, but is guaranteed to bring a smile to most.

Lucky: Sookie and her current houseguest, Amelia Broadway, get a visit from Insurance agent, Greg Aubert. He’s worried that someone has been going through his files. With a combination of spells and psychic talents, Amelia and Sookie find out just who has been in Greg’s office, and quite a bit more besides. A vampire refugee is discovered, and Sookie is tempted by a puppy. A nice little interlude between Sookie instalments.

Gift Wrap: Alone on Christmas Eve and feeling sorry for herself, Sookie takes a walk in the woods behind her house, checking if there is any sign of what caused the noise that briefly woke her in the night. A naked, injured and definitely gorgeous man is not what she expected to find, but unable to ignore someone in need, Sookie takes him back to her house. The remainder of her evening is also quite unexpected, though hardly unwelcome. And the surprise guest who shares her Christmas Dinner is perhaps the most unexpected of all, but one who ensures that Sookie’s Christmas is indeed a happy one. A sweet and funny dose of Sookie.

i have to say i feel a little misled. i preordered this and was so excited to get it in the mail today only to find out that it was not the 10th book. i'm pretty sure i would have picked up on "short stories" in the description sent to me through email. i'm sure i'll still enjoy the book though as i love the series.

These are fun, easy, quick reads with some back ground but don't expect what you're used to in the series.

I didn’t like the book. However, the characters were borderline from unlikable to a few exceptions the plot was a bit poor. The writing was poor at worst and bad at best. I developed some interest in the book but not enough to sustain me. If part of a series, at least one thing peeked my interest to continue. Even though the plot was uninteresting, not original or unique in any way and contained an overload of pretense, the romance was a little better but the romance was still flawed. The male/female lead was possibly abusive, verbal/physical or both, boring, or had no to very little chemistry with love interest, etc. Everything was too easily predictable. Overall, ok maybe some redeeming value!

I knew that this was a compilation of Sookie short stories and I was really excited about that. Shame on reviewers for giving the book a low review because they did not do their research and thought they were getting a full book in the series. I loved the idea of all the short stories put together- as a reader new to the series I love everything Bill and Sookie and definitely did not want to have to hunt through several different collections.

However....I think Charlaine Harris needed a few more stories before putting together a hardback book to sell- 5 is pretty slim. Now I guess I could have done MY homework and known that is how many she had written! :)

The stories are fun and fill in the blanks between the books very nicely, particularly the one that deals with cousin Hadley's death. Fans of the series will certainly enjoy just a taste while we wait for Book 10, "Dead in teh Family." But definitely check with your library or a friend; this is not worth buying.

A touch of death is a collection of very short stories featuring Sookie Stackhouse. There are 5 stories in this book, and for the most part, you don't need to read any of them in order to enjoy the main series. In fact, most of the stories here aren't worth reading at all.

The breakdown of stories:

1. Fairy dust. Sookie helps Claude and Claudine figure out who murdered their triplet Claudette. This story isn't necessary to the main series, but it is a strong story that provides some background for the fae characters. It's very true to Sookie's character. If I were rating this story individually I'd give it 4 stars.

2.One Word Answer. This is the only story you need to read to improve your understanding of the main series. This is the story of Sookie finding out her cousin Hadley has died. It should have been included in the main novels because it's pretty vital to understanding the beginning of one of the books...I think it is 'Definitely Dead'. I would give this story 4 stars as well.

3. Dracula Night. Sookie is invited to a party at Fangtasia celebrating the birthday of Count Dracula (apparently Vlad the Impaler (the inspiration for Bram Stoker) was turned into a vampire). I hate this story mainly because it isn't true to the characters Harris has established. The Eric from the books wouldn't have acted the way he is portrayed here...and I wish she hadn't made reference to 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' because this story IS exactly like that. 1 star.

4. Lucky. Amelia and Sookie help her insurance guy find out who's been in his business at night. It deals a lot with the concept of Luck and features Bill. I didn't mind this story but I didn't like it either. 2 stars.

5. Giftwrap. This story is such a FAIL. Sookie finds an injured 'werewolf' in her woods and they spend Christmas Eve together. This read exactly like really bad fan-fiction...no doubt many fan-fic writers have done much better. It's not true to the character of Sookie or Niall, for that matter. 1 star.

I would borrow this from the library to read 'One Word Answers' because you'll need to know about those events while reading the series. As a fan of the series, though, the rest of this book is a big disappointment.

I was originally told this books was all Christmas stories. Not true and it blew all my expectations away. A Touch of Dead is five short stories that fall in various places in the Southern Vampire Series, all with Sookie Stackhouse and friends.

* Dracula Night: It's Dracula's birthday and Eric is throwing a party. The main vamp is a no show, but the night is not a total loss with a surprise staking and a promise to party for Drac next time.

* Fairy Dust: is a tale of who-done-it, with Sookie acting as lead telepath with Fairies Claudine and Claudette who are solving the murder of lost their triplet Claudette.

* One Word Answer”: tells back-story of Sookie learning of her cousin Hadley’s death.

* Lucky: Sookie with roommate Amelia investigates who or what may be trying to sabotage Bon Temps' insurance agencies.

* Gift Wrap: Sookie helps a very mysterious, handsome stranger hide from other supernaturals looking for justice.

I wanted some these stories to be a bit longer, but in the end, A Touch of Dead is a very enjoyable read, and I loved every word from Harris's Southern Vampire series.

Sookie's life seems like a rollercoaster, always involved in mega plots with dire consequences, and several times we faithful readers don't know what happened next...the closure.

Harris wrote several short stories throughout the years and this compilation includes them all (so I believe). Obviously it's difficult to write mystery stories (in a supernatural setting or historical or even mundane) in so few pages, but Harris as the slight advantage that we already know several members of the cast...even so, we must take into consideration that weakness.

The stories themselves are variable in length and quality. Some are very interesting, others not so. Some doesn't have much logic (Erik being completely in awe with Dracula!!!?! Even if he existed D. would be half the age of Erik! And Erik isn't easily impressed at all, usually only admiring himself), others are absolutely charming like "Gift Wrap".

It's definitely recommended for completeness but be warned: There are no information you really need to know about any of the main characters that you will find in those short stories and you will read all the stories in just a couple of hours, so you might better evaluate the investment and if you really want this book.

I borrowed this kindle book from the library. If you must read it, I suggest you do that rather than shell out the $16 to own it.

These stories are...not good. I recently finished The Southern Vampire Mysteries and was looking for a way to read more stories about the characters I loved and maybe revisit some of the magic the series seemed to lose in the later books. These stories did not deliver at all. There was no comedy, romance, or interesting plots to be found in this collection.

If you feel you need to read these stories to patch holes in the timeline, you don't. I'd always felt I had missed something because I'd never read Fairy Dust or One Word Answers, and the events of those stories are referred to frequently in the novels. I got nothing additional from reading the stories. All major plot points are included in the novels and there is no character development to be found. The stories almost read like plot summaries with detailed descriptions of clothing rather than actual short stories.

But what about Eric?! I was so excited for Dracula Night. I thought we'd travel back to the will they/won't they tension and excitement of the Eric and Sookie romance. We'd get to see Eric riding high instead of under the boot of his king, his maker, or his future wife. Nope. No excitement. No romance. The Eric in this story is not the Eric you fell in love/lust with. Eric fans will be sorely disappointed.

Having recently read all 10 of the Sookie Stackhouse novels back to back within a two week period, I was feeling a bit confused. Did I miss a book? Skip a chapter? Forget what I had read? You see, between the ends of some books and the beginning of the next, significant events seemed to happen, including the death of Sookie's cousin, the introduction of Sookie's fairy godmother, and Sookie's first meeting with Queen Sophie Anne, to name a few. Where was all this information that I seem to have missed?

Well, all that information is no longer missing - it is here, in A TOUCH OF DEAD, a collection of Sookie Stackhouse short stories. Whew! I am not crazy after all! Where most author's use short stories to keep their reads from pining away over their favorite characters while the next novel is in the works, Charlaine Harris uses her shorts to further Sookie's story...so big events really do take place "between the novels."

"Fairy Dust" takes place right after Dead To The World. Here, we meet Claudine and Claude for the very first time, and learn a lot more about them. This is an in sequence story that adds to the overall Sookie storyline.

"Dracula Night" takes place before Dead As A Doornail. Who knew that Eric could succumb to a big, nerdy case of hero worship? This story is fun, but has no effect on the overall Sookie storyline.

"One Word Answer" takes place after Dead As A Doornail. This story contains events critical to Definitely Dead. Here, we learn that Sookie's cousin is dead and meet Queen Sophie Anne and her entourage.

"Lucky" takes place after All Together Dead. Sookie and Amelia's friendship is cemented in this story, but it has no effect on the overall Sookie storyline.

"Gift Wrap" takes place before Dead And Gone. This is a Sookie Christmas tale. Sentimental and fun, but but has no effect on the overall Sookie storyline.

A TOUCH OF DEAD is a must for any Sookie Stackhouse fan. This is where you will find the stuff you missed and get an added dose of Sookie as a bonus. I will definitely be on the lookout for more Sookie shorts in the future. I certainly don't want to miss out on even the slightest bit of action.

I didn't find out about this book until I read " The Sookie Stackhouse Companion". This book contains several SHORT stories that take place in between the books in the series. It is a quick read, I read it in about an hour or so. The stories follow this timeline: "Fairy Dust"-comes after Dead to the World, "Dracula's Night"- comes before Dead as a Doornail, "One Word Answer"- comes after Dead as a Doornail, "Lucky"- comes after All Together Dead,"Gift Wrap"- comes before Dead and Gone. Even though I had read books 1-11 in the series before this one, I had no problems knowing when these events took place. Don't get confused and think this book reads like the books in the series, it doesn't. It is basically a fill in to help answer some of the questions you have or info that you wish you knew a little more about. For example: What really happened to Claudette and Hadley? How did Sookie spend her Christmas? And more. I am glad that my local had a copy of this book or I may have missed out on a good read due to the price. I still recommend it to the Sookie Stackhouse fans that feel as if they missed something while reading the series.

Well, I began reading the series after Twilight hooked me on paranormal romances. Twilight helped me to re-discover my love for Vampire love stories and mystery (former Buffy- viewer!). Soon after finishing the Twilight series, True Blood season 2 was premiering on HBO and I had to give it a shot. Well, after two episodes I was so hooked that I rented season 1 and watched every episode over a weekend! This then led me to start reading the books that started it all!

After reading Sookie Stackhouse books 1-9, I decided to borrow this compilation book in order to satisfy my craving for the release of the latest book in May 2010.

Well what can I say.....I am happy for two reasons.....
1. That I read these short stories to hold me over until the latest release....
2. That I borrowed it from the local library...

Breakdown of the stories:
1. "Fairy Dust" - We are introduced to the Faerie twins Claudine and Claude and Sookie helps them to solve a murder that took place at the club Claude owns and runs. This story occurs after Dead To The World.
2. "Dracula Night" - The vampires are preparing to celebrate the birthday of Dracula. Both Sookie and Eric are in for a surprise. This story occurs prior to Dead As A Doornail.
3. "One Word Answer"- Sookie is sent to New Orleans to discover how and why her cousin Hadley met her demise. We are introduced to the witches of New Orleans. This story occurs after Dead As A Doornail.
4. "Lucky" - Amelia and Sookie are called in to help solve a mystery. This story takes place after All Together Dead.
5. "Gift Wrap" - Sookie is alone for the holidays, but nore for long. When she discovers a naked and injured- beautiful- man on the outskirts of her property, she is in for an unexpected surprise. An equally appropriate title for this story could have been "Sookie gets Nookie". This story occurs before Dead And Gone.

My thoughts- I love the Sookie Stackhouse stories, they are fun, entertaining, and quick reads. This book, however entertaining, was a bit hard to place. For me, I like to read stories/book in order of when they take place. With all of these stories being put into one book- yet taking place throughout the series, it was difficult (for me at least) to mentally place them in order within the book series.

For me, I would like to have seen Charlaine release short story books in between the series books that contain a few short stories/adventures that occur during that specific time period. For example- release a book of 4 short stories after Dead as a Doornail that take place during the time after Dead as a Doornail.

Oh well! Did I enjoy these stories- ABSOLUTELY- they definitely entertained me. Would I purchased this book in hardcover the day it is released- NOPE- I am happy that I borrowed it from the library- I will probably purchase the paperback version to add to my collection at some point.

Enjoy!

Why read: Love the series

What impressed me: I had expected a Touch of Dead to be companion stories that wouldn't really add anything to the world Harris has created. I was so pleased to find each story brought at least one extra piece of information that hadn't been revealed previously that added to the overall understanding of the Sookieverse. While nothing huge and major happened in any of the stories, they weren't just a rehashing of things fans already knew. These stories could be enjoyed by readers who haven't read the other Sookie Stackhouse books, yet won't disappoint longtime fans either.

What disappointed me: Nothing. I was thrilled with this compilation of stories.

Recommended: Sookie fans will need to read A Touch of Dead to get the tiny background details that weren't included in the novels.

Continue series: Absolutely. Sticking with Sookie until the very end.

"A Touch of Dead" contains five short stories that take place in the Sookie universe, although they have very little to do with the full length novels. The only story that really continues the thread of the novels is "One Word Answer", where Sookie learns the details of her cousin Hadley's death. The remaining four are just (very) short stand alone stories.

PROS: These stories have all been published previously as part of various anthologies. If you've always been curious about them you can finally read them all in one place.

CONS: These stories lack the charm and atmosphere of the full length books. They are very simplistic and without the context of the rest of the series they're quite silly and meaningless.

I'll give this 3 stars since I did know exactly what I was getting and for a short story compilation it was fine. If you've been following the series and haven't read these you are not missing anything. If you really must read them then I highly recommend borrowing this from the library or picking up a used copy. I got mine from the library, but if I had actually paid list price I would have been sorely disappointed.

Little (if any) strong language and no sexual content.

These short stories should be read after reading all 9 Sookie Stackhouse novels. I'm not a big fan of short stories, with the except of David Sedaris, whom I think is absolutely hilarious, but these were pretty good.

This was a moderately satisfying collection of short stories. This was not enough to tide me over until Dead in the Family was released, though. A Touch of Dead was enjoyable, and it answered some questions I had about gaps in the series. I would definitely recommend this to fans of the Sookie Stackhouse series.

Just One Gripe:
Sookie didn't really seem like herself in these stories. Something about her character and personality felt contrived.

The Best Thing About This Book:
Charlaine Harris never fails to disappoint.

This book collects five short stories featuring Sookie Stackhouse of the Southern Vampire series (adapted for TV by HBO as "TrueBlood"). They come from various periods in the series. They can be read on their own, but it's probably best if you're a fan of the novels already.

"Fairy Dust" features the fairy triplets Claude, Claudine and Claudette. It was originally published in a mystery collection so it involves Sookie attempting to solve a murder.

"Dracula Night" concerns an event hosted by Eric in honor of his hero.

"One Word Answer" is another mystery story that introduces the half-demon lawyer Mr. Cataliades, who works for the Queen of Louisiana and concerns Sookie's cousin Hadley.

"Lucky" has Sookie and Amelia doing a bit of investigating into the problems of insurance agents in Bon Temps.

"Gift Wrap" is set during Christmas, when Sookie finds herself on her own.

These stories are essential only to the die-hard fans, but I thought they were enjoyable way to spend some time while waiting for the next novel in the series to be published.

Like most urban fantasy authors, Charlaine Harris puts out a lot of short stories when she isn't writing full-length novels. And thankfully, Harris has produced "A Touch of Dead" -- a short story collection that brings together (almost) all of her Sookie Stackhouse short stories, with their mellow Southern charm and slightly chilling urban fantasy flavor.

But be warned: this is not a new book, it's a short story collection. It's got five stories and rather enlarged print.

In "Fairy Dust," Sookie is already in a bad mood when fairy Claudine arrives at Merlotte's, seeking her psychic brand of help -- she and her brother Claude want to find the murderer of their sister from a local strip club. They have three suspects tied up at their house, and they want Sookie to do her mind-reading thing to discern who murdered Claudia.

"One Word Answer" has Sookie receiving an unexpected legacy when her wild cousin Hadley meets with an "Unfortunate Incident" ("My cousin Hadley, the cheerleader, had become a vampire lesbian
voodooienne. Who knew?"). But she suspects that she isn't getting the whole story from a slick lawyer and weird vampire. And "Dracula Night" comes up when Sookie is invited to celebrate the birthday of Dracula -- and like Linus, Eric is sure that Dracula himself will appear. Of course, nothing goes that smoothly.

Then Sookie gets "Lucky" when Greg Aubert reveals that he thinks his insurance agency is being sabotaged, and Sookie soon discovers a supernatural "in" using one of his family members. But the answer might be something a bit more bizarre... and it might have to do with his flourishing business. And Christmas in Bon Temps inevitably leads to "Gift Wrap" -- a lonely Sookie goes for a walk, and stumbles across a strange, naked young man, who gives her a Christmas to remember... and not just in the way you think.

The stories in "A Touch of Dead" have all been published elsewhere, just never before in one big Charlaine-Harris-exclusive volume. These stories are relatively lightweight compared to the full-length Sookie Stackhouse novels, but they are really entertaining and well-written -- and though each story has Harris' pleasant, down-to-earth Southern charm, they also have a good range of emotion -- from bittersweet to creepy, hilarious to mysterious.

And Harris infuses the prose of each story with gentle humor, from vampiric holidays to Sookie having to read the minds of an average suburban family. Her prose has plenty of lovably tongue-in-cheek moments ("I wouldn't have thought northern Louisiana was very hospitable toward beings of the fairy persuasion, anyway"), and Sookie has plenty of fun little moments with witty humor ("I hate it when fairies come into the bar. They don't tip you worth a toot").

Sookie herself is the same as always -- a sensible, matter-of-fact woman with a wee ruthless streak, and a tendency to find herself in the middle of the supernatural action. Sometimes it comes to her, and sometimes she goes to it. And assorted other favorites appear in the story: the cool and calm Vampire Bill, an unusually fanboyish Eric, the fairy Claudine (plus her hot stripper brother), the adorable Bubba, and the ever-awesome Pam.

"A Touch of Death" is a little buffet of previously published Sookie Stackhouse stories, but it's nice to have all these little nuggets of light urban fantasy fun in one volume. At the very least, it might tide you over until the next novel.

3.5 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories, so much so that I was about to give it 4 stars. I think my enjoyment has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't have to pay $23.95 to read it. As a free offering, it's a great entertainment.

In no way is Charlaine Harris is a great short story writer or a writer period, and yet her books are like crack to me - can't get enough of them, even though I know they are not good in any literary sense.

Yes, some of the stories suffer from too abrupt resolutions ("Dracula Night" and "One World Answer") or lack of any kind of conflict ("Gift Wrap"), but I didn't care, I enjoyed the characters, new and old, the breeziness of the narration, and Sookie herself, whom I now find to be amusingly overconfident in her own intelligence. Also, it turns out she is quite tartier that I originally thought, based on the events of "Gift Wrap."

All in all, this book is a nice entertainment, especially for Sookie enthusiasts and series completists. Wouldn't care to pay a hard cover price for it though.

I'm not a huge fan of short stories. It always seems like as soon as I get engrossed in a plot, it's over. However, for Sookie Stackhouse, I'm willing to make an exception.

A Touch of Dead is a little lean on content (only 208 pages and large print), but the five Southern Vampire stories in the collection are all funny and full of Harris' characteristic light suspense.

Stories include "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky" and "Giftwrap." I most enjoyed "Dracula Night," a cute little vignette featuring a star-struck Eric planning a bash for Dracula's birthday, the most sacred of all vampire holidays. "Giftwrap" was also a lot of fun, starring a hunky, random werewolf who makes an unexpected (and steamy) visit to Sookie on Christmas Eve.

Fortunately, I had only read one of the five previously published pieces, so A Touch of Dead was just enough to whet my appetite for Dead in the Family, due in May 2010. A must-read for Charlaine Harris fans who are willing to forgive paying hardcover price for only five short stories -- as long as those stories are about Sookie.

This is a collection of all the short stories featuring Sookie Stackhouse to date. In order to appreciate these stories it is necessary to have at least some familiarity with the Southern Vampire series of books or the True Blood HBO series. For those who are already fans of this series in either form this is a delightful addition. The stories do not contain any major plot developments but instead offer charming and funny little peeks at Sookie's life between novel. In addition to the vampire community in District 5 we are also shown more of Sookie's interactions with the other supernatural beings that also live around Bon Temps, the fairies, witches and werewolves. As any fan of Sookie knows her wry sense of humor as she copes with fantastical situations are guaranteed to keep the reader smiling.

Those fans who have followed Sookie's adventures only through the True Blood series or who have not read all the books need to be aware that these stories do contain spoilers so proceed with caution.

Let me start off by saying I'm not a huge fan of short stories. I don't like the lack of character development and the lack of details about the story. On the other hand I am a huge fan of all things Sookie and we already have a lot of background from the other books so I had to give this a shot! I was disappointed. I don't really feel like it added anything to the novels that are put out. The one story that Eric was in felt completely out of character for him. Truth be told a lot of the stories seemed out of character. The only saving grace for me was the last story in the book about Sookie at Christmas time. It was just okay until the very last page and that made it sweet to me. I'd see if I could maybe purchase it used if it's something you NEED to have for a collection. Otherwise I'd check it out of the library.

Fairy Dust (from Powers of Detection)

One of the fairy triplets is killed. Claude and Claudine ask for Sookie's help. Sookie goes to their domicile, where three suspects are being held. Sookie needs to interrogate each, delve into their minds for the truth, and figure out which is guilty of the crime.

Dracula Night (from Many Bloody Returns)

Eric Northman invites Sookie to his club, Fangtasia, to celebrate Dracula's birthday. Each year Eric has high hopes that Dracula will appear at his party. This time someone steps forward claiming to be the Prince of Darkness, but is he really?

One Word Answer (from Bite)

Sookie and Bubba are raking leaves at midnight when a limo pulls up. A half-demon lawyer, Mr. Cataliades, and his driver, Waldo, exit the vehicle to inform Sookie of her cousin Hadley's death.

Lucky (from Unusual Suspects)

Greg Aubert, Sookie's insurance agent, asks for her help to figure out who has been breaking into his office at night. Sookie's friend, Amelia, assists in solving the mystery. Turns out that more than one thing is happening after hours.

Gift Wrap (from Wolfsbane & Mistletoe)

On Christmas Eve, Sookie is alone and feeling more than a bit depressed when she stumbles upon a wounded werewolf. Sookie hides the injured Were from those hunting him. In return, the werewolf give her a gift she will never forget.

*** THREE STARS TOTAL! Each of these Sookie Stackhouse stories has been published before in various anthologies. Beside each story title, I name the anthology it appeared in. An Introduction by Charlaine Harris explains the stories, their origins, and sequence of events. I feel that each tale is worthy of your time to read; however, due to being short stories they are not as well developed as the actual full-length dramas. ***

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

As Charlaine Harris says in her dedication, this book is for all her readers who want "every last sip of Sookie" they can get their hands on. It contains several short stories - all canon - about our favorite telepathic waitress from Bon Temps, LA.
* "Fairy Dust" is where she first meets Claude, and she assists Claude and Claudine to discover just how their triplet sibling Claudette was murdered.
* "Dracula Night" finds Sookie invited to Fangtasia to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of the Vampires, where she discovers Eric has a bad case of hero worship. This one is really funny.
* "One Word Answer" gives us the story of when Sookie was informed of her cousin Hadley's death, and Sookie's introduction to the Queen of Louisiana, as well as Mr. Cataliades.
* In "Lucky," Sookie and her witchy roommate Amelia team up to try to discover who has been breaking in to Greg Aubert's office (the most successful insurance agent in Bon Temps).
* Finally, alone on Christmas Eve, Sookie has the blues in "Gift Wrap" until she discovers a naked, injured Were in the forest behind her house. A very attractive, quickly healing, naked Were. Did I mention he was naked? Things are looking up for Sookie!

This was a great deal of fun to read - it was a fast read; I think it took me about 2 1/2 hours to get through it. I couldn't help myself - I just devoured it like it was a big ol' bon bon. If you're a fan of Sookie, you'll love this collection of short stories, to get you by until the next book comes out (Dead in the Family: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood), May 4, 2010 in hardcover).

This is a collection of short stories written for anthologies between the Sookhouse novels. I'm so glad they were all put together in one book. I just read each story in between the novels it linked and it was "all good". Much easier and quicker than getting and reading several other anthologies to get the stories.

My only problem with these stories is that the events of the last one are so out of character for Sookie. Even with her grandfather's interference, one-night stands are not Sookie's style. And she didn't even have second thoughts when she woke up? Not the Sookie I know. I didn't even blink when she found out her grandfather was a fairy prince, because as weird as it was, it fit into the story. But Gift Wrap seems like it came from another author, one who doesn't know Sookie at all. So this only gets 4 stars.

Yes, these short stories can be found in other books. However, it is nice to have them all in one space AND have the nice Sookie cover. The stories are really for fans who appreciate the books and the characters. I can see how some people who started watching the show first might not like this collection. The show and the novels are quite different. I don't really care for the show, but I LOVE the books.

That being said. I had to buy each of these stories separately in different anthologies. The other stories in those books weren't really that important to me. So it would have been nice to have them all in one place. There is one short story missing from this book ("Tacky") and the novella is also missing. So to truly have a more complete Sookiverse set, it would have been cool for ALL the shorter stories to be included. (Note that "Tacky" and the novella do not feature Sookie.) These stories don't have much (if any) impact on the regular novels, so if you want to skip them, by all means do. However if you crave all things Sookie, buy this one now!

A Touch of Dead is a compilation of already published Sookie Stackhouse short stories that were part of anthropologies. Since I almost never read anthropologies, I decided to give this book a shot. Short stories aren't usually my thing, but I love everything Sookie. There are five shorts in A Touch of Dead, and it took me one afternoon to read it.

The short stories, in my opinion, aren't as much fun to read. They are super light and kind of confusing with the details. They usually involve Sookie in some solve-the-mystery scenario where her mind reading abilities are needed. And reading them in a row and out of order with the books can make it difficult for the reader to remember what information is current. Granted, that was not the point of this book. The point was to allow Sookie fans to get easy access to even more Sookie stories. And in that aspect, it certainly succeeded.

Conclusion:
If you are a diehard Sookie fan like me, you will want to read every last bit you can get. However don't expect too much out of this book. It was entertaining but not as much as the regular books.

This is a short (192 page) book of...short stories. Five in all...3 at least of which have been available in other Charlaine Harris/Vampire collections: "Fairy Dust", "One Word Answer" and "Lucky." If you've eagerly sought out Charlaine Harris stories in other short story collections, don't bother. You've already read these.

Had I realized that this was just short stories that filled in gaps between books and that the stories had already been published, I would not have purchased this. As much as I enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series this is a poor substitute for the next book in a great series.

Great literature it is not. A paragon of good writing? Hell, no. But it moves quickly and is entertaining, just like the rest of the Stackhouse books. The best story is probably "Dracula Night," where Sookie attends a Fangtasia party commemorating Dracula's birth -- Eric is unusually giddy and it's funny. The tale mostly likely to make you say "WTF?" is the last story, "Gift Wrap." Sookie is alone and horny on Christmas Eve, until an injured werewolf shows up in her backyard and has sex with her. Convenient, no? Turns out the "werewolf" is actually a fairy sent by her great-grandfather, also a fairy, as a Christmas gift, because he knew it had been a while since she'd gotten any. Guess you can have any kind of Christmas you want when your grandfather is a fairy pimp.

Charlaine Harris' A Touch of Dead is a collection of all the short stories from the world of Sookie Stackhouse. Contained within this slim volume are "Fairy Dust:" in which Sookie must use her telepathic ability to help fairies Claude and Claudette to find their sister's murderer, "One Word Answer:" Sookie finds out her cousin has been killed, "Dracula Night:" Sookie helps Eric celebrate the birthday of Dracula, "Lucky:" Sookie helps solve a mystery for a real estate agent, and "Giftwrap:" Sookie has a very eventful Christmas.

Generally, I don't enjoy the short stories that authors write to supplement their series. Unfortunately this was the case with the Sookie stories as well. I didn't feel that the stories really added to the Sookie-verse, and I mostly just wanted more. The characters that were introduced could have easily been worked into the regular books, and with the possible exception of "Dracula Night," I wasn't entertained by the plots.

A Touch of Dead is just that - a touch, and a light one at that. The stories are short, the margins are enormous, and the print is massive. If you are a dyed-in-the-wool Sookie fan, this book is for you. I suggest however, that you get it from the library rather than spending money on it.

Why is the Kindle version not even $1.00 (you've lowered it $2.00 since I first posted but NOT ENOUGH UNTIL YOU CUT THE PRICE BY 2/3RDS OR MORE - HAVE YOU READ THE COMMENTS???) off the HARD COVER VERSION much less a paperback? I would think that You (publishers) would want to reduce ALL THE KINDLE BOOKS to give incentive to not go to the paperbacks. This household has Prime and I get free shipping. Tell me why I should bother with Kindle??? End result for Me: I won't bother with either. Response?

Just a comparison: The outrageous pricing is tantamount to what J.R. Rain (and those he tauts) do. While there may be a touch of a story (referencing Rain), poor editing and remedial writing, he still has tried to charge $3.99 for his work. Mrs. Harris is an excellent writer and deserves to be paid for her work; HOWEVER, charging over $18.00 for 208 pages for an electronic book of short stories makes people question her publishers!!!

THE ONE-STAR IS A RATING FOR WHOEVER DOES THE PRICING! While I may read this if it is at the library (which someone else recommended), I will not buy it unless it comes down into the $5.00 price range that many of the other "Sookie" books are at right now.

This book is an excellent, excellent read! I thought it was a collection of stories to read after book 9, but it's not. Each story fits in a spot between different books. I loved all of the stories in this collection, and some were just wonderful. One in particular answers a lot of questions I had reading the books, a part I felt was always left out. My advice is that you buy this book immediately when beginning the series and read each story in it's respective spot in the series. It will leave you with a lot less questions and make the series flow better. Regardless of how you read it, it is a must read for any Sookie or True Blood fan.

I am a big fan of the Sookie Stackhouse books and have read all of the 13 main books in the series. This collection of short stories was just okay. "Dracula Night" and "Lucky" are pretty funny. "Fairy Dust" and "One Word Answer" do provide some useful background information but the Christmas story is just rather sad. All in all, this book was not very memorable. If you are a "die-hard" fan and really want to read all of the stories you might still want to purchase this rather than search for individual books containing some of these stories.

Another reviewer summed it up well, these are like deleted scenes from a DVD that weren't good enough or interesting enough to make the movie. And if these were scenes that were deleted from the books, why not clean them up and make them worth the price of a hardback? Like many successful authors, Charlaine Harris seems to be spreading herself too thin. Instead of publishing the short stories and the other less popular series she writes, why not put out a couple of Sookie Stackhouse books per year? Those are the stories her fans want to read. Looking forward to the next full length Sookie novel.

I'm a huge fan of the series but this is just a small book with collections of stories from different books and are really just little 'adventures' that Sookie goes on that were too boring to put in the actual books.

I very much enjoyed reading Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels; however, these short stories are kind of boring and one really does not need to read them in order to understand certain elements in the novels (e.g. the fairy twins and Hadley's death). I also agree with other reviewers that "Gift Wrapped" portrays Sookie in a whole new negative light. She would usually NEVER do anything like she does in that story, but who would know Sookie better than Charlaine, so who knows? And if you're going to make Sookie do something so uncharacteristic, at least go all out and give us some details. Dang!

A Touch Of Dead is a collection of five short stories from the Sookie Stackhouse series that has been published here together for the first time.

"Fairy Dust" takes place after Dead To The World.
Claudine enlists Sookie's help to find a murderer. A fairy has been murdered and only Sookie has the skills to discover who murdered the fairy, and why? But will she be able to discover the truth before the fairies decide to take matters into their own hands?

"Dracula Night" takes place before Dead As A Doornail.
Eric is excited, it's his favourite time of the year, and a huge party has been planed for the event. Sookie has received an invitation to a birthday at Fangtasia, but it is not Eric's, its Dracula's, and rumour has it this year he just might show up...

"One Word Answer" takes place after Dead As A Doornail.
News of Sookie's cousin Hadley arrives in the form of a demonic lawyer, and he's not alone; he comes with vampires. Sookie is about to discover what has become of Hadley, she is also set a task that seems almost impossible to her. But is this one offer she can't refuse?

"Lucky" takes place after All Together Dead.
A mystery has landed on Sookie's doorstep in the form of an insurance agent with magical powers. It's a simple case, or so detective Stackhouse and her partner inspector Broadway thought. But even with a telepath and a witch on the case, they are going to have to be more then good to crack this mystery, they are going to have to be lucky.

"Gift Wrap" takes place before Dead And Gone.
Sookie has accepted the fact that this year she is spending Christmas alone; or so she thought. Someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to make this Christmas one Sookie will never forget; but will it be the killer Were on her doorstep, the naked man in her living room, or the surprise guest for dinner that is the most memorable this Christmas?

This book is invaluable to any Sookie Stackhouse fan, and if you're not a fan you should be. So many hidden gems from the Sookie Stackhouse universe are revealed as we learn all those glorious bits of inconsequential snippets of the lives affecting our heroin, Sookie. These are the background stories that enrich the series, a must read.

I'm a recently new fan of True Blood and I eagerly devoured the nine books in the Sookie Stackhouse series in a span of about three weeks. I knew that this book was a compilation of previously short stories. However, I was unaware that the typeface would be so large or that I could finish it in an hour. The stories themselves are great, but why the rush to put them out into a book format? Charlaine Harris appears to have written four other short stories that take place in the True Blood / Sookie world, so why not include these four stories as well? I can't believe that anyone would actually pay $23.95 for this book. I'm glad that the store discounts it, but even then, it's not worth the price charged. Save yourself some money and sit down in a library or a bricks and mortar bookstore and read it. It'll only take you an hour and you'll be happy.

I knew that this was going to be a collection of previously published stories, and toyed with the idea of picking it up to get my hands on the out of print "Fairy Dust" and "Gift Wrap" which I hadn't yet picked up.

I was disappointed to see once it came out that it was only 5 previously published stories. To compare with other authors in the genre, Tanya Huff's short story collection had 9 stories, including a brand new one, and LK Hamilton's was, I believe, around 13. So I'm disappointed not by quality, which are pretty good of the ones I've read: I love the Sookie/Amelia action of "Lucky" and the portrayal of Eric and Sookie's understanding of each other in "Dracula Night" ("One Word Answer" is okay, and is the most critical for understanding what went on with Hadley), but I did expect more. Perhaps if I wait long enough there will be a more fulfilling compilation closer to the end of the series.

Considering that I have read and adored all of the previous Sookie Stackhouse novels, it was not a surprise that I fell in love with the A Touch of Dead compilation of Sookie Stackhouse short stories. In essence, these short stories are a great introductory piece for the Sookie novice and a great afterward for the Sookie experienced. Charlaine Harris does an amazing job blending these stories in with the events that have occurred within in the series. Furthermore, I highly recommend watching the HBO's True Blood series based upon the Sookie Stackhouse books because unlike, Twilight's first movie, it accurately depicts the events of the books.

I enjoyed reading these stories, however some were stronger than others. I liked that they filled in some of the holes in the major storyline, especially regarding cousin Hadley. The story "Dracula Night" was particulary strong in that it expanded Eric's character in a new way. I am not really a short story reader, but this served well as an in between novel "fix" . If you are already a big fan, this is a cute little diversion, but if you are not well acquainted with Sookie and all of her friends, pass this one by and start off with the novels.

I have read all of the Sookie Stackhouse books as well as this one. The stories give some more background on some of the characters who are in Sookie's life like her cousin Hadley. If you are just starting the Sookie Stackhouse books I recommend reading the short stories in order with the books for a more complete experience. Even if you have not read any of the Sookie books this collection on short stories is still a great read and will probably end up with you reading the other books! Have fun reading!!

I have read all of the sookie series. I never paid that much for a book on kindle if I remember correctly the most I paid was 9.99. I love her books but someone is wanting to get rich off of the author. Shame shame ........ I am getting on the library list. Better rethink the pricing the author is not going to get good reviews and she will loose readers.

I was a fan of Sookie Stackhouse series before the Series True blood came out and I might say that every book from Charlaine Harris is a big surprise!
I got this book for Christmas and I must confess that I was super excited to read although I thought it would be really boring to read small stories about sookie..
It turned out to be much better than I expected.. bringing on characters from previous books and conections that you might have never thought would be possible in the series. The only thing that I didn't like at all was that the stories are absolutely out of nowhere.. so if you're not a huge fan or if you had read the book a long long time ago.. you might feel a little bit lost!
As for the lenght of the book, well in my personal opinion all Charlaine Harris's books are short and supposedly made for fast and repetitive reading.. so don't expect this book to be long and exausting!
Don't get too excited about revelations or anything like that.. this book is only for those who are big fans of Sookie and can't wait for Dead in the family to be released!
The whole book is revolved around Sookie so no Sookie-Eric-Bill-Tiger romance!
I totally recommend this book for fans and hope you'll all have fun while reading!

While I enjoyed this series of short stories, I was not blown away as I usually am when I read a Sookie Stackhouse novel. I understand the point of these short stories was to give the reader a little bit of insight into other aspects of Sookie's life, but I somehow walked away feeling that I would almost rather have not read these. In addition, the stories seemed to hop around the different Sookie novels, and since I'm finished with all but #10, it was a bit difficult to try to remember what happened when.

Okay, I did NOT want to like these books. Really, I scoffed at the idea as I downloaded a sample on my Kindle. Next thing you know, I have read every book (how many? 10? I don't even know). These stories are adult-oriented.

I am not a vampire story person but these really sucked me in (okay, that was not an intentional pun). I really cared for Sookie even though I was well aware of the hokie sections describing outfits she chose and how she adjusted her ponytail. As an aside, I know this sounds crazy, but these books actually made me enjoy cleaning house a little bit more than I used to because Sookie took pride in getting unpleasant housework/tasks out of the way and it made it seem kind of fun to be like that. I knew I was hooked when it seemed TOTALLY REASONABLE that there were vampires roaming amongst us.

After reading all that I could find in the series, I later realized the HBO True Blood series is based on these books so I had to rent the DVD sets (and watched them all). I must say, the casting was exremely well done- there were hardly any adjustments to my mind's eye except for 1-2 characters. It was quite satisfying to watch them for this reason but I did not prefer the videos other than for that. They were way kinkier than the books, btw. The books romanticized, the series senationalized. I am not saying this is literary gold but you will fly through these books very quickly. :)

I say that it's ALMOST a must have because if you become involved in the stories of Sookie Stackhouse, you have to get some background. In the book, "Definitely Dead", the 6th book in the series, it talks about Sookie's cousin (who had never been mentioned until this point) being a vampire and being killed in New Orleans where Sookie met the Queen of the Vampires. Without reading the short story "One Word Answer," from the book "Bite", you'd have no idea and be kinda lost like I was/am/will be until the order comes in. There is also "Fairy Dust" from the book "Powers of Detection" that explain about Claudine and Claude and others that appear to explain the side stories of the Weres and one about Sookie, Pam and Eric called "Dracula Night."
So it looks like brilliant marketing on Charlaine Harris' part (or at least the publisher) to get you to buy more books when in fact, the stories could have possible been added to the books themselves. I'm giving 3 stars because it will explain some of the events I'm not clear on (and I can finish reading Book 6 "Definitely Dead") and only 3 stars because I think that it's BS for a writer or publisher to take advantage of their readers by pulling stunts like this. There are 10 short stories in 10 books that take place in "Sookieverse" and the ones that contain Sookie and deal with other story lines are within this one book.
In order to read all of them and not get lost along the way, you would have to spend (without searching through used book stores or waiting for sales) at LEAST $115 before tax and before the 10th book to get caught up with what's going on with and around Sookie Stackhouse.

I love every single Sookie Stackhouse novel, including these novellas. Although in my opinion, they read way too fast! Just as I was getting into the story, it was over. I suppose that's why its called a "novella." Each story was well written with lots of my favorite characters like Pam, Eric & Bubba. I definately loved the idea of getting all of the mini-stories in one book, I just wished they could be longer. Until the next full-length novel comes out, I guess this will have to tide me over. Overall, an easy, QUICK read. A must for all Sookie fanatics like myself!

i thought this book was such a waste of my time. i adore CH sookie stackhouse series but this one was just incredibly bad. it's like she went back to all her notes and side stories and put it all together to make a book. the story with her great grandfather on x-mas...gross!!! i would not want my great grandfather pimping me out to anyone or supe. UGH! the whole dracula story...BLAH! made eric look like such a punk!!! eric is a freakin thousand year old VIKING. COME ON! dont read this book and if you are a die hard fan as i am and just cant help yourself try and borrow it from the library or go to a bookstore and find a quiet place bec. it's a pretty fast read. dont waste your time or money.

There were 5 very short stories in the book that were entertaining, but it definitely wasn't worth the price of the book. Two of the short stories can be found in other anthologies (Bite and Many Bloody Returns), so if you read those books, you are only getting 3 new stories. The print was large and spacing was big, so I read the book in about 2 hours. The print and spacing reminded me of a young adult book. If you can borrow it at the library, I would do it.

Here are all those stories that make the series make sense for me finally. I am glad she put the Sookie stories together, even though the non-Sookie, Sookie-verse stories are still scattered in different books. I am planning on going back and reading the stories in order when I re-read the series before the May 2010 release. The stories won't make much sense for non-fans, but it is a must own for fans, and a must read for those that read the series.

This was a nice collection of short stories. I had read some of them in other anthologies but some of them were new to me. They each have Harris's touch to them and they are very well written. I would recommend that you have read the other Sookie books to fully understand what is happening and Harris does a great job of explaining where in Sookie's books these stories would fit. I recommend this book to people who love the Southern Vampire series.

This is collection of 5 short stories featuring Sookie; "Fairy Dust," "One Word Answer," "Dracula Night," "Lucky," and "Giftwrap." If you are someone who faithfully reads all of the Sookie Stackhouse short stories in previously released anthologies; then you can skip this book completely. I personally had only read "Dracula Night" which was released in the "Many Bloody Returns" anthology. This book was okay and a super quick read.

Personally I didn't like "Fairy Dust" and "One Word Answer" all that much. I thought these two stories were kind of boring. I had already read "Dracula Night" and I thought that one was okay. The two stories that stood out in this anthology for me were "Lucky" and "Giftwrap". Both of those were very entertaining and "Giftwrap" added a little to Sookie's background.

Even if you haven't read any of these stories elsewhere I wouldn't buy this book new; I would either get it from the library or buy it used. It is super short, maybe took me 1-2 hours to read all of the stories. I didn't think any of them really added a lot of understanding or background to Sookie's character. I guess if you are an absolute die-hard Sookie fan you might want this book for your collection, or if you really need to get your Sookie fix before the next book comes out.

Overall the book was okay, but most of the stories are forgettable. It's a good way to get all the Sookie short stories if you really want to read them.

The onset of this series in my life has been fantastic! In the past month I have read all ten of the Sookie Stackhouse series, and I do not regret one minute of it. All of these books bring intrigue, suspense, and drama into the reader's imagination. I am on the very last few pages of "Dead in the Family", and I am going to cry when it is over. I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good series.

Having just finished all 11 Southern Vampire Sookie books in just over 2 weeks I was left craving more! I was excited to find this book at my local library. Thankfully I found it there because after finishing it in just under 3 hours I would have been quite upset had I paid for it. As other reviewers noted its a small book with larger print.

The book consists of 5 (average 29-36 pages) short stories giving us a little extra look into Sookie's life between the larger storylines. Unfortunately, and the author notes this in her Introduction, not all of the stories fit together seamlessly leaving some weird wholes in the larger plotlines..."One Word Answer" for example.

I still had to give this 4 stars because if your addicted to Sookie and her life you'll still enjoy this immensely.

I love the Sookie Stackhouse series. Now if you've read the books in order like I have then you get to this book and just shake your head. You really don't need this book to continue to the next I don't feel. This book is less than 200 pages. The book actually contains little side stories, that really have no affect on the existing story. At the beginning of the book the author states that she just wanted to go further in depth on somethings, but the book just feels disjointed and pointless. Waste of money. If you really feel the need to read it rent it from the library. It will take you a day to read it with all the repetitive back story that you already know.

I don't know what the publisher is doing with this. I would have happily paid something, and heaven only knows I spend enough on Kindle books, but I checked this out of the library instead. My local branch offers ePub format books, including this one. I read it on my iPad, but a computer would have worked, too.

I've read the whole series so far. The stories were slight, but thoroughly enjoyable, and fill in some little holes I noticed in the books.

Touch of Dead (2009) is the first fantasy collection in the Southern Vampire series, following Dead and Gone. This work contains five stories and an Introduction. The tales occur throughout the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse.

Introduction tells why these stories were written. At first, the author wasn't certain that a well developed character like Sookie Stackhouse could be confined within a short story. She believes that she managed that feat, but it wasn't easy.

Fairy Dust (Powers of Detection, 2004) is about the death of Claudette and the discovery of her killer.

Dracula Night (Many Bloody Returns, 2007) describes a celebration of the birthday of Vlad Tepes III.

One Word Answer (Bite, 2005) concerns the death of Sookie's cousin Hadley.

Lucky (Unusual Suspects, 2008) explains a situation effecting insurance agencies in Bon Temp.

Gift Wrap (Wolfbane and Mistletoe, 2008) presents Sookie with the problem of a wounded werewolf in her backyard on Christmas Eve.

These stories examine various aspects of Sookie Stackhouse and her relationships to the supernatural community. They also fill in some of the backstory. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Harris fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of a telepathic rural waitress among fairies, vampires, witches, and werewolves.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I just finished reading this compilation of stories and consider myself to be a true Sookie Stackhouse fan. However, Ms. Harris has done a disservice to herself and her Southerm Vampire Mysteries series by publishing this....thing. Understanding that Ms. Harris is not a short story writer, her struggle to "obey the short story rules" is evident in each and every chapter. The familiar characters lack their usual depth, are OUT of character completely, and the chronology of events and story placements are confusing. I cite particular grievances (without spoilers) against the portrayals of Pam, Clancy, Niall, not to mention Sookie herself (in "Gift Wrap"). I was extremely excited to purchase this book, believing it would tide me over until May 2010; however, I wish now I had never read it. Ms. Harris has demonstrated her fantastic plot-weaving skills over the entire 9 book series--this thing is no better than fan fiction written by 15 year old girls on a website. Most disappointing.

Kudos to Charlaine Harris and her publishers for working to get all the previously published Sookie Stackhouse-centric short stories published in one book. Many of the previous anthologies or compilations were out of print and in some cases you had to buy them for ridiculous prices on eBay (I knew one person who bought a used copy of BITE before it was republished for over $50 just to read "One Word Answer"!) Going for a year between each Sookie book can be a LONG time so its a wonderful treat to be able to sit down and have a whole book of previously published (and hard to find) short stories to read. Yes, there will be more Sookie short stories in the future, but this one wraps has the bonus of including the ONE essential Sookie Short Story that everyone always wants to read. "One Word Answer" explains the mystery of Sookie's cousin, Hadley's death and is a good segue before the events of DEFINITELY DEAD. This is an excellent purchase for anyone who wanted to fill that gap in the time line or felt like they missed a book in the series. Plus you get 4 other awesome short stories!!

For those of you who wondered - Charlaine's website also clearly defined what would be in "A Touch of Dead" here: [...]
Here is the link to the order of all the books and short stories: [...]

I love all things the Sookie Stackhouse books. I have read them all at least 3 times. Just bought this one and am almost done with it the first time. I am sure I will retread them all and add these short stories into the mix where they belong. Charlaine Harris and Mary Higgins Clark are my two favorite authors.

"A Touch of Dead" is a collection of five pre-existing short stories centered on Sookie Stackhouse from the "Southern Vampire Mysteries" saga. During the introduction, the author provides an excellent timeline for where the stories belong within the overlying series. The most noteworthy segment covers Sookie's cousin Hadley, a topic I addressed after reading "Definitely Dead". Mixing the Count Dracula mystique inside the Bon Temps community was pretty clever too but otherwise the stories are effortless adventures.

The series appears to be young adult with tendencies toward action and suspense, not horror per se. I recommend this collection to any fan of the vampire genre.

Thank you.

And then I noticed the price!!! SO ridiculous!!! It's too bad that Penguin publishes so many of my fav authors. I am refusing to buy this book at all now. I'll wait and check it out from the library for free. They may be killing their own profits, but at least they're encouraging library use ;)

The stories in of themselves were cute and fun. I have read every Sookie Stackhouse book their is. But the final book is half this price!!!!!!! I am kicking myself for paying this much.
If you have money to burn( which dont), by all means, get it!
Now I cannot get the last book for a month or two.

I did not realize when I started reading that is was a book of short stories. I was really excited to see what happened next in the Sookie Saga and was so disappointed.

I really don't care for and usually don't read short stories but this one was not too bad. It fills in a few gaps that the series leaves out. I just want the next book in the series to come out!

I hated the first Sookie Stackhouse novel "Dead Until Dark" until I reread it twice. I've devoured every other book and the television series. This book is not the next one in the series. It is a compilation of stories about Sookie that Ms. Harris wrote for other books. The stories are entertaining but it is a little irritating that they don't completely sync with the other books in timeline and voice. However, if you are hungry for more Sookie, like me, then this book is a worthwhile read.

I agree that paying $18.99 to read this on Kindle is a ripoff, I checked it out at my library so didn't pay anything. I've been a long time fan of Charlene Harris' novels, love the Sookie Stackhouse stories, but it doesn't cost me a fortune to buy the paperbacks, and I don't have the added expense of owning a Kindle.

I read 4 out of the 5 short stories by borrowing a friend's book. Cute little mini-events in between the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Like I said the price is way to steep, even if you find it used and then pay shipping. Too much $ for a few pages that do not contain quality vampire smut, you know, the kind that keeps you glued to the page. A fine read if you are curious.

Cute short stories. Reminded me of why I like'd this series. Pleasant way to pass the time. of course the stories were short and to the point so they didn't run into the lack of plot problems the novels in this series have been having lately. Glad i got this from the library, because pricing is outrageous.

I wasn't sure I'd be happy with those 5 short stories but gave a try ..
First, better read it if you already know Sookie's univers,
To be honest, it's not a book that will keep you busy for days as you'll swallow it in an afternoon but this is a good one that will be perfect for a lazy and relaxing day.
I enjoyed the short stories themselves, being original from the books and having their place between the novels. I like the rythm and the humour as always. Sookie sounds a bit more heroic than in novels but I guess it's harder to nicely balance the character in so short stories.
I really enjoyed the last story, made me really laugh and that was perfect to put it at the end of the book... good ole Granpa !

This book 's good and will help us wait until May's release ;)

What can I say? I never entertained reading fantasy/romance. but here I am AGAIN. Harris' character development and protagonist reckoning is maddingly addictive. Have there been a few discrepancies? Yup. Ms. Harris has corrected the issue. but really this is a trivial issue. Its Sookie and her developing life in the wake of global revelations that keeps me coming back. Oh and Eric.

I am a devoted fan of Charlaine Harris and her Sookie stories so I looked forward to reading this book. Unlike some other reviewers, I knew it was not a continuation of her novels, but a collection of short stories. However, the stories were really not that good or interesting and I suspect these stories were probably edited out of her larger novels for this reason. I did give it 3 stars because as a Sookie fan I still enjoyed reading more of Sookie and her world. My advice: do what I did and spend a hour or two at your neighborhood bookstore and read it there for free. There are only 4 or 5 stories in the book; the stories are ridiculously short and written in a really large font.

I am a fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I've read them all and have the next one on pre-order already. I was psyched when this installment came out, it has short stories that feature Sookie Stackhouse. These stories have been previously printed in other books (other collections of other worldly beings written by several other authors). I had never read any of them before, so I wasn't disappointed in that aspect. I was, however, disappointed with the content, the actual stories themselves. I thought they were too "cutesy". I felt like Charlaine Harris had made these as kind of an afterthought, just trying to get them out there. I wanted to have some creepiness in these stories. There wasn't much of that, although the story about her grandfather was somewhat disturbing. I was glad that I had only rented this book from my local library, would've been upset had I paid the money to get it new. I would say read this without looking for anything serious, just as a little side item. If you haven't read any of the Sookie books, this is not the one to start up with, believe me.

A Touch Of Dead is a collection of short stories of Sookie Stackhouse. It fills in some of the small gaps that are in the series books. I really should stop getting my hopes up that these will be really good because short stories usually aren't. It was an ok read overall but not a regular reread.

This book is a fun extra read, but you need to wait until about the 8th book to read it, so that the last story doesn't surprise you! I agree with all the positive reviews that this is a good addition to the series, but maybe borrow from a friend, or pass on to a friend, it is only short...I read it in a few hours.

I really wanted to read this book but there was no way I could justify spending $18.99 for it. I ended up borrowing the Kindle version from my library and I'm so glad I did. While it was fairly entertaining, it was by no means worth $18.99! In fact, at only 192 pages with double spaces between every paragraph, I wouldn't pay more than $1.99 for it. While the stories are somewhat entertaining, they don't contribute to the actual series at all. I could tell the author was rushed in writing. There were more than a few typographical and grammatical errors and none of the stories were exciting. Overall, I'm really glad I didn't waste my money.

The easiest way for me to describe this book is: BORING. I didn't find any of the stories to be interesting, or even add anything to Sookie's character. They didn't really even seem to have the same feel as the other books - the characters didn't even seem to be themselves (if that makes any sense). Oh well - glad it was a library book!

I did not realize this was a short story collection so I am disappointed that the material in the book is not new. It would be good for new fans of the Sookie series but for long time fans it could be diappointing. I will be more careful in the future before buying.

NEVER would I pay this OUTRAGEOUS PRICE for poorly edited crap like this. This is robbery. Gouging the public for a stupid, stupid book. Are you bloody kidding me???

This should go to court with a good lawyer suing every single idiot associated with the ridiculous price of this "book" and I use the term loosely.

Harris doesn't even pay for a professional editor or the one she has sucks. I will never buy another Harris book again.

I bought the Kindle version, and though it might be a formatting problem, there were a lot of grammatical errors. The book isn't the most interesting, and definitely has a lot of long inner dialogue paragraphs, but the story is so good! You just have to kind of push your way through the book sometimes.

I love Charlene Harris's Novel's, Especially about Sookie and her many friends. They are a quick and easy read. Just wish she would come out with more of them. I'd like to learn more about Bill,the vampire. And does Sookie eventually settle down and with who? How does he brother end up? There's just so much more Charlene needs to answere before this series is finished. What is fun, is turning the next page because you just never know, which way it will go.

I'm a huge fan of the books and the show Trublood. I couldn't wait for the new book to come out to tide me over until the next season of Trublood. But once I picked up this book I was dissappointed by the content of the book. I rarely purchase hardbacks and I'll never get one again if they are like this one. Don't get me wrong I loved the book especially the last story. But I was so hoping for more story and development of the characthers Ms. Harris writes about. I understand writers need a break and a chance to explore new ideas.I'll always be a fan but I prefer rich storylines that leave me begging for more.

SRSLY?!

The DTB's are around $5 used, and some idiot at Ace is still pricing this book at nearly 20 dollars for an e-book?

And this is after the smack-down where publishers were found to be price fixing books.

Get real Ace.

Library here I come!

Yeah, the stories are cute if you're into the Southern Vampire Series ;)

Obviously anyone that is a fan of Sookie will want to get this book. It fills in some side stories that are touched on in the main novels, but never fully fleshed out. I wasn't blown away by the stories by any stretch of imagination, but I thought that they were fun to read. This won't compare to a full length Sookie novel, but it will work to tide the fans over until the next in the series is released. I would say to borrow this one, or check it out of the library, it might not be worth the cost to all fans.

I enjoyed the book, but was immediately disappointed because I wanted to know what happened after the last book. I disagreed with the last story told, but I'm very stubborn. Is a good read to know what happened in the places that the series skipped, but don't buy if you are curious what is going to happen to Sookie.

Very different from the TV show on HBO, but both are good. As the series continues on, it gets further and further from the show. But i think it's fun because neither give the other away and it's like you get two versions of Sookie's world.

A touch of Dead is a nice read while I wait for book 10, A death in the family, to be released. The short stories are very entertaining with an extra glimpse inside Sookie's world of Vampires and the supernatural. If you love the series and just need a fix to hold you over before the next book this is a great read.

I recently devoured the 9 books so far in the series. I eagerly picked up this book up to find some more insight into the characters. One of the stories centers around Eric's believing in the Vamp version of Santa Claus. In my opinion, these stories seem like the flotsam left over from Harris's writing. Very out of cannon for many of the characters.

Everyone won't like this book because it's a collection of short stories. You need to know alot about the series for everything to connect, but the new reader can definately get into things as there is enough background to keep you going. Most are repeats but there are some that I definately missed their first time around and the last story is a new one. Definately worth the money. And great for giving the reader a glimpse of Sookie's life between the each of the books in the series.

I started reading and was instantly put off. Everything was just...off. Everything was off and lame and more contrived than usual. I especially hated the last story, when Sookie has a one-night-stand. That's so not her!!! I'm just going to pretend that didn't happen, because that's not Sookie, and these short stories don't exist, as far as I'm concerned.

"Fairy Dust". Claudine asks Sookie for a favor to read some people who have agreed to do so; of course this simple request turns deadly.

"Dracula Night". Vampires celebrate the Count on his birthday with Eric organizing quite a bash on "Dracula Night", but Sookie as a guest never expected to attend a biting gala.

"One Word Answer". Sookie learns that her cousin Hadley died so she must attend the funeral not expecting to meet the vampire Queen of New Orleans.

"Luck". Insurance agent Greg Aubert hires roommates Sookie and Amelia the witch to determine who is breaking into his files as "Luck" is running out on residents of Bon Temps.

"Gift Wrap". Sookie is lonely for Christmas as she has no family to share the holidays with; depressed, she finds a wounded were outside whom she takes into her home.

This is a terrific introduction to the few people in the country who have not visited the urban fantasy world of Sookie Stackhouse. The five entries are reprints from other collections, but not placed in one anthology before. Each tale is fun to read as even when the heroine tries to mind her business, she ends up in the middle of a paranormal fiasco.

Harriet Klausner

I don't understand all of the negative reviews and backlash. The book jacket is clearly labeled as "The Complete Short Stories." What's confusing about that? Charlaine Harris herself writes, in the dedication, "For all those readers who want every last sip of Sookie." That's exactly what it is, a sip. No false advertising on the part of the publisher. Every bookseller is selling it for 30-40% off anyway, so it's not a huge investment anyway. If anything, it's a chance to fill in all of the cracks in between the books that we love. One more chance to hang out with Bubba. So those readers who are confused . . . put down your raspberry-tini (or whatever you're drinking) and take a sip of Sookie. Yes, it's a short read, but all of the books are anyway. If you want something heavy, go read "Ulysses" or "Crime and Punishment." :)

Seriously, $16 for the kindle version? Go borrow it from the library or get a copy from a used book store. Love reading on my kindle, but I refuse to pay this much for a book that is digital. Please let the publishers know we are not sheep who just buy things regardless of cost. Ebooks should be cheaper because it cuts a lot of publishing costs. I refuse to buy books that cost more for e-readers than actual paper copies do.

The stories themselves were a decent read. Typical Sookie stories. Well worth the read.

I have read all of the books in this series. I was thinking I was getting ready to read the next in line. Book 10. It wasn't. I was very upset to know this was not the next book to carry on the series. Although, it was good. It needed more stories in it.
I am hoping the next book will be the next to follow the story line.

I entered this book hoping for a few nice shorts to fill in the gap between book 9 and 10. This book is definitely filler, though. I love Charlaine Harris, but this collection seems like parts she intentionally left out/wrote out because they weren't up to her usual writing prowess. The Sookie voice almost seems dumbed down in comparison. I would recommend reading the Shakespeare novels Mrs. Harris has done while you wait for book 10. I actually consider them to be better than the Sookie Stackhouse series. The character of Lily Bard is a strong, female lead and you end up caring and having a lot of compassion for her. "Dead in the Family" will no doubt be incredible, but don't sour your Sookie taste by reading these shorts. Charlaine has so much more to offer, just not in this book.

All of Charlaine Sookie Stackhouse books are really fun reads, but I found this one to be a little less enjoyable than the rest of them. I was a little disappointed with this story. I am hoping that if she writes another it will be more entertaining.

I liked this book but glad I didn't pay the cover price for it as it was too short. It took me about 2 hours to read. It was fun. The last story had a little let down at the end as it didn't really have Sookies "real" personality, but still a fun little read. My favorite story is the one with Amelia and Sookie.

Are they KIDDING me charging 18.99 for the Kindle version? That's more than the hardcover! What, are they trying not to sell it? I hear it's the publishers trying to set limits, if so, what they are doing is killing their profit margins, turning away customers, and making sure customers don't buy books from that author. It's a shame too, as buying via Kindle can be a very good (and green) alternative to buying paperbacks.

And I hate to say it, but the Charlaine Harris books are the worst of the bunch. If I were the author, I would stand up to the publisher on the fans' behalf.

As it was, I borrowed this book from a friend, it was a fun, short read, not as good as the books, but no where NEAR worth buying for the ridiculous inflated Kindle price.
And yes, pricing policies like these DO affect the reviews of the books and the feelings of the public towards the publishers and authors.

I would really like to read these stories! But I refuse to pay this much for ANY kindle book!! I'm hopeing eventually the price will go down because I LOVE CHARLAINE HARRIS!!

** Update
I rented this book from the library. Glad I did, It was a fun, quick read but not $18 worth.

I was desperate for something to read and picked this up as an eBook. it's 143 pages long, and about 20 of those pages are white pages/picture pages/etc. A very disappointing rip off for the price.

This is a $5 book, not a $15 hardcover.

The stories are ok, they fill in a hole in the stories over the years here or there but for the price the publisher requires this is not worth it.

I really enjoyed these extra storys of Sookie Stackhouse. Each one was enjoyable and a mini mystery in each short. If you've read the entire collection of the Sookie books, then this will be a welcome addition to your collection. The only problem is it leaves you wanting more. Too bad Mrs. Harris can't whip out a weekly or even monthly comic book in between books.

I actually might have enjoyed these short stories more than I did the last few books of the Stackhouse Saga. Sookie's voice came through very clear--the humor, sarcasm, mannerisms, and small dose of lust were all familiar. A quick read, but a fun, worthwhile one!

Ok. This book was not a new book of short stories. This book is a compendium of previously published short stories. It offers a lot of fill in information for fans wanting to know about things going on between books. So all you alleged fans serving up your one star ratings of this book, lay off the hater-aide. If you purchased this book believing it to be a a new effort by this author, you should have read the blurb and product listing more carefully, duh!

For new fans, this is not the book you want to start with. If you are just hearing about Sookie Stackhouse, start with Dead until Dark. If vampires are not your thing, try the Harper Connelly series. If you prefer more traditional mysteries, go for the Aurora Teagarden series.

I only gave this four stars because its a little misleading as there are other short stories that were not included. But then the title would have been, A touch of Dead ( Sookie Stackhouse: a fragmented listing of short stories).

A TOUCH OF DEAD was released yesterday (Oct. 6th) and you can bet I was at Barnes and Noble, membership card in hand, the minute they unlocked their doors. Can you tell I'm a fan?

I knew going in that this book was a collection of all the Sookie short stories ever written. I already have two books by various authors that include a Sookie story (Many Bloody Returns, Wolfsbane and Mistletoe) but I'm a collector and I had to have this book.

I'm glad I bought it, I love Sookie and I want every sip of her and the vampires of Area 5, but I am a little disappointed in it. First of all, it is only five stories(in all fairness, it isn't hard to figure that out before you buy it. I just thought it would be more). [...]

Next, I hate when a short doesn't match what happens in the book. Call me a dork, but I get in to what I'm reading and I want it to all fit together. This is why I have problems watching movies based on comic books. It's never the way it's supposed to be. Yes, I understand you have to add and change things to make a comic into a full blown film, but it erks me. I know I'm in the wrong, but that's me (I can tolerate it in TRUE BLOOD because Ball did such an amazing job with the changes). In the story "One Word Answer" someone died and that someone also died in the book but in an entirely different way. Arrgghh!

Charlaine Harris did tell us in the introduction that sometimes she succeeded in creating shorts of Sookie's life seamlessly, and other time she did not. She admits that it may not fit in exactly with the series and so I forgive her. I love Harris's writing enough to forgive her even if she didn't warn me. She is an outstanding author and I haven't loved Vampires so much since Anne Rice.

I did find a booboo in the text. On page 153, she says "Greg had his hands up" but it most certainly should read "John" as Greg was no where near that scene! But as an aspiring novelist, I know how impossible it is NOT to make those types of mistakes. Blame the copy editor, lol. No biggie, any reader with half a brain cell will understand it's supposed to be John and move right along.

In conclusion, the stories are fun to read, well written and creative and the cover art is beautiful. I am just not a big fan of shorts. I like my Sookie in large doses and I need more Vampires! Book 10 can't come fast enough!

[...]

I was completely excited to read this even spent a pretty penny on the hardcover because I couldn't wait to read it. IT was the worst book I have ever read. These are NOT short stories.. These are "scenes" that seemed to be cut from other books probably during editing and they weren't even that great. I was furious to have spent the money on this book and I am still irritated about it if you can't tell :).. I will absolutely buy any Sookie Stackhouse NOVEL that is released but I will NEVER again waste my money on a short story book.

All of these stories were previously published in anthologies. This is a nice addition if you just want Sookie's stories without the added baggage of other authors. However, I was lead to believe we were getting a new, full length Southern Vampire Mystery - not a collection of short stories. Way to cash in on the True Blood craze. I'm really disappointed. The stories themselves are 'eh' and there is no news of when an actual full length novel will be published. If you have these tales in their original anthologies, don't waste your money - especially not the publisher's full price of $23 (ridiculous!).

I'm very disappointed at people who rate this book 1 star simply because they were not paying attention to the description of the book before they purchased it. Nowhere in the description did it say it's "Book number 10". Putting that aside ...

If you love the Sookie Stackhouse series, then you will probably love this book of SHORT stories. It's a little pricey for only 5 stories, but they are all short and sweet, and some of them will make you giggle and wanting for more. But do aware though if you haven't read till at least book 7 or 8, there might be little spoilers in the stories. If you just want to relax and read an entertaining book, they will be for you.

I don't understand all the negative reviews of this book! Did you people NOT read the product description or actually LOOK at the cover?? It says on the cover that it's a collection of all the Sookie stories. It doesn't say it's a book of new stuff. It's not fair to blame the store when you didn't do your reading! This is just what I wanted, one book with all the short stories so now I can get rid of the anthologies that have other stories I don't want!

I have just recently read all nine of the Sookie Stackhouse novels & was really excited to hear that these short stories were published all in one book (I probably wouldn't have read them otherwise). I thought the stories were cute -- and I truely enjoyed reading them -- I only wish that for the price the book had included more stories.

Worth reading, but maybe not worth as much as I paid for it.

Did I love it? Nah. But I was dying to read something more about Sookie, and any detail I could come up with was welcome.

Each short is a good story, and I don't wish to take away from the writing. I think I just want to read book 10 so badly, and this just wasn't it.

First want to say that I loved the series but this just doesn't measure up at all. The stories were not gripping or very interesting. My suggestion would be to get it out of the library if you want to read it -- I wouldn't want to pay for this one.

I have never read any of the books by Charlaine Harris did not even know what the book was about. I just picked it up. when I got home I read the some online reviews and I have to say they made it look as if it was just going to be a sad repeat but you know I am now a fan I plan to read all of the sookie books. also a note to people if your going to review a book do your home work I have and if you all had taken the time to as well you would get the short point of view!

I love Charlain Harris and have the Skokie Stackhouse series on my Kindle. But I will check out this book from the library instead if buying it at the store. They are selling the hardback for $8.00 and the paperback for $8.09, but they are selling the Kindle version for $18.99? That doesn't make any sense.

It was nice to fill in the gaps between some of the novels but why is this kindle e-book $18.99?? This seems very expensive for such a SHORT e-book. The full length Sookie novels are much more reasonably priced. Whats up with this?

These stories are repeats of previously published stories in other short story compialations with other authors, such as Dracula Night, published in Many Bloody Returns, Giftwrap is published in Wolfsbane and Mistletoe. It only has 2 new stories, not worth the cost in my opinion.

This was a fun read and I would recommend it to those who like the books. The only part that bugged me was [SPOILER] the story where her great grandfather arranges for her to have sex on Christmas. That's just gross.

A serious let-down. These short stories seemed like chapters cut from other books because they didn't add anything. Other authors post these on their websites for fans to enjoy instead of charging money for them. I wish I had done more research about what this really was before buying, but I was eager to get an update on Sookie. It only took 2 hours to read and cost $9.99!

I'm not sure why so many people are disappointed that this is not a continutation of the story. (Hello! Book 2009 came out in May 09 and book 10 will be out in May 2010.) These are short stories that have appeared in other anthologies over the past few years. If you didn't know that before purchashing the book, that's your fault!!

These short stories are a fun and quick read. And a way to get a "Sookie fix" until the next book comes out!

I was surprised when I received this book to find how short it is. The type is very large, the margins are huge. Just by looking at the font size, I would have guessed it was a book for beginning readers (like my 6 year-old's books). I would advise not to spend a lot on this book which you can read in an hour. Get it from the library!

18.99 For a book that has no paper is too much!!! The electronic editions should be cheaper not more expensive!!!! the store keeps telling me that the electronic price is what the publisher mandates but they discount hardcover books every day!!!!

Go baen books! You guys are right I should be able to purchase ebooks cheaper with no limitation on my license!! This is why the store has no baen books in the kindle format: they can't gouge the public with them!!!!!!

I really enjoy the Sookie Stackhouse series. This collection of the short stories is worthless. They add nothing to the series; most of the stories are so dull I don't know why I finished them. You can happily skip these stories and not miss a thing.

I loved the Sookie books!! This book was enjoyable; sort-of... It is WAY overpriced for what you get. You get a few short stories which are well; TOO SHORT!!!!!! Save your $ and go to the library and read it in a couple of hours. Better yet, skip it...

I was worried when I read some of the reviews. But I though the book was great..loved Gift Wrap! You have to remember that the stories can't get to deep because they are (short stories). Fun and entertaining while waiting for the next book.

tis a sad sad world when digital formats exceed realworls prices i will never buy peguins novels again until they get in touch with reality. digital is sooo much cheaper than turning out real paper books and it saves trees good bye penguin hope you have happy feet dancing all alone

since i started reading again last year, i have never not finished a book no matter how much i didnt like it, until now. it was not what i expected. i read all of the sookie stackhouse books, and was excited to get my hands on this. but this "short story" edition sucks!

Most of you are acting as though the advertising for this book said: BOOK 10 OF THE SOOKIE STACKOUSE SOUTHERN VAMPIRE MYSTERIES. Then when you get the book you've been a victim of bait & switch.

The ratings should not be made low because of your own ignorance in not knowing what you were purchasing. MONTHS ago, it was said that this was a COLLECTION OF PREVIOULSY PUBLISHED SHORT STORIES. It is your own fault if you can't read the description of the product you are purchasing.

I for one enjoyed the stories.

And serioulsy... book 9 just came out in May...surely y'all knew that the next installment wasn't coming THAT soon.

I can read these books in about 4 hours without any interruption. They are amusing fluff novels to be sure (entertaining enough that I read the series after getting hooked on True Blood)and you have to give it to Harris for churning out books at the speed that she does but there are many, many books by up and coming authors on the dollar list that are much better written and less predictable. Why would someone pay this much?? Please boycott this, she has plenty of money as do her publishers at the rate that she spews out books. This is an outrageous, greedy price. If I see many more priced in a similar manner my Kindle is going to take an E-bay trip and I will happily go back to buying used books. Also just as a side note - how on earth do they think they can get away with charging so much when they don't even take the time to properly edit these books. I am tempted to read them with a red pen in hand and I am certainly no expert.

I have read the whole series so far and purchased Season 1 of True Blood and will continue to read and watch the series. But this book was not worth $24! I was disappointed after reading each story. The last story was okay, but I would not recommend spending the money, just borrow it from the library. I sold my copy back to Hastings and received $4. That's all the book is really worth!

Very disappointed with Charlaine Harris with this book...

I never thought I would write something like this. I have read almost all her stories, own both sets of True Blood, and really do like her writing.

But, I honestly feel this one was written or compiled because the author was behind on her house note...or needed a quicky to catch up back car payments.

What a disappointment.

So I have not read this new book at all but I've read all the other books for the Sookie series that are in print. It seems to me that most of the people commenting on this book are just the opposite. Read only the new short stories and not all of the series, and the series readers don't sound too happy with the product being shorthanded into a paint by numbers type of access. So I'm sure that it's a great book for the strictly true blood lovers and not readers of the series but I will not buy it because I enjoy the series so much I need not talk of short stories. Maybe when then lull of outcoming books is apparaent I will cross over and see what it's all about but for now I am quite content with the series.

I knew it was a collection of Sookie short stories, but I thought it would be more than five. It was too quick a read, especially since I had read at least one of them before in another book. Charlaine mentioned a Sookie/Pam road trip at a signing, and I was hoping it was in there, but alas, no. Don't get me wrong, they're wonderful in the sense of Sookie books, but I would have liked more of them for the price of a hardback book.

I pre-ordered the book sight unseen, Buyer Bewhere!!! It is not a new story in her series, but short stories that are from her other book. so sad about this book, and the $[...] i spent on it. a waist of my time and money. next time the store tell the buyer that these are short stories, not a book!!!

Seriously, like other reviewers, this was a total ploy to milk people's hard earned money. The stories in here are like fan-fiction and I've read plenty of fan fiction that's ten times more satisfying these little short stories that seem unbelivable--like the huge celebration of "Dracula's birthday"--I mean come on! How dumb is that? Don't waste your money, I'm eager for book 10 but sometimes I wonder if Charlaine has lost her edge on Sookie. I wish she who allow Sookie to fully love someone and not just be with someone yet not fully loving them or doubting that love. Need some satisfaction in all the money I've spent on her series and True Blood dvds.

Seriously, Ms. Harris and her publishers haven't made enough money from this series yet? I've really enjoyed reading it, but not enough to justify paying this ridiculous price. No more Sookie Stackhouse books for me.

This collection of short stories was terrible!

The stories were short, and the font was so large, this book took an hour to read. NOT WORTH THE MONEY!

The plots of the stories were not even good. I found several typos within the text. Obviously some crap was thrown down on a page, never proofread, and then published. Maybe if someone had proofed it they would have told Harris that the writing was awful.

Major disappointment!! How did anyone rate this 5 stars?

I about fell out of my chair when I saw the Kindle cost of this book. What the heck are we doing when the cost to digitize a book has out priced the cost of printing one. I guess you will see my Kindle on Craigslist. The best of luck to the lucky buyer.

This book is an excellent addition to the Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series. The author Charlaine Harris had published these short stories, but in different anthology books, and this book was the best (and cheapest) way to read them all in one item.
The book starts with an introduction by Harris, who tells us about the stories. "A Touch of Dead" includes five of them: Fairy Dust, Dracula Night, One Word Answer, Lucky, and Gift Wrap. The connection of time frame of these short stories range from post-book 4 (Dead to the World) to post-book 9 (From Dead to Worst). Most of the stories are not directly tied to the Sookie series, except "One Word Answer," which is essential to new readers of the books. This is a key story that occurs right before book 6, "Definitely Dead." Just to be clear, "A Touch of Dead" does not include any other of Harris' short stories.
Each short story has an illustration, which I love. All of them were made by Lisa Desimini, who had been doing this since the first Sookie book, "Dead until Dark." They are all brand new, since the short stories did not have any drawings when previously published.
This is not a new Sookie Stackhouse serial book (the tenth one will be out in May 2010), but if you want a new item for your Sookie collection, this is a must!

Since I had read these shorts in various anthologies already, I was extremely disappointed to find I had paid an large sum for a hardcover re-do of past printed stories. It wouldn't have been so bad if it had been done paperback for 6.99. I might not have felt so cheated.

I have read all the Sookie Stachouse books...I did not know this would be short stories. Not very good short stories. It is also a very small number of pages. I expected something more from the author. Her original stories were also short but far more interesting. There was a sense of fun and adventure even though the genre was dark, I laughed all through the series.

Like most urban fantasy authors, Charlaine Harris puts out a lot of short stories when she isn't writing full-length novels. And thankfully, Harris has produced "A Touch of Dead" -- a short story collection that brings together (almost) all of her Sookie Stackhouse short stories, with their mellow Southern charm and slightly chilling urban fantasy flavor.

But be warned: this is not a new book, it's a short story collection. It's got five stories and rather enlarged print.

In "Fairy Dust," Sookie is already in a bad mood when fairy Claudine arrives at Merlotte's, seeking her psychic brand of help -- she and her brother Claude want to find the murderer of their sister from a local strip club. They have three suspects tied up at their house, and they want Sookie to do her mind-reading thing to discern who murdered Claudia.

"One Word Answer" has Sookie receiving an unexpected legacy when her wild cousin Hadley meets with an "Unfortunate Incident" ("My cousin Hadley, the cheerleader, had become a vampire lesbian
voodooienne. Who knew?"). But she suspects that she isn't getting the whole story from a slick lawyer and weird vampire. And "Dracula Night" comes up when Sookie is invited to celebrate the birthday of Dracula -- and like Linus, Eric is sure that Dracula himself will appear. Of course, nothing goes that smoothly.

Then Sookie gets "Lucky" when Greg Aubert reveals that he thinks his insurance agency is being sabotaged, and Sookie soon discovers a supernatural "in" using one of his family members. But the answer might be something a bit more bizarre... and it might have to do with his flourishing business. And Christmas in Bon Temps inevitably leads to "Gift Wrap" -- a lonely Sookie goes for a walk, and stumbles across a strange, naked young man, who gives her a Christmas to remember... and not just in the way you think.

The stories in "A Touch of Dead" have all been published elsewhere, just never before in one big Charlaine-Harris-exclusive volume. These stories are relatively lightweight compared to the full-length Sookie Stackhouse novels, but they are really entertaining and well-written -- and though each story has Harris' pleasant, down-to-earth Southern charm, they also have a good range of emotion -- from bittersweet to creepy, hilarious to mysterious.

And Harris infuses the prose of each story with gentle humor, from vampiric holidays to Sookie having to read the minds of an average suburban family. Her prose has plenty of lovably tongue-in-cheek moments ("I wouldn't have thought northern Louisiana was very hospitable toward beings of the fairy persuasion, anyway"), and Sookie has plenty of fun little moments with witty humor ("I hate it when fairies come into the bar. They don't tip you worth a toot").

Sookie herself is the same as always -- a sensible, matter-of-fact woman with a wee ruthless streak, and a tendency to find herself in the middle of the supernatural action. Sometimes it comes to her, and sometimes she goes to it. And assorted other favorites appear in the story: the cool and calm Vampire Bill, an unusually fanboyish Eric, the fairy Claudine (plus her hot stripper brother), the adorable Bubba, and the ever-awesome Pam.

"A Touch of Death" is a little buffet of previously published Sookie Stackhouse stories, but it's nice to have all these little nuggets of light urban fantasy fun in one volume. At the very least, it might tide you over until the next novel.

I would've liked to have known this was not a continuation of the series BEFORE purchasing it! I feel cheated! The stories weren't even that interesting to me. I called a friend that also ordered the book and told them what it was from the intro and they were disappointed as well. They asked me to read it and let them know whether to even open theirs. I called this morning and said, "NO!" She then returned hers when I explained a little more about it and I told her she could have mine just to see what it said because I don't even want it. I talked to another friend that asked about it and told her what the book was about and she said she wouldn't even waste her time reading it!
I feel I was cheated out of waiting all this time for the continuation of the series and this is what I got!! Now they say May 2010 for the continuation!? That was a dirty trick as far as I'm concerned! I saw nothing before hand that warned this was not a continuation of the series.

the title of this listing is completely misleading as it states: "A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10)" when in fact this is NOT Sookie Stackhouse book 10 and is NOT the follow up to Dead and Gone.

this book is simply a collection of short stories that basically summarizes the first 9 books of sookie stackhouse series.

dont waste your time or money on this.

the follow up to Dead and Gone should be released in May 2010