The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf

The Portlock Paranormal Detective #1

by Heather G. Harris, Jilleen Dolbeare, Alyse Gibbs (Narrator)

Someone paid the vampire king’s creepy son to turn me into one of the bitey undead. I’m not hanging about to find out who or why. The vampires want me to stay with them for one hundred years of indentured servitude but I have this thing about following orders so I ran from the streets of London to the wilds of Alaska.

I have an eidetic memory and a can-do attitude. I can-do anything to get away from the vampire king. So when the Sheriff of Portlock, a hidden paranormal town, invites me to be his assistant, I say sure thing. It beats servitude hands down.

At first things seem ideal in Portlock, I make a new friend and even get asked out on a date. But the truth is, there are secrets aplenty. The paranormal council are at each other’s throats, figuratively of course. But then someone rips out a werewolf’s throat, literally this time.

I need to work with the Sheriff to find the killer, before he strikes again. We just need to winnow through werewolf pack issues, council politics, and more suspects than you can shake a stake at. Simple.

Portlock is a melting pot of witches, necromancers, vampires and shifters, but things are starting to boil over. I hope I don’t get burnt.

Dive into this fast-paced urban fantasy series if you love humour, heart, found family and a slow-burn romance.

Don't miss the other Portlock Paranormal adventures:
1. The Vampire and the Case of her Dastardly Death
2. The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Mystery, Magic, Shapeshifters

Audiobook

First published March 1, 2024

Reviews

[Ronda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fab book by Ms Harris and a definite yes from me!

I love the storyline and the world that Bunny lives in, the mysteries and investigations keep your mind ticking over and you can't help but guess at what or who is happening!

A great first book and I look forward to stepping into book 2!

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe a start to a great series? Verdict’s still out. The story is very much a cozy mystery with a touch of UF rather than the other way around. The main character is a newly turned vampire who lives in a paranormal town but we really don’t see much “paranormal” happening. Well, at least until the end. It’s mostly a milk-toast mystery but not in a bad way. It is satisfying just not delectable. It does hold a whole lot of promise, though, as both the characters and the world are intriguing with loads of possibilities.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being turned into a vampire against her will, the MC runs away to Alaska, hiding from the London Vampire King. Why? Because he decided, for some unknown reason, that she should be a slave for 100 years. The authors talk around a lot of important info, and I'm not sure if that's because they don't know either, or that info will be dropped in another book. Either way, this mystery based fantasy book was entertaining and left me looking forward to the next book.

[Katyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5*

I enjoyed the book, the case, the characters. But I have to say the FMC took a hard turn into TSTL at the end that was off-putting enough that I almost gave this 3 stars.

Moving on to book 2. There are some interesting overall mysteries here that I feel driven to unravel, which is great. But my TSTL tolerance is low, so one more bit of bullshit on that level and I'll probably bail.

[Rosemarie Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun. Bunny isn't your average vampire, she is newly turned and had no blood lust. She's an anomaly. This book is fast paced. Full of delicious humour and I just enjoy the snarky snippets. Exciting, detective skills, danger and budding friendships, what is not to love. Highly recommended

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily please note there may be spoilers!

 

Bunny is finding her feet in Portlock, Alaska after fleeing from the Vampire that was paid to turn her and his father who is the Vampire King of Europe and 100 years of indentured service!

Portlock is a supernatural haven and Bunny is the new Admin Assistant for the local law enforcement agency which is small and we find her out and about looking for a missing boy.

Luckily the boy is found quickly unfortunately there are still a few missing residents and soon Bunny’s ability to observe various minor details and eidetic memory are being utilised by the supernatural chief of police her boss Gunnar and soon the cases are becoming more than just missing persons/shifters and Bunny is suddenly very busy as a part time detective.

Bunny Barrington is a very unusual vampire she is newly turned and has none of the usual newbie vamp traits which has the Vampire Leader of the town baffled and Bunny wondering even more about exactly why she was turned.

 For now it’s still a mystery so we just have to wait for more answers in the next book in the series.

[JWinter · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very cozy mystery. And not in a good way. Chapters that amounted to nothing, An MC that had no business being a detective? detectives assistant? Way too long for something so simple and eh. Would classify this as a cozy mystery with an undercurrent of supernatural.

[CassieCruel · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at British chick and tea

The forewarning of British slang had me at the get go, and this book did not disappoint, I love Bunny and her attitude and humour

I cannot wait to continue this adventure!!

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting paranormal series set in a small town in Alaska. I'm a sucker for anything paranormal and anything set in Alaska so you know this really got my attention. I should have read the one before this to get exactly what happened to Bunny and how a London girl wound up in the wilds of Alaska working for the NOMO (Law enforcement), but enough was explained that I was able to get through without too many problems. It was fun and I liked all the different shifter characters. Plus we have a dog named Fluffy. A woman named Bunny with a German Shepard named Fluffy, you know the story has to be good.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

The authors do a great job of creating a believable fantasy world. In the first few pages, Bunny said, "No one is going to be interested in me. I’m a nobody – I’ll be fine." That was, in fact, a lie. For Bunny, this is a fresh start. She is a newly turned vampire living in a new country starting a new career. She knows nothing about the supernatural world that she's been thrust into and her knowledge about both the USA and police work is limited to what she learned watching TV back home in London. As she learns the ropes of being a vamp and assiting the we get hints that she is no ordinary vamp. The story starts off strong and finishes the same with no lulls in the middle. I didn't feel tempted to skim any parts and I'm looking forward to the next book.

I'm someone who often skips prequels or goes back to read them later. Reading the prequel first in this case is probably helpful as this story tells next to nothing about how Bunny was turned and how she got to Alaska. This story references the events in the prequel but doesn't really summarize them for readers who skipped it.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has started out as a fun little series. Bunny cracks me up, love that she comes up with new stories for everyone who asks how she got her name. Her very unvampireness makes her a great character and i really want to know why she is so unvampirelike. What makes her that way, why is she special. Lots of interesting characters in the town of Portlock and I can't wait to read more.

[Mettesknit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-listened October 2, 2024.

Audiobook narrated by
Alyse Gibbs
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An exquisite British mystery in Alaska.
Very entertaining!

[Christin Ketelsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Portlock is full of vivid characters! Bunny is trying so hard to fit into her new life as a freshly turned vampire and it seems detective work is right up her alley (mixed with a ton of paperwork.) Bunny's handicap of not knowing a lot about supernaturals is getting shaved down with each new case. Disappearances, murder, and mayhem keep happening in town while Bunny is learn the ropes of being an assistant to the police Chief. With her perfect recall and whit, she is getting really good at her job. Now if somebody in town would just stop trying to kill her...

[Paula Dawes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Bunny is a vampire but not only doesn’t she know the rules (didn’t read the rule book) but she also doesn’t seem to fit in as a normal vampire. What vampire doesn’t like blood? Bunny has come from England to Alaska (what a change!) and is working for the towns police department. She is insightful, trying very hard not to believe stereotypes and has a great memory. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop and am ready for her next adventure!

[fiore ♡♡]

DNF @ 5% lmao the min she mentions her parents mansion I'm like "ah yes rich kid roughing it in Alaska, love to see it"

[Maria Fledgling Author Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunny and the missing Werewolves

Elizabeth Octavia Barrington had fled London, England because she had been out partying, got cornered for a quick kiss and, instead, was bitten by the son of the Vampire King of Europe. Which, she found out, required 100 years of servitude to the King before she was free to ‘enjoy’ her immortality.

Bunny, as Elizabeth is preferred to be known as, decides to heck with that. She finds out there are supernatural towns, like free reservations, that she can reside in as a free resident. That's how Bunny Barrington ends up in Portlock, Alaska, a town who’s hours open at 4pm and run until 4am.

Bunny works as an assistant to Gunnar Johansen, the Nomo, their de facto chief of police. And Portlock needs all the help it can get. A rash of murders, and missing people, under strange circumstances has the residents shaken. Gunnar puts Bunny right to work.

While Bunny gets used to life as a Vampire, Gunnar, observing her keen questioning skills and her fabulous memory, takes her with him on his investigations. Before she knows it, Bunny is confronting flying werewolves, moonshiners and angry witches.

Over the course of her information gathering, Bunny hits some raw nerves. Her rescue dog, Fluffy, a German Shepard, goes with her and adds his sensitive nose to help. But Bunny’s house is bombed by a Molotov cocktail, she's almost poisoned and then shot in the line of duty. Will Bunny survive her immortality?

The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf is a hysterically funny, bone-chillingly scary and thoroughly satisfying fantasy read with a little English lilt to it. Jilleen Dolbeare and Heather Harris make a delightful writing team. I can't wait for the next one in the series.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this book, and I just love Bunny so much! This series starter, with a prequel, was so darned good, I didn’t want to put it down. As I said, I just love Bunny, Gunnar, Sidnee, and all the other characters. Throw in a wonderful mystery, and you have me hooked. Speaking of the mystery, I didn’t figure it all out, even up to the end where there was a little surprise twist. I hope this series continues for a very long time! A fun, well-written, engaging urban fantasy sure to please all who love this genre. Highly recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Dragana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember how I said "The Portlock Paranormal Detective" series might become a new comfort read for me? Yeah… I was 100% right. I couldn’t resist and immediately jumped into "The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf".

Everything I loved from book one was still there—our charmingly flawed and optimistic heroine, the light humor, the cozy urban fantasy vibes. It was just so easy to read. I flew through over 500 pages in a single day without even realizing it. Total book bliss.

And yes, I’m already diving into the next one. I just can’t help myself.

Rating: 4.5 stars, but rounding to 4 stars on Goodreads because we still don’t live in a world where half-stars exist.

[Ewa · Rating 2 out of 5]

dałam temu szansę po daniu jednej gwiazdki na tomie 0,5, ale jakoś dużo się tutaj nie poprawiło. główna bohaterka dalej jest zbyt dziecinna (who tf wybiera sobie imię "bunny" bez żadnego wyraźnego powodu oprócz tego, że do ciebie "pasuje"???), tempo akcji dalej jest nierównomierne i za długie o jakieś 250 stron, bohaterowie dalej nie mają sensu i zachowują się mdle i nierealnie itd.
ogólnie na tym tomie kończę z tą serią i nawet fakt, że główna bohaterka jest wampirem nie zmusi mnie do przeczytania następnych 5/6(?) tomów.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Bunny’s first case. She is really trying to find her feet in a new country, job and as a new vampire. She has her dog, Fluffy but everything else is new.

She’s a great character and I love that she makes up a new story for anyone that asks the meaning of her name. There’s missing residents, murders, council meetings and parties. It’s a real mix of crime procedural, action and humour. There were so many funny bits - I particularly liked the “like wrangling a horny octopus” phrase.

There were a few twists and surprises; and I didn’t figure anything out before it happened which kept it interesting.

Can’t wait for the next one!

[~Jennifer~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read!

I really liked this book, my only complaint is she said supernaturals were a secret, yet it was implied her parents knew. She had no ideal they existed and never explained how her parents did. I know trying keep that part mysterious, but I think it needed a little explanation. It is a slow burn romance, to the point it is nonexistent in this book. I don’t mind because it was light, quick read.

[Marion Over · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding small town urban fantasy!!!

I absolutely loved this!!!! I couldn't set it aside. What great characters and the story was phenomenal!!! Fast paced, mysterious and filled with paranormal beings. I'm a sucker for German shepherds so Fluffy was loved throughout the story.

[Kat (Ginger Bibliophile on YouTube) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Work kept getting in the way of my reading, but the sass, the puppy…the ending! Of course I somehow managed to read the rest of the series before this one, but seeing Bunny’s origins was so fun and I’m 100% behind her after that last bit.

[Sheia (Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy surface read. Don't need much brain power or emotional currency to invest in it. The mystery is linear for the most part—one suspect to the next. I found the FMC a bit annoying in the beginning, with repetitive thoughts. Then, I just accepted it.

Recommended to readers who need a light read. This not for those wanting to get out of reading slump.

Genre: Paranormal with minute threads of romance
✅️ paranormal town
✅️ different species
✅️ murder mystery
✅️ newly turned vampire
✅️ cute dog
✅️ detective and police work

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf is book one in The Portlock Paranormal Detective series by Heather G. Harris and Jillen Dolbeare and narrated by Alyse Gibbs.

Within the first few minutes of listening, I felt like I was missing some key context. After a bit of digging, I discovered there is a prequel that explains how Bunny became a vampire and ended up in Portlock, Alaska. I highly recommend starting with that prequel to get the full story.

After the prequel I returned to the story and I found it to be a delightful listen. It’s a charming blend of cozy mystery and urban fantasy. We follow Bunny as she acclimates to the town of Portlock and its supernatural residents. Bunny is a fascinating anomaly; despite being a newly turned vampire, she lacks the typical bloodlust. While I’m still undecided on her—she fluctuates between being impressively capable and slightly frustrating—her companion, Fluffy, is easily my favorite. I suspect there is much more to this K9 than meets the eye.

Audio: Alyse Gibbs is a nice narrator who brings the story to life with distinct voices for every character. Her pacing is excellent, maintaining a comfortable flow that keeps the plot moving.

Overall, The Vampire and the Case of the Wayward Werewolf provided a nice start to the series; I’m looking forward to continuing listening to the rest of the Portlock Paranormal Detective collection.

Rated: 3.5 Stars

[Chrissy Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is insanely good!
It’s just as gripping as the first, but longer and more intense.
Bunny is now settling into her new life in Alaska, far away from England. She is starting her new job, trying to learn how to be the best vampire she can be, and yes there is a test, and making new friends all while solving the occasional murder and assassination attempt.
I loved loved loved this book and highly recommend it.
In the interests of full disclosure, I got an advanced copy for a review.

[Mariela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunny is adorable!

I am on board with this funny vampire girl! Vegetarian vampire? Is that what we call a vamp who doesn't like blood and only drinks cuz she has to? Lol I am glad there are more books. This was fun read!

[Piper James · Rating 5 out of 5]

When england and Alaska meet

an English vampire named Bunny living in Alaska. After being turned against her will, Bunny is not only trying to find her way in her new home, but also learning how to be a supernatural. Working alongside the Nomo, she is helping investigate a disappearances and murders. She also meets the handsome leader of the Vampires- Cooper. Luckily, with Bunny's photographic memory, she picks things up quickly. Will she fit all the pieces together before her new world is shattered?
I received an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 200 pages too long, with none of them adding a thing to this story. The backstory consisted of about 2 short sentences: I got turned against my will and now I'm on the run in Alaska. That's pretty much it. She goes from a secretary to solving crimes all because she has an photographic memory? Please. 2.5 stars

[Amyiw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Failed to review and here I am trying to remember how this went. Now need to reread.