Dead And Gone, Book 9 of the Southern Vampire Series by Charlaine Harris

Publisher: Penguin Group
Pages: 320

From the Cover:For Sookie Stackhouse, the day to day activities of the vampire and were communities in and around Bon Temps, Louisiana, are of vital interest, She's blood-bound to the leader of the vamps, a friend to the local were pack, works for a man who is shifter, and has a brother who is a were-panther… But for most of the humans in Bon Temps, the vamps are mysterious seductive creatures-and they don't even know about the weres. Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to follow the lead of the undead and reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first it seems to go well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found in the parking lot of the bar where Sookie works. The victim is someone she knows, so she feels compelled to discover who-human or otherwise-did the deed. But what she doesn't realize is that there is a far greater danger than the killer threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings--older, more powerful and far more secretive than vampires or werewolves-- is preparing for war. And Sookie will find herself an all-too human pawn in their battle…

Sookie's life is in turmoil once again. Eric has regained his memories of their time together. Bill is still professing his love and offering his support. And Quinn is trying to get back into her good graces. Top that off with the Nevada vampires who have taken over Louisiana, and trying to seduce her into their territory, Sookie's life is over the top. Sookie is having trouble separate her true feelings for Eric and the blood bond that exists with him.

The FBI have discovered Sookie Stackhouse because of her help at the Pyramid when the Fellowship of the Sun attempted to destroy the vampires staying there. She knows from their thoughts that they want to use her as well.

The murder and crucifixion of Jason's wife, Crystal, in the parking lot of Merlotte's once again brings Jason under the scrutiny of Bon Temps' law officers. But the werepanthers don't really want the help of the local law. With the weres coming out, everything has changed.

There is also a brewing war between the different factions of the fae, those who want the human world to exist and those who believe the humans are not worth the trouble. Sookie's great-grandfather, Niall, is right in the middle of it which means Sookie's involvement is inevitable. It also means that someone else is gunning for her and they will stop at nothing to succeed.

Done and Gone by Charlaine Harris is a wonderful addition to the Southern Vampire Series. It's Sookie Stackhouse at her best. I keep thinking that this series will get stale, but Charlaine Harris manages once again to keep us on our toes. She's one of my favorite authors and I've yet to find something she's written that doesn't satisfy my need for paranormal and urban fantasy. Our heroine is torn between the vampires and the weres. Both want her and both can be dangerous. But if Sookie's going to survive the fae war, she's going to have to depend on both of them. Eric is our ultimate hero in this story with the assistance of Bill and Tray, Amelia's werewolf lover. Eric is showing is true colors and the love that he has for Sookie. This is totally different from how the series started, and puts Eric in a whole new light. He still wants things from Sookie, but Sookie has become important to him, not just for her telepathic abilities. Many are lost in this addition of the Southern Vampire Series and the fae world may be lost forever. Sookie discovers explanations that help fill in the holes in her life, both with her parents, her gran, and Niall's avoidance of Jason. If you haven't read Sookie Stackhouse before, then this is not the place to start. It would be easy to follow and could be read out of order, but series is so good, I would recommend starting back at the beginning with Dead Until Dark. I love this series as well as her Harper Connelly Series and would happily recommend them both the readers of paranormal/urban fantasy. The series in order is:

Dead Until Dark
Living Dead In Dallas
Club Dead
Dead To The World
Dead As A Doornail
Definitely Dead
Altogether Dead
Dead To Worse
Dead And Gone
A Touch Of Dead (October 2009) The Complete Stories



If you'd like more information about Charlaine Harris, Sookie Stackhouse, and any of her other great series, please visit http://www.charlaineharris.com/. Charlaine Harris also writes many novellas including those found in Bite, Many Bloody Returns, Dancers in the Dark, Wolfsbane and Mistletoe, and Must Love Hellhounds, available September 2009. All involve Sookie Stackhouse's world.



Charlaine Harris also has a new addition to the Harper Connnelly Series, Grave Secret, available November 2009.