Dead Reckoning: Back on familiar ground

Dead Reckoning, the latest book (11) in Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mystery series hit shelves on 3 May, 2011. Thanks to excellent service from Apple’s iBooks store, the ebook was waiting for me this morning. I didn’t even get my coffee made before I started reading and I read it straight through, in less than 5 hours. Does that mean it was good?

It was certainly a fun and fast read.

Those familiar with the story thus far will find much to like about Dead Reckoning. And a few things that will tick them off. Our saucy Sookie is back in full force, which after the mopey watercolored Sookie of Dead in the Family (Book 10) is a welcome sight. Indeed, almost the entire cast is familiar by now and it’s good to see they haven’t changed much. Newcomers don’t stick around long in Area 5 it seems.

Sort of sounds like Twitter RP.

On the whole this book is the literary equivalent of your favorite jeans. Mostly broken in and comfortable but still holding some surprises. Harris weaves in some great details from the color of Sookie’s nail polish to the size of Grandpa Mitchell’s feet to the crows feet kissing the corners of Jason’s eyes (he’s a bit young for that, isn’t he?) to the fact that faeries aren’t elves.  And seriously, how many hairdressers can a girl who had only been to a beauty salon a couple of times in her life before Club Dead know?

Fans of both the SVM books and HBO’s original series True Blood will laugh  and growl and maybe cry as they work through the pages. Neither will be sorry they read it. Just that it ends where it does.

When does book 12 come out?