Song in the Dark

In the latest installment in the vampire files, P.N. Elrod continues the enthralling story of Jack Fleming and his constant battle with coming to terms with his undead nature. Song in the Dark picks up shortly after Cold Streets. If you haven't been reading through the series you will want to go in order, each books builds on the previous book. In this story Jack is coming to terms with his near 2nd death experience and the impact it has had on dealing with a trauma so brutal and serious, that a normal person would not have lived through. The book starts off on a high point and keeps building from there; it will hold you on your seat till the very last page. This book shows a new aspect to being an Undead vampire, the extreme trauma and how someone deals with going on night after night, after facing a foe and situation that would destroy a normal person and even destroy an indestructible vampire.

It took me a while to get around to reading this book because I'm too broke to buy the hardcover editions, and too busy to read much fiction anymore. P.N. Elrod's Jack Fleming series is one that I always make time for eventually, however. The Fleming books have gotten better with each entry, and *Song in the Dark* is the best yet. Jack's PTSD following his experiences in *Cold Streets,* and its effect on those close to him, often made for difficult reading--I wanted to *help* him, and he had very few places he could turn to for help, given his situation. This led me into several mini-crossover-fiction fantasies in which the characters in my books somehow manage to run into Jack and have a fruitful discussion with him. I'm making this embarrassing public confession to demonstrate how realistic and affecting the characters in the Fleming series have become by this point. I like the fact that Elrod is less cautious about letting her books be chapters in a series. The early Fleming novels tended to have a lot of explanation and backfill, which could be mildly annoying. Now the books just charge ahead, and Elrod isn't afraid to let loose ends dangle for future resolution. I'm a sucker for "the never ending story" and I don't think books in a series should, or have to, stand alone. My only count against *Song in the Dark,* and it's a minor one, is that I saw one of the major plot twists coming as soon as the critical element of the twist was introduced, and I honestly couldn't understand why the other characters remained oblivious to it. This did not hamper my enjoyment of the story in any way, however, it just raised a small plausibility question. P.N. Elrod announced on her LiveJournal that she has finished the next book in the series, and I'll be very eager to read it.

I have yet to be disappointed with any of these Vampire Files books from P.N. Elrod. They have continue to surprise me with the depth of research on the genre (Chicago gangs), the understanding and presentation of the various psychological issues -- especially in this latest book. I don't give spoilers out its not fair in my opinion to those that haven't read the book yet. I was surprised more then once including at the end of the book. A joy to read and I am looking forward to reading the next one.

In the previous Jack Fleming book, Cold Streets, Jack was mercilessly and hideously tortured by the sadistic Hog Bristow. Due to his vampiric nature, he survived something that would have killed an ordinary man a dozen times over. In P.N. Elrod's latest book, Song In The Dark, which takes place only a week after Cold Streets ended, Jack is trying desperately to come to terms with not only the pain he endured, but also the form his revenge took. His psyche is still that of an ordinary mortal, and though the physical scars are fading fast, he is having a near impossible time recovering from the psychological and emotional wounds he suffered. And to make matters worse, he's begun to have debilitating seizures, can no longer hypnotize anyone without having the most god-awful headaches imaginable, and has a nearly uncontrollable craving for blood. However, life (or in Jack's case, Undeath) goes on, and there are plenty of other complications to keep Jack and company busy. Jack is still standing in for Gordy while he recovers from a gunshot wound. He's also got his nightclub, Lady Crymsyn, to run. Whitey Kroun, the mob boss who sent Hog Bristow to Chicago is in town himself, and wants to know who's responsible for Hog's death. With him is his deputy Mitchell, a man from Bobbi's past. Add to that two murders, lots of lowlife suspects, and dozens of twists and turns! Throughout the entire book, Elrod lets us see how Jack's new disabilities affect his relationships with his partner Escott, as well as with Bobbi. And even though there are lots of hints of what's to come, the confrontation near the end between Jack and Escott is absolutely mesmerizing! As always, reading a Jack Fleming book is a little like catching up with old friends (or in certain cases, old enemies!), and I'm certainly glad that Elrod's left Jack in somewhat better straits than he was in at the end of the last book!

After being tortured for over an hour and being skinned alive, vampire Jack Fleming, owner of the nightclub Lady Crymsyn, in Chicago of 1938 is recovered physically but is an emotional wreck. He can't hypnotize anyone without getting a vicious headache. He has uncontrollable muscle spasms and an unholy thirst for blood to drink. He is afraid if he is with his girlfriend Bobbie, he will be unable to control his bloodlust so he keeps his distance from her at a time he needs her most. His friend, mob boss Gordy is sick and while he recovers, Jack takes his place. A New York Crime lord is in Chicago to hear why Jack killed the man who tortured him before bumping off Jack. The vampire risks the headache and hypnotizes him into becoming his friend. When the lead singer at and his ex wife are both murdered, Jack resolves to find the killer. When a mob war breaks out Jack has to watch his back from his enemies because in his present condition he could be killed and in a horrible twist, his greatest enemy uses Bobbie to bring him to his knees. P.N. Elrod has written another exciting vampire crime thriller featuring an immortal but not invulnerable protagonist who suffers from panic attacks because of lingering psychological trauma. This vulnerability makes Jack even more of an endearing character in the tradition of Heathcliffe. The infighting in Chicago is very realistic in an Al Capone sort of way. Only Jack limits the violence as much as possible. This long running series just keeps getting better and better. Harriet Klausner