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Felix Gomez #2
X-Rated Bloodsuckers
When Felix Gomez returned from the War in Iraq with a disdain for daylight and a raging thirst for blood, he knew he couldn't settle for an ordinary 9-to-5 job. So after his discharge, the newly undead ex-infantryman chose the career that he felt best suited his vampiric private detective . Now he's been approached by sexy porn star Katz Meow, who wants Felix to investigate the murder of her once-equally agile friend and fellow toiler in the video sex-biz, Roxy Bronze. But his investigation into L.A.'s hardcore jungle is turning into a triple x-rated nightmare populated by hot babes, sleazy producers, sleazier politicians, sham evangelicals, and fanatical secret societies. And here on the seamy underside of Tinseltown, “immortal” doesn't necessarily mean “unkillable.”
332 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
33 people are currently reading
779 people want to read
About the author
Mario Acevedo
65 books270 followersBorn in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico, but visited family in Chihuahua. Joined the US Army and flew attack helicopters.
Was artist-in-residence for Arte Americas in Fresno, California and served as a combat artist in Operation Desert Storm. Also teaches/taught art to prisoners at Avenal State Prison.
Was artist-in-residence for Arte Americas in Fresno, California and served as a combat artist in Operation Desert Storm. Also teaches/taught art to prisoners at Avenal State Prison.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
January 16, 2015
It was an open and shut case. A porn star is murdered. Her body is found in an alley with no signs of a struggle. The police quickly close the case. Only it wasn't an open and shut case.
Felix Gomez is hired by the starlet's friend to investigate Roxy's death. He peels away layer after layer exposing the dark underbelly of porn, politics, and religion. A powerful porn mogul was angry at Roxy for buying out her contract. A real estate investor was furious at her for getting involved in community action to stop a new multi-million dollar development. A local politician connected to the deal was also mad. And, somehow, a televangelist was connected as well.
Like any good P.I. Felix uses his wits, a stubborn streak, and a little muscle to dig out the answers. Unlike other P.I.s, Felix has an ace up his sleeve. He is a vampire. He can use his powers to get the truth out of witnesses and get into places an ordinary man could not. Ordinarily this would be enough to unwrap this mystery. Unfortunately, in this case, the local vampire leader seems to be tied up in Roxy's death as well. To unravel all these loose ends, Felix must dodge bullets and the ruthless undead!
A few petty knocks on the story. Sometimes needless sexuality was injected into the story. Felix spends a lot of time admiring the female form - which is fine but it seemed excessive somehow. (To be fair, the title should have been fair warning). Also, there were some parts of the whole vampire thing that I just didn't buy. For example, with a little sunblock and a good set of shades he is able to make it through daylight hours. Without it he would burst into flames. Really? That seems implausible to me. What if he missed just a little spot? I think the author should've bent the rules on vampires somewhat - make them light sensitive rather than vulnerable. Finally, the ending - when everything came together - was a little unbelievable to me. I wasn't buying it. Can't say more without ruining the story.
Three and a half stars out of five. The whole story was pretty enjoyable. Worth a read.
Felix Gomez is hired by the starlet's friend to investigate Roxy's death. He peels away layer after layer exposing the dark underbelly of porn, politics, and religion. A powerful porn mogul was angry at Roxy for buying out her contract. A real estate investor was furious at her for getting involved in community action to stop a new multi-million dollar development. A local politician connected to the deal was also mad. And, somehow, a televangelist was connected as well.
Like any good P.I. Felix uses his wits, a stubborn streak, and a little muscle to dig out the answers. Unlike other P.I.s, Felix has an ace up his sleeve. He is a vampire. He can use his powers to get the truth out of witnesses and get into places an ordinary man could not. Ordinarily this would be enough to unwrap this mystery. Unfortunately, in this case, the local vampire leader seems to be tied up in Roxy's death as well. To unravel all these loose ends, Felix must dodge bullets and the ruthless undead!
A few petty knocks on the story. Sometimes needless sexuality was injected into the story. Felix spends a lot of time admiring the female form - which is fine but it seemed excessive somehow. (To be fair, the title should have been fair warning). Also, there were some parts of the whole vampire thing that I just didn't buy. For example, with a little sunblock and a good set of shades he is able to make it through daylight hours. Without it he would burst into flames. Really? That seems implausible to me. What if he missed just a little spot? I think the author should've bent the rules on vampires somewhat - make them light sensitive rather than vulnerable. Finally, the ending - when everything came together - was a little unbelievable to me. I wasn't buying it. Can't say more without ruining the story.
Three and a half stars out of five. The whole story was pretty enjoyable. Worth a read.
March 9, 2011
X-Rated Bloodsuckers is completely forgettable. The 2nd installment of the Felix Gomez series follows the same pattern of good pacing paired with a lack of characterization and complicated plot with a slapdash ending. On the plus side, I read the first book in the series (Nymphos of Rocky Flats) and thus was not expecting much from this book to begin with, so I can't say I was especially disappointed. Fortunately, I borrowed this from a friend rather than pay full price, and recommend you do the same if you absolutely have to read it.
The plot begins with Felix getting called to Los Angeles by porn actress Katz Meow to investigate the murder of her friend and fellow adult-film star Roxy Bronze. Conveniently, the Araneum--the secret society of vampire police--also request Felix's involvement in L.A. to investigate and exterminate anyone connected with a vampire-human collusion, which they believe may be connected to porn king Cragnow Vissoom and leader of the Los Angeles nidus (vampires), who was also Roxy's former producer.
Shortly upon Felix's arrival, he is tapped by Coyote, a local vampire who claims to be the reason Felix was summoned to L.A. by Katz Meow. Coyote is a comic foil for Felix, a caricature whose car consistently requires pushing in order to start, eats rat chorizos, and has an aggravating habit of speaking every second line in Español. Spanish--with the appropriate translation provided in English immediately following each line of foreign dialogue. Foreign words used once or twice in a story are colorful, but this gimmicky use of Spanish throughout the novel serves no purpose other that distracting the reader from the story.
Plot turns lead Felix to a human chalice club (a club where humans "owned" by vampires willingly serve themselves up as food), to city hall and Councilwoman Venin, a Christian televangelist, a surgeon, a local community humanitarian for whom Felix develops an attraction, and various adult film stars. These multiple suspects mean that no clear-cut evidence exists to leave a trail of bread crumbs for Felix or the reader to solve the mystery. In fact, Felix manages to solve the case through sheer dumb luck when a guilty party confesses his involvement at the end in attempt to save his own life.
In addition to the poorly-planned plot, there are several unexplained holes in the logic of the vampire society that exists in the novel: vampires cast no reflection; their skin is translucent; and their eyes contain a tapetum lucidum--a lens animals possess which reflects like back through the retina and makes them appear to shine in the dark. Given these extraordinary traits, the author maintains the logic that an entire society of vampires has remained hidden for thousands of years by the use of make-up and sun-block to hide their complexions, contact lenses, and strategically avoiding mirrors! In one scene, Felix conveniently has the waiter seat himself and a date in a different section of the restaurant to avoid a mirror on the wall. There is no rationale is provided to explain the existence of vampire powers to include levitation, paranormal strength, transformation into animals, and immortality. The author has conveniently selected various tropes from the vampire mythology to fuel the story and made no effort to rework them.
So, if you like mindless entertainment, vampires, and the kitschy use of sexy titles to attract readers, then X-Rated Bloodsuckers might be the book for you. If you prefer logic-based fantasy worlds where the vampire mythology is somehow explained or rewritten with a new and interesting spin, then X-Rated Bloodsuckers is definitely not your cup of tea.
The plot begins with Felix getting called to Los Angeles by porn actress Katz Meow to investigate the murder of her friend and fellow adult-film star Roxy Bronze. Conveniently, the Araneum--the secret society of vampire police--also request Felix's involvement in L.A. to investigate and exterminate anyone connected with a vampire-human collusion, which they believe may be connected to porn king Cragnow Vissoom and leader of the Los Angeles nidus (vampires), who was also Roxy's former producer.
Shortly upon Felix's arrival, he is tapped by Coyote, a local vampire who claims to be the reason Felix was summoned to L.A. by Katz Meow. Coyote is a comic foil for Felix, a caricature whose car consistently requires pushing in order to start, eats rat chorizos, and has an aggravating habit of speaking every second line in Español. Spanish--with the appropriate translation provided in English immediately following each line of foreign dialogue. Foreign words used once or twice in a story are colorful, but this gimmicky use of Spanish throughout the novel serves no purpose other that distracting the reader from the story.
Plot turns lead Felix to a human chalice club (a club where humans "owned" by vampires willingly serve themselves up as food), to city hall and Councilwoman Venin, a Christian televangelist, a surgeon, a local community humanitarian for whom Felix develops an attraction, and various adult film stars. These multiple suspects mean that no clear-cut evidence exists to leave a trail of bread crumbs for Felix or the reader to solve the mystery. In fact, Felix manages to solve the case through sheer dumb luck when a guilty party confesses his involvement at the end in attempt to save his own life.
In addition to the poorly-planned plot, there are several unexplained holes in the logic of the vampire society that exists in the novel: vampires cast no reflection; their skin is translucent; and their eyes contain a tapetum lucidum--a lens animals possess which reflects like back through the retina and makes them appear to shine in the dark. Given these extraordinary traits, the author maintains the logic that an entire society of vampires has remained hidden for thousands of years by the use of make-up and sun-block to hide their complexions, contact lenses, and strategically avoiding mirrors! In one scene, Felix conveniently has the waiter seat himself and a date in a different section of the restaurant to avoid a mirror on the wall. There is no rationale is provided to explain the existence of vampire powers to include levitation, paranormal strength, transformation into animals, and immortality. The author has conveniently selected various tropes from the vampire mythology to fuel the story and made no effort to rework them.
So, if you like mindless entertainment, vampires, and the kitschy use of sexy titles to attract readers, then X-Rated Bloodsuckers might be the book for you. If you prefer logic-based fantasy worlds where the vampire mythology is somehow explained or rewritten with a new and interesting spin, then X-Rated Bloodsuckers is definitely not your cup of tea.
March 27, 2018
I was extremely charmed by the Coyote character, and I would've preferred a book with him as a main character. Or really anyone besides Felix Gomez, except for another character similar to his. I was pretty disgusted by the casual way this book described the way he was a freakin' sexual predator, and the way it was presented as being normal. The way that it tried to use it for comedic effect when he casually sexually assaulted a woman because she made fun of his friend's ride, and then later, with the same woman, she sneered at his bike, so that's okay, then, too. She was a snobby bitch that did cocaine, anyways, so it's funny when he "whammies" her, and then uses her. And no, it wasn't sexual penetration, not on those characters, at least, although he did consider it but either didn't have the time or didn't want to because he decided he'd rather have sex with the chick he just hooked up with earlier. What a gentleman. And speaking of that, that was revolting. How it was presented that he REALLY liked her, so he wasn't going to rape Veronica. No, he wanted it to special with her. Ugh. Sorry, I'd love to point out specifics and quotes but that would mean I'd have to read through the book again and it would just make me angry. And the reason it was so disturbing is that his thoughts weren't portrayed as being out of the norm. He is a vampire, yes, and so he has the ability to hypnotize and then physically and sexually assault women and though that's not a scene that fully happens in the narrative, just alluded to happening frequently at other times, Felix is presented as being a decent guy, a normal guy (besides the vampire part.) He's not conflicted by how he's raped who knows how many women. And that made this book very scary to me.
March 24, 2010
There is nothing quite like mixing vampires and porn. Better than Twilight? Yes. More obvious than Anne Rice? Absolutely. A little bit sexier than Sookie and her adventures? Not really. The fact remains that Marios Acevedo does some very interesting things with vampires, but sometimes misses the mark, especially when it comes to sex and vamps. I was expecting, as I should have been with a title like "X-Rated Bloodsuckers", to read about some real x-rated shit, well, this is not the case. I was hoping, against hope, for some really detailed sex scenes taken right out of some modern porn movies, but alas, this was not the case. I can't blame Acevedo for this as I am sure the sex scenes were not really his main focus. I mean were talking about a detective novel here, not porn. But still, what a tease... x-rated bloodsuckers.
Anyway, I digress. X-Rated Bloodsuckers was a worthwhile vamp novel. One doesn't even need to read the first book to get the second. The idea of a vampire P.I. has endless possibilities and luckily for us, the readers, we don't even have to deal with the bullshit vampire posturing as we see with the likes of one Stephanie Meyer. Acevedo makes no pretense here that he is writing the great vampire novel. He is clearly well read in the ways of vampire novels, not completely oblivious like some. So, the book has its moments. No glittering, no "vegetarians" just plain old vampires doing what vampires do best... feed, glamor their victims, and yes, there are even some sex scenes involved. Overall, a good read to be had. Now I get to read the next two! Hooray for me!
Anyway, I digress. X-Rated Bloodsuckers was a worthwhile vamp novel. One doesn't even need to read the first book to get the second. The idea of a vampire P.I. has endless possibilities and luckily for us, the readers, we don't even have to deal with the bullshit vampire posturing as we see with the likes of one Stephanie Meyer. Acevedo makes no pretense here that he is writing the great vampire novel. He is clearly well read in the ways of vampire novels, not completely oblivious like some. So, the book has its moments. No glittering, no "vegetarians" just plain old vampires doing what vampires do best... feed, glamor their victims, and yes, there are even some sex scenes involved. Overall, a good read to be had. Now I get to read the next two! Hooray for me!
February 4, 2009
Felix Gomez is a vampire PI who takes on the case of a murdered porn star. With such an enteraining description on the dust jacket I expected to be instantly engrossed. Unfortunately, the plot ticked along with metronome proficiency. New suspect. New motive. New clue. New suspect. New motive. New clue. Add love interest.
I think the series has a lot of potential, but needs more character development. Felix Gomez just wasn't interesting enough to be carrying a series like this.
I won't be reading the next book in this series, but would recommend it for a mystery lover who is looking for something a little different.
I think the series has a lot of potential, but needs more character development. Felix Gomez just wasn't interesting enough to be carrying a series like this.
I won't be reading the next book in this series, but would recommend it for a mystery lover who is looking for something a little different.
March 24, 2015
OK, more of a detective novel than vampire, and again the title seems misleading. Sure there were a few porn actresses scattered around but the most risqué part came during a feeding encounter near the end. I'm not disappointed that I read it, but I don't think I'll be continuing with the series.
December 29, 2019
X-RATED BLOODSUCKERS is an improvement on the already entertaining NYMPHOS OF ROCKY FLAT. I'm really enjoying the adventures of Felix Gomez and this encouraged me to buy the entirety of the series. For those unfamiliar with the books, Felix Gomez is a vampire detective hired by porn star Katz Meow to investigate the death of her ex-partner Roxy Bronze. Felix is not interested until the whiff of vampires becomes involved and he heads out to Los Angeles, California to investigate her ex-boss, a coven of vampires, a local politician, and a fraudulent preacher.
It's an interesting mix of stories that comes off as one part Chinatown and one part Dresden Files. The detective element of the story surprised me as it proves to be an actually intelligently written and complex mystery that didn't even need vampires to be awesome. However, it DOES have vampires and I very much enjoyed that element.
I really liked Felix's development in this book as he has an opportunity to become involved with a woman but he has to lie to her constantly due to his unwillingness to reveal his undead status to her. I also liked the new character of Coyote and hope he shows up in future books.
In conclusion, a very solid and hilarious storyline with a surprisingly engaging mystery. I think you could do far worse for entertaining urban fantasy with a humorous bent.
9/10
It's an interesting mix of stories that comes off as one part Chinatown and one part Dresden Files. The detective element of the story surprised me as it proves to be an actually intelligently written and complex mystery that didn't even need vampires to be awesome. However, it DOES have vampires and I very much enjoyed that element.
I really liked Felix's development in this book as he has an opportunity to become involved with a woman but he has to lie to her constantly due to his unwillingness to reveal his undead status to her. I also liked the new character of Coyote and hope he shows up in future books.
In conclusion, a very solid and hilarious storyline with a surprisingly engaging mystery. I think you could do far worse for entertaining urban fantasy with a humorous bent.
9/10
November 4, 2020
I was unsure about this, when I started, but I ended up really enjoying this. I really enjoyed the beginning, but life interfered and I ended up setting it down. Sometimes when I do, it is hard for me to pick a book back up and that's exactly what happened here. Not because I didn't like it, but because I got distracted by other books. I'm glad I did. Felix is a vampire that is not necessarily struggling with his loss of humanity, but is feeling ghost pains of his humanity. This time, the PI is brought in to investigate the murder of an adult film star that he knew in passing in childhood. The story is told well and Felix is fairly likable. He is not perfect by any means, but to the reader, he is very upfront about who he is. Although not obviously predictable, it is not hard to deduce who the murderer is.
One of the big issues I had with the story was when Coyote and Felix were talking to each other, there was a lot of Spanglish, which is a sentence or convos that are half English, half Spanish. I grew up hearing these, so the conversations themselves flowed very well for me. What took me out of the story sometimes was, right after you read one of these Spanish phrases, the author would repeat it in English. I understand why he did it, but for someone who understood the first time, it was very redundant.
One of the big issues I had with the story was when Coyote and Felix were talking to each other, there was a lot of Spanglish, which is a sentence or convos that are half English, half Spanish. I grew up hearing these, so the conversations themselves flowed very well for me. What took me out of the story sometimes was, right after you read one of these Spanish phrases, the author would repeat it in English. I understand why he did it, but for someone who understood the first time, it was very redundant.
June 25, 2025
This book was so vehemently written by a man it makes the book practicaly unreadable. I don't like the way the author so casually writes about the main character thinking about [and commiting] sexual assault.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2021
An original take on the vampire genre.
I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it.
May 28, 2017
Ok, so this book kind of pissed me off. The first book wasn't so bad, but this one was fraught with inconsistencies from the first book and an over use of phrases. Not to mention the fact that some of the plot lines and characters from the first book were never even mentioned!
January 1, 2009
I enjoyed the second book in the Felix Gomez series both a little more, and a little less.
As I mentioned before this book seems to be the male version of the paranormal romance/chick-lit that is so popular now. Someone on Goodreads called it dude-lit, and I will concur. (and steal the word).
While chick-lit is centered on romance, dude-lit seems centered on sex, and not always in a good way. The first book used the word vagina more than a medical text, it only makes a couple of appearances in the this book. I think Acevedo goes out of his way to brush up his dude credentials by making a lot of the sex without feeling, no emotional entanglements. It makes the book a bit crude and the characters rather too slick.
The continuing crude-ness is one of the reasons I like this book a bit less than its predecessor. What is forgiven in a first book, becomes annoying in subsequent books. It also seems to be a bit of a slog in terms of reading. There are a lot of plot threads and clues, but not well connected or used. Felix just keeps going round and round, not getting it, and having adventures. The adventures seem to be the reason for the book. They are all nicely cinematic. But at some point you begin to tire of the same clues, and people, and similar adventures (shootings, explosions, fights, chases).
Why I like the book more than the first one, is there is more meat to the story, and the main characters are better fleshed out. Felix shares more of his early years, and seems to again find an impossible love (which he then reduces to mechanical sex). He has an interesting side-kick in the book, Coyote who is well done. I hope he appears in future books. I also like the crow messenger of the Araneaum, the vampire power structure.
I also enjoy more of the Hispanic flavor of the book. Its a new vampire twist for me. We again have vampires who are not just buff and beautiful, but older, short, fat, and balding.
Acevedo also uses the idea of auras and vampire eyes and vision to make them both more interesting, and also more vulnerable. They have great power when they can use them, but they are so strange that they need hide them behind contacts and sunglasses, and are not always able to be used.
While the first book was about the danger of aliens, this book seems to be about the danger of humans, even to vampires. The actual mystery, and the people who are involved are just thin plot devices to let Felix go barging around, having cinematic adventures. He is investigating the death of a porn star, and the porn industry, and the Araneum wants him to find out if vampires in the LA nest have revealed themselves to humans and are working with them, instead of enslaving them as chalices (read permanent blood donors).
There is a lot of action, innuendo, and body parts, and a touch of humor. Felix explores the greed, and evil of both humans and vampires with too much money and no soul. Those who in business, politics and religion will take advantage of others for their own power and financial benefit. I will read the next one.
As I mentioned before this book seems to be the male version of the paranormal romance/chick-lit that is so popular now. Someone on Goodreads called it dude-lit, and I will concur. (and steal the word).
While chick-lit is centered on romance, dude-lit seems centered on sex, and not always in a good way. The first book used the word vagina more than a medical text, it only makes a couple of appearances in the this book. I think Acevedo goes out of his way to brush up his dude credentials by making a lot of the sex without feeling, no emotional entanglements. It makes the book a bit crude and the characters rather too slick.
The continuing crude-ness is one of the reasons I like this book a bit less than its predecessor. What is forgiven in a first book, becomes annoying in subsequent books. It also seems to be a bit of a slog in terms of reading. There are a lot of plot threads and clues, but not well connected or used. Felix just keeps going round and round, not getting it, and having adventures. The adventures seem to be the reason for the book. They are all nicely cinematic. But at some point you begin to tire of the same clues, and people, and similar adventures (shootings, explosions, fights, chases).
Why I like the book more than the first one, is there is more meat to the story, and the main characters are better fleshed out. Felix shares more of his early years, and seems to again find an impossible love (which he then reduces to mechanical sex). He has an interesting side-kick in the book, Coyote who is well done. I hope he appears in future books. I also like the crow messenger of the Araneaum, the vampire power structure.
I also enjoy more of the Hispanic flavor of the book. Its a new vampire twist for me. We again have vampires who are not just buff and beautiful, but older, short, fat, and balding.
Acevedo also uses the idea of auras and vampire eyes and vision to make them both more interesting, and also more vulnerable. They have great power when they can use them, but they are so strange that they need hide them behind contacts and sunglasses, and are not always able to be used.
While the first book was about the danger of aliens, this book seems to be about the danger of humans, even to vampires. The actual mystery, and the people who are involved are just thin plot devices to let Felix go barging around, having cinematic adventures. He is investigating the death of a porn star, and the porn industry, and the Araneum wants him to find out if vampires in the LA nest have revealed themselves to humans and are working with them, instead of enslaving them as chalices (read permanent blood donors).
There is a lot of action, innuendo, and body parts, and a touch of humor. Felix explores the greed, and evil of both humans and vampires with too much money and no soul. Those who in business, politics and religion will take advantage of others for their own power and financial benefit. I will read the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2008
This is the second book in the Felix Gomez series, but for some reason, I didn't find it quite as entertaining as the first. A lot of the ridiculousness of some of the situations, that I found so amusing in the first book were missing from this second book.
In similar vein to book 1, Felix Gomez, still a private eye, has now been called to Los Angeles to investigate the death of porn star Roxy Bronze. Upon arriving in LA however, he finds that the person who visited his office only the day before to hire him, one Ms. Katz Meow, has joined the ranks of the missing herself. But Felix has been given a secondary, and perhaps even more important, assignment while in LA. The Araneum, the governing force of the Vampires, has asked him to look into suspected collusion between vampires and humans, since it's forbidden for the vampires to reveal their true identity to any human other than those who provide them blood, conveniently called chalices.
I definitely liked this book enough to want to read the 3rd in the series, The Undead Kama Sutra , which was just released this past March. I only hope that this series doesn't begin to take the "sequel spiral". I'd prefer to see it get better instead. ;)
In similar vein to book 1, Felix Gomez, still a private eye, has now been called to Los Angeles to investigate the death of porn star Roxy Bronze. Upon arriving in LA however, he finds that the person who visited his office only the day before to hire him, one Ms. Katz Meow, has joined the ranks of the missing herself. But Felix has been given a secondary, and perhaps even more important, assignment while in LA. The Araneum, the governing force of the Vampires, has asked him to look into suspected collusion between vampires and humans, since it's forbidden for the vampires to reveal their true identity to any human other than those who provide them blood, conveniently called chalices.
I definitely liked this book enough to want to read the 3rd in the series, The Undead Kama Sutra , which was just released this past March. I only hope that this series doesn't begin to take the "sequel spiral". I'd prefer to see it get better instead. ;)
August 15, 2011
X-Rated Bloodsuckers is the second Felix Gomez mystery in the series by Mario Acevedo, and I honestly enjoyed it as much as I did the first book, The Nymphos of Rocky Flats.
Felix is an Iraqi War veteran turned vampire turned supernatural shamus. (Down these mean streets an UNDEAD man must go.) Based out of Colorado, Felix returns to his native L.A. after being hired by a porn actress to investigate the murder of fellow adult film star, Roxy Bronze.
Even without its supernatural bent, X-Rated Bloodsuckers is a solid whodunit, and Acevedo delivers a hard-boiled detective story within the guise of urban fantasy that helps one appreciate the genre anew.
I also enjoyed getting to know Felix’s “partner” — and I used the word loosely — Coyote. Coyote is an ancient vampire who smells of rancid rat chorizo, and who is irritatingly mysterious and elusive. I would say more, but I hate spoilers!
Great characters, a good story, and a fair amount of action and humor make this a very memorable, very enjoyable read. I can’t wait to read all of Felix’s hard-boiled adventures.
Felix is an Iraqi War veteran turned vampire turned supernatural shamus. (Down these mean streets an UNDEAD man must go.) Based out of Colorado, Felix returns to his native L.A. after being hired by a porn actress to investigate the murder of fellow adult film star, Roxy Bronze.
Even without its supernatural bent, X-Rated Bloodsuckers is a solid whodunit, and Acevedo delivers a hard-boiled detective story within the guise of urban fantasy that helps one appreciate the genre anew.
I also enjoyed getting to know Felix’s “partner” — and I used the word loosely — Coyote. Coyote is an ancient vampire who smells of rancid rat chorizo, and who is irritatingly mysterious and elusive. I would say more, but I hate spoilers!
Great characters, a good story, and a fair amount of action and humor make this a very memorable, very enjoyable read. I can’t wait to read all of Felix’s hard-boiled adventures.
February 22, 2013
The completist in me (it can't be the optimist, I'm not that optimistic) wanted to give this book a try after the first one failed to impress. But...this one pretty much had the same effect. This isn't in any way reflection on Acevedo's literary abilities, he is a capable writer and I understand that a vampire PI series is what sells nowadays and hence is what he writes and while he probably does this better than most out there, I just couldn't bring myself to care about this book, plot of characters. There was plenty of action and the killer wasn't obviously hinted at until about page 300 out of 370, which was pretty impressive and if paranormal detective fiction is your thing, you'll like this book. Otherwise, it's just an ok way to pass the time.
September 13, 2013
A fun romp. Felix is in trouble and is asked to solve a murder of a porn star. He travels through LA basin solving this crime that seems to permeate the undead and the living.
Though the antagonist was not introduced in the first third of the book, he does manage to foreshadow and make enough connections that it is plausible.
if you liked old Anita Blake or other cross genre hard boiled detectives you will enjoy the Felix Gomez mysteries.
Though the antagonist was not introduced in the first third of the book, he does manage to foreshadow and make enough connections that it is plausible.
if you liked old Anita Blake or other cross genre hard boiled detectives you will enjoy the Felix Gomez mysteries.
October 11, 2013
I don't get it why the Felix Gomez series got so many low ratings. It's true that they're not exactly mind-blowingly good, but they aren't that disastrous either, or maybe it's because I have seen even worse. To me they are not significantly different from the Sookie Stackhouse books, but of course they got way more popular because of the True Blood series. I might get sick of Felix Gomez by the time I reach the 5th book, but so far it's a fun ride.
December 1, 2008
Felix Gomez is a vampire PI who winds up in strange situations, or at least that is what was established in book one. Book two was just as strange and funny.
You'd think by the titles of these books that they would be Xrated but honestly there isn't anything like that in there; just a whole lot of funny.
You'd think by the titles of these books that they would be Xrated but honestly there isn't anything like that in there; just a whole lot of funny.
December 31, 2024
Somehow, I'd expect a book with both vampires and the porn industry to be more interesting. Felix Gomez is hired to find out who killed a well-known porn star, traveling from his home in Colorado to Los Angeles to take the case.
Felix also happens to be a vampire, and the ruling body of the vampires wants him to go to LA to look into rumors of the great secret of vampires' existence being revealed to humans.
He finds lies, crooked cops, corrupt politicians, a questionable preacher, and possibly the strangest vampire I've ever run across, and I used to play Vampire the Masquerade, so I know Malkavians.
It sort of feels a bit like a noir, but with added complications of vampires. I have to admit, it's a matter of taste, but I didn't like the way the vamps in this world can operate during the day. The main character wasn't that interesting to me. One of the side characters might have been a much better main focus for the book.
It was an ok, not great, read.
Felix also happens to be a vampire, and the ruling body of the vampires wants him to go to LA to look into rumors of the great secret of vampires' existence being revealed to humans.
He finds lies, crooked cops, corrupt politicians, a questionable preacher, and possibly the strangest vampire I've ever run across, and I used to play Vampire the Masquerade, so I know Malkavians.
It sort of feels a bit like a noir, but with added complications of vampires. I have to admit, it's a matter of taste, but I didn't like the way the vamps in this world can operate during the day. The main character wasn't that interesting to me. One of the side characters might have been a much better main focus for the book.
It was an ok, not great, read.
October 7, 2020
X-Rated Bloodsuckers, probably don’t expect much based on the title. However, this was a fun book to read. It’s a murder mystery, but some of the folks are vampires and some are humans. Oh yeah, and in some scenes, the vampires becomes wolves. There was a lot of crazy and not stellar writing. However, it was fun to read, so I’ll give it 4 stars because the fun part made it slightly above average.
Challenges:
ABC - letter X
Category 49 - book that starts with the letter X
Challenges:
ABC - letter X
Category 49 - book that starts with the letter X
October 8, 2024
It has been a long time since I read the first Felix Gomez book (over 15 years), but I did enjoy it. This second instalment in the series isn't bad, but I didn't find it as humorous as I recall the first one being. It is primarily a detective story, with some noir elements, but the protagonist is a vampire.
The writing is solid, but not exceptional and the plot is interesting, but does get a little far-fetched at times.
The writing is solid, but not exceptional and the plot is interesting, but does get a little far-fetched at times.
January 15, 2021
I liked it better than the first and think this is more about solving the murders than vampires. Felix is still treating women as objects first, maybe because of trying to put a noir flavor on the story. Coyote is a very interesting character and you only get a glimpse of his power. And how does that crow find him?
August 30, 2018
The second Felix Gomez novel. Pretty good but I think there were some points that were stretched thin. I like the character Felix but some of the ancillary characters and plots not so much. An interesting look at noir and vampires.
June 16, 2017
Iraq-war-vet-vampire-PI investigates porn star murders. Liked the 1st half more than the 2nd.
July 14, 2017
I love the Felix Gomez series. It's witty, twisted and humorous. Acevedo's style is one that I long to read more of. Looking forward to the next one.
January 7, 2018
Decent vampire mystery, but not my style. Language too crude for my tastes.
February 20, 2018
Sooooo much better than the first one. Loved this story and all the characters. Hopefully we'll see more from Coyote later down the line.
Starting the third book now...
Starting the third book now...
October 3, 2019
Couldn't keep my interest
April 25, 2020
This a decent vampire detective story. Could use little better humor.
June 25, 2022
A different vampire series. Fun and very engaging .
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