PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' "Stand-alone" mysteries
A first-rate mystery with special character...as convincing as it is surprising in its final resolution.
Washington Post Book World
Introducing an author of rare talents....Harris artfully keeps the mask on the killer until the stunning conclusion.
Publishers Weekly
A home run the first time out.
Birmingham News
An impressive debut....Harris manages to tell a fast-paced story without sacrificing anything of her slow-moving and sweat-drenched locale.
(can't make out the name of the paper)
Engaging. Harris' style has a charm and ease that remind one of Anne Tyler ... original and surprising. Traces of Gothic romance add to the book's unusual flavor.
The Christian Science Monitor
As much novel as mystery as it explores the complex character and secrets of a small Southern town.
Wichita Eagle-Beacon
Charlaine Harris is a name to remember, not only because she has written an engrossing first novel about multiple murders but also because she has set that mystery in a small Southern town that Southern readers will find familiar and credible.
Macon Telegraph and News
SWEET AND DEADLY combines astute depiction of a Southern town with a crackling good mystery plot...It has a little of everything: rich regional authenticity, good dialogue, interesting characters instead of sterotypes and taut suspense. Charlaine Harris has a great future as a writer.
Savannah News-Press
Harris writes neatly and with assurance, and she avoids the goo that makes many equivalent books so sticky.
The New York Times Book Review
Packs a perennial punch. It offers a rarity in popular fiction: an unromanticized portrait of a Southern Girl.
Philadelphia Inquirer
SWEET AND DEADLY is billed as a Southern mystery, and it does have that slow, sittin-in-the-shade quality as it lazily rolls along toward a shocker ending.
Des Moines Register
It grabbed me... as much a novel as a mystery. It is simple a well-written good read.
Mystery News
Not many novels, and no mysteries, have shaken me as brutally as A SECRET RAGE...Far more than the story of a crime, this is a scream of fury, of brutal humiliation...It strips bare the latent rage concealed within the gentlest of exteriors.
The Los Angeles Times
Powerful...Without polemic, Harris gives us survivors, women who find a strength alone and together, to stop the violence and rebuild their lives. A SECRET RAGE is a very special, very real statement as well as an excellent novel of suspense.
Wilson Library Journal
Critics will undoubtedly echo the raves they heaped on Harris' first novel, to describe this newest, a thriller built on a vital issue...The riveting story fits an introductory note from Robert Frost's poem: Someone had better be prepared for rage.
Publishers Weekly
A SECRET RAGE is a good mystery, well-written and compelling. I stayed up until 4:30 one morning in order to finish it...But more than this, the book is a powerful study of rape and its consequences...I don't want to give anything away by describing the climax and ending of this book, but it is certainly a powerful vision of women fighting together against a common enemy.
The Boston Globe
Absorbing tension is maintained throughout leading up to a dramatic climax. Effective crime fiction with keen insight into the crime of rape from the victim's vantage point.
Booklist
Extraordinary. Powerful.
Library Journal
Gripping reading.
Pen & Dagger
Treats of rape in a sensitive, deeply felt way, and offers fine suspense as well.
Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine
Harris' prime purpose (is) in exploring the relationship of women to men and women to each other when sexual violence turns their lives upside down. This is not to say she has neglected suspense. There's plenty of it here but it is merely one element in a multilayered, skillful and provocative novel.
San Diego Union
An exciting novel that you wont want to put down until you've finished.
Lexington Herald-Leader
COMPELLING.
Minneopolis Tribune
The depiction of rap and its aftereffects rings with unmistakabkle authenticity, and the bones of great plotting and compelling character work, which she has honed to perfection in her recent novels, shine through in this engaging mystery. If Harris ever wanted to return to her roots, Nickie and friends could be the basis of a great Southern-set cozy series.
Romantic Times
PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' "AURORA TEAGARDEN" SERIES
For REAL MURDERS
Agatha Award finalist
Harris' story alternately charms and chills, a difficult combination she manages with aplomb and brilliance.
Carolyn G. Hart
author, SOUTHERN GHOST
An excellent story.
The Chattanooga Times
Clever pacing along with ample red herring and judiciously placed clues keep the story moving briskly. Let's hope for another fast-paced mystery featuring Aurora and her friends.
School Library Journal
With sharp details of characterization and a realistic small-town setting, REAL MURDERS is a suspenseful, entertaining mystery.
Dick Langford
REAL MURDERS has one of the most original premises I've ever come across in a mystery, and the whole book is great, bloody fun.
Barbara Paul
With her customary Southern wit and intelligence, Charlaine Harris returns with a superb third novel. Readers (like me) who adored Harris' first two novels will find REAL MURDERS well worth the wait. The first of a new series, REAL MURDERS offers a bright, funny, and appealing heroine, and a chilling, compulsively readable plot. A hearty "welcome back!" to Charlaine Harris.
Dean James
Manager, Murder by the Book
First in what I hope will be a long series of adventures starring Roe Teagarden.
Pen & Dagger
Teagarden is a quirky but likeable character. Enjoyable from beginning to end
Critical Mass
Some genuinely funny scenes as Aurora breezily unravels the murderer's identity ... supported by an appealing cast of Southern gothic characters.
Publishers Weekly
I enjoyed the character even more as the author reveals more details about her personality.
Critical Mass
For THREE BEDROOMS, ONE CORPSE
Aurora has time to sleuth to her heart's content in this high-spirited Southern cozy.
Publishers Weekly
Clearly focused plot, animated description of character and real estate, and spakling prose commend this breath of fresh air to all collections.
Library Journal
Nicely done Southern small-town ambience, (a) torrid affair sensitively handled, and breezy, unpretentious style.
Kirkus
Recommended. A briskly paced, entertaining story with a bright heroine.
Deadly Pleasures
If you thought the world of real estate was cutthroat, wait till you read this!...I think you'll join me in liking Roe and in wanting to tell her to be careful - it's murder out there!
Meritorious Mysteries
Quite good.
Critical Mass
The best of the series to date. The author's brisk, upbeat style keeps tension simmering under the everyday surface.
Publishers Weekly
A witches brew of decorous old bones, whiffs of international intrigue and helpful wedding tips, interspersed with nightly bouts of tasteful, enthusiastic offscreen coupling. Hands down Roe's most bizarre adventure to date.
Kirkus Review
Roe is so charming you will want to go back and read the first three in the series. I did.
Mostly Murder
If you like your mysteries with romance and Southern ambience, you'll like this one.
Snoop Sisters Newsletter
Fourth in this warm, endearing series....Rose looks forward to investigating the mustery, decorating her new home, and enjoying married life. Then everything begins to unravel. Roe wonders about Martin's secrets, distrusts the couple he installs in the garage apartment, and finds herself under siege, afraid she may share the fate of the Julius family.
Grounds for Murder
Refreshing ... Harris has a mastery of the difficult balance between lighthearted humor and serious concerns ... I, for one, can't wait to see what Harris cooks up next.
Arkansas Democrat & Gazette
Told with a sense of humor and a light touch, this latest Aurora Teagarden mystery is quite a bit of fun.
The Armchair Detective
Infectious prose, engaging characters, crafty plotting; recommended.
Library Journal
Harris' Gossipy, just-between-us-girls style is as ingratiating as ever.
Kirkus Reviews
You are in for a treat....Harris is a first-rate writer, and the tongue-in-cheek humor, together with the heroine's captivating personality, make these stories very, very enjoyable.
Pen & Dagger
Harris' love of life, mysteries, most things Southern and the inevitable and saving humor found in everyday life and not so everyday events colors another welcome adventure in this delightful mystery series.
Mostly Murder
A delightful book ... a thrilling and colorful American cozy. Charming secondary characters and homely sub-plots abound, making this and the preceding mysteries worth reading.
The Midwest Book Review
A rollicking whodunit.
Buffalo News
A good old down-home Southern style mystery.
The Pilot (North Carolina)
A thrilling and coloful American cozy.
Ed's Internet Book Review
Gossipy, blithe, often funny -- with a windup that's fierce, shocking and poignant. A winner for Harris this time out.
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review!)
Live-wire actions, small-town antics, unexpected plot ramifications, and a humorous tone make for fine reading. For all collections.
Library Journal
A gripping tale ... Harris mixes elements of a cozy and her darker themes with skill and panache.
Publishers Weekly
The story line is fast-paced, well plotted, and exciting with enough twists and turns to keep readers on full alert.
Midwest Book Review
Frothy and fastpaced with a wealth of witty descriptions.
Publishers Weekly
A delightful series.
Library Journal
An enjoyable read that gives us a chance to catch up with old friends. Ms. Harris skillfully captures small-town life, giving the story added realism.
Romantic Times
Well-established characters, family concerns, wry humor, and small-town busybodies solidify the plot of this delightful cozy. Essential for most collections.
Library Journal
Entertaining fare.
Booklist
Tightly written and gloriously twisted, the mystery delights and confounds with each added layer. Harris' attention to detail and lively prose are thoroughly engaging.
Romantic Times
A lot of action in this delightful cozy ... POPPY DONE TO DEATH is a terrific cozy, one readers will want to put on their keeper shelves.
Midwest Book Review
PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' "LILY BARD" SERIES
For SHAKESPEARE'S LANDLORD
chosen as one of the years 10 Best by Mostly Murder
Harris has created an intriguing new character in this solidly plotted story.
Booklist
Harris' finely tuned, colorful and suspenseful tale, filled with vigorous and unique characters, will leave readers hoping it's the start of a series.
Publishers Weekly
Lily's an ingratiating heroince, and the author's easy style makes this one an engaging breeze.
Kirkus Reviews
Gripping. Harris, known for her series featuring Aurora Teagarden, takes a dark turn here, and it pays off. Despite Lily's bristly ways, we begin to like her. When her secret is revealed, we grimmace at the harsh reality of Lily's past....All in all, a fine effort from Harris.
Albuquerque Journal
Harris had done an incredible job launching her new character. The author wisely makes Lily's past as much as part of the mystery as the murder investigation. A well-constructed psychological study that moves at a steady pace, SHAKESPEARE'S LANDLORD also takes a look at how society often views victims of violent crimes.
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Harris has down pat the laid-back atmosphere, country friendliness and occasional sordid secrets of small-town South. SHAKESPEARE'S LANDLORD is a satisfying introduction to a fascinating, complex set of characters. Just keep 'em coming.
Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Harris writes about Lily with a quiet compassion that is compelling. A fine writer has written her best book yet.
The Dead Beat
Low-key and entertaining ... exactly what you need from a mystery.
Seventeen Magazine
The story is riveting, and Lily's triumphant progress from scarred loner to fierce fighter is very rewarding. Bravo, Ms. Harris!
Pen & Dagger
The charm of this book lies not in the plot but in its characters, particularly enigmatic Lily whose unfolding history will draw you in.
The Poisoned Pen
Charlaine Harris ventures into new, darker territory....A memorable character, Lily brings new meaning to the term strong woman. She's the equal of Kay Scarpetta, Kinsey Milhone and V. I. Warshawski even on a bad day.
Library Journal
Lily is as human and likeable as her new town. This is a sparkling series debut.
Tulsa, OK WORLD
For SHAKESPEARE'S CHAMPION
chosen as one of the year's 10 Best by Mostly Murder
Full of surprises, this second fast-paced and gripping Lily Bard adventure showcases the amateur sleuth's strength, determination, and martial arts prowess ... an engaging puzzler thats propelled smoothly along by Lily's easy no-frills narration.
Publishers Weekly
Wheels within wheels in a suspense story packed with nasty characters, a few good guys, some graphic sex, and more exercise and karate lore than you ever wanted to know. Lily's stubborn, moody, gutsy persona holds it all together, and most readers will be with her to the finish.
Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review!)
We love the heroine of this compelling mystery ... Lily is too cool.
Seventeen
As good and, in some ways, better than its predecessor, SHAKESPEARE'S CHAMPION embodies a first-rate mystery, but this time also includes a special relationship drama about two wounded soldiers who heal each other through their love for one another. Charlaine Harris' newest entry deserves top ten consideration.
Midwest Book Review
Lily Bard gives as good as she gets. The reading is fast and the actions faster, proving that women really are the better half.
Mostly Murder
Precise storytelling and original characterizations make SHAKESPEARE'S CHAMPION, Charlaine Harris' second Lily Bard mystery, surpass last year's debut ... a skilled author who knows just how far to take her story....Harris again shows her thoughtful way of weaving a complex plot into a seamless, compact story.
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Harris does an excellent job with the Lily Bard character, neatly blending the vulnerability of someone who's endured a truly horrific experience with the courage needed to continue. The supporting characters also captivate the reader....Harris delivers murder with a distinct edge and an amateur sleuth training to move mountains while she cleans up the town. Lily's on her way to becoming a contender.
Mystery News
A most terrific second mystery in the Lily bard series ... oh, how I love them! Lily Bard is Kinsey and V.I. multipled by 10.
World (Tulsa, OK)
Harris tells a forceful story with a complex, flawed heroine. The denizens of Bartley form a memorable gallery of secondary characters. Harris' blend of cozy style with more hard-boiled elements isn't always smooth, but it's interesting to see her working toward a deeper complexity.
Publishers Weekly
Lily Bard is one of the best-drawn and most compelling characters in contemporary mystery fiction - complex, smart, streetwise, tough. Add tight plotting and a smooth style, and its no surprise that Harris has reached a new high. Don't miss it.
Booklist
Rural flavor, small-town wedding activities, and the psychological remnants of Lily's long-ago ordeal temper an increasingly involving plot. For fans of this series as well as of Harris' Aurora Teagarden books.
Library Journal
Fresher, more unusual, than any other mystery I've read lately. this novel is the third in the series; the other two had better be waiting for me under the Christmas tree.
Washington Post Sunday Book World
Harris blends a noirish atmosphere with a traditional mystery. Rather than just another amateur sleuth mystery, Harris conjures a seamless story that delves below the surface of small-town life...Harris takes chances with this unique series.
The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
A fascinating mystery ... Ms. Harris has written a wonderful novel that adds much to this top rate dark cozy series.
Midwest Book Review
Harris writes her 214 page gem in a crisp, clean and taut style ... a nail-biter.
Tulsa World
Harris has a gift for depicting small-town Southern life with humor and candor. The Lily Bard series has a sharper, grittier edge than her Aurora Teagadren series ... if Lily flinches, it's not for long, no matter how much it hurts. She just keeps getting stronger and better.
Mostly Murder
Lily is a terrific character with dark shadings and stark fears, but learning strength and cleaving to it. A supporting cast of quirky characters fully rendered in quick strokes will hold readers as surely as the complex resolution in this cozy on the bleeding edge of noir.
Booklist
Her latest engaging outing ... indeed, Lily has such an engaging voice, full of pain and redemption, that the collecting of clues and the unfolding of the crime take a back seat to her personal story.
Publishers Weekly
Lily Bard is an intriguing character, and readers will enjoy her attempts to make sense of human nature in general, and men in particular.
Romantic Times
A neat surprise ending will reward Lily's ardent fans.
Kirkus
Lily Bard has become one of my favorite fictional protagonists. This smart, gutsy woman is a terrific character. She is fearful but refuses to let it paralyze her. She throws her whole being into her martial arts classes and doesn't back off when there are problems. Her relationship with her clients is fascinating, too. While the details of the mystery unfold, so does this complex and very human woman. It's a great package.
Contra Costa Times
Those who enjoy Sue Grafton's mysteries will love SHAKESPEARE'S TROLLOP. IT is fast, straightforward, and well-plotted. Opening it is like diving into the water; it is shocking, chilling and fun.
Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal
Solid entertainment.
Library Journal
The best work in this fine series ... strengthens a strong character and turns a wonderful series into a powerhouse.
Midwest Book Review
Exceptionally well-plotted ... an extremely compelling read.
Romantic Times
Solid, clever and quick.
Library Journal
PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' "SOOKIE STACKHOUSE" SERIES
For DEAD UNTIL DARK
WINNER -- ANTHONY AWARD!!
Finalist: Agatha, Dilys and Compton Crook Awards
"one of the year's best" - Science Fiction Chronicle
This book's intelligent mixture of painful, pleasurable, serious, skeptical and unexpected moments in a relationship where neither hero nor heroine can merge with the local norm, recalls the best kinds of magical realism. And it's one of the best vampire novels I've read in quite a while.
Locus -- Faren Miller
Rural America finally has a vampire story to call its own ... Charlaine Harris delivers both horror and humor as seen from the unique perspective of rural America. You've got to love a book where a vampire addresses a Civil War society called the Descendants of the Glorious Dead.
Tanya Huff,
bestselling author of BLOOD PRICE
In its range and depth, DEAD UNTIL DARK amply demonstrates the scope of modern vampire fiction ... Harris creates a small Louisiana town peopled by quirky, vivid characters reader will want to revisit again and again.
Crescent Blues
Highly original, extraordinarily riveting, erotic and exotic. In DEAD UNTIL DARK, Charlaine Harris weaves storytelling magic in a tale of vampires and small town Louisiana.
Lynn Hightower
A nicely done mystery ... the vampire elements work well in context.
Locus -- Carolyn Cushman
Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series have a pleasant surprise in store for them in this interesting first novel ... The rural southern setting, the ambivalent relationship between the two main cahracters, and the nicely turned mystery all work together to make this succeed. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a sequel in the near future.
Science Fiction Chronicle
The goofy charm of Harris' world, with its humor and occasional terror, is what makes DEAD UNTIL DARK so delightful.
Denver Post
An absorbing mix of romance, mystery and the supernatural. Harris weaves humor with an edginess that makes for taut reading. Best of all, she's created an uniquely down-to-earth heroine in Sookie and an otherworldly charmer in Sookie's beau, Bill. Perhaps you'll never meet a more unlikely couple, but you won't forget them either!
Romantic Times (Susan McBride)
Pitch-perfect ear for dialect and dialogue, and spot-on depictions of small-town Southern life.
Romancic Times (Laurie Davie)
The love child of Laurell K. Hamilton and Joe R. Lansdale ... Ace should give Charlaine Harris plenty of room and the assurance of a multi-book contract. Harris' Sookie has the potential to attract more readers than Hamilton's Anita Blake.
Cemetery Dance
Read more than a few pages and you'll find yourself hooked. This is the best tongue-in-cheek vampire story I have ever read.
SFX Magazine (UK)
DEAD UNTIL DARK is serio-comic who-done-it with supernatural overtones to spice the tale and keep mystery, horror, and fantasy readers elated with the plot and cast. Ms. Harris' fan base should multiply with what is the beginning of a Southern paranormal mystery series.
Bookbrowser.com
The book straddles the mystery/fantasy/romance genres quite expertly. ...This is a great, light summer read, terrific for the beach, and there is a very good mystery at its core.
Aunt Agatha's Newsletter
One terrific read. Harris has created a charming and winning character in Sookie Stackhouse ... Wonderful characters, an inventive plot, and terrific situations. She has a real feel for the world she has created and allows the willing suspension of disbelief to do its job. Reminiscent of Laurell Hamilton and her Anita Blake series, it also reminds a reader of Tanya Huff's work and has the same light touch. There is a joy and an innocence about the work that make it very appealing.
Kliatt
High entertaining ... It's great fun, a light-hearted small-town variation of the same sort of vampire thrills that make Laureel K. Hamilton's 'Anita Blake' novels so popular.
Locus
Harris brings off this blend of mystery and vampires better than most. I would be surprised if we didn't see further adventures of Sookie Stackhouse.
Science Fiction Chronicle
Light-hearted and appealing, LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is a real charmer. The mystery is puzzling, and it's easy to see why Sookie is so taken with undead Bill!
Romantic Times
A delightful mix of the supernatural, romance and mystery genres that create a new and unique work of fun reading.
Midwest Book Review
Harris has created an entertaining and inventive series of fantasy-horror thrillers that deserve to be read ... There's plenty of intrigue in the well-handled plot.
SFX Magazine (UK)
LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is a fast-paced read that hurtles through one hair-raising adventure after another.
The Romance Reader
LIVING DEAD IN DALLAS is...an entertaining read. The book is fast-paced, and the story line is intriguing. Harris has given her readers a lively romp through a fantasy land that's grounded in the real world.
The News-Star
Delightful. Harris playfully mixes several genres to make a new one that is her own bright creation.
Denver Post
Harris certainly proves her creativity in a story with an excellent pretext.
VOYA
You don't want to miss a single paragraph of this "Southern vampire" series. It's all delivered in well-written fast-paced Southern twang that will keep you turning the pages.
Cemetery Dance
Her writing style and gift for irony are a cut above most of those trying to find something original in vampire fiction.
Rocky Mountain News
Harris is having fun with a mix of horror and humor.
The Poisoned Pen
This book is hot! A rousing, hilarious, romantic read!
Romantic Times Clubhouse
For CLUB DEAD
"one of the year's best" - Science Fiction Chronicle
With some droll touches--Elvis, now a vampire, is Sookie's faithful guard--CLUB DEAD is ideal for readers who like their vampire fiction light, humorous, and fast-paced.
Booklist
New revelations about vampire politics, plenty of eccentric characters, and a daring rescue combine to provide plenty of fun.
Locus
The third adventure maintains the high standards of its predecessors.
Science Fiction Chronicle
There's plenty of action in this one, with fights, stakings, deaths and many ruined outfits. Kinda funny, kinda sexy, this book is for those who like their horror light.
Fangoria
Harris knows how to keep her plots bubbling along nicely, but also brings plenty of colour to her evocation of the Deep South, and keeps the supernatural side of the story on a believable level. The sexy, enjoyable relationships never overwhelm the story, and the whole mixture is helped by a main character who's humane, flawed, and genuine fun to be around. Harris has also learned the most important trick of this style of mystery series. If you're in the mood for some genuinely entertaining page-turners, with a dash of blood-red horror ... give Sookie Stackhouse a try. She's slowly gathering a cult following, so be prepared to hear more of her...
SFX Magazine (UK)
These books are intended to be fun--and they are. Quite a lot of fun, in fact. ...It's just as lively and entertaining as the first two. If you're looking for a fun supernatural romp across a Southern landscape, you won't do much better than Harris' books.
The News-Star
A third in the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris is as deliciously wonderful as the previous two. You don't want to miss this winning series starting with DEAD UNTIL DARK.
Mystery Scene
Charlaine Harris blends elements from the horror, mystery and romance genres to create a novel that is refreshingly unique. CLUB DEAD is a real live treat.
Harriet Klausner
For DEAD TO THE WORLD
WINNER -- SAPPHIRE AWARD!!
Fan's of Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake looking for a lighter version should cotton to Sookie Stackhouse. Consistent, well-built characters and a strong action-packed plot that will keep readers guessing to the end distinguish this frothy blend of romance, mystery and fantasy.
Publishers Weekly
The first hardcover in Harris' series is gripping and spicy.
Booklist
Atmospheric and edgy, the fourth entry in Harris' Southern Vampire series is sure to be a hit with the Laurell K. Hamilton crowd. This steamy yarn is one fans of supernatural romance and Southern mysteries will also relish.
Romantic Times
Another fun installment in a consistently amusing mystery series.
Locus
Best in the series so far.
Chronicle (Years Best)
Harris continues her delightful series. She makes Sookie so real we can accept her world of vampires and mind reading as normal also.
The Denver Post
Once again Harris has created both a witty and entertaining adventure to snare her readers with.
SF Site
I'm a fan! Whenever a new book in this terrific series arrives in bookstores, I'm the first in line to buy it. Great heroine and great supernatural adventures. Harris writes with style, wit, and warmth.
Jayne Ann Krentz
Nifty...As fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer know, a sense of humor helps when dealing with the supernatural.
The Orlando Sentinel
An increasingly riotous series...Ms. Harris has never been in better form.
The Dallas Morning News
As with the other three books in the series, DEAD TO THE WORLD is great fun. It's light and fast-paced -- just action from start to finish. Harris strikes a style that's much more fun than Anne Rice... She tells the story with a down-home flavor that's not often found in the horror or fantasy sections of the bookstore. If you haven't checked out Harris' Southern vampire series yet, you should. It's great fun.
The News-Star
The book is pure fun. Harris offers...plenty of entertainment.
Sunday Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)
With absolute assurance--and an audacious wink of her eye--Harris creates a world that is both a weird possibility and a wild ride... Harris sends us careening on an outrageously goofy ride that she works awfully hard to help us enjoy. And enjoy it we do, because she cares so inordinately about making us believe in this "other-world" of her own ingenious creation.
The Anniston Star
A supernatural battle to rival anything Harry Potter... DEAD TO THE WORLD [is] the fourth entry in an increasingly riotous series. Ms. Harris has never been in better form than in Sookie's latest, which features the same wacky humor and giddy breakneck pace as the other three but surpasses them in character development and wit. Between the last book and DEAD TO THE WORLD, Ms. Harris has navigated that trickiest of authorial turns--from "excellent genre writer" to "possible blockbuster creating her own genre: contemporary light vampire-romance." One might even call them fang-tastic.
The Dallas Morning News
The book is pure fun. Harris offers plenty of entertainment.
Magazine (Baton Rouge, LA)
An earthy, tough and irrepressible lead ... one of the most readable books you'll ever pick up.
January Magazine
If you've been following this series, DEAD TO THE WORLD is another fun read. If not, and you find this sort of thing appetizing...you've now got four books you can sink your teeth into.
SF Revu
Harris does an admirable job of creating a heroine who's not only interesting but completely believable in a world of the strange and the different. Natural and humorous dialogue and a nicely paced plot that doesn't dwell so much on Sookie's old boyfriends help make this entry the best yet in the series.
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Harris' latest paranormal adventure is every bit as entertaining, suspenseful and romantic as previous installments. It's an evocative blend of romance, suspense and alternate-Earth fantasy, with a stand-alone mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Sookie's wry commentary and expert characterization make this one stand out from the crowd.
Romantic Times
Fun...thoroughly engaging series
Locus
Plot twists and fascinating characters abound in this welcome addition to Harris's Anthony Award-winning "Southern Vampire" series.
Library Journal
Harris' southern vampire series remains one of the best of the breed, concocted out of just the right mixture of humor, intrigue, and excitement. Its latest entry does not disappoint.
Booklist
...A very good mystery. ...A very entertaining story. The previous four volumes in the series are all worth your time.
Chronicle
Harris keeps the action going nonstop in this bubble brew of supernatural spice and whimsical whodunit that's more fun than a barrel of beignets.
Publishers Weekly
Life is never easy for Sookie, which is bad for her but great for readers. This series always keeps you guessing and utterly intrigued. Sookie is a richly drawn and complex character, and rooting for her is a joy. Harris makes combining suspense, the paranormal and romance look easy.
Romantic Times
With more twists and turns for Sookie, including complications in her unconventional love life, this sixth book in Harris's "Southern Vampire" series offers a grand blend of mystery-cum-fantasy with dollops of romance and humor.
Library Journal
[Definitely Dead] finds Harris at the top of her game--she's one of the rare authors who understands the close relationship between humor and horror, and one of the even rarer writers who can effectively exploit it. ...readers will only put the book down with great reluctance--like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, a character with whom Sookie shared many characteristics, Harris' heroine easily captures both the hearts and minds of her audience.
Mystery Scene
Charlaine Harris has created her own sub-genre with tongue in cheek (or should I say fang) humor that pops up the oddest times yet is used brilliantly as a tension reliever during the height of intense action scenes. Readers will thoroughly enjoy this special one of a kind series and after reading this book, will definitely want to obtain the backlist of books in this wonderful series.
Harriet Klausner
The plot line is a bit more complex then most, interweaving a number of threads containing a wide variety of characters.
And while there is plenty of action, and adventure, Sookie is never going to be a stereotypical action heroine.
SFRevu.com
This series has deservedly become immensely popular amongst supernatural romance fans.
SF Revu (UK)
Harris ties together murder mystery, horror and fantasy genres with a beguiling blend of wit and humor that make for a rapid paced romp in this sixth installment of the "Stackhouse" series. This will leave readers wondering how long they have to wait before the next Stackhouse adventure.
Monstersandcritics.com
Harris expertly and deftly moves Sookie along life's road... It packs in heaps that would take other writers twice as long to get over. It also emotionally engages the reader with a heroine who isn't a superwoman but has an edge over us mere mortals.
SF Crows Nest (UK)
I really wish I'd read all of the first five before I got my hands on DEFINITELY DEAD. Now I'll have to hunt them down and start from the beginning.
Reviewingtheevidence.com
Darker, but just as much fun, is Charlaine Harris' series of novels about Sookie Stackhouse. Wildly popular. It's impossible not to love the wry, sexy, often earnest, ordinary-if-it-wasn't-for-the-whole-mind-reading-thing Sookie, surely one of the most winning heroines to guide us through the dark side in a long time. Maybe ever.
Bookpage.com
These books are always fun. Vampires seem more human in Ms. Harris' books, without losing their otherworldliness. If you have missed this series until now, go back to Book One and treat yourself to them all.
I'd love to sit down with Charlaine Harris and Tanya Huff, and listen to them riff about the supernatural. Harris writes woo-woo and mystery with the best of them.
Eternalnight.co.uk
Harris juggles a large cast, including several romantic contenders for Sookie's heart, with effortless exuberance... [an] addictive series.
Publishers Weekly
...[T]he series remains thoroughly entertaining, with some unexpected horrors and surprises.
Locus
[An] exciting new addition to the Southern Vampire series. The action is lively and the pace quick enough to keep the reader engaged to the last page. The climax...is satisfying. This is a great addition to one of the more entertaining series in the paranormal genre.
Monsters and Critics
Harris has marked off her own little plot of the literary landscape and the ground has so far proved consistently fertile. I think the reason I enjoy this series so much is that Harris manages to instill her stories with the same tension and complexity as the best of the Anita Blake novels without getting so caught up in the angst of conflicting desires and motivations. She has a lighter touch without being lightweight.
Critical Mass
We eagerly await the next volume of the saga. Another Sookie Stackhouse adventure is worth waiting for. If you haven't read the Southern Vampire series yet, start with Dead Until Dark and enjoy it from the beginning.
SFRevu
Harris proves that it is indeed possible to keep a series entertaining indefinitely.
Crimespree Magazine
This book may be the best in the series so far... Read it and enjoy the rollercoaster ride.
Mystery News
She keeps you amused and chilled and offers mysteries that keep the tension thrumming. And while Harris has more than a few serious thoughts on her mind, she's loath to bash you over the head with them. 'All Together Dead' is a delightful kitchen sink novel that, while it lacks a kitchen sink, offers so much more.
The Agony Column
A must read for those who like vampires and southern belles with brains and spunk.
Green Man Reviews
The series continues to be inventive and funny with an engaging, smart and sexy heroine. There are are almost monthly variations of supernatural characters in our midst, and Harris is the gold standard of the genre.
The Denver Post
Harris outdoes herself in this pivotal either Sookie Stackhouse novel, packing the story full of romantic tension and supernatural action.
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Sookie fans will love this addition to the series.
Library Journal
The non-stop revelations, interspersed with plenty of action, should keep series fans enthralled.
Locus
More twists than a tornado... enough to entertain any series fan.
BookLoons
PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' "HARPER CONNELLY" MYSTERIES
Harris delivers a knuckle-gnawing tale populated with well-developed, albeit edgy characters.
Publishers Weekly
Leave it to the incredibly talented Harris to come up with another unique, troubled and utterly compelling heroine. The suspense is dark, and the paranormal elements creepy in this highly original tale that launches a new series. Paranormal mystery at its best!
Romantic Times
Prolific author Harris debuts a series that just might surpass all her others in popularity... A strong debut that will have readers dying for more.
Booklist
This new series seems more mainstream and considerably darkner in tone than Harris' Sookie Stackhouse vampire mysteries, but still has a folksy edge, a spooky but sweet amateur detective mystery full of interesting characters.
Locus
Grave Sight is an interesting blend of fantasy and crime. ...I enjoyed the tale. Harris has a gift for deft description, entertaining characters and interactions, and convincing plotting. I'm looking forward to more by this writer.
Analog
The author has a great gift for getting inside her characters and making them achingly real to the reader. Particularly poignant is the unique relationship between Harper and Tolliver.
The Denver Post
It's a rare thing to run across mysteries as quirky and improbable as the Harper Connelly series and enjoy the way the author takes the frankly implausible and makes it seem perfectly believable. Harper and Tolliver are so earnest, savvy and likeable, they don't take themselves too seriously, that readers can sit back with confidence that in "Grave Surprise" they're in for a fun ride through a guaranteed page-turner.
The Advocate
[A] winning second supernatural caper... Peppered with the author's trademark deadpan wit, this book should help make Harper and Tolliver as popular as Sookie Stackhouse.
Publishers Weekly
Begins with a bang... Skillful Harris does an amazing job laying out this intriguing mystery while exploring Harper's varying beliefs and skepticisms. When it comes to serving up the supernatural, Harris is unmatched.
Romantic Times
Believers and skeptics alike will enjoy Harper's search for the truth and her changing relationship with Tolliver.
Kirkus
The supernatural elements are integrated believably into the plot in this engrossing mystery.
Booklist
The characters are lovely, three-dimensional, fully developed people. There's depth to Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver. There's history and background that feeds into their behavior and actions. As a reader you can believe them because their actions and thoughts are consistent with what we'd do in similar circumstances... It's a book you won't want to put down. I'm looking forward to another Harper Connelly story.
SF Revu
GRAVE SURPRISE was a pure delight to read. The relationship between Tolliver and Harper is uniquely intriguing but never overshadows the rapid pace of the plot. GRAVE SURPRISE is a wonderful book with many layers and I can't wait to read the next addition to this series.
I Love a Mystery
You go to Ms. Harris' books for the rich detailing of Southern life, the many interesting background characters, and for getting to know an unusual group of people. I'm glad to meet Harper and her friends.
Fiction Nation (XM Radio)
A refreshing supernatural mystery series.
Monsters & Critics
A fast and furious read. As in all her work, Harris effortlessly takes her reader from the macabre to the sorrowful with humor and humanity. This writer has a certain something in her prose that no one else writing today can match.
Crimespree Magazine
...exciting... Harris dependably delivers fear with charming down-home finesse.
Publishers Weekly
In the third installment of Harris' eerie and mesmerizing series, big changes are afoot for plucky psychic heroine Harper Connelly. [A] terrifying tale... What more could you ask for than a creepy mystery and a chilling drama?
Romantic Times
Harris's greatest strength is creating realistic, fully-rounded characters with just a sentence or two...fans of paranormal mysteries will snap this book up.
Library Journal (Starred Review)
Harris' series makes the most of its unusual premise, using the paranormal elements to good effect. She has also created a winning heroine.
Booklist
Harris' unadorned, visceral prose deftly describes her locales and her characters. The violence, while hard-hitting, never exceeds what's called for to set up the scene. This satisfying whodunit is recommended for any mystery fan seeking an original female character operating in a vividly evoked provincial setting.
Mystery Scene
This is the third in the series, and it just keeps getting better and better.
The Gumshoe Review/SF Revu
Harris always writes a good mystery. The usual twists and turns keep the reader turning the pages. An added bonus this time is that Harper's relationship with Tolliver moves forward.
BookLoons
PRAISE FOR CHARLAINE HARRIS' ANTHOLOGIES
For MANY BLOODY RETURNS (co-editor Toni L.P. Kelner)
This...anthology of 13 new vampire stories proves that heavy-weight contributers can give some substance.
Publishers Weekly
Experienced genre hands ensure the high quality of 13 stories about birthdays and vampires.
Booklist
[An] amusing original anthology. For fans of the series represented here, this is an entertaining birthday party well worth checking out.
Locus
13 talented writers have found clever ways to intertwine two seemingly disparate themes. Some stories are better than others, but all are entertaining and worth reading. This excellent collection will appeal to the growing legion of paranormal fans.
Library Journal
...readable and memorable... This is a must-buy book for genre fans, and a fantastic introduction for new readers and to some of od the best-known writters in
Like visiting old friends. Each of the authors lend their unique perspectives ranging from humorous to melancholy, fiendish to hopeful making for a thoroughly enjoyable take on vampires and birthdays. Editors Toni L.P. Kelner and Charlaine Harris have done a fine job of cooking up a toothsome collection of birthday treats you will not want to miss.
Monsters & Critics
A carefully crafted anthology that envelopes readers in the dark and often humorous world of the paranormal. A fabulously fun visit with the characters, both old and new, of some of the best paranormal fiction authors in print today.
Darque Reviews
Some of the best paranormal writers in the business, each featuring their superstar characters. If you are a fan of these authors, it is well worth the time. Such a long list of literary luminaries is hard to pass up and with a unique theme such as birthdays for the undead it makes for a fine read.
Book Fetish
An anthology no paranormal fan should miss. Each story is entertaining and engaging. I guarantee that this anthology is the perfect book to read.
Romance Reviews Today
A fabulous collection of short stories ranging from funny to heart-breaking. There's something for everyone in Many Bloody Returns and you just might discover a new favorite vampire author.
Vampire Genre
If you are a fan of these authors, it is well worth the time. Such a long list of literary luminaries is hard to pass up and with a unique theme such as birthdays for the undead, it makes for a fine read. I do suggest reading them over a few days, or even weeks...that's a lot of birthday cake in one sitting!
BookFetish.org
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