Diana Tregarde Investigates

Diana Tregarde #1-3

by Mercedes Lackey

Long before Buffy showed the world how tough girls could be and Laurell K Hamilton shows us that you could have a vampire (or werewolf) for a boyfriend, Mercedes Lackey created Diana Tregarde. Diana is a Guardian charged with saving innocents and destroying evil wherever she finds it. Because if she doesn't, evil will find her—and kill her first.In Children of the Night, Diana is running her friend’s occult shop in New York City when trouble does finds her. Mr. Trouble, as she calls him, is a vampire whose psychic power makes her radar go off the charts. So when she discovers that he’s the new benefactor of ex-boyfriend Dave Kendall’s band, she’s not surprised to see how bad Kendall looks. It will take all of Diana’s power—and the aid of a sexy vampire protector with a score of his own to settle—if she’s to save Kendall now….In Burning Water, Diana gets a call from Detective Mark Valdez, an old college friend turned cop. When Valdez realizes that the serial killer stalking Dallas is not human, he knows he needs help. Unfortunately, Tezcatilpoca, an angry Aztec god, is on the rampage and Diana fears she’s met her match. But as luck would have it, Texcatilpoca isn’t the only god in the world.In Jinx High, Diana is summoned to Oklahoma by an old friend who fears that his teenage son is in supernatural danger from a fellow classmate. Faye Harper, the “it” girl with a mean streak a mile wide, is actually a sorceress whose power is disturbing. So disturbing, in fact, that an ancient being who slumbers underground is being awakened by it…and all hell is about to break loose—literally. Jacket art by Chris McGrath. (Approx. 800 pp.) 1989-1991.

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery, Fiction, Magic, Romance

800 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2006

About the author

Mercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.

"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.

"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.

"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:

"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."

Also writes as Misty Lackey

Author's website

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone else out there sure that Misty is kicking herself over her blatant refusal to write any more Tregarde considering the recent paranormal popularity? Of course, Andre would have had to be a more central character....

re-read trilogy (again) in March 2011... the original covers were God-Awe-ful! the Hugh Syme covers were gorgeous and why do we have the Chris McGrath rip-offs everywyere?

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprise! I am a huge Lackey fan - I've read everything ever printed set in Valdemar, and most of her other books too, including the collaborations - and for whatever reason, I had never heard of Diana Tregarde. Recently, though, while wasting time on the internet, I found a reference to something Lackey wrote called "The Last Straw."

My interest piqued, I hunted it down and was a little surprised to see what could only be termed an online temper tantrum. (Not saying I blamed her, exactly, but it was still a bit of a surprise.) From what I gather, at one point after this series was introduced, a sociopath or two decided to spread the word that the novels were based on reality and there really were hunters and guardians, and they came up with all sorts of explanations and recruited followers. Like a cult. And then they threatened Lackey's loved ones.

Yikes.

I still wasn't quite sure about these, since I like fantasy-fantasy better than urban fantasy as a rule, and Lackey herself stated in her rant that these books sold poorly. But like I said, my interest was piqued and I eventually bought this omnibus edition, which contains all three Tregarde novels in one volume.

I'm very glad I did. Like everything Lackey does, they have the perfect balance between action and exposition, they're artfully written, and they're very entertaining. Despite being urban fantasy, the magic system (which are sometimes a bit boring and limited since there's usually a need to explain why, apologies for mixing series, us muggles don't witness magic all the time) is well done and interesting. And despite having the standard badass heroine - Diana is expert in karate and one of the most powerful witches around - she's got plenty of flaws...and she's more grounded and less conceited than usual, too. Come to think of it, all of the characters were pretty likeable.

All three books have their own settings with plenty of time between them, but characters in the earlier books have cameos in the later ones; it's always nice to meet up with a character you've grown to like. It was amusing to see some of Lackey's signature phrasing in a book that has nothing to do with Valdemar. Also amusing was in book three, where Lackey gives writing advice via Diana, who tackles a high school composition class.

So while I regret to say that there are no guardians or hunters in real life and this book is clearly a work of unadulterated fiction, all three books are ripping good fun and this three-story volume is a terrific way to get into them.

(And if you're in the mood to watch a famous fantasy author explode all over the interwebs, do Google "Lackey The Last Straw." If nothing else, you'll want to see what all the fuss was about.)

[Donna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Ms. Lackey's best. I basically bought it to see what all the hoopla was about.

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As an omnibus, the first book was enjoyable but not great, and the second and third books were absolutely amazing. My only real issue with it at all is that the endings of Burning Water and Jinx High simply felt too rushed. I felt Mercedes Lackey could have expanded those last two books and made them more coherent, maybe tied up some of the plot lines a little better and altered the twists, but the pacing, the characters, and the plots were incredible. I so badly wish she had continued this series!

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two stories were good, worth the read. The third.... merely ok, already fading from mind as I type.

Diana Tregarde is a Guardian, a special psychic-type person who is a cross between a witch and a sorcerer. Enjoyed the Witchcraft/Wiccan references, she did her home-work on that one. Sadly lots of tropes found in this series, so many tropes! OH the tropes!

STILL enjoyable.
... except that last book. Decided big MEH to that last one.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

These were interesting stories. The last story ending seemed to leave room for another story featuring Diana Tregarde, but for one reason or another this series seems to have been abandoned. There are no more stories out that feature this heroine or story line.

[Kerry]

Witty, fun, fast reads, these Diana Tregarde blend the real world with magic. Diana protects innocents, often at her own peril. "Nobody expects Snow White to be packing heat," but that's what our hero does.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've written individual reviews for all three stories in this book, Children of the Night, Burning Water, and Jinx High, as I felt they warranted that.

I really enjoyed the book, and it's a definite keeper for me!

[Linda Malcor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this one for show. I keep the paperbacks for easy reading.

[Lebora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally discovered the Diana Tregarde stories when I was in high school. Years later I was excited when I found this particular addition that included all three books in the series. While I am a HUGE Mercedes Lackey fan, these books are among my absolute favorites.

Diana Tregarde is a great, down to earth, heroine who deals with bills, magic, and personal tragedy with an air of competence and determination that makes her character likable. Children of the Night, the first story in the trilogy, introduces Diana, her unique life as a guardian, and some well written supporting characters. Burning Water was an amazing follow up that was able to create a unique, chilling, new storyline while giving the reader updates regarding past characters. Jinx High was (and still is) my absolute favorite. While some aspects of high school have changed over the years, Mercedes Lackey created an evil teenage witch who puts a lot of more current bad girls to shame.

I am thinking about purchasing a few other Diana Tregarde short stories that I have discovered online and hope that Mercedes Lackey will surprise fans with another installment or two. I realize that these books were not as popular as some of her others, but they are still great reads.

[Aaron Meyer]

So far I have only read one novel in this collection of three so this review will be updated in due time...
Children of the night
The book is set during the early-mid seventies in New York City. You have a vampire, psychic vampires, a Japanese monster, witches and gypsy's, go figure eh? The story of decent and could of been better if the lead character Diana wasn't so weepy and always breaking down. Sure I know she had to work through things from a previous incident, which must I would hope come in another story in this book?, but it was so drawn out that I came close to just putting the book down, then to top it off her ex-boyfriend was very similar in character as well!! The story does pick up towards the end though and comes to an interesting if not predictable conclusion. I almost feel like the author was trying to work through some emotional baggage with this book but that's just my opinion : ) This story rates between two and three stars.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started to read this and then found myself lose interest half the way through. I found the first book rather enjoyable and started to get hung up on the second. It just seemed to draw on for no particular reason. The characters were more shallow and fluffy than most of Lackey's books. She is one of those authors who has books that range from almost too intence to seemingly novice - this was definitely the latter. I also found it odd that her website had them in the wrong chronological order (or I am more confused than I originally thought).

I may go back and pick it up again some day but it is rare that I can walk away from a book in the middle - and after doing so it will take an extreme hunger to pull me back.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diana Tregarde Investigates comprises the three volumes of Mercedes Lackey's 1989-1991 Diana Tregarde trilogy - Children of the Night, Burning River, and Jinx High. The compilation presents the books in a logical order rather than in print release order.

Diana Tregarde is a witch/sorcerer, Guardian whose has the job of protecting a sction of the world from malevolent spirits, witches/sorcerers, and demons. Each of thesewell-written and entertaining stories cover one of these cases. The stories have a sufficient amount of horror, fantasy, and humor to keep a reader involved from beginning to end.

Readers no familiar with 1960's and 1970's history and society may want to spend a little time researching some of the tidbits that are woven into the stories.

[Aaron Fk · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories were pretty good, but not great. They are essentially detective novels with a fantasy twist. Diana Tregarde is witch (in the movie sense of witchcraft) who consults for a police department on a series of murders and associated mayhem. She has the typical attraction to the lead detective, even if he can't possibly understand what being a witch is.
This are a different direction for Mercedes Lackey as she typically writes fantasy novels-knights, goblins, and the like. She is a remarkable writer and though I like this line of her books; they are not overwhelmingly great. I still recommend them.

[Mark Isaak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly good characters and background. I am not totally convinced Lackey does not make up the rules for magic as she goes along, but at least she is not blatant about it. One of the novels within this collection of three does get resolved by a literal deus ex machina, but in a way that works for the story. And the action leading up to the end is at least as important as the end itself.

I found Lackey's style of expressing her character's thoughts essentially as lines of dialog to be off-putting, but is probably just personal preference.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked the first book of this 3 book compilation, but the second and third were disappointing.
The main difference was that the first book was told primarily from Diana's perspective, while the other 2 were told by the perspective of not terribly interesting secondary characters. The result was to make the title character 2-dimentional.

[DaNela · Rating 5 out of 5]

*BIO*

[Dana Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books!

[Nancy Raines]

Diana Tregarde, Books 1-3

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love them, but Jynx high is not for the weak of stomach. Not that any of them really are, but I definitely had to wonder about her inspiration a bit during a few scenes.

[David R · Rating 3 out of 5]

"New stories" set in Diana's past.
this character predated Anita Blake and Buffy Summers.