Sookie Stackhouse has survived a lot since her debut in 2001?s Dead Until Dark. Having fought vampires, werewolves and fairies, Sookie came up against her biggest challenge yet in 2010?s Dead In The Family; Eric?s maker Appius and his murderous young prot?g? Alexei. Now she?s back for her eleventh outing in Charlaine Harris? new book Dead Reckoning. Taking place weeks after the events of Dead In The Family, Dead Reckoning finds Sookie trying to get to the bottom of two mysteries when Merlotte?s is fire-bombed and Eric appears to have fallen out with Pam. To make matters even worse an old enemy is back on the scene that is determined to kill Sookie once and for all.

Dead Reckoning is an exciting, surprising and enjoyable instalment in The Southern Vampire Mysteries series (aka The Sookie Stackhouse Novels). More entertaining than True Blood, the TV series based on Harris? creations, Dead Reckoning continues to grip readers thanks to its fast-moving plot and frequent surprises. The Sookie that exists in this instalment is very different from the Sookie we met in the first book and this time she?s out for revenge against Victor ? the vampire who is trying to get rid of Eric, Bill, Pam and Sookie.

The plot finds Sookie reaching a crossroads in her life wondering where her relationship with Eric is going, trying to understand why her fae cousin Claude is living with her and adjusting to having her fae great uncle Dermot under her roof. She?s also trying to figure out how best to support her deceased cousin?s telepathic son Hunter whose father Remy is leaning on Sookie to guide his way in life. Add to that the complications of having fairy ancestors, a were-panther brother, a werewolf pack-leader in lust with you and an vampire ex-boyfriend still holding a torch, and you can see Sookie has a lot of things to juggle.

What always makes Harris? prose so engaging is the way she mixes smart-one liners along with Sookie?s dry wit. As the novel is, as always, written from Sookie?s perspective you often encounter informal dialogue where she handily serves up reminders about previous events and characters. Whilst this sometimes gets irritating, for the most part it?s useful as Harris? world is such a rich one that you would easily be forgiven for forgetting a few vital plot points. Harris knows how to keep you reading and Dead Reckoning is a real page-turner. We couldn?t put it down once we got a couple of chapters in and there?s so much packed in (which we won?t reveal too much about) that it?s wonderful for the imagination.

Dead Reckoning is a strong instalment in this popular series and we?re already eager for Harris? next book. The world in which Sookie lives is a dark and hazardous one but it?s certainly never dull. The book?s ending leaves a few aspects of Sookie?s life open and we?re already trying to think how they will continue. She?s left with some important decisions to make and the realisation that people simply don?t always know others as well as they think they do. Dead Reckoning is sure to be another best-seller and it?s a complete joy to go on another bloody adventure with Miss Stackhouse.