Dead Reckoning (Soouthern Vampires 11) by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Reckoning (Southern Vampires 11)
Author: Charlaine Harris
ASIN: 978-0575096523
Publisher: Gollancz
First Published: May 2011
No .of pages: 336

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis (from Amazon):
There’s a reckoning on the way . . .  and Sookie has a knack for being in trouble’s way; not least when she witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte’s, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is known to be two-natured, suspicion immediately falls on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but before she can investigate something else – something even more dangerous – comes up. Sookie’s lover Eric Northman and his ‘child’ Pam are plotting something in secret. Whatever it is, they seem determined to keep Sookie out of it; almost as determined as Sookie is to find out what’s going on. She can’t sit on the sidelines when both her work and her love life under threat – but as she’s gradually drawn into their plans Sookie finds the situation is deadlier than she could ever have imagined.

Review:
After the last two books, I was afraid the series was going a little off the boil, but Dead Reckoning seems to be bringing things right back on track. There’s still a little too much “fairy stuff” for my taste, but this one focuses mostly on vampire business, which is exactly where I want things to be.

To my great surprise, I find myself liking Bill an awful lot more than I have previously (from the very start, I wasn’t all that keen on him). Conversely, Alcide really annoyed me in this episode, when I’d liked him before – he just seemed to act completely out of character, especially for one who is now Pack Alpha. Eric, well he’s Eric and I’ve always liked him; and Sookie is just as fresh as a daisy and the ultimate girl-next-door with a spark of something extra that sets her apart from the rest. Ideally, I would have liked to see a little more of Sam (he’s always been a favourite of mine) and his complex friendship with Sookie, but perhaps that will crop up in Deadlocked.

Reviewed by Kell Smurthwaite