Living Dead in Dallas (Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood

I loved this book! I love Sookie. She is hilarious! This book was just as satisfying as the 1st! Sookie & Bill have the most crazy "relationship" with the vampires, and the shape shifters, were wolfs. I love the TV series too.
The Fellowship is crazy people. They are weird. and freak me out. I cannot believe what they did to Sookie. I am glad that all turned out well. I will be reading the 3rd book for sure. As I have all the books that are published so far!
Sookie + Bill = :)
Are you an Eric fan??
me, NO! ;)
Sookie & Eric with the bullet. LOL. wow! He's so crazy. I would have vomited. really.
I am so NOT over vampires, YET! Can't get enough!!
Eric -rents- out sookie for her telepathic ability to Stan.. so they can find a missing vampire. The fellowship where they end up, is very ANTI VAMPIRE and sorta CRAZY.
Lafayette turns up dead, from a Maenad, that has been hanging around the woods. Sookie is DETERMINED to find out who killed him. This book was action packed, and had it's laughs! :)

Sarcastic but funny Sookie Stackhouse goes to Dallas to find out where is Eric Northman's brother in "Living Dead in Dallas." Helping out vampires lead to more trouble that what its worth!

If you like reading paranormal books with dominant vampires and other otherworldly creatures, I highly recommend this series!

This is the second book in the Southern Vampire series. What's nice is that you don't have to read the first book to know what is happening.
Main character, Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in a bar with a "disability" - she can read minds. Which instead of making her some sort of comic book hero, is really a problem for her. She has a vampire boyfriend, Bill (you can't get much less goth than "Bill"). Which is what makes this series a nice difference. Ms. Harris writes about the south, with authority, her characters are interesting and funny.
The book mixes my favorite genres: supernatural (vampires, etc.), a little romance (ol' Vampire Bill), mystery, and humor!
Sookie's friend is killed and all indications point to a secret sex club in their town Southern town. Sookies attempt to find out who the killer is leads her to some interesting situations. Along the way she is lent to another vampire group to figure out another mystery - good sub-plot. We find out some interesting details about the people around her, which adds depth to the story.
Ms. Harris tells a nice story. This is not a heavy duty vampire story dripping with gothic atmosphere (which has it's place), but a quick, fun read. I recommend it highly.

This series just keeps getting better. I enjoyed the first book in the series but was unsure how Ms. Harris was going to keep it going. It starts off with the murder of a secondary character that if you are watching the HBO series, Tru Blood then you will miss. However, if you are just reading the book you probably won't miss the character. Then it switches to Eric needing Sookie to do a favor/or follow an order...whichever way you look at it. He sends her to Dallas. While in Dallas, the fun begins. Yes, Bill gets to go as her bodyguard. I really enjoyed the interaction between the lead characters and even though Sookie's in Dallas most of the book, Sam and Jason are still in it. I enjoyed the character developement of Sookie, Bill and Eric. Ms. Harris is really letting the reader get attached to them. You actually feel for them when things go wrong. I don't like how short these books are though. This one is a little over 220 pages. It would be better to buy in an omnibus book that would have the first three books in it. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, fun, entertaining vampire book.

Having read and loved Dead Until Dark, I decided to continue reading this series. I love it thus far. This vampire series set in rural Louisiana is full of action, romantica and humor. Living Dead in Dallas is another adventure starring Sookie Stackhouse and her undead boyfriend Bill. Sookie seems to have found some normalcy. The hometown folk are still shaken by her telepathic abilities, not to mention her bloodsucking significant other, but she has begun to deal with the criticism by defending herself and her relationship with Bill. So, things have been fairly peaceful for a while. That is until she is attacked by a supernatural creature seeking tribute from the local vamps. The vampires are more than happy to save Sookie's life (after all, it involves drinking her blood), but in return she has to help them find a kidnapped vampire. So she travels to Dallas to use her mind-reading "disability" to full advantage. To make matters worse, a co-worker of Sookie's is found dead inside a policeman's car, an anti-vampire organization is out to get Bill's friends, and it appears that Bill's master Eric has a thing for Sookie. There are various twists throughout the novel.

Charlaine Harris has once again written a rather entertaining novel. The characters and situations are a fun treat. And I like the intelligent and realistic portrayal of southern life. The characters have become all the more compelling in this installment. I love Bill, but I've begun to like Eric a lot. Not only does he sound delicious, his flirtatious ways make me laugh. I'd like to read more on him in future books. Also, Sookie Stackhouse is a great heroine. I see that she is often compared with Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake. Anita is a tough and independent heroine, whereas Sookie, in my opinion, is independent too, but far more grounded. She is not gun crazy and self-sufficient like Anita, but she is also not high maintenance like the aforementioned character either. Anyway, I think Sookie is quite a compelling character in her own right. And the romantica here is excellent. The scenes between Sookie and Bill are very sexy. All in all, Living Dead in Dallas is another awesome Southern Vampire novel. I look forward to reading the other two. In the meantime, I highly recommend this one. Though I suggest you start with Dead Until Dark.

I read the first Southern Vampire book last year and to be honest, I wasn't that impressed with it. I didn't connect with the characters and I wasn't the fond of Charlaine Harris's writing style. I never thought anything about reading the rest of the series. I just thought it wasn't for me.

I've been watching the first season of True Blood on DVD and there is a lot of changes between the book and the show but I love it. I may not have connected with the characters in the book but I connect with them on the show.
Since I don't have HBO I have to find some way to pass the time until I can watch season two. What better way than to read book two?

I loved Living Dead in Dallas. I very happy that I gave the series another try. Sookie has definitely grown on me and Bill is great but I like Eric!
If you had the same problem as me and gave up on the series, I suggest you give it another try. I don't think you will be disappointed. I hear it only gets better and better. I intend to find out for myself.

In the previous novel 'Dead Until Dark', ordinary waitress/telepath Sookie Stackhouse met and became involved with a local vampire, Bill Compton. Sookie became endebted to Bill's vampire associates and has now been hired out by them to a Dallas vampire coven to help them find a missing vamp. Bill travels with her as her protector and entree to their world.
I really enjoyed reading 'Living Dead in Dallas'. It is a solid continuation of the series. Sookie Stackhouse's character had some interesting nuances emerge.
There were a few disappointments. The vampire world, having been in existence for centuries, comes across as having an amateurish organization. I was also surprised to see the lack of a resolution to Sookie's dealings with the bellhop, Barry.
This series will draw inevitable comparisons with Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. Almost without exception, Hamilton's Anita Blake novels are faster-paced and more dimensional. However, these two Sookie books are charming, funny, and notably down-to-earth. The writing style is the most remarkable aspect of this series and makes it hard to put each book down. Thoroughly enjoyed this installment.

The "Southern Vampire Mysteries" continue months later with "Living Dead In Dallas", bringing small town Sookie and Bill to the big city. Sookie encounters a couple extra well-portrayed supernatural beings. New horrors enter Sookie's life during her travels and she gains extra lore about Eric Northman and the vampire culture, especially learning what mystical forces a vampire would fear. Fortunately she begins embracing her disability/gift and attempts further development to counter any disadvantage she may have in her dangerous life. Sookie conveys the entire adventure in the first person point of view.

Aside from brief encounters with her brother and the Bon Temps locals, the plot generally revolves around the Dallas crowd providing a fresh group of characters. Bill Compton's long vampiric existence has interesting genealogical ramifications for Bon Temps.

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.

Sookie Stackhouse is dismayed to find the body of the gay grill cook at Merlotte's stuffed into the back seat of Andy Bellefleur's car in the parking lot when she arrives at her job as bar waitress, and that was only Monday. The week went downhill from there. After meeting up with a beast in the woods who gave her a rather graphic "message" to take to a vampire nest in Shreveport, Sookie and her vampire boyfriend Bill get sent to Dallas on a mission to track down a missing vampire because of Sookie's interesting ability to read minds. The can of worms they uncover there blows the lid off a hate group masquerading as a religion. And when Sookie finally makes it back to Bon Temps, she's going to have to show up at an orgy to find out who killed her friend. It's just not shaping up to be a good month for Sookie at all.

This second offering in the supernatural world of Charlaine Harris delivers suspense with just the right amount of humor to keep me turning pages. Another good episode in the Adventures of Sookie Stackhouse.

In this second Sookie Stackhouse novel, we re-join Sookie and Bill right as one of Sookie's coworkers is brutally murdered. Before she even has time to investigate this, she is attacked by a beast and then summoned to use her telepathic powers to help the Dallas vampire nest....as if she doesn't have enough of her own problems!

After Dead Until Dark, I wasn't sure what all the hype was about these books..sure it was entertaining, but not the best ever. The stories are short, Sookie is a bit annoying, and the southern charm can be a bit too thick, but after this one, I'm a convert! I loved it, the plot kept me up reading late and I felt I got to know Sookie a bit more and found myself relating to her more. My only complaint is that the books are still very short but quite pricey so I will probably continue getting from the library. Looking forward to Club Dead though!

When I first read this book, I thought it was the weakeast of the series. Having just reread it, I've identified the problem: Lafayette's death, the sex club, and the maenad. Each one of these is included in the first small portion of the book, then are pushed aside as Sookie and Bill fly off to Dallas. This section, which is the majority of the book, is interesting, well written, and just different enough from the TV show to make it a fresh experience. Once Sookies returns from Dallas, at about page 220, the story reverts back to the beginning topics of Lafayette's death and a general who-done-it-and-where. The maenad has a small and confusing role to play. Quite honestly, when she's at her maenda weirdest, I truly don't know what exactly happened. The entire section feels poorly constructed and not well thought out. Besides, I ask you, Eric in purple swirl tights? Bleh.

Book two of the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire boyfriend Bill takes her to Dallas, paying back a favor for the regional vampire "boss" Eric. Dallas is missing a vampire and needs Sookie's telepathic abilities to check the humans who might know something. Meanwhile, back at home, there's murder afoot, rumors of orgies, and a mythological beastie loose in the nearby woods, expecting tribute from the local vampires. Dallas gives Sookie a look at big city vampiric life, quite different from her much smaller home town area. Harris balances both locations quite ably, giving the reader a fast fun read. As Sookie's involvement in the vampire world increases, she begins to have misgivings about the whole situation, while her affair with Bill continues to deepen. The threads of the local murder, the beastie, and the orgies combine together nicely, with vampires combining forces with humans unexpectedly. And most importantly, these southern people are still the most interesting parts of this new series. I'd say more, but I don't want to give everything away. Go read Dead Until Dark and then pick this one up.

Vampires are out of the closet in America, but a large fraction of the population wishes that they'd go back. When a vampire goes missing in Dallas, waitress and mind-reader Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire boyfriend Bill are summoned from Louisianna to Dallas to see if they can solve the mystery. Sookie's mindreading only takes her so far. And when she begins to investigate, she puts herself in terrible danger from the fellowship--a group of 'humans' who preach the extermination of the vampire kind. Her vampire support is only available at night so Sookie is on her own in a horribly unfriendly city. Meanwhile, back home in Bon Temps, Louisianna, a gay cook has been killed and Sookie needs to get to the bottom of that as well.
Author Charlaine Harris provides a combination of exciting adventure, mystery, and emotional depth. Sookie is powerfully sympathetic as she struggles with the differences between herself and the vampire she loves. Sookie's brief relationship with the ancient teenaged vampire, Godfrey, was especially moving. Harris makes her novel especially convincing with small-town details like the high school football game which the entire city of Bon Temps turns out to watch (if you don't come from a small town, you might not understand how completely true this is) and the famous chocolate cake--details that add richness to a fine story.
LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is the second in the Southern Vampire series. If anything, Harris's writing is getting stronger as the series progresses.

There was a year gap between my reading of Dead Until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas. That said, I had forgotten some details that occurred in the first book, but Harris makes sure to re-cap in the beginning, which is good.

Living Dead in Dallas gives vampire Eric a chance in the spotlight, taking certain "adventures" with protagonist Sookie Stackhouse. If you're new to the series and plan to read the books, stop reading this review now. I won't spoil anything from Living Dead in Dallas, but will spoil events that happened in Dead Until Dark.

So the book begins with the death of the very flamboyant and African-American Lafayette Reynolds. One might think this to be a jab at a race and a culture, but the way Harris handles everyone's reactions nullifies that notion. Sookie is genuinely depressed, since he was one of the few friends she had. Bill Compton, Sookie's undead boyfriend, informs Sookie that they have been summoned by Eric Northman, the most powerful vampire in Area Five. Remembering the arrogant vamp from the previous book, Sookie is a little hesitant to go help someone find their missing brother. Sookie and Hugo go to a The Fellowship of the Sun meeting, and are held captive by Steve and Sarah Newlin.

Sookie and Bill go through relationship rough patches, and Sookie eventually goes to an orgy with Eric (wha?) I guess you'll have to read to find out what that's all about.

Rating: Three and a Half stars
Length: 291 pages (paperback)
Source: PaperbackSwap
Other books I've read by this author: Dead Until Dark

It's been a few years since I read Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, No. 1), the entertaining first book in Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, but Living Dead in Dallas works quite well as a standalone novel, with Harris weaving the key points of her background story seamlessly into the fabric of this fast-paced sequel that's more violent than I remember the first one being. Equal parts romance and thriller, with a liberal dash of horror, Harris makes it work on the strength of Sookie's appealing character, a blue collar, no-nonsense Southern gal who defies most stereotypes while knowingly indulging in others when it suits her purposes...and who also happens to be a telepath in a world where vampires live openly among the living, and werewolves and other supernatural creatures exist in the shadows. There's actually two unconnected stories here, but together they nicely flesh out Sookie's world and set the stage for what should be a long-running series, not just novels, but the upcoming HBO show, too.

In this second installment of the Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris picks up the action soon after the conclusion of the first novel, 'Dead Until Dark': Sookie's brother Jason has been cleared of murder, vampire boyfriend Bill is working for the vampire 'union' as an investigator, and Sookie still has an interesting relationship with her shapeshifting boss, Sam. For Sookie, who can read minds, this is "normal", or at least as normal as it gets. Unfortunately, the murder of one of the employees at the Merlotte's (where Sookie works) sets off a chain of events that includes a murderous maenad (think psychotic wood nymph), fundamentalists who want to stage a public vampire incineration, and an orgy. As in the first book, Harris mixes violence, humor, horror and romance effortlessly, although the end is a little strained. And Sookie is remains a wonderful narrator you care about; her musings on all the strangeness she encounters is very real, even when the events are fantastic.

Now that I know more about Sookie, I like her a bit more. I'm glad this story played on her use of abilities, brought in shapeshifters, and even another strange creature. The same cast of characters appears in this book Sookie, Bill, Eric and the people from Sookie's town. I hope there are more characters introduced later in the series that I can like because Bill and Sookie are not my favorite people. Bill still grates my nerves, but at least Eric is interesting. I liked the plot even if the main mystery got put on the backburner for most of the book. Also, I didn't feel cluttered with useless details and information in this one like I did in the first book. Since we know who all of the characters are, now we can get down to the good stuff-the plot, mystery, and action. A pleasant surprise in Living Dead in Dallas is that there is no cliff hanger at the end! Overall I enjoyed this much more than the first book, and I hope they continue to get better. I'm starting to get a feel for what all of the hype is about!

This book was easier to read than the first one. It got to the action quicker, and it was a rather easy, quick read. I couldn't put it down, and I read the whole series in two weeks or less. I liked the introduction of the were characters and the thickening of the Eric plot. Just the ending was kind of strange. Definitely different than the season two of the true blood show, although season one was closer to the first book. I prefer the book's choices for the characters rather than the show's choices. The Maenad is much more tolerable in the book than the show, and Tara gets her first real appearance in the series, although it is completely minor in comparison to the show. In a nutshell, don't skip this book because you think you know it from the show (or you're mad at the show, etc.). This book is a must read for the series because the characters introduced there won't make as much sense for the rest of the series if you don't get their full backstory introduced here.

Living Dead in Dallas (2002) is the second Rural Fantasy in the Southern Vampire series, following Dead Until Dark. In the previous volume, Jason Stackhouse was released on bail and then was ashamed to face his sister Sookie. Later, Sookie was cornered by the murderer, but proved to be stronger than he thought. This thoroughly irritated him and he wrestled her to the ground. While he reached for his strangle cords, Sookie slipped his knife out of the belt sheath and gouged his wrist.

Jason visited her in the hospital and he seemed more angry with himself than ashamed of his sex life. His sister shouldn't have to do the fighting for him; he should have been there to fight for himself. Brothers!

In this novel, Andy Bellefleur is three sheets to the wind at Merlotte's Bar and Grill. Since he doesn't often get drunk, Sookie listens to his thoughts and regrets it. Andy had to arrest a man for assaulting a ten year old neighbor; now the girl is in the hospital, the man in jail, and Andy is drowning his memories. Sookie gives him a free drink and calls his sister Portia.

Andy leaves his car in the parking lot and the next morning Sookie discovers a body in it when she comes to work. Lafayette Reynold, the bar's late shift cook, is sprawled dead in the back seat. Since the seat is not soaked in blood, the county police assume that he had been killed elsewhere and then placed in the car.

That night, Bill Compton informs Sookie that they have been summoned to the Fangtasia bar for an assignment. Sookie has agreed to work for the Vampire Area 5 Sheriff, Eric Northman, and he has temporarily traded their services to the Area 6 Sheriff. Sookie and Bill are to fly to Dallas so that she can read the minds of some humans; Bill is going along as her manager and bodyguard.

Sookie takes her first airplane ride on a commercial jet to Dallas and Bill is shipped in his coffin on Anubis Air. While Bill's coffin is being unloaded, a priest comes up to Sookie and talks to her. She responds politely, but something makes her suspicious. Then he grabs her and tries to drag her through a door, but Bill rescues her.

After Sookie and Bill reach their hotel, Sookie notices that the bellboy is telepathic, at about the same level of development that she had reached as a teenager. She doesn't mention her discovery to Bill, for Barry is obviously uncomfortable around vampires. Sookie wonders why he is working in a vampire hotel.

Later, Sookie meets the Area 6 Sheriff, a nerdy-looking vampire with very cold eyes. She investigates the disappearance of a nestmate and learns that an unknown vampire had been involved in the incident. Bill uses a spare computer to access his database and finds the identity of the strange vampire.

In this story, Sookie encounters a group of anti-vampire fanatics -- the Fellowship of the Sun -- and is imprisoned on their property. She escapes with the assistance of a shapeshifter, is provided with medical care, and then is transported back to the hotel. Meanwhile, the vampires are raiding the Fellowship building looking for her.

Sookie also encounters Callisto, a maenad, in the woods near Bon Temps and is used to send a message in blood to Eric. The vampires provide a healer to treat her wounds, but her back will retain the scars for the rest of her life. Callisto wants tribute from the vampires, for her powers are overwhelming, particularly to overly proud individuals such as the typical vampire.

This story is full of sex, violence and sheer excitement. Sookie has several moments when she questions her involvement with vampires, shapeshifters, maenads and other such supernaturals. She wonders whether she should be loving Bill, especially when he starts hanging out with Portia Bellefleur, but he always convinces her to resume their relationship.

Highly recommended for Harris fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of preternatural creatures, anti-vampire fanatics and a gutsy waitress.

-Arthur W. Jordin

In the second instalment of the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris, cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse's romance with enigmatic vampire Bill Compton is progressing well but as usual, there are complications awaiting - Lafayette, Sookie's gay and likable co-worker is found murdered and Sookie takes it upon herself to solve the murder mystery. Then, Sookie finds herself heading to Dallas to help locate a missing vampire. A major threat looms in the form of the Fellowship of the Sun, an anti-vampire organization which is even more ruthless than the vampires.

As I mentioned in my review of the first book in the series, the Sookie Stackhouse books are pure fun, with supernatural-themed stories that engage and help readers escape into a fantasy world peopled with interesting mortals and otherworldly beings. The books are not literary masterpieces, but fun reads nevertheless. I can't wait to see how the second season of HBO series "True Blood" compares to the book.

I read the first book of this popular series several years ago, but was underwhelmed. But so many people who usually share my reading tastes love this series, that I thought I'd give the series a second chance.

Sookie Stackhouse is a telepathic cocktail waitress. There's a lot going on in this book. Her friend and coworker is murdered; she's sent to Dallas to help solve the disappearance of a vampire (by telepathically reading the human witnesses); she's attacked by a maenad with a message for the local vampire boss; she's imprisoned by a group of anti-vampire fanatics; befriends some shapeshifters; and attends a kinky sex party.

The politics of the various preternatural communities was interesting, and I enjoyed the intrigue and solving the mysteries, but there was just too much unrelated stuff going on. I'd have liked it better if the various threads connected more, or if a couple of them were saved for the next book.

More than that, though, is that I wasn't really involved in the story--it was interesting, from a distance. That's it: I was as interested in the book itself as I would have been if someone had simply related the plot to me. In other words, I didn't connect with the characters.

Some of that is because of the character of Sookie herself. I don't like her. She seems kind of dumb, and proud of being dumb, and in addition to that, she's self-pitying. On top of that, she's opinionated and bossy.

But at least I gave the series another shot. I won't be looking for the next book--I've got too much in the TBR pile and on the must-buy list as it is.

Not only does Charlaine Harris give another good mystery yarn with her sequel but she effortlessly increases your knowledge of the main characters introduced in 'Dead Until Dark' and introduces additional characters in the periphery that you just know are going to show up again. The characterizations are deepened and expanded upon while the 2, or is it 3, mystery subplots are resolved.
As so often happens, when things start happening in your life events can get complicated as Sookie, our heroine, finds out. Trying to come to terms with her vampire boyfriend, Bill, isn't helped by other supernatural beings standing in line to show her their appreciation also. And associating with supernatural beings, that have a hierarchy akin to the mob, can drag you right into the middle of touchy political agendas when you least expect it. Friends in unexpected places and her own determination had seen Sookie through her first adventure, will the same pattern hold for her deep in the heart of Texas?
This is a fast, fun read, really well done escapist literature. Good characters, fast action and a plot line that curves back on itself just as you think you're getting lost. Pick this one up.

Sookie is commissioned by Bill’s boss Eric to find a missing brother of the head of the Dallas vampire nest. Her telepathic talents reveal that Farrell has been kidnapped by the vampire-hating Fellowship of the Sun. After being rescued from certain death by Godfrey, she witnesses his self-immolation. Sookie’s powers again save her when the Fellowship massacres a vampire party. In the subplot about who killed Lafayette (Merlotte’s gay, black, human bartender) the terrifying maenad appears and deals with the murderers in her own chilling way.

It was a lucky day for barmaid Sookie Stackhouse when vampire Bill Compton came into the place where she was working. A very powerful telepath, Sookie is regarded as a pariah by the townsfolk of Bon Temps. Since a vampire's mind is closed to her, Sookie feels comfortable and free to pursue a relationship with Bill without hearing things she need not know. Bill also wants to be involved with Sookie because she doesn't fear him and accepts him as is.
Bill has applied and been awarded the job of investigator of Area 5 but since there is very little trouble occurring at the moment, he is going to Area 6 in Texas. There is a vampire missing from the nest and they want Bill and Sookie to locate him. Their investigation leads Sookie to a radical church group that feels vampires are an abomination and should be destroyed along with their human sympathizers.

LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is a delightful mix of the supernatural, romance and mystery genres that creates a new and unique work of fun reading. The eccentric characters are used to show that Sookie and Bill's relationship is normal by comparison. Charlaine Harris performs the impossible by making the reader feel a bit sad that vampires don't really exist.

Harriet Klausner

My first thought as I neared the end of Living Dead In Dallas was that Harris had originally written it as two books, then mashed them together when she realised that neither was long enough.

The book really deals with two separate plots.

First (and last) there's the murder of flamboyantly gay cook Lafayete and Sookie's attempts to find the killer. In the middle, and almost completely unconnected with that plot is the story of Sookie being "loaned out" (without her consent) by Eric, the head vampire.

That last is a slight stain on an otherwise likable book--it's yet another story of a woman being treated like property by a bunch of vampires and lapping it up because they're hot and sexy.

If you liked the first, you'll love this one. I did and, apart from the aforementioned, it's an enjoyable read. Sookie is an intriguing heroine and Bill is interesting and flawed as her vampiric boyfriend.

The only other slight stain (which, combined with the first is what earned this four stars rather than five) is the Eric character who is, regrettably, fast becoming Harris's Jean-Claude to Sookie as Anita Blake.

Still, a promising continuation to the series and there's nothing in there that's making me think twice about picking up the third book.

to discover who was responsible for the death of a friend?

"Living Dead in Dallas" continues to follow the developing relationship between Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, Louisiana, and her centuries-old vampire boyfriend, Bill Compton. When Sookie's friend is discovered murdered and a local cop is blamed for his death, Sookie and Bill must find a way to clear the cop's name while also finding their way out of the increasingly complicated vampire political scene. Can Sookie find justice for her murdered friend while also saving a member of a Dallas-based vampire nest from certain death at the hands of the cultish "Fellowship of the Sun"? And, will her relationship with Bill survive the journey into Bon Temps' seedy underground?

"Living Dead in Dallas" is a fast-paced novel with thrills and chills at every corner. Full of witty humor, unforgettable characters, and a labyrinthine plot filled with twists and turns, the second installment of the Southern Vampire series is destined to become a fiction classic.

The second novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series is certainly much weaker than the first, lacking a solid and substantial plot, but instead containing one that meanders and fragments. Though the introduction of the Fellowship and the maenad (as a counterpoint) are refreshing, there are done in a flat and haphazard manner. Though Eric and Bill's complexity (straddling the world of vampire and human) grows, the other characters remain flat and drab. While the book is strong, in comparison to the second season of True Blood (which is based on this book) it is sadly lacking in drama, dynamic, style, complexity, plot, and character. The actors, writers, directors, composer, cinematographer somehow take a (granted, fun) trash novel and turn it into pure, engaging, magical joy. Harris' books are fun and help tide one over between seasons, and she deserves credit for her creation, but I hope no one is judging the show based on the books. Grade: C

Reading Dead Until Dark and Living Dead In Dallas back-to-back, the reader could be forgiven for thinking that the murder rate in Merlotte's Bar is well over that in Inspecter Morse's Oxford. In Dead Until Dark, a couple of Sookie's work colleagues were murdered; in this book, Merlotte's suffers a similar haemorrhage of staff.
Added to that, there are other plots afoot: Bill continues his work as a sort of vampire 'union official', and Eric starts to rent out Sookie's help and mind-reading skills. He sends her to Dallas to investigate attacks on vampires there. Interestingly, Bill has to travel by sealed coffin on a conventional aeroplane; I thought it had been established in Dead Until Dark that he could fly.
This is a pretty violent book, and shows that Harris is more interested in mystery/suspense than she is in romance, although some parts of the book are given over to Sookie and Bill's relationship. Sookie is still having difficulty coming to terms with aspects of Bill's vampire nature, such as his need to hunt and feed and occasionally to feed off humans other than herself.
However, Sookie herself worries me. She's in love with Bill - and yet she finds Sam (the shape-shifter) extremely attractive and she even shares a kiss with him, a kiss they clearly both enjoy and would like to take further. There's also Eric the Viking vampire, who is very attracted to Sookie, and it's clearly mutual; the kiss they share also indicates that Sookie's commitment to Bill may not be all that serious.
I don't know whether Harris plans another book in this series, but if it also deals with murders which look as if they could have been committed by vampires, and Sookie using her mind-reading abilities to solve violent crime, the theme will get just a little old...

In the second of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series, heroine Sookie Stackhouse finds herself falling ever deeper in love with Vampire Bill in spite of his disturbing cohorts, and increasingly obligated to Eric, the undead owner of Fangtasia: a nightclub devoted to vampires and fangbangers. When Eric lends Sookie and her telepathic skills to the vampire constabulary in Dallas, all hell breaks loose. As she reads minds in an attempt to find a missing vampire, all sorts of things go kerflooky. Sookie finds herself on the wrong end of the attentions of the Fellowship of the Sun: an evangelical anti-vamp cult hell bent on killing as many vampires as possible. Will she escape with her life, or be lashed to a captive vampire to be left out for the sunrise to immolate?

Harris loses none of the momentum of her first Sookie Stackhouse novel. Skillfully blending horror with humor, she has produced another pageturner that will keep you up all night long. This one should not be missed.

Living Dead in Dallas is a worthy follow up to Charlaine Harris' Dead Until Dark. Not alot of sequels have the page turning, addictive quality of the original but Dead in Dallas does just that. It follows Sookie Stackhouse, the main character of the series, and her boyfriend vampire Bill on serious business to Dallas. Harris continues to draw the reader in with more tidbits about vampires and their habits and how they relate to humans. As usual, Sookie is fascinating both because she is so very human and other worldly with her special ability of telepathy. She and Bill are in Dallas to investigate a missing vampire and to discover through Sookie's use of her skill if any humans who last saw him may know something about his disappearance. As usual, everything is not what it seems and Sookie gets involved way over head with "supes" ,vampires, and some nasty humans in an entertaining, humorous, erotic and intriguing way. Great series!

This is the second in the Sookie Stackhouse series. In this book, Sookie is getting deeper into the world of vampires and supernaturals. After promising Eric Northman that she would work for him as a telepath if there was an agreement that no humans would be killed if they were guilty of devious doings with the vampires, Eric sends Sookie and her boyfriend, Vampire Bill, to Dallas to help the King of Texas find a missing vampire.

In this book, the Fellowship, a group of humans organized in a "church", are introduced. The Fellowship wants to see all vampires completely and finally dead. Sookie goes undercover to the Fellowship headquarters with another human. The other human, Hugo Ayres, is the human pet of another vampire. Together they explore the fellowship and the twists and turns keep your head spinning.
I liked this book and it cemented me completely in the Sookie Stackhouse fan club. Loved the characters and the story.

I'm just so glad I discovered Charlaine Harris! Living Dead in Dallas (LDD) is funny, quirky, fast paced and original. About what you'd expect after "Dead Until Dark."
Sookie and her boyfriend, Bill the Vampire, are forced into offering their services to a neighboring Vampire community (the Vampire are organizing local governments. Bill is the Investigator for Area 5 and Sookie, as his girlfriend, is often forced into mind reading chores for the local undead bigwigs). And that's only one of the mysteries Sookie has to solve, while hopefully remaining in one piece. REmaining in one piece can be a challenge when you associate with this bunch.
Sookie is entertaining, with a peppered wit. I do wish she would flex some feminist muscle now and then ( which author Harris very well knows how to do). I'm going to trust Harris on this, tho. I firmly believe she'll give me a very strong and independent heroine. Sometime. But, Ms. Harris, please. No more accepting pretty underwear from Bills new store. It's degrading!

This is going to be another series I will read back to back (Twilight being the first). I don't know what it is about this vampire business but my god is it addicting. Unlike the sugar sweet, tweeny hormone driven Twilight series, however, Charlaine Harris' books are just down right twisted. Take a scene from Living Dead in Dallas: One minute the main character, Sookie, is attending a back woods orgy to investigate a murder, and the next minute, she's standing amidst the carnage of slaughtered bodies because a mythological maenad pops in and decides its dinner time. Delish.
I fancy myself a mythology semi-scholar and I simply adore it when authors find ways to integrate creatures of lore into their otherwise perfectly modern stories. Harris does a fantastic job of this. I highly recommend these books and I highly anticipate reading the rest of the series!
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Suggested With: Blood Red Wine

Our favorite little mindreader is back...with a bang. But this little tale begins with the death of Merlotte's cook and Sookie's friend...the flamboyantly gay Lafayette Reynolds, who is found very dead in the back of Andy Bellefleure's car in the parking lot of Merlotte's. Worse yet, Eric, the gorgeous boss of her boyfriend, vampire Bill, has requested her paranormal assistance to his vampire brethren in Shreveport. There is a vampire missing there, and all of the undead want know what has happened to him. Sookie agrees to help, as long as no humans are harmed by any information that she uncovers; and uncover she does. It doesn't take Sookie long to find out what has befallen the missing vamp...and her murdered friend.

With its fair share of mystery, fun and a healthy dose of lust, the Sookie Stackhouse series is not to be missed. It's not often that a literary heroine comes along with the spunk and smarts of our Miss Sookie.

DYB

After reading the reviews I bought this and the 1st in the series. Great fun Reading, and I think I am in love with Eric!
Sookie is a 25 year old blonde bombshell waitress, with the ability to read peoples minds. Her boyfriend Bill (whom she hooks up with in the 1st novel, this is 2) is a vampire, and he works for Eric a head vampire.
Eric decides to lend Sookie's abilities out to a Vampire in Dallas. Sookie typically gets in trouble while the vamps are asleep and we get to meet some new characters. More shape shifters in this book. Sookie comes through, and then heads home to help solve a co-workers death.
I can not do this series justice. If it does not seem interesting enough, buy it anyway, they are great. If you like early Laurell K. Hamilton, and Tanya Huff's Blood Price books, you will love this. Very fresh and different. The 3rd book will be out in May of '03. Start reading them now, start at the beginning so you will be ready for the next!...

Our favorite cocktail waitress is back again for another adventure. Living Dead in Dallas introduces us to the various political goings on in the vampire world. Sookie and the Vampire Bill have been invited to Dallas. The Dallas Vampire's need Sookie's telepathic skills and she is drafted by Eric, the Viking vampire sheriff of Area 5 to help them. Sookie feels obligated to Eric as he has recently saved her from a very nasty creature with a venomous bit. Off to Dallas she and Bill will go.
Of course things are not as they seem. With a very scary group of religious nuts and a suicidal vampire, Sookie is soon overwhelmed with all that is happening. To complicate life even more, back in Bon Temps one of Sookie's co-workers meets a grisly end. Life will never be simple for Sookie and Bill, but Sookie never expected this much action.
Living Dead in Dallas is another fantastic adventure created by Charlaine Harris. From page one we are thrust into Sookie and Bill's world and the action does not slow down much at all. I loved the description of Dallas with its vampire airline and hotel. This is the kind of book you read all day and night because you are unable to put it down.
Charlaine Harris is the other of three more Sookie novels; Dead Until Dark, Club Dead, and Dead to the World, to be published May, 2004. She is also the author of two popular mystery series; the Aurora Tegarden series and the Lily Bard Shakespeare series.

"Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackehouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one to care. Than she's face-to-face with a beastly creatures that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).

Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the blood-suckers asks for a favor, she complies. And soon, Sookie's in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She's suppose to interview certain humans involved. There's just one condition. The vampires must promise to behave and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blond and one small mistake for things to turn deadly... "

"Dead in Dallas" is book two in Charline Harris's Southern vampire novels.
Just as the first book (Dead Until Dark) , this was an absolute treat....
Lafayette, Sookie's coworker, has been murdered and left in a truck to be found. Sookie is of course highly upset and wants to find the killer. But doesn't really get the chance to begin her investigation, as she is being sent to Dallas with Bill to find a missing vampire... She is going to find Lafayette's killer when (if) they get back from Dallas.

The book is amazingly entertaining. You will of course meet almost all of the characters from the first book and be introduced to new ones. But even if you haven't read the first book (which I would VERY much recommend),you will very easily and smoothly be led into the story and will be introduced to all the characters gradually... Sookie's trip to Dallas is very exciting, disturbing and of course life-threatening. Not only she is trying to do her job and stay alive at the same time, she is also struggling with her relationship with Bill. And Eric ..... yeah, well , Eric .... You just have to read and find out for yourself how the story evolves, how these amazing characters learn to live with each other, light and darkness, trying their hardest to make it work.
I am reading This series for the second time now, and surprise , surprise .... it just doesn't get boring at any point. I absolutely love these books and highly recommend them. Paranormal romance/mystery lovers, get this book. You are going to fall in love ^_^

I loved the early books the best. It was more vampire and focused less on secondary characters which I found was an issue in later books. The vampire centric theme in the early books made them addicting and riveting.

Eric was sly, smug, scary sexy and funny and all at the same time. The first five books are classics and are just thrilling to keep reading over and over and over again.

Eric being invited to an orgy by Sookie, and stunned, finding out its to be a bodyguard not, for sex, and saying "let me understand this, you want me to go to a orgy where I am not welcome, and leave before I enjoy myself??" is something I chuckle about as a classic. And "Oh I have been to an orgy before, I wore animal skins."

Villian: 5
Plot: 5
Creativity: 5
Uniqueness: 5
Humor: 5
Bringing the sexy: 5
Passion: 5
Dullness setting in on Series: 0
Laughs & Amusement factor: 5
Silly Whiners getting on your nerves: 0
Lazy Author repeating too much from prior chapters: 1

The Lafayette on HBO is way to glamourous to kill off. It will be a sad day if they kill him off on the tv series.

I liked this book more than I liked the first one. With the Fellowship of the Sun, a maenad popping up, and another muder mystery (of one of my favorite characters that has a longer shelf life in the show) it was hard for me to not enjoy it since I liked Godfrey/Godric's struggle with being such an old vampire ready to die in the show and the book. I did not like how the murder mystery was put on the back burner for most of the book, but it wasn't as repetative as the first book, even though Sookie is still inconsistent. I also still feel if you want to read this series your better off borrowing it from the library and saving the money, since in my case at least there is no urge to re-read the series once I'm finished.

Ok sequel to Dead Until Dark, is almost two separate stories. The first and last portion of the book concern a murder in Bon Temps and the problems caused by a Maenad. Sandwiched in between is Sookie and Bill's visit to Dallas in search of a missing vampire, thought to have been kidnapped by the anti-vampire Fellowship of the Sun. I enjoyed the the Dallas story, but didn't find the other story very interesting; the introduction of the maenad as a plot device being pretty pointless. I also find the Eric/Sookie/Bill love triangle to be a little tiresome. The second season of 'True Blood' is much better, with more Jason (who is my favourite character on the show) and a bigger and much more menacing role for the maenad.

I just finished Dead Until Dark and had to RUSH to the bookstore to pick up Living Dead In Dallas because I didn't want one day to pass by without being able to read about Sookie and the gang!! This book is funny AND scary! I loved it. I am a huge Laurell Hamilton fan, as well as Anne Rice and Jeanne Kalogridis, however, vamp fans should be forewarned that if you're not into humor in your vamp stories, this series is NOT for you! It is a very easy read, very entertaining, with outstanding supernatural elements from every genre! As far as the reader who was "offended" by what they ASSUMED to be racial slurs, you need to remember that this book is staged in the deep South. I have lived there and this is still the way it is, even in 2005!! Ms. Harris is just trying to stay true to the persona of the Southern people, no matter what ethnicity! Believe me, the "minorities" there have the same thoughts about whites!! Anyway, don't read this if you're expecting glamour and extreme eroticism (as in Hamilton and Rice's books). But if you're up for something that is just light-hearted and funny, with a GREAT plot and fantastic story that will keep you guessing until the end "who dunnit"..........read this series, you'll love it!

First a disclaimer: I had not heard of Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse, Bill Compton, or any of the characters from "Living Dead in Dallas," until I watched the HBO series True Blood. The much heralded HBO series in loosely based on the novels in which Blonde bombshell Sookie Stackhouse plays a central role.

By the end of the series' first season I had become intensely interested in reading the series of books upon which the show was based, and so I bought the boxed set of (7) books, the second of which is "Living Dead in Dallas."

Synopsis

"Living Dead in Dallas" picks up where Dead Until Dark left off. The book revolves around the life of a waitress, 26-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, who makes her home in the Northern Louisiana town of Bon Temps. The book is a first-person account of Sookie's life as a barmaid, who also happens to be a telepath, and is now dating a local Vampire named Bill Compton.

"Living Dead in Dallas" opens as Sookie finds the dead body of Lafayette, the openly Gay short order cook at Merlotte's the bar in which she works. Lafayette has been murdered and placed in the backseat of local police detective Andy Bellefleur's car, which had been left at Merlotte's the night before after Andy was too drunk to drive.

Sookie soon learns that Lafayette had been frequenting local sex parties and she believes members of the group might know something about her associate's murder so she uses her "disability" to start tuning into people's thoughts as they come into the bar.

About this time Bill informs her that they have been summoned to Shreve¬port to appear before Eric Northman at his bar named Fangtasia. But, along the way Bill is distracted long enough for Sookie to be attacked by a "maenad," a creature out of Greek mythology who worships Diony¬sus, Greek god of wine and drunk¬en¬ness. Sookie wounds are severe and laced with poison and must be healed by a special doctor after her blood is drained by a bevy of Vampires including Bill, Eric, and Pam (ot was later replaced by human blood).

Meanwhile, The Fellowship of the Sun, an anti-Vampire religious group makes its first appearance as a powerful, Dallas, Texas-based Vampire named Stan Davis solicits Eric's help to find his missing brother Farrell who has been missing for a few days. So, Sookie, accompanied by Bill travel to Dallas in an attempt to penetrate the Church and using Sookie's abilities, find out what happened to the Vampire.

With the help of a local lawyer Sookie enters the church only to be betrayed and captured. And just as she is about to be forcibly violated she rescued by and ancient vampire named Godfrey who is described in the book a teen-age kid with a body full of ancient tat¬toos. God¬frey is sick of killing and refers to himself as a ser¬ial killer, and he has decided to take his own life with the fellowships help.

There is of course a lot more going on in the 300-page novel, but you'll have to read it to find out more.

My Thoughts

Catherine Harris has once again woven together a pretty compelling story in "Living Dead in Dallas." Sookie Stackhouse remains a very likeable buxom blonde heroine; sweet, beautiful, sexy, yet she is also written with spunk, resilience, and a zest for life. The book supporting characters, especially shape-shifting Sam Merlotte, the owner of Merlottes, who she has known for five years and has an unrequited romantic attachment to, are a lively and interesting bunch of characters.

"Living Dead in Dallas" continues the old Vampire lore and expands it further exploring age old human myths about Supernatural characters, turning legend into fictional fact. The result is a great read that never fails to entertain.

The explosive sexual awaking of Sookie Stackhouse that was so much of Dead Until Dark has been cooled a bit, and the violence ramped up. Ms. Stackhouse is certainly tested physically in this energetic novel that never seems to take a breath.

The narrative is smartly written, though infused with more than a touch of southern comfort and traditional southern African American prejudice, wherein all of the Black characters are two-dimensional and decidedly boring. No matter, I have come to expect nothing more from today's crop of writers.

"Living Dead in Dallas" continues to bring to life in a new way one of the oldest myths in human existence, one that refuses to die an honored death, that of Vampires and their legendary powers. It's okay however, because Harris makes it all interesting, fresh, bloody, and new.

I love the idea that in Sookie's world other myth¬i¬cal and super¬nat¬ural crea¬tures who are still hid¬ing from mankind, and are exposed as Sookie dives deeper into their world, pulled under as it were by the intrusion of Bill and Eric into her otherwise staid life. Life in North¬ern Louisiana hasn't been the same for the mid-reading Ms. Stackhouse now that she's firmly entrenched in this increasingly dan-ger¬ous, yet endlessly fas¬ci¬nat¬ing "new" supernatural world.

It is a world I am not fully enthralled in as well!

Other Books in the Sookie Stackhouse series:

o Dead Until Dark (March 2001)
o Club Dead ((May 2003)
o Dead to the World ((May 2004)
o Dead as a Doornail (May 2005)
o Definitely Dead (May 2006)
o Altogether Dead (May 2007)
o From Dead to Worse (May 208)
o Dead and Gone (May 2009)
o A Touch of Dead (October 2009)
o Dead in the Family (May 2010)

I gave this book 5 stars because it kept my interest throughout. It does seem like the climax of the book was more in the middle but it was still good. The highlight is when Sookie visits "church" in Dallas. When she got back home and was still trying to find out who Lafayette's murderer was the story did get a little confusing and inconsistent. It seemed like the book had to be a certain number of pages and what else can we put in here to drag it out a little longer. Towards the end it seemed like it was jumping around everywhere but I still read this book in a couple of days and could not put it down! If I could have stayed in bed and read it for a whole day I would have! I definitely recommend this book for the lighthearted reader looking for an enteraining Halloween read!

In this second installment of the "Southern Vampire" series, Sookie discovers there are many other supernatural beings besides vampires. Well, she already knew of one such, close to home, but she thought he was an anomaly. Wrong!

The story: Our intrepid heroine takes her first plane trip to Dallas to fulfill an obligation to Eric, the regional head honcho vampire, who needs to fulfill an obligation to the head honcho vampire of Dallas. (Love those vampire politics.) Bill, her vampire boyfriend accompanies her. As a result of their investigation into the disappearance of another vampire, they wind up entangled with a reactionary religious organization known as the Fellowship Of The Sun, which is dedicated to the extermination of vampires. Shapeshifters and another telepath have supporting roles in the events that occur.

Charlaine Harris further develops her mythology here, although I noted a major inconsistency from volume I, Dead Until Dark. In the first book, Harris stated the vampires had "come out of the coffin" four years previously. In this one, she said it was two years. Maybe I'm just picky, but there's a big difference between the two time frames. Two years seems like barely enough time for humans to have become relatively accustomed to the existence of vampires, much less to have made the kind of accommodations (special hotels, airlines and other services) prominently featured in this novel.

Also in this novel, I notice the potential beginnings of a romantic triangle, or perhaps even a quadrangle. Shades of Laurell K. Hamilton. [shudder]

An utterly predictable marshmallow fluff of a novel. Enjoyable despite its flaws.

After having become disgusted with the Anita Blake series. I have started to look for a new writer of Vampire mystery/action novels. This is one that has an interesting early "Anita Blake" feel before the story turned to total crap.

I did skip the first book, but was able to catch a good idea of what happened. In this book Sookie Stackhouse is put on loan to the Vampires in Dallas to solve a mystery. The story flowed well, but the speed which she discovers who is behind the ... well mystery ... occurs to quickly(about 100 pages before the book ends). There are substories that keep the book interesting but I have read more gripping books.

I am hoping/looking forward to Sookie developing more powers as Anita did and becoming a stronger character.

If you like the beginning Anita Blake series then this or Kim Harrison's "Dead Witch Walking" may be a good place to go.

So now I am beginning to see what some of the fuss is about...I wasn't seeing it in the first book! This book is much better than the first. I think you also have to get use to Harris' writing style.

In this book Sookie is more likable, Bill isn't as creepy and Eric is in more of the book which is a plus! Also, Jason (Sookie's brother) isn't a total ass like he was in the first book! There was a lot more action as far as vampires and supernatural beings are concerned and less about the people of Bon Temps. Bill and Sookie's relationship seems to get a little better, but now that Eric is in the picture Bill better get with the program! I really love Eric's character and thought he brought a lot of excitement to the book!

I will definately be reading the next book!

"Living Dead in Dallas" is a continuation of the "Southern Vampire" series. Sookie Stackhouse is a barmaid, telepath and girlfriend of Vampire Bill. Sookie finds herself in one jam after another. Who knew that being a cocktail waitress would be so much trouble? First her co-worker is found dead in the back of a police car, she is attacked by a maenid who uses Sookie as a messenger, and finally she has to assist the Dallas union of vampires in tracking down a missing vampire.
Sookie is described as " a sweet little eclair on the outside, and a pit bull on the inside". You have to be when dealing with vampires, shape-shifters, fang-bangers and the Fellowship of the Sun.
Watch for the climatic end. All I have to say is when a telepath tells you to hit the floor, learn how to drop at lightning speed. I can hardly wait for the third novel to hit the shelves this summer.

I finished reading Dead Until Dark, which i absoloutley loved! And I just finished reading Living Dead in Dallas. I'm not sure which of the two I like better, but all that matters is that these books blow you out of the water! This series is fresh, funny, suspensful and romantic. I have never read a series I was more interested in, but I'm still young. I wasn't to crazy about Sookie leaving her small town for big city Dallas, but I was pleasantly mistaken. The huge adventure (dangerous ones) she had in Dallas were the best part of the book. I'm not to crazy about Eric, who's quite a threat. But I adore Sookie (though the things she does, does tick me off a bit sometimes; which makes her all the more interesting) Bill (who is my favourite character) Stan (who I am very interested in and hope to see more of in and upcomming series). I also like new characters in this book, as well, the situation with the Fellowship was nail biting! This series is so original, certainly not a "go between" kind of book. Once you've read it, your hooked. Charlaine Harris certainly has a charm for writing. There is so much to say about this book and the series, but I'll stop here (who likes reading two page reviews anyway)?. However, one question still puzzles me... Can the vampires in this series come into mortal homes uninvited. I watched every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (which is amazing), and that rule is, no vampire may enter private property without being invited.
Just a question.

This is the second Sookie Stackhouse book by Charlaine Harris. In this instalment, Sookie is asked to go to Dallas by Eric, her boyfriend's boss, to help the vampires there find a missing nestmate.

I think what makes these books so much fun is the narrative voice of Sookie, who is lively, nice, self-deprecating and interesting. Always an outsider because of her telepathy, Sookie has found a place in the vampire community, whether she wants it or not! Eric plays a larger role in this book, and again the action is fun and fast-paced, without much gore.

The books are a bit different than the True Blood tv series, so even if you've watched the show you will enjoy the books, and as I say, Sookie's voice is quite charming.

I enjoyed the first book and was ready for the 2nd. I turned out to be just as fun as the first. I just love the main character Sookie Stackhouse. She is a trip! She's a refreshing treat from a mundane day. Having two good-looking vampires (Bill & Eric) doesn't hurt either. In this book there is actually two mysteries going on. One takes place in Dallas. The vampires there need Sookie's mind reading skills and Bill goes along for her protection. Before they leave for Dallas though, a co-worker and friend of Sookie's is murdered and someone she knows is innocent is framed for it. And to top all of that off, there is another supernatural being for them to deal with. This book is non-stop fun and excitement. I will continue on with the series and highly recommend anyone who liked the first one to stick with it.

Sookie Stackhouse, the telepathic waitress, is back. Her relationship with Bill the vampire is blossoming. Sam, her boss at the bar, is a shape-shifter that's hot for her. She still works at the bar, but she also works for the vampires from time to time. Life isn't normal. But life is good. Then a coworker turns up murdered. This is after he told Sookie about a sex party he had been to the night before. Soon after, a supernatural creature called a maenad attacks her, giving her a painful and poisonous lashing. The vampires save her by sucking the poison from her veins and enjoying every minute of it. But now she owes them for saving her, so in return she travels to Dallas with Bill to search for a missing vampire named Farrell. Her investigation leads her to a group called THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SUN. They have a "dawn service" planned for the missing vampire. She and Bill must work quickly to save Farrell, before he is forced to meet the sun. And if she survives this ordeal, she must still return home and solve the mystery of the sex party and murder of her friend. Even worse, the maenad is still on the loose, as well.
This is the second novel in this southern vampire series. I just finished it, and I'm already itching to read the third installment. Harris has hit on the most original idea that I've come across in a long time-vampires living legal after centuries of being underground. But she doesn't stop there. She flavors her work with quirky small-town characters and shape-shifters, as well as other supernatural beings. Then she rolls it all into a first-rate mystery. Actually there are two mysteries-where is the missing vampire and who murdered her coworker. Don't miss out on reading this one.

I am a huge romance fan and a huge horror fan. I discovered Charlaine Harris' dead series quite by accident and immediately fell in love. This second book continues where the first one left off. If you have not read her first novel, be sure to read "Dead Until Dark" first and after reading this one, finish with "Club Dead."
I have fallen in love with all of the characters in this series. There's Sookie, a cocktail waitress in a small southern town. Sookie is a southern girl with plenty of small time southern charm. She also has a huge heart which keeps her in trouble, especially since she just happens to be dating a vampire named Bill. Oh and one other thing Sookie can also read minds which makes her very interesting to Bill's boss and pulls her into Bill's world. This series is a definite keeper! This book and the entire series gets 5 stars.

Literally...in every sense. Geographically we are introduced to interesting characters, organizations and plots in Dallas, not only Shreveport and Bon Temps; in the series mythology we get a glimpse of the other supernatural creatures like the metamorphs (including the dangerous werewolfs), other telepaths (Sookie isn't alone), the ancient Maenad or vampires limitations and capacities; also in the relationships between Sookie, Bill and Eric (that definitively are interested in Sookie) the plot thickens.

An assassination occurs; a mysterious and powerfull being sends an horrible request; a vampire is kidnapped and a debt is called for Sookie to pay. New allies and enemies in a very fast action packed tale filled with suspense and spiced with sex, horror and very good humor.

Still hooked.

while not-so-patiently awaiting the next Anita Blake book (and hoping it will be infinitely superior to Narcissus In Chains, which was SO not worth the hardcover price) i checked out the reviews of similar books. Living Dead In Dallas sounded funny, sexy and action-packed, which is how i like my novels, and all you Anita Blake readers out there recommended it highly. in a fit of optimism, i bought this one, devoured it in one night, then went out and bought Dead Until Dark. Sookie is a great, BELIEVEABLE heroine, Bill's human life is shown as actually having at least a slight effect on the life he lives now (what a concept! l. k. hamilton, maybe you should write this down) and i love the idea of a society of little old ladies called Descendants of the Glorious Dead. This is a book I would reccomend buying, because you will want to read it over and over again, and the library gets testy when you hold onto your books for a year. I can't wait for the next Charlaine Harris novel!

In the second book of The Southern Vampire series, Sookie is summoned to Dallas to help locate a missing vampire. There she must investigate a vampire hating organization, The Fellowship of the Sun. Meanwhile, back in Sookie's hometown, one of her co-workers has been murdered and a cop has been framed.
This actually feels like two books in one even though it's not a long book. The story in the beginning and the end of the book is almost completely separate from the middle. This doesn't really hurt the enjoyment of the book though. I found this book to be less enjoyable then the first because Sookie gets the stuffing beat out of her all the time. It gets annoying after a while. The best thing about this book are the bits of Bill's past and Eric's expanded role. All in all there's more action and less romance. Not quite as enjoyable as the first but still a great read.

This is the second in the series and is the basis of the second season of True Blood: The Complete Second Season (HBO Series). Though unlike the second season the book focuses mainly on the part about Dallas and very little on the maenad. I'll probably be in the minority, but I feel that that part could have been left out of the whole book entirely as it didn't add much to it at all.

But the parts where Sookie is in Dallas are very good. I liked reading that part better than watching the show because I couldn't get into that part at all.

I felt like I got to know Sookie, Bill and Eric a bit more than in the first book. I'll also say Harris had me laughing plenty of times in the book with her sharp wit, just like she did in the first.

This book is actually one of my favorites in the series because it's a little different. There is a lot of action, and the story seems chaotic at times. But it all combines to make a great story. This book might actually hit a nerve with some people because it delves into fanatical Christian views of vampires (I would also add the supernatural, in general). I'm so glad that Mrs. Harris has stayed true to the South and brought up this point of view. The story revolves around The Fellowship of the Sun, which is an organization aimed at "killing" vampires to save their souls, but the story is told with such a tone that there never seems to be any judgement, which is nice. I was really impressed that Mrs. Harris chose to write a book on this topic because, being from the South, I always knew it had to come up to be a genuine series.

Living Dead in Dallas is a wonderful follow to Dead Until Dark! The story began quickly and never slowed down. I am especially impressed with Harris' ability to perfectly develop each character. These characters are not only believable, but they are likable ... and lovably dislikable for that matter :) Living Dead in Dallas has a perfect amount of plot, humor, action, and insight into the characters' relationships. In this series addition, we join Sookie on a murder mystery adventure to Dallas! We get a better look at vampire-to-vampire politics as well as society-to-vampire politics. This is very convincing and engaging material!
I highly recommend this series to people who perhaps are not fond of the Anita Blake Series because The Southern Vampire Series is lot lighter than the AB Series. Conversely, I think you can still enjoy this series even if you are an Anita Blake fan because the difference in tone is complementary, refreshing and entertaining.

I wish I could be a New York Times bestselling author. I know Charlaine Harris is one `cause it says so on the cover of her book. And I find myself wondering, was she best-selling before or after they made the TV series? Whatever, she must've been pretty popular or why would they have used her books.

I wish... but when I read the Sookie Sackhouse novels I know I never will be. Charlaine Harris has a wonderful way with words. She creates a truly intriguing and believable character with a distinctive voice, and sticks to them. Then she creates a whole wide world--a strange and crazy world that simply can't be true, except it's almost real, and a world that stays so true to itself it can carry not just one book but a whole expanding series.

Reading Living Dead in Dallas, second in the series, I find Sookie's world really is expanding quite dramatically. There's geographic expansion as the story moves temporarily to Dallas. There's mythical expansion as Sookie is attacked by a creature from beyond the pale. There's emotional expansion as simple (vampire) love becomes complex patience and caring. There's character expansion as potential bad guys reveal their hidden depths. And there's humor too, delightful, quirky, very human humor in a more-than-human world.

I wish I could be a New York Times bestselling author, but I can't complain. As long as Charlaine Harris remains on the lists, publishers and stores will sell cheap copies of her books to keep me reading. And that's fine by me.

I liked the True Blood series so I found the books online and ordered a few. I found that I was fascinated by the characters and story lines, even more than the series. I can't stop reading. It is such an interesting way to think about the world, and it makes you want to jump into the book. I think real life seems a little dull at the moment.

I've now bought all the rest of the Stackhouse books and some of Harris' other books which I'll save for when I am mourning the end of the Stackhouse novels. I just bought the Stackhouse books in Spanish, too, so I can brush up on my Spanish. I thought that would be fun after I read the English version through a second time.

I read all the time and I've never enjoyed a book more. I hope Harris will write a few more.

Great idea a human not so human dating a vampire whom she fights with a lot, is not whom I would have suspected to be the heroine but that's who she is, ohhh I forgot to mention that she says shes disabled but yeah she not she a telepath and a really good at that, she was loaned out(like a tool) the the Vampires in Dallas to see if she could find a missing vampire which she does, but at what cost to her, boy she sure takes a beating from the fellowship which is where the missing vampire. Poor Sookie when she get be she still needs to find out who really killed Lafayette and it's not just a who it's more than one who was involved in it. But the Maenad take a interest in it.

Oh Sookie, where have you been all of my life? I recently borrowed from my library the first in the series and I am addicted. Dark, sexy and believable. What an amazing story teller you are Ms. Harris. Can't wait to read them all. Who knew having a love affair with a vamp could be so complicated?

Much improved second book in the Stackhouse series. Fast paced with dark humor. Very entertaining brain junk food.

Sookie has improved on her telepathy and is now a more valuable asset to the vampire community. With her new professional look, Sookie and her vampire Bill head to Texas to investigate a missing vamp. Slashed up by a new supernatural being, captured by a religious anti-vamp cult, badly beaten, ramed into by a truck, shot at by machine guns...etc this girl appears to have an unstoppable will. And a nieve attitude that can make you laugh!

The best of the book is when Sookie returns from Dallas and she's faced with asking help from the vampire Eric whom is relentless in his efforts in is affections with Sookie.

After reading the first book, I dived right in to the next book. It was a good and interesting read, but not as great as the original. I can't help but compare it to the series. The Maenad is hardly mentioned, the ending is different, Lafayette is dead in the first chapter, and a lot more. Months after Rene tried to kill her, Sookie is rushed off to Dallas with her Vampire boyfriend, Bill to help a fellow vampire find his brother, Farrell, who has been missing for days. Throughout the book, Sookie must deal with the Fellowship of the Sun Church, Godfrey, Callisto the Maenad and much more. If you love the True Blood series, you'll love LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS!!!

After being pleasantly surprised by Charlaine Harris' "Dead until Dark", the only thing to do was continue reading the second in the series, "Living Dead in Dallas". Unfortunately everything the things that made the first book so much fun, is greatly absent in this second one. The only things that made me continue until the end was the charm of its leading characters, and the fluid writing style.

Even though I read this book only a couple of months ago I barely remember any it. The beginning involves an attack on Sookie and the death of one of Bon Temp's regulars, then somehow evolves into a trip to Dallas to find a missing vampire, and along the way Sookie and Bill encounter the anti vampire church called "The Fellowship".

Nothing really comes together in the end, and whatever potential the set up had ends up being entirely lightly sketched over. In particular I was expecting more realistic and frightening portrayal of the "Fellowship", but its almost prosaic representation took any tension or creepiness it should have had. However we do learn a bit more about vampire Bill. The only sad part is that this is about the point where the author loses interest or doesn't know what to do with Bill. Oh well.

Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire novels (Dead Until Dark and LIving Dead in Dallas)are reminiscent of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series,(a series I thoroughly enjoy reading over and over) but Sookie, the heroine of Ms. Harris's novels is less like Anita Blake and more like Stephanie Plum, Janet Evanovich's bounty Hunter ( another thoroughly enjoyable and re-readable series) Anita Blake is more polished and experienced, more at ease with her supernatural abilities than Sookie. Sookie is more human and fallible, kind of a Calamity Jane, but very likable. Her budding romance with a newly arrived vampire is fraught with misunderstandings between species, but they manage to communicate very well anyway. The vampires in this series make no excuses for what they are, predators, but still have a not so nasty side, especially since they are trying to "mainstream" and live with humans. Ms Harris throws in a few shapeshifters, colorful local residents, and reprehensible villains, both human and supernatural. Prepare to sit yourself down for a wonderful read. The plots were well thought out and equally well written. I am eagerly looking forward to her the next book in this series.

Sookie Stackhouse, a small town telepath and coctail waitress has been recruited to work for Eric, the Area 5 vampire sheriff. When he forced her to agree, she didn't realize that traveling would be manditory.
This book is just as engrossing, charming and funny as "Dead Until Dark," complete with murderous religious zealots, gun fire, secrets revealed and an invitation to an [party] with her childhood friends.
In the midst of all of this, Sookie has to fend off amorous attention from both Eric and Sam, her boss while trying to solve a murder and avoid an angry maenad.
Laurell Hamilton has nothing on Charlaine Harris. The Dead series is what the Anita Blake series used to be. Any AB readers looking to get back to the thrill of the mystery with a few vampires and shapeshifters thrown in for good measure, should give Sookie a try.

The second book in the Sookie's series was as fantastic as the first. Sookie has to deal with a strange creature that uses her to pass a message to the vampires--and nearly kill her--, with the death of one of her coworkers, and with the disappearance of Eric's master. She will also discover new enemies and the dark side of Bon Temps.

"Cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse is on a streak of bad luck. First, her coworker is murdered and no one seems to care. Then she's face-to-face with a beastly creature that gives her a painful and poisonous lashing. Enter the vampires, who graciously suck the poison from her veins (like they didn't enjoy it).
Point is, they saved her life. So when one of the bloodsuckers asks for a favor, she complies. And soon, Sookie's in Dallas using her telepathic skills to search for a missing vampire. She's supposed to interview certain humans involved. There's just one condition: The vampires must promise to behave--and let the humans go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blonde and one small mistake for thing to turn deadly. . ."

Sookie has her first encounter with Anubis, the transportation service for vampires, and with another telepath. She's also getting closer to Eric and learns how a vampire can commit suicide.
I like Sookie, even if she's not the brightest bulb, she sure has good instincts and is a nice person, well-raised by her grandmother. But she maybe is too nice and naive: the more she gets involved in vamp's business, the more she understands she made a mistake in wanting to get acquainted with one of them. If Eric, Bill, or Pam are nice enough--as long as you don't cross them--some of the other vamps aren't so friendly, and she has a tendency to talk too much . . .

In this book appears for the first time the Fellowship of the Sun, a religious group that looks like a sect and would do anything to wipe the vamp off the Earth. So when she's kidnapped by them--because they have an informant in the King of Texas' very home--and saved by the Master she had to rescue, everything she still believed--despite the telepath thing--about humanity shatters.
And what about the werewolves? We knew there were shape shifters thanks to Sam, but when the wolves save her life, she has to see a new side of the paranormal community.

I don't know how Charlaine Harris put all of this in a single book. The plot is well put together, Sookie is a charismatic main character, that we want to follow through her crazy adventures. Godfrey nearly made me cry--and I don't cry so easily. The sinful community of Bon Temps was another great surprise, when you think the story is finished. . . surprise! It isn't! And it's good to know Sam has a sexual life!

I can tell you it's not even the best book in the Sookie's series!

All my reviews are available on the French website Mythologica!

Word of advice: if you liked the first one, just buy this one.

This second installment in the Sookie Stackhouse novels, finds Sookie trying to solve two mysteries: the death of a friend and the disappearance of a vampire in Dallas.
Harris keeps her great prose going on, this time more erotic, more funny and more bloody than before. The structure of the mystery this time is little changed, something welcomed, because sometimes series like this tend to keep doing the same plot over and over. Again Harris makes a story that's fun to read and high culture at same time. And also, as in the first novel, all the pieces get into place in this one.

The only flaws I find in this one are:
1) Harris tries to give us two mysteries instead of one, but in the process each mystery undermines the other. The mystery involving Sookie's friend could have been omitted since the other one is much more interesting and is the one that brings the goods to the series as a whole.
2) Harris ever-growing cast of characters, could make some readers confused, but for what it seems, this is her style as she did the same in the first one.
3) This time the character development is very little, in contrast to the first book. One could argue that Harris is trying to get the characters established before tweaking them and this could work for the series as a whole, but undermines the potential of this particular volume as a stand-alone novel.

However the faults of the book don't suck the blood out of it and the novel will leave you wanting more. Harris saves the book because she proves that she really knows her characters very well. And although character development is little, the series develops in this one. The universe of the series continues to unfold this time bringing in some clan, more like klan, that likes vampires as much as the Ku Klux Klan liked black people; and to the true fans, some surprising secrets are revealed. This may not be a huge step forward but it's not a step back either, it's more like a mid-step forward.

Living Dead in Dallas, the second in the Southern Vampire/Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood series by Charlaine Harris is fun, quirky, and full of adventure (and 2 mysteries!). Sookie Stackhouse is a lovable cocktail waitress that just happens to hear people's thoughts and is dating a vampire. This time around, the main action takes place in Dallas. The vampires there have "rented" Sookie for her unique ability. She manages to get into all sorts of Lois Lane type trouble, but comes out of it a stronger and wiser woman. We meet several new and interesting characters this time around, many of them supernatural, which greatly adds to the fun. If I had one little complaint, it would be that, because this book takes place out of town, we don't get to see much of Sookie's boss, Sam, one of my favorite characters. Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who likes paranormal romance, mystery, or just a really fun read.

I should preface this review by stating that I have watched the show that is based off of this series, which has probably spoiled my opinion of the books.

That said, I have no idea why I wasted an entire day on this book. I think it was partly boredom, and partly a faint hope that the book would somehow improve by the end.

It didn't.

I read the first novel in the series way back when it first came out, so I decided to skip a re-reading, figuring I'd know enough of the plot from my faint memories of that book and from the TV show. Luckily for me, the plot was so simple and predictable that I didn't need to have ANY background knowledge of the series!

Sookie is a flat, boring, insipid character, a fictional woman who gives a bad name to real women. Goodness knows, if I ever met someone like Sookie in real life, I'd probably slap her as soon as she opened her mouth. I'm actually from Dallas, too, so the stereotypical portrayal of people in the city as southern Baptist cutesy-hicks wasn't welcome, either.

The first person point of view drove me crazy. With a character as un-entertaining as Sookie was, following her bland thoughts for the entire book just made me wish I had something better to read on my morning commute so I could put this book aside.

However, the book does have some redeeming characters, which is why it gets 2 stars instead of just 1. Some of the side characters were rather interesting, and the sub-plot with the bellhop at the hotel was a nice touch.

Still, if you want sexy vampire books, go read some Anita Blake. Because not only are the books better written, and the plot better formed (and not full of a dozen gaping holes that are only roughly and shoddily filled at the end), but the main character isn't an annoying twerp.

Sorry, Sookie Stackhouse, looks like I'm going to be sticking to the TV show in the future!

I really enjoyed this sequel to Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 1)! It was quite exciting and very interesting to see Eric's character develop more - I am starting to really like him! From the episode of True Blood: The Complete Second Season that I saw, I doubt that the next season will be much like this book, but I certainly enjoyed this batch of Sookie's adventures - as well as the introduction of more supernatural creatures (yay, werewolves!)! The only disappointing thing was that Sam was hardly in it... I am looking forward to reading the next book!! This is a really fun, fast read and the sort of book that you can't help but smile along as the pages fly by!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having read all of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter books, I was sick of so much gore, detailed sex and descriptive paragraphs about various bodily fluids. I picked this book up to try and was immediately delighted. It was just what I needed.....light, fun, and yet with a mystery to solve and a romance to encourage. I love the main characters in Sookie and her vamp boyfriend Bill. they seem so normal to be so ummm shall we say unusual. Sookie is truly a girl who is open minded and non-discriminating. She is also funny, sexy, and not nearly as air-headed as her friends and neighbors of a lifetime would like to think. I would highly recommend this book, especially to those who need a relief from the heavier tales. This is just right!!

There will be some spoilers in this review.

I really enjohyed the first Sookie Stackhouse book, but have to admit that the second was a bit of a let down.

First, the plot was disjointed. There are two seperate mysteries in two separate locales, and they have very little to do with each other. Furthermore, Sookie is not really essential to unraveling either mystery. In Dallas, she does save a missing vampire's "life", but if she had not been there, the cult would have still exposed themselves the following morning, generating lots of good PR for the vampires, and all the people who were killed in the Vampire den would still be alive, so on balance, Sookie's presence in Dallas was a minus for the Vampires who hired her. In Bon Temps, we seem to be getting a "Cabot Cove" effect where one small community has an extrodinary amount of crime, for no better reason than that the protagonist lives there. In this case, we're supposed to believe that a) there is a local orgy fellowship b) they are willing to casually kill people & c) that they are dumb enough to dump their victim in the back of a police car! Once again, Sookie's presence is almost without consequence. Yes she solves the mystery, but apparently all those people were about to be killed anyway, an event which probably would have happened even without her showing up.

Second, the author through Sookie starts showing a degree of judgementalism which rubs me the wrong way. Perhaps this the difference between "Supernatural Romance" & "Urban Fantasy". I had put the first Sookie book in the UF camp, but this one seems more like SR. My problem is the way the whole 'orgy' issue is handled. The author seems to have decided that, as in a horror movie, anyone who has sex has to die, at least as it applies to the orgy party. Apparently as far as Sookie is concerned anyone going to an orgy is degraded and disgusting. The author stacks the deck by making several of the particpants murderers, but nobody is innocent. The funeral home director is singled out because apparently no one with such a job should be allowed to have fun, ever, and indeed, nobody seems to be there just to have fun. Logically given the circumstances of Bon Temps there should be a "spring break" crowd who can't actually go to college given their circumstances, but the author sets things up so that everybody deserves to die,and Sookie basically approves. I find this very problematical because, Sookie liked Lafyette. It was OK for him to be gay and go to orgies and have fun, but somehow everyone he actually went with him deserved to die. Also, Sookie feels so superior because she is true to her boyfriend? Hello! She is dating outside of her _species_, and sex with her boyfriend involves his sucking her blood! She doesn't have room to decide that everyone at the party was a bunch of perverts. Her outrage is rather selective and convienient. Shall we mention that she was OK with giving a bunch of vamps (both sexes) carte blanche to suck her blood? That she feels lust for both Eric and Sam? Anyway, it was a holier-than-though side of Sookie that I felt was very unappealing.

I still plan to read the next book, but I hope that it a) has a more cohesive plot, b) hews more towards UF than SR and c) gets Sookie off her high horse.

Louisiana waitress and telepath Sookie Stackhouse is no stranger to the wonderfully weird world of vampires and shapeshifters. When a group of vampires from Texas request that Sookie use her special ability to locate a missing comrade, she and Bill travel to Dallas to investigate.

If you'll recall from my review of book one, Dead Until Dark, part of the appeal of the Sookie series is the setting. Small town Louisiana was drawn so perfectly in book one that naturally, Living Dead in Dallas is put to a slight disadvantage by moving the setting across state lines. Now, I'm a Texas girl - "born and bred," so to speak - but I did notice a lack of the Southern charm that I loved so much in Dead and Loving It.

Despite the change in setting (to the detriment of the of the story, in my honest opinion,) I really did enjoy reading Living Dead in Dallas. Sookie is my kind of girl - delightfully kooky, and "self-educated by genre fiction." Following her story is a true pleasure. It is incredibly easy to become lost in Sookie's world. I can't wait to see where Charlaine Harris will lead us next.

How much more danger and adventure can Sookie Stackhouse get into?? Apparently quite a bit! I'm not sure I enjoyed this book quite as much as the first one, Dead Until Dark, but it still was entertaining. The whole issue with the fanatical fellowship was really interesting, and was left a little open for further mention in other books. I did feel that the murder that occured in Bon Temps was wraped up too quickly and not really given much development. I also didn't think the introduction of the maenad was very developed as well, but hopefully that will be brought up in future books. Despite these flaws, I'm just loving Sookie and Bill and all the other characters and am looking foward to reading the rest of the series.

This book makes for a nice, light, 'vacation' read. It was a very fast read, again (like the first Sookie Stackhouse mystery) with plenty of bedroom scenes for romance fans, and supernatural creatures galore. For those who liked Dead Until Dark, you won't be disappointed. For those of us who are True Blood fans, it is interesting to note where the show's writers diverged from the original storyline (for instance, there is very little focus on the maenad's antics in the book, compared to Season 2 of the television series). Sookie continues to be a fun and clever narrator, and I'm looking forward to reading more of the series.

Much better than the first book in the series, but still not kind of the book which would captured me and keep me thinking about characters.

After disappointment I experienced with first book, I decided to give the series second chance and find out what would happen with main characters. Even though the beginning of the book was very boring, it run up to exciting reading afterwards.

It was strictly a leisure reading. No need to think about it, just enjoying reading itself. Reading this book is excellent way to relax after really hard day in job or when studying for exams.

I've read all of the books in the Southern Vampires series and loved them. I've decided to reread the series and just finished book 2. This book has everything in it; passion, love, action, drama, life, death, laughs and let's not forget those smokin' love scenes. Not to mention vampires, shapeshifters and of course telepaths! :) The character development in this book is fantastic as is continuation of the story. For those fans of Eric, sherrif of area 5, he makes his appearance and makes the most of it for sure! Sookie gets spread a bit thin in this book with all the demands placed on her but she handles it like a pro. Can't wait to get started with book 3!

My Rating: 3.5 stars
Brief Summary: The second book of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Sookie (a telepath from Bon Temps, Louisiana) is "loaned out" to the vampires of Dallas to discover the whereabouts of a missing vampire. Supernatural creatures abound, Sookie and Bill hit some speed bumps in their relationships, and murder and mayhem ensue. And, oh yeah, there is a murder in Bon Temps to investigate too.
Brief Thoughts: Harris has a light touch and a sense of fun that make these books a hoot. Plus Harris isn't afraid to throw a bit of sex into the mix. If you're looking for steamy, funny, supernatural hijinks, this book would be a perfect pick.

Part of me really wants to like these novels. They are a refreshing mix of mystery and horror in the vein of the Anita Blake novels (back before Anita became obsessed with nothing but sex, sex, sex). I'm really drawn to the two main characters, Sookie and Bill. In Sookie we have a great heroine who is reluctant to be a heroine. In Bill we have an interesting vampire with a history that dates back to the Civil War. With this novel we finally get to learn a little more about Bill's family -- his human family -- and what happened to their descendants. What really irks me about these novels is the writing. At times it is very immature and annoying. Be that as it may, I've really enjoyed these novels and their Southern setting. If you're looking for a new take on the vampire/mystery genre, check out these novels.

Are sequels ever equally as good as the original? I tend to either like them less (if the novelty has worn off) or more (if the already established characters and setting allow the writer to do so much more). Thankfully, Living Dead in Dallas is the latter. As I have a weakness for episodic television, I love books in a series. The funniest, sweetest and saddest lines in tv and books always come from well-established characters. (spoiler alert) Harris takes the reality of vampires to a new level as they face off against a conservative church who preaches vampire hatred. The storyline is simultaneously a metaphor and a possible reality, and I loved it.

This, the second book in The Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris, finds Sookie and Vampire Bill loaned out to a nest of vampires in Dallas so that Sookie can use her special ability to help find one of their missing brothers. I thought this was a quick, fun addition to the series. The only real complaint I have is the murder storyline. The book started off with the murder needing to be solved, but then switched gears and moved to the hunt for the missing vampire, then came back to the murder storyline at the end of the book. It just seemed like the solving of the murder came out of nowhere. Overall, still a good, fun read.

This second installment did not disappoint. Another quick page turner. I just couldn't put it down. So as not to repeat the reviews out there or give out any spoilers, all i can say is that this book is action packed. At the end of every chapter I had to know what was going to happen next. Although I question Sookie's choices sometimes, she is very brave. How can you say no to a vampire without getting killed? A lot of close/near-death calls for Sookie and the second installment starts to introduce the other supernatural beings out there. My favorite part of the book is near the end with a super steamy love scene between Sookie & Bill. Definitely recommend this installment. What I didn't really like about book 2 is the maenad. What was the point for her to show up? I thought it was pretty pointless because she only shows up in the beginning and the end of the book. Other than to say there are other supernaturals out there I thought she could have been left out.

I'm curios to see how Season 2 of True Blood will play out. So far the second season is starting to really deviate from the book. I don't like that at all since i'm partial to the storyline of the book but the series can't be all about Sookie.

This book was so much better than the first one. I began to really care about the characters in this installment and Sookie didn't seem as detached (emotionally) when upsetting events happened. Her mind reading skills have been sharpened. The mystery was also more exciting in this book than the last one and I loved the introduction of the Fellowship. The story lay out did seem a little strange however-in the beginning we are introduced to one mystery - the resolution of which is thrown in at the end of the book - and the middle of the book consists of a completely different story line. But all in all it was very entertaining and I am looking forward to reading the next book.

As always, reading about Sookie's adventures is a delight. She's a down to earth, southern girl with an unusual ability that makes her desirable to all supernatural creatures. Her relationship with Bill is still sweet to this point, with them having a minor obstacle and jealousy running supreme. My hormones speed up again with Eric's scenes, as his humorous flirting and determined seduction is my favorite area of the books. There's a vampire I wouldn't turn away!

Nothing much left to say except that if you're not reading this series, you're missing out on a wonderful world of supernatural creatures determined to worm their way into your head.

I'm giving this book the same review I gave the first book in the series... I'm going to give the books time to grow on me only because the show on HBO is great and I can't wait to see what happens. People keep telling me to stick with it because the later books are better reads , and I'm going to try my best, but good gosh the books are not that great. Conversations and actions are choppy, and the story just doesn't flow right. When I'm done reading the entire series and if I change my mind I will also change my review, but as of right now this series gets a 2 Star from me.

"Living Dead in Dallas" entertained me, but didn't provide the quality of newness that I enjoyed in book 1. That might be because it's book 2. However, I think Harris phoned this one in a bit. The story was still inventive and fun, but it had more of a trashy romance feel, I suppose. Sookie is pursued by men/vampires/creatures left and right, and like many romance heroines, seems to feel no remorse at making out with guys other than her boyfriend. The sexual elements of the story seemed plugged in for effect, but didn't really titillate me. For all that I enjoyed the book, and would read the next. But I'm not rushing out to buy it today.

I just finished Dead and Living in Dallas. It may not be quite as good as Dead Untill Dark, but I enjoyed it. The tone of the book is fresh and better than so many of the cookie cutter epics that fill the fantasy shelves these days. I'm a sucker for first person narration and I like Sookie Stackhouse's voice. She is stong, and strait forward without being crude or abrasive. She's not a rocket scientist, and she knows it, but she does not let that stop her. She is honest, hard working and real.
This book and the one before it do invite comparison to the Anita Blake series. There is a lot that is the same, vampires, murders, shape changers, but Charlane Harris can keep the tension up and the plot going in her books with about half the body count and weird sex. I'm not a prude, but I like that. The tone of the book is much more like Tanya Huff's Victory Nelson stories, or some of the non-vampire urban fantasy books that I've read, than Hamilton's Anita Blake series.

Living Dead in Dallas continues the story of Sukie Stackhouse and Bill the Vampire... This time she has another encounter with Eric.. leaders of the Vampires.. he's a viking and his name he uses Eric Northman.. this in itself is not much but I had to laugh so much since my surname is Northman and I have an uncle Eric.. and my husband is Bill.. so this books just was a bundle of laughs for me.. because my uncle Eric does not look anything like the disciption of Eric.. in this book...Having read Dead until Dark I was thirsty for more and you get in this book... feature more of the unusual... More hours of entertainment.. that suceeds in stopping everything and anything getting in the way.. ( ie Housework... ) Thanks Charlaine can't wait for the next book.. and hopefully many more too.

I couldn't wait to start the second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series, and unlike most sequels/series it was just as good as the first one. I was a little unconvinced about the Greek monster/god, finding that character a little too out there for the book, yet the author was able to tie her into the story in a convincing enough way at the end. I loved how the relationship between Sookie and Bill deepened and how Eric's passion for Sookie becomes obvious to everyone. I will take a little break from the series for a few weeks or so, but I'm looking forward to reading the third novel as it sits teasingly on my shelf.

I thought the storyline in this book was way more interesting than the one in the first book, but then again, I read the first after watching the series, so I think it was hard to view the book alone without comparing it to the TV series (which rocks). I read this book in one night, and when I finished, I had a hard time falling asleep because I couldn't stop mulling it over- that's usually a good indicator for me that I read a good story! The one thing that continues to bug me is that the author constantly describes Sookie's clothing, which seems best described as "80's at its worst"- I hate to admit it, but when she's describing Sookie's clothing choices (e.g.- stretch jeans that lace up the side with matching midriff top and the always present bow in the hair)- it totally pulls me out of the story for a minute, because (and I hate to admit this), my thoughts are "seriously? A vampire finds this attractive? Really?" OK- enough on that. I do have to say, I was a huge "Team Bill" advocate, primarily based on the TV series, but after reading this, I've switched to Team Eric. I couldn't understand why everyone who had read the books on the fan boards for the TV series kept talking Eric up, but now, after finishing Book 2, I TOTALLY get it. I am looking forward to Book 3 more for him than Bill, sadly...

The best thing about this book, and the previous book 'Dead Until Dark' is the interesting twist about vampires living in a small town. The writing is refreshingly new and not at all tedious. Sookie Stackhouse and her vampire lover, Bill, go to Dallas to find a missing vampire. Harris does a great job of explaining Sookie's first plane flight, and first trip to the big city. Sookie also has a mystery/murder to solve in her small hometown. It's great to see a mystery in a small town where everyone knows each other, but none of the residents have a clue about what's really going on. I hope Ms. Harris has a new Sookie Stackhouse novel ready very soon.

in a cop car's trunk?

"Living Dead in Dallas" heroine Sookie Stackhouse didn't think so until Eric summoned her and her boyfriend, Vampire Bill, to Shreveport. He's committed the two of them to investigate disappearing vampires in Dallas, TX.

Though vampires are now legal and many feeding on synthetic blood, Sookie quickly discovers that not everyone approves. "The Fellowship of the SUn" wants the vamps and Sookie dead.

"Dead in Dallas" is my least favorite of the "Southern Vampire" series. It's still fast paced, suspenseful and witty. I highly recommend the whole series.

I liked the first Sookie Stackhouse book but I didn't love it. After Twilight I craved some vampire romance and "Dead until Dark" didn't deliver all that I hoped for. When it came to romance, neither did "Living dead in Dallas" but it was so thrilling. I really couldn't put it down.

IMO, a good book is when the characters becomes alive and you feel for them. Sookie is such a great character and I'm in love with her. She is witty, brave and lovable. Bill however, he just comes across as boring. I get nothing out of him. I hope that will change in the next books, cause I can't stop reading about Sookie and her adventures.

..Sookie is still Sookie despite her relationship with Bill. When someone kills her friend and the cook at the bar Sookie barely has time to feel the pain before she is rushed off to Dallas to help the vamps find one of their own. From there things just go downhill. The witness is murdered, Sookie is kidnapped and her life and Bill's are threatened. With a little help from some shapeshifters they escape but only in time to come home and find out more about her neighbors than she ever wanted to know when she finally solves who murdered her friend.
What a fun second novel! So looking forward to the third in this series. If you like Anita Blake from Laurell Hamilton, you'll like Sookie Stackhouse and all she is too!

Dead Until Dark set up the characters and overall Sookieverse, but was a pretty simple book. I liked it, I liked the characters, I was ready to keep reading the series. Living Dead in Dallas brought it up a big notch, and I totally fell in love with the characters here, especially Eric. When I first read the series, I didn't realize how much Eric's character gets built up before Dead to the World #4, but it really starts quite early and is fantastic. I think I've gone back and read this book 3 times now, as I have continued reading the series. It's lots of fun, action, and a great way to broaden the world that was introduced in Dead until Dark.

I really enjoyed this second book of the "Dead Until Dark" series (as well as the first). Many will say that Ms. Harris' series is too much like the "Anita Blake" series by Laurell K. Hamilton. That's because there are many simularities and parallels existing in both series. All that aside, Ms. Harris' series is pretty darn good - and in spite of the simularities - there are many differences as well (who know, maybe both authors came up with the same general idea.) I have very much enjoyed Ms. Harris' writing style and talent. I just hope she doesn't make the same mistakes Laurell K. Hamilton has made and ruin this particular character and series.

Often you hear people say "the books are better" and often it's true.

However I didn't find it to be the case with the Sookie Stackhouse books. I stopped at #2 because frankly the HBO series is better.

I think most people on the HBO forums complaining about Alan Ball's "destruction" of story line, have simply fallen in love with one story and not willing to embrace any other version of it - which is ok. Yes he may be "ruining" the original story, but intentionally replacing it with something better, in my opinion.

1) Sookie Stackhouse in the books can be a very annoying character. Sure she is tough and fiesty - but she certainly is no Ripley from Aliens, or Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice. In the HBO series, she is less annoying and I thank Alan for that.
Gotta love Sookie Stackhouse? Nah not really.

2) The Maenad ending and Sookie's/Bill's romance are two things, for example, that are handled in the TV series much better.

3) Charlaine Harris tries very hard to be funny in the books, and sometimes she succeeds. She got a LOL out of me in the first book. But this doesn't compare to all the humor that usually comes with an episode of True Blood.

I was disappointed with the first two books and feel that it has been much overhyped, like the Harry Potter series. Bah I want amazing writing and amazing characters. Well whatever gets people reading is better than nothing I suppose.

After DEAD UNTIL DARK, I wondered where the author would take us with Sookie and vampire Bill - and the answer is: to unexpected places. Yes, to Dallas, but also to explore new ideas and new horizons - both for the protagonists and for the world she's created.
Bringing in new types of supernatural creatures only serves to deepen the story and increase my enjoyment of it. Loved the character development of Sookie, Bill and the increasingly interesting Eric.
Definitely not your boring, stereotypical tale. Kudos once again for an entertaining, humorous and fantastic tale!! Looking forward to reading the next installment in this great series.

"Living Dead in Dallas" was a fantastic read. At this point, I am DEEPLY wrapped up in the lives of Miss Sookie and her Vampire friends. I have to say, I adore Bill, but OMG... I am LOVING, LOVING, LOVING Eric. Truly, I am.

Charlaine Harris has such a clever writing style and some of the dialogue(Sookie's especially)is just so surprising and funny.

I can say for sure that the moment I finish with this review that I am diving into the next installment...how could I not? These books are just so fun! "Living Dead In Dallas" is another keeper for sure. Read it.

Loved it! This book introduces more supernatural characters and moves out of Bon Temps for awhile. Can't decide which of the supporting cast I like the most (yes I can - Eric), but the story itself is worth the read. You won't be able to put this one down.

This book is when things really start getting quite a bit different from the TV series. Actually, as someone that loves the show, I had a lot of fun reading a different version of the events in season two. It's a good and fast read, perfect for during those little breaks while you're on the bus or waiting in line somewhere. The story and characters are fun, and it actually got me a bit hooked after a little while.

I just completed the second book of this series. It wasn't nearly as good as the first book, but it was still entertaining. The mystery aspect of this novel is just as good. I got sucked into the book as soon as she met the vampires in Dallas. The whole aspect of the Fellowship of The Sun is very interesting.

The novel started to bother me when it began to dive into the taboo.. what in the world is a Maenad? The fact that the novel starts to address such areas as homosexuality, group sex parties, etc. really was perhaps on the extreme side. Charlaine may have gone a bit too far on this one. Hopefully the Taboo and orgies get tuned down in the next books because it distracts from the story and Sookie's character.

I bought the Sookie Stackhouse series following my recent addiction to the TV series 'True Blood'. Anyone who expects the series to be a carbon copy of the books upon which it was based you are mistaken, but I don't think you will be disappointed.

A quick summary: Sookie Stackhouse (the main character) can read minds - her "disability", as she refers to it - she falls in love with a vampire and proceeds to encounter increasingly greater trouble whilst meeting some other mythical and unusual creatures along the way. The vampires have come "out of the coffin" and are now in the public eye due to synthetic blood developed by the Japanese to allow them to "mainstream" (live without drinking from the living).

I loved the series, but I found Charlaine Harris to be a confident and unpretentious writer who has created a mystical world which you can believe in. Her characters are extremely well-rounded and interesting. The back-drop is beautiful and so far from my remit that I find it fascinating and alluring. I adored the first novel, but felt that Charlaine Harris started fairly tentatively and found her steam around the 60th page. However, 'Living Dead in Dallas' is wonderful and I coudn't put it down!

They are not for the same audience as Stephanie Meyer's Twilight saga in terms of language and sexual references, so if you found the former a tad tame then give these a go. Hope this will "turn" more people to Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series.

This book is really similar to the first with how it's written and how it flows. I wrote a review of the first book saying that it seemed like something a middle schooler would have written in terms of the writing style, but the story is still good. I also wrote in that review that the book is better as an audiobook, and I stand by that also. I listened to the entire second book and it is better spoken than read.

I loved this book. I have to say, I started watching the series first. After falling in love with True Blood, I had to check out the books. AND WOW, I am glad I did. The book is so fun to read, with laugh out loud pages all the way through. I think I love the books now more than the show. The show did a great job matching Actors to the characters in the books. I am now hooked screen and paper. Eric is so funny in this book. Ms Harris writes so well, some parts of the book I read over and over. Well done!!!

Once again, Harris makes a wonderful tale come to life. First Sookie wants to meet a vampire, then she's up to her ears in vampires. The vampires find Sookies particular disability (hearing minds) to be very useful. Add in a mysterious dead body, a maenad and a missing vampire, and you have quite a mystery to solve.
I highly recommend this book for a fun relaxing summer read. Harris writes in a style that is much more entertaining that LK Hamilton. Where Anita Blake is experienced in the occult, Sookie is still learning as she goes.

The best book I've read in a long time! My introduction to the series, but I wasn't confused starting on number two. I just love how the vamps are described here, with their retractable fangs, throwing back bottles of synthetic True Blood. As far as classification, I can't begin to describe it. A mix of romance, action, and vampire drama. And a likable, human lead, Sookie. I'm glad I found this series, and I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

I liked this book a lot better than the first book in the series. The plot in this one was very similar to plots from the show, but still different enough to hold my interest. My one main problem with it was that it got so wrapped up in the issues happening in Dallas that I forgot about the murder and the other incidents that occur at the beginning of the book.

The universe expands as Sookie steps out of Bon Temps to help other vampires.
Character development continues, the suspense and mystery are still there, and althoguht I liked Dead Until Dark better, this is a great sequel that dwells deeper into the vampire series. If you liked the first, go for this as well.

Sookie is getting more comfortable using her telepathic powers, discovering more about them, and freeing herself to use them properly.

She is hired out to a Dallas Nest of Vamps to find out who is responsible for kidnapping one of their own. She's starting to maneuver her way around vamp politics in every nest finding her own spot in each. Her talents are what she is initially called upon for, but she brings an element of humanity to the "monsters" she comes in contact with.

While in Dallas, she sheds a tear when someone chooses to meet the dawn and she is forced to call upon all her strengths, mentally and physically in order to survive. Can she continue to stay true to who she is?

So I just finished "Living Dead in Dallas" the 2nd in the Sookie Stackhouse series. I really liked the last 2 chapters because it felt really good to finish this book, simply because I wanted it to be over. About 3 or 4 chapters in I was lost as to what was happening, the story wasn't as easy to follow as #1. But there were a few pretty scary moments in this one, which gives me hope for the rest of the series. I still don't know what genre to put these novels in. It is definitely a fantasy/horror/paranormal/romance/comedy. Yeah, that sums it up. Now on to #3. (I really hope she eventually dumps Bill. I don't really like that guy...)

It was ok the first one had too much sex for my tastes and this one didn't have as much or so I thought till I got to the last 25 pages and realized she saved it all up and really slammed you with it.
This series does make you want to keep reading just to see what other supernatural beings pop up

The worst part of the book is the sex and sometimes her writing is not very good she's definitely not a lets describe everything sort of writer and sometimes that leaves you a bit confused as to what's going on.
I feel these books aren't as good as all the hype around them.

The jury is still out although I am reading the next book

This second book in the series is even better than the first one ('Dead Until Dark'). And the first one was fantastic!
The style this is written in is very different from any other books I've read. It's a mystery mixed with humor mixed with horror with a little bit of romance thrown in.
The characters really come to life - even the dead ones. I love the main character, Sookie, and her boyfriend, Bill, but was also glad to see more of Eric, that rascal Viking vampire with the awesome physique and complete lack of morals.
Buy this book - you'll be glad you did!

Unlike most heroines, Sookie is not super smart and strong. Instead shes a down to earth dizy blonde waitress who just happens to be telepathic.
This is the second book in the southern vampire series. And it is as good -if not better- than the first, which if you have not read, read it before you read this one.
Still dating the vampire Bill, Sookie is called to help a group of vampires in Dallas, who need her mind reading skills.
She also meets up again with the increadibly sexy Eric (And I find my self hoping she'll ditch Bill and start going out with Eric). All in all this is another brillant book by Charlaine Harris.

I enjoyed this one as much as the first. It might not be a good read-alone, since the relationships might not make as much sense without having read the first one. The new characters blend in well, making this weird world more understandable and interesting. There are several events that seem set up for an appearance in a later book and will enjoy reading more then. The idea of bars selling blood (warmed in a microwave?) is getting more normal. <G>

I own all the "Sookie Stackhouse" ("Trueblood") books that have been published along with season one of the "Trueblood" HBO series that is based on the books. I'm a fan of these and I never expected to be so!!! I only read the books to keep abreast of what my granddaughter and daughter were reading..and got "hooked"...I'm anxiously awaiting the next book and season two of the HBO, TV series also. Highly recommended if you love a mystery. :)

Well, I feel pretty much like I did after I read Dead Until Dark. The book was good and fun, but nothing to rave about. I'm still not sure about Sookie or Bill. And this book went a little weird for me close to the end. There was a pretty good surprise right at the end though. And I really don't have much to write about this story. I think I liked the first book better, but am looking forward to the next book in the series, Club Dead.

Ms. Harris shares the world of the South with us in wonderful ways. Sukie is our hometown southern girl with a little something extra - she can read minds. Add to that her boyfriend is a vampire - adventure was be had!
Ms. Harris has a wonderful way of moving her stories along. Each chapter is interesting and you want to know more about the lives of Sukie and her friends (and the not legit lives of Vampires).
Either of the southern vampire books are good, quick reads.

After reading Dead Until dark, I honestly expected this book to be a bit better. I enjoyed it until the end, which confused me slightly. But while Sookie, Bill, and even the unpredictable Eric were in Dallas helping the local vampire nest, I found myself biting my bottom lip with anticipation to what would happen next. This book was interesting and full of mystery. I hope to be just as enthralled with the next installment in the Southern Vampire Mysteries.

I enjoyed this second book about as much as the first in the series. The plot was interesting and fast-paced, and I enjoyed immersing myself into the world of Sookie Stackhouse. The author did a good job of developing her characters even more, and I enjoyed the romantic tension between Sookie, Bill, and Eric. I especially liked the drama/suspense of the Dallas/Ft. Worth plotline. It was a page-turner. Looking forward to the next one!

I wrote my review for "Club Dead", however, this is where the whinny starts. Sookie was strong and brave in book one, not that she's not in this book, but, if you doing someting bad and you doing it against a vampire, then you deserve death, sorry just my feeling. In book one Sookie meets a vampire, something she's been wanting to do when they(the vampires)began to mainstream. So she meets him, fall into sex, not love, trust me, it's all about the sex and the way he treats her which is excellent for a dead man. I know some men who are breathing and they don't treat you like Wonderful Bill,(that's his name). Well sookie and Bill go off to Dallas for a very interesting adventure. You read the rest. Oh and Eric, Eric is funny and beautiful. Think of Lestat, as a comedian and that's Eric.

Full of humor and interesting, both living and dead, characters, I thoroughly enjoyed Sookie’s adventures. I recommend this book to all who enjoy a paranormal story seasoned with a little romance and the flavor of a small southern town.

I cannot decide which I like best, Dead until Dark or Living Dead in Dallas. They are both excellent. Charlaine's writing style just knocks me off my feet. Sometimes I like a sequel very much, but it honestly is not as good as the first. Not so here. Living Dead in Dallas shines. I do not know why these books are not more prominently shown in bookstores, and reviews. If you want a excellently written well paced story with suspense, romance, and a little paranormal, this is for you.
I rate it for above 14 y.o.
This is such a good book I recommend it to friends who do not read much (It is short and interesting.)

The second book in the Sookie Stackhouse series is more exciting and adventurous than the first. The appearance of the maenad was interesting and not at all like the one depicted in the TV series with some minor exceptions. As usual, Sookie is spunky, hot-tempered, and a pretty average young woman with unusual gifts. I like her more now than I did in the first book when she seemed more needy and dependent.

Charlaine Harris is not one of the better known mystery writers; and frankly I have no idea why not. Her characters are well defined and interesting and her plots certainly hold your interest. After writing several books in a mystery series starring Lily Bard, set in a small southern town named Shakespeare,(highly recommended), Ms Harris has turned her significant talent to supernatural mysteries featuring Sookie Stackhouse. Sookie is a telepathic waitress who is dating a Vampire. Vampires have "come out of the coffin" and are being mainstreamed into American society. But, southern towns can be full of prejudice and Sookie and Bill the Vampire face all sorts of problems in the human community and in the Vampiric one as well. The Vampires want to use Sookie's telepathic abilities and the head of the local vampires is after more of Sookie than just her mind. Sookie and Bill are caught up in, and solve mysteries along the way. Those of you who enjoy the writing of authors like P.N. Elrod and Laurell Hamilton will love Harris' Southern Vampire Series.

I have now read all of the books in the series and I look back on this one fondly as one of the best. The book is engaging and the story moves quickly without being overcomplicated. At this point in Sookie's saga it's all about the Bill, Sookie and Eric, without too many other characters or story lines to keep track of.

I read the first in this series, "Dead Until Dark" and loved it. This installment "hooked me".

Sookie finds herself seriously attacked by a "creature" and is saved from a certain death by the vampires by a quite unusual approach. Sookie and Bill find themselves with a job to do for Eric (Bill's Vampire boss). This job takes Sookie and Bill to Dallas where they try to locate a missing vampire. They end up finding quite more than they bargained for including a church against vampires.

There's also the murder of her co-worker that she needs to get to the bottom of and she finds herself in a very interesting sitution with Eric. And he's quite different than her vampire Bill boyfriend. All I can say is "wow". I definetly want to see more of Eric. (which is surprising because I Bill is a great character, and Sookie's first love.)

Another super installment of the Southern Vampire series. If you weren't hooked after the first one, this one will definetly pull you in.

I actually like that there's two plot lines going on. It keeps things interesting. I never expected Sookie to be that much of a loner though (because of the tv show she's a bit different). One of the deaths stands out more than the rest. Sookie seems to have less people in her life. It's sad , but if it didn't happen the story wouldn't be as exciting.

She did it again. I'm addicted. This novel is suspenseful, funny and romantic with Vampires and supernatural. There are always people in this world that will protest anything they are not familiar with and there is alot of that goin on in this book. I am pleased that Sookie is able to travel outside her little town and experience things and yet always returns to the comfort of home. I really enjoyed Eric's role in this book. He's a bit arrogant but he's growing on me. Don't get me wrong, Bill is wonderful however I appreciate that Sookie has more than one admirer. You won't be able to put this book down, murder and mayhem, sex and splendor, Vampires galore!

After hearing much praise being heaped on the author and this series, and being a fan of the earlier Anita Blake novels, I decided to give this book a try. Bad mistake on my part.

I'm not sure what other reviewers have seen in this book, but I found it poorly written, utterly unimpressive and Charlaine's prose a little ... odd. (Perhaps a too-charitable word for dialogue like ... "I don't have enough experience with the different characteristics of the many strains of Asians to tell you where he came from originally." Like, wow. Strains of viruses, sure. But Asians?)

I'm a big fan of True Blood and I just can't help comparing Living Dead in Dallas to season 2 of the show. While I enjoyed the book, it was so very different from the show. Normally that would be okay, but the show was more entertaining than this particular book. I really wish I had read the book before the show began so that I wouldn't have had it in the back of my mind while reading.

I was worried I wouldn't enjoy this series, as I've already watched Tru Blood from the start. However, this series had provided me with a different insight & I can appreciate the liberties taken in the series better now. I would recommend this for Tru blood fans & those who have never watched the series.

Although I liked the first book, something about this one was smoother. I'm still not fond of first person, but it worked better here. The twists & turns of the plot heightened the suspense, although there were some too coincidental or too predictable moments. This one provided a number of interesting insights into Bill & his relationship with Sookie -- things that nicely set up future conflicts. Nicely done; fewer annoying and unimportant minor details to wade through, more action. Eric becomes ever more intriguing as well.

I have enjoyed this series. I mostly read crime scene, murder mystery, court room drama books and, in between, I like to break it up with light hearted, funny reading like Janet Evanovich and Gemma Halliday books. This series fits right in! I have been entertained. And for me, that's what counts :)

I love Sookie, and the situations she gets herself into. She and her boyfriend Bill are sent to Dallas by Eric, the Bill's boss. The change of scenery was fun, and I liked that there was more Eric in this book.
I love that Sookie has so much heart and compassion. She always looks for the best in people and vampires alike.

I've only read the first four books so far, but this is my least favorite of the four. I liked the introduction to The Fellowship of the Sun, and knowing more about that. And the bellboy was a fun new character, but aside from that this one lacked something for me. It was still a great book, don't get me wrong, but I definitely prefer the others in the series so far.

I was so disappointed after reading the first book in the series. The author created a clever world where telepathy is a disability, vampires are a protected minority, the main character drinks a bit of vampire blood, and vampires have healing powers--but there is no sign of that creativity in this book.

This book was sex, almost get raped, mass murder, mass sex, almost get raped, almost go mad, not clever, and not worth reading.

I picked up this series based on the reviews here, and although less than impressed with "Dead Until Dark" went ahead and struggled through this one too. I don't think I can stomach the third. There are so many reasons why I hardly know where to start.

First off, Harris tries WAY to hard to make her protaganist likeable. I spent the whole of both books wanting to smack the inconsistent Sookie. I say inconsistent because sometimes she seems like a ditz, other times a brilliant deductor; sometimes a prude, other times sex-obsessed. She's also all-over unconvincing and false sounding in her speech. Also, maybe this is some Southern thing I'm not understanding, but Sookie Stackhouse is the most unbelievable name I've ever come across.

Secondly, I didn't pick this series up expecting Laurell Hamilton or Anne Rice, but I've never read a book with less sensual or intruiging vampires. If there weren't so much sexual content it wouldn't matter, but there's an overlay of supposed sensuality that has no back-up in the descriptions. The sex scenes are very grating and obnoxious.

Thirdly, and speaking of LKH, there are so many similarities it made me grind my teeth. From big things (heroine: pretty, toughish, big-busted with supernatural powers she's not fully comfortable with. love triangle: shapeshifter/heroine/vamp/others working in later) to small (supernatural creature of Asian descent, covered in tattoos; dead and/or absent parents; use of "heap big" as in Anita Blake's "heap big vampire executioner"), it's like Harris looked at the Anita Blake series and thought, "I'll just take out most of the sex and change the location, and voila!".

Lastly, for the purposes of this review, is how utterly unengaging the plots of these books are. After two books I still don't give a darn what happens to Sookie, or Bill, or anyone else. The plots are weak, hurried, and envelope-pushing, the characters are contrived and flat, and the writing doesn't rise above either.

To sum it up: you're better off with Laurell Hamilton or Anne Rice for your vamp fix--or Katie MacAlister for your vamp romance fix. I wouldn't recommend touching the Southern Vampire series with a ten foot pole.

I first became fan of HBO's True Blood, and this summer after the season ended I decided to start reading the Sookie Stackhouse novels - and haven't been disappointed yet!
Much fun, and it doesn't really matter if you watch True Blood, or what order you read the books in to enjoy them!

This is a nice easy read for the summer. It's great because it's one of a long series so you can read them all summer. It's heroine is spunky and fun and the series is full of all sorts of mythical creatures to keep you entertained

I am thrilled at having found this series! I recommend it to anyone who enjoys books by Tanya Huff, L.K. Hamilton, Susan Sizemore and Donna Boyd!
I won't go into the storyline as you can read all about it in the "official" book review section.What I will say is that this book has everything needed for a fun, entertaining, fast read! I will venture to call it "Anita-Lite." Yes, there are vampires, shapeshifters and murders (oh my!), but it is all done without going way overboard on the violence and gore.The sex scenes are yummy without being tacky and the dialogue is a treat!
The only reason I didn't give it 5 starts...it ended far too soon!
Ms.Harris, I want MORE...please?

While the story line is addicting, the writing is questionable- author is repetitive and occasionally contradicts herself even on the same page. Despite these flaws, of the 8 books in this series, I would rank this book as among the better half. A better editor and the elimination of the background information/recap that she gives about certain characters every book (she needs to either assume the reader knows all the characters already or doesn't know any) would make the series stronger.

The book "Living Dead in Dallas" by Charlaine Harris had a lot of promise in the beginning. It started off well, but ended dully. Being a "True Blood" fan, I was hoping for a plot line similar to what I had seen this season on the show. However, the book did not take it to the place where the show has. The maenad (know as Maryanne on the show) plays a very small part, and the conclusion of the book was a huge let down. The introduction of Tara and Eggs was a welcome surprise, as well as Godfrey's appearance, and Eric playing a more significant role in the story. Overall, the book was decent, but not nearly as good as the first book. If you are looking for something quick and easy to read, this is a great choice. But, if you are looking for a book that mirrors the series, I would not select this!

Just as enrapturing and humourous as its predecessor, Living Dead in Dallas is an absolutely fantastic book to read! The characterization is perfect - Sookie is tart and sensitive by turn, Bill is dancing somewhere between his vampire future and his long-ago human past, and Eric...well, Eric is just [gorgeous]. I cannot wait for Club Dead (the third South Vampire novel) to be released, and to see if my own suspicions about Sookie are confirmed...

Sookie Stackhouse is in search of a friend of Eric the Vampire. As a favor to him she complies but what she discovers puts her in danger of the worst kind. Of course he has to heal her once again from the wounds she suffered but he doesn't mind one bit, it just draws him closer to her. In this page turner the unexpected becomes the norm and the normal is the unexpected in Sookies life. I couldn't put this one down, every page held my attention and not more then a page ever goes by when the tension and the drama aren't holding the reader as captive as Sookies dangerous kidnappers.

Good, but not as good as first one. Characters are still awesome, and they're developed just fine in this one. But the main story, if I'm sure which is the "main" story, is a little lame, as are the side story or two. Kind of a "bridge" book to take us from the first great one to something hopefully better after this one.

This book features mAny differences than the tv show. And actualy makes me like the books better. The maynad Maryann fromthe tv show is featured 10times less than the show thank god. The fellowship of the sun is featured and you meet godrick

This book was awesome. Ever since the HBO series started ive been addicted to the characters. In this one we get to see a lot more of Eric. And I must say I am starting to fall for him, haha. This one just as the first one was super exciting, funny, and of course sexy! I just hope the tv show and can live up to it.

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 have two good points on these books: One, they're a quick read, and two, a friend lent me a couple, so I didn't waste any money.

The first and second ones were kind of fun reads, but I would have enjoyed these more when I was 15, when I didn't have any mileage on me.

As for the mysteries, the killers weren't totally obvious, but I can't say I'd give credit to Harris' ability to craft a mystery. For me, I didn't really care what happened to any of the characters; I just found them sort of disposable.

The lead character, Sookie Stackhouse (yeah, she's got a big rack and vampires and other supernatural beasties, just like most mortal men, can't resist a good pair of melons), has a "disability," which is basically the ability to read minds -- not always a good thing, if you've got all that static to tune out and haven't developed a filter. Sookie isn't that well educated, as in going to college, because she was only good at homework, so she works as a bar maid and prides herself on being book learned and loves to use words from her word-a-day calendar. To her great relief she meets a vampire, Bill, whose mind she can't read, and they begin to date.

In her world, vampires are now legal, with clubs and "fang-bangers" who sleep with vampires, and the Japanese have developed a synthetic blood, making it unneccessary for vamps to feed on humans (not that it's totally stopped them).

But Sookie starts to date Bill, loses her virginity to him (setting up for sex scenes, a big part of the series, which probably are exciting for a virgin to read -- there's no titilation or intriguing detail or seduction here).

In the meantime, Sookie meets more vampires and other supernatural creatures, and ends up using her power to try and solve assorted murders and missing-beings cases. She also gets recruited by vampire Eric (someone who has more power than Bill, and who wants Sookie for more than her telepathy) to help solve various mysteries, and Sookie gets into scrapes along the way. This description, by the way is not plot specific to Book 2, or even Book 1, but that's kind of the pattern that's emerging in the series. It's basically the misadventures of a busty telepath among the supernatural world.

These books are the literary equivalent of potato chips: A couple taste good, but the whole bag isn't going to do much for you except give you fat and empty calories and a stomach ache. At best they are a guilty pleasure, though I give Harris credit for injecting a bit of humor in the books; there are a couple of good laughs (intended ones).

this book was not good compaired to the first book & esp the 4th.. it was boring but i did like her going to dallas, it didn't keep me on my toes like the first book but i kept reading bacause i am a HUGE fan of true blood i wanted to see what was going to happen

Fun little read, very different from some of the other vampire books out there. It's more light hearted in some ways than you might expect, considering the subject matter. Can't wait to read book number three!

How many supernatural creatures does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Seriously though, how much plot fodder can you stuff into this book? I enjoyed the first book about half/half, with hopes that the second would be more connecting. It's not. It's the complete opposite. I struggled so bad to finish it.
For a small time waitress to be waiting to meet a vampire, she sure is flippant when it comes to love. I was so confused when it seems like the love of her life and the one she gave up her precious virginity too, Bill, took a somewhat sort of back seat and her boss stepped on up in the first couple of pages and laid the love down on her. It's pathetic. She even goes on to say "Gosh, its a terrible thing to date your boss!"
Instead of something like "Don't touch me again" or "Not interested?"
Then we realize that there's some sort of mythical creature (I don't care to remember the name, that's how important it was) another telepath, more shape shifters, and werewolves.
Oh, and lets not forget the murder that happened, and right after she skips town with a vampire. Wouldn't that look suspicious to anyone? Anyone? Guess not.
In conclusion, don't waste your time on this.

This book was so boring.... What happened??? I mean The first book was soo great! it had everything, mystery, romance and vampires. Here in the 2nd book, she introduces to werewolves. The plot of the book is so different from the series, so it does have some surprises.

Sookie Stackhouse and Vampire Bill are back. This time Sookie, with Vampire Bill as her escort, is on loan to the Vampires in Dallas. The Dallas Vampires are in need of Sookie's special "disability". In this book Ms. Harris introduces more 'supernaturals' and an organized vampire hate group. I predict a long and fun future for Ms. Harris

While this book was interesting, I had trouble recapturing Sookie's "voice" when she left Bon Temps. The trip to Dallas made her a more complex character and I'm not sure that I liked her that way. I realize that as she has more experiences outside of the rural area that she lives in, she will become less naive. She's not unintelligent, just "untested." I just hope experience doesn't leave her jaded because part of her strength is her honesty and her ability to see that there is good in most people. Jason can't get out of his rut because he has believed his own press for so long that he thinks he's good for nothing but I hope Sookie doesn't get so worldly that her personality is lost.

Wow! It just keeps getting better! Author Charlaine Harris creates a very believable alternate world where vampires and other 'supes' try to co-mingle with humans! Synthetic blood drinks, special vampire travel & accomodations, right-wing anti-vampire groups; it all just seems so plausible!
Sookie and Bill's excellent supernatural adventures continue with fascinating new characters. I just wish her books were longer!

Let me begin by saying I wanted to like Charlaine Harris' "Sookie Stackhouse" novels, but I just can't. I made it through the first two books, and must admit I regret buying the boxed set sight unseen.

There are a couple problems. First, I don't care at all about any of the characters. Sookie is one of the most unlikeable and unbelievable protagonists I have ever experienced. She is inconsistent, obnoxious, and immature. All of this leads me to wonder how an old, worldly vampire would be interested in her.

Harris does not do a good job in making her reader believe this relationship. Bill and Sookie's only interactions are sexual, and the plot gets watered down because the two can't even get through a simple conversation without ripping each other's clothes off/biting each other. This is all very strange considering they have no chemistry and their interactions don't even make sense. Sometimes, it is even troublesome how Sookie could have just been battered in some sort of accident, and when Bill sees her he won't even give the poor girl a night off.

While I think Harris' series could have gone somewhere great (and I think HBO has done a great job with it) the overall attempt failed. Her writing is nondescript, and she breezes over things the reader finds more interesting. She relies heavily on sex scenes in an attempt to trick her reader into thinking these characters are passionate, but really all you're left with it a boring horny vampire and an even less thrilling narrator.

In conclusion: I would recommend the TV series to people instead of the books. Both are graphic, but at least HBO has made Sookie interesting. And don't bother buying the boxed set-- you'll probably just want to turn around and sell it on the store marketplace.

Another fun read. This book had some really (intentionally) funny parts. Vampire Eric was hilarious towards the end. Sookie still dresses badly and I still haven't figured out why she likes Bill so much and vice versa, apart from all the doin' it of course. On to book #3!

"Livng Dead in Dallas" by Charlaine Harris is one entertaining story. I loved this one!
It was a cold, rainy, damp, eerie kind've night when I read this book (which only added to the thrill of reading the story) and I was so lost in the plot that I forgot all about the time. The next thing I knew it was daybreak! Unbelievable!
If you are into Vampire stories with a twist than read this one, I have no-doubt you will find this story as entertaining as I did!

This book was almost more fun to read than the first one. I do find myself trying to constantly compare the book to the serious and they are so different it makes it worth it to read the book and watch the series

If you expect to get from this book what you got from the TrueBlood series, you are up for a big disappointment. I am lacking words to describe how bad the book was. There was no depth, no anticipation, when reading this book I felt as if I was watching some horrible soap opera. Sookie: kept on arguing with Bill, breaking up with him and getting back together; every 5 pages she had the best sex of her life, every 4 pages she got beaten up and mentioned how strong she was, I guess to justify more beating; got aroused by at least 4 characters.

After reading this book, somehow, I feel that I wont enjoy the show that much anymore.

"Living Dead in Dallas" was great. Charecters from the last book "Dead Before Dark" were fleshed out in this book and we are learning more about Sookie and her Vampire lover Bill. Sam finds some friends and Eric -- the Vampire leader becomes more, well, approachable let's say. This is a charming book and was a lot of fun to read.

Really starting to love the characters in this series--Charlaine Harris has created an interesting world in the small town of Bon Temps--especially Sookie, Eric and Sam. I love all the trouble she gets into and her ninja readiness to take on whatever comes her way.

I really enjoyed both books in this series. I liked the combination of fantasy/mystery/romance/humor. Sookie is a great character. These two books were flat out fun. I read Dead Until Dark and immediately went out and got Living Dead in Dallas. Then I went back and started reading everything I could find from this author. There may be quite a few vampire books around, but this author's characters and storyline are interesting, the romance is titillating without being obscene, and the humor is actually funny. I even like the cover art. I hope she writes more -- soon. And I hope she spends more time developing Sookie and Bill's relationship.

Another awesome book for Charlaine Harris. A must read. If you loved True Blood you will love these books much better and Thanks to Alan Ball for making this into a HBO Seris. Well written and very imaginive.

Nicole Eglinger
Davie,Florida

I've read the first 8, and they are all wonderful!! This is not my normal topic of interest (no interest in any of the other vampire series), but this one has a great mix of action and romance. Couldn't stop reading!!

I loved this book! It was just as awesome as the first one. I can't wait to read the next book in the series. Sookie is constantly finding herself in trouble ever since she fell in love with Bill. Their adventures have kept me up at night so I can find out what happens next.

I enjoyed this book (as well as the book preceding it) but never managed to shake a feeling of awkwardness. The plot is sound and the characters well crafted but the narrative style continues to feel off. Hopefully the author's future books will improve and flow more naturally.

I read to escape from my everyday life. I want something light and fun with just enough violence and sex to get my heart beating fast.

This book does that just fine.

It's probably not the best one of the series, but it was quick and satisfying, and really that's all I'm looking for in bedtime reading.

I wait to read the books till after I've seen the season because there are a lot of similarities, but I like how they are a lot different too! I must admit that I do like the show better, but the books are real page turners!

I just discovered this series ( thanks to the wonderful readers at the store) and it was so much FUN!! The writing was good, the plot lines were steady, and the characters were a hoot. I spent the weekend with the two books in the Southern Vampire series and I will be anxiously watching for the next installment. I have been a fan of the Anita Blake series for years, and this was a little different, a little lighter, and quite a nice change of pace. Thanks to Ms. Harris for a good read.

Like the first this book was great. Sookie is becoming more involved with the supe world and handling it very well. The only thing i didn't completely like about this one was that it seems a bit rushed at the end to tie up all the loose ends.(i'm on book 6 and this is the only one which seemed that way) I highly recommend the series to anyone that enjoys a good dark fantasy, it has drama, suspense, and humor.

I'm new to Ms. Harris' series, having just completed "Dead Until Dark", and must say that I am thoroughly enjoying the series. Clever, fun, a quick read. And one of this 50+ year old's favorite topics -- Vampires! It's been a while since I read anything so entertaining. I plan to savor each book!

This is the second book and I must say this story is getting
better and better. It is starting to be a bit like the Anita Blake series and to me this is a good thing. Wonderful love story between the vampire and his lover. With some action thrown in.

I loved loved loved this book. Fast paced and interesting. I love the introduction of new characters and the glimpses into the underground vampire world. Better than the first but not as good as the third. I'm currently reading the fourth book in the series and they just KEEP GETTING BETTER!!

Harris' second book is much better than the first. She manages to make the characters a little more three dimensional, and keeps them believable. I still snicker at a vampire called Bill, but at least he's likeable. The plot was better developed, and I found myself lost in the story. I look forward to the next book.

Not going into spoilers, so many realities unravel into Sookie's world that kept me reading. This book I loved more than the first book. It was enjoyable, intriguing, and full of mysteries. Can't wait till I finish reading the whole series, it has been an exciting journey. I definitely recommend this book.

I loved this book! I'm still not sure I like Bill, but this book has just that same sort of quirky/serious mix that the first book had. I also liked the little relationship tangles in this book. I can't wait to see what happens next.

... are a fun Vampire romp, just what you need when you want a pick-me-up on a cold winter day/night. Something to make you LOL and smile a while. Read and enjoy the whole series. These are real keepers.

This is one of the few books that I have truly enjoyed. I enjoyed it so much I have read it twice. Not only are the characters "real" but Charlaine Harris draws you into the book itself, as if you are really there. Her ability to entertwine all of the characters is rare. She writes like the old style writers who also could entertwine their characters. Any more books she writes I will be sure to buy.

I've started reading the Sookie Stackhouse books and have found them to be my guilty pleasure. I enjoy the characters and the world they're set in, but there are just too many logic flaws for my continued enjoyment. It started in me in the first book, when Sookie is being stalked by a serial killer. Her friends all know about her predicament, but seem alright with letting her babysit. I've met plenty of stupid people in my life, but non dumb enough to leave their kids with a woman who is admittedly being stalked by a murder. Also, in the third book, she learns that werewolves or shape shifter can only have one werewolf/shifter child when two mate. This means that the werewolf/shifter population is cut in half each generation, and if they have been around for hundreds, or maybe thousands of years, there should be practically none left at all, yet they're everywhere in the story. I enjoy the characters and the plot lines, but there are just too many flaws, unexplained foolish decisions by characters, and general inconsistencies with the fictional world they live in to get through to completely enjoy this series. Where as Ann Rice seriously needs an editor to cut, Harris needs an editor to critique.

Harris also has a vary limited bag of tricks to drive the action forwards. In between times of action or intrigue, there is almost always a sex scene, or description of a rock hard body Sookie wants. The writing is fun, but not crafted well enough to hold the readers attention without this. Some say it's a blend of several genres, but the romance is lacking, the mystery is full of illogic plots and character motivation, which in turn makes it very hard to suspend disbelief for the fantasy. My recommendation for anyone looking to crack into this series is look elsewhere.

I have recently become acquainted with Charlene Harris' works. I have enjoyed each and every one and hope she writes many more. The seller provided it as promised and well within the shipment window promised.

Fan of L.K. Hamilton but even as prolific as she is, I kept wanting something in the same genre to bide the time between her books...

Happened to catch Sookie on HBO and waited throughout the entire season for something to spark. Never really was a fan of AP and hated the fake southern accent of most of the cast. Kudo's to Layfaette, Tara and Eric actors for making this watchable.

Thought surely the directors had messed up yet another good author's work but after reading three books, it still has not managed to create any spark of interest. Perhaps it's because I can't get Anna's inane voice out of my mind? A disappointed fan of the genre.

Recommendations: Laurell K Hamilton, Marjorie Liu, Christine Feehan, Kelley Armstrong, Patricia Briggs, Katie McAlister

I started reading this book quickly after I finished Dead After Dark. I am a fan of the tv show and quickly discovered that the books are more engaging than the tv show and I was hooked after the first chapter. I am now waiting on the third book to reach my doorstep. I recommend this book for everyone who is a fan of twilight, but over the age of 18, the sexual content maybe a little to risky for the young of heart.

I'v read both of Ms. Harris books and find them to be
a good read. The story line, characters and the location
of her story is wonderful.
She puts Anne Rice to shame. Given the right format and
she will be on the level with LKH. but not just yet.
I hope she continues with Sookie and Bill and I would like
more done with Sam and the other shapeshifters.
Her type of writing is more of what we need.

another great tale about the misadventures of sookie stackhouse. i absolutely love these books. charlaine harris has a way of writing that just hooks you in from beginning to end. cant wait to read the next one.

I loved this book! i think it was such an improvement from the first book. Sookie and Bill are great together, and I love seeing them interact. The love is so strong between them at times. Eric just needs to go away! This book had the perfect plot, great resolution and climax. I would recommend this to everyone!

I was not at all amazed by the 2nd book. It took me awhile to get into the 1st book but after I did I was excited to start the 2nd. This book was a real let down! For those that really like the HBO series - don't read this book! After reading this, I no longer want to watch the series. I definetly won't be wasting my time reading anymore of this series!

Th mystery aspect was fairly good. The most entertaining aspects of this novel are the unique characters. Recommend
this novel as well Christine Feeham and L.K. Lawrence. Also
recommend Silence of the Lambs by T. Harris and Damsel in the Rough by A.M. Tempesta.

I am so fond of Sookie -- she's tough, but really vulnerable, too. I liked her in this mystery as she tries to negotiate various factions and find a missing person with the least amount of bloodshed. Harris expands on the vampire world and how they live and travel in a wonderfully funny, exciting story.

Ms. Sookie, a dead body, a crazy maenad, religious fanatics not to mention that kinky sex party...Girl Watch Out!

The second installment to the Southern Vampire Mystery Series...it's enough to make me blush and keep reading of course.

Charlaine Harris has a delightful off the cuff writing style that's easy to read. Sookie Stackhouse, the main character is a kookie mind reading bar waitress who's boyfriend is a vampire. They go on lots of adventures together. This book was good, but not as good as the first two of the series. You don't hear her voice in this book until the end when a Bill makes a discovery about his family. Oh, and there's a funny scene with the head vamp, Eric, where Sookie removes a bullet from his body with her teeth--it's quite funny. If you read the other two, this one's worth a look too. I wouldn't read it first though.

I give it 4.5 stars. I feel like there were some inconsistencies that got on my nerves a little but I enjoy this genre and love these characters from already being a show can. I am glad they changed Godfry's name for the show so I can continue to dislike him in the book and still love show Godric.

The book is great... if you read the first Sookie Stackhouse then you know what to expect, but the most irritating part was better than halfway through my book there are 33 pages missing... yes missing! From page 199 thru 230 is gone. So I'm super annoyed at that fact, but the store shipped only 1 day late and the book is very interesting and keeps great pace.

This is book #2 in the "Sookie" stories, which I think are sometimes seen as romance, but could also fit the mystery genre. I've read book 1 and liked it and now this one. This is not literature, but for mindless entertainment, it is good (hence, 3 stars). It's written from Sookie's point of view--some people do not like that style, particularly since Harris has a habit to providing unnecessary detail (e.g., "I brushed my teeth." or details about Sookie styling her hair. We really do not care.) If you are even a moderately slow reader, it won't take you long to finish. A good weekend or vacation read or maybe something to pick up at the airport. But if you are looking for well-written material, this isn't it. I, however, am looking forward to the rest of the series, as I love the interaction between Sookie & Bill and am very curious to see what happens between her and Eric!

I love this entire series! If you like mystery with a little comedy and romance you'll love it! They are a quick read and they are great to read over and over, you can just fall in love with the characters!

This book is great. If you are a True Blood fan I encourage your reading the books. I'm happy that they do not follow the exact storyline and have all sorts of different twists and turns between the story and the book.