Make Me Dead

Vampyres of Hollywood #3

by Adrienne Barbeau

L.A. TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR!
MAKE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD... As always in a Vampyres of Hollywood mystery, the biting wit is sharper than a nip from a passing vampyre—in a word, humor, wit, and satire are what this engaging series is really all about. You’re going to get a good mystery every time, with lots of action, suspense, and adventure, but the best part is the clever and witty writing. Nobody’s better than Barbeau at skewering the foibles of Hollywood and its self-involved denizens, and nobody’s got a smarter mouth than her movie star heroine, vampyre--Please! Never merely "vampire"--Ovsanna Moore, this time in New Orleans for a horror convention. (Fasten your seat belts—lots of fun to be had at the expense of horror conventions!)

Traveling with Ovsanna is her human true love, hot LAPD Detective Peter King, Peter’s snake-dancing neighbor Susie Q, and the detective’s memorabilia-selling mom. But unbeknownst to the quartet, someone else is with them—someone from the past who can be extremely dangerous. It all gets off to a rollicking start when some poor fool dressed as Buffy the Vampire (sic) Killer has the temerity to take on an ACTUAL vampyre—i.e. the glamorous Ovsanna Moore. From there we go to Snakes At the Con, hoodoo practitioners, bayou hilarity, and a nail-biting battle-of-the titans ending.

For all mystery readers who love humor—because if you think you don't like vampyre books, you haven't met a woman sleuth like Ovsanna Moore. Don't think “vampyre”, think the fulfillment of your fondest fantasy—a woman who wins every fight; who (being 450 years old) can say exactly what she wants with no guilt and no regrets; and who, even at the advanced age of 450, is sexy as a 20-year-old and still up for hot romance.

Part comic mystery, part police procedural, a little bit supernatural, paranormal, and cccult (with a dash of old-fashioned vampyre romance), MAKE ME DEAD is guaranteed to make you laugh out loud—more than once.

Genres: Paranormal, Humor, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, Fiction, Vampires

211 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 20, 2015

About the author

All my life I’ve been a performer – an actress, a singer, a dancer, even a talk show host – but never in the wildest dreams of my first 50 years did I ever imagine I would write something that other people would read. I still can’t quite get over it.

Adrienne began her career entertaining our servicemen throughout Southeast Asia. She made her Broadway debut as Tevye’s daughter, Hodel, in Fiddler on the Roof. A Tony nomination and a Theatre World Award for her creation of Rizzo in Grease led to the role of Bea Arthur’s daughter, Carol, in the hit series Maude.

Since then she has become a best selling author, a recording artist, and the star of numerous features, films for television, concert performances, musicals and plays.

Her films include The Fog, Escape From New York, Creepshow, Swamp Thing, Back to School, and Cannonball Run, the award winning “zombie film” Alice Jacobs is Dead and Oscar's Best Film winner, Argo.

With a Golden Globe nomination and over 450 screen performances to her credit, she starred as Ruthie, the Snake Dancer, on HBO’s series, Carnivale. Her recent appearances include Son’s of Anarchy, Dexter, and Revenge.

Off camera, Adrienne is the voice of Catwoman in Batman, The Animated Series, and she can be heard in a myriad of video games: God of War and Halo 4 among them.

Adrienne is the author of three books: the best-selling memoir There Are Worse Things I Could Do; Vampyres of Hollywood; and the most recent Love Bites.

In March of 1997, Adrienne gave birth to identical twin boys, William and Walker Van Zandt, m age 51, “the only woman on the maternity ward who was a member of AARP”. She lives in Los Angeles, but travels to Japan whenever she can to visit her older son, Cody Carpenter.

Reviews

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of the reviews I've read communicate that this story has wit and humor, which it does. However, if you think you're reading JUST that, you would be sadly mistaken. This is a mystery comedy with horror elements. This is the third part of a series and in each subsequent novel, Ms. Barbeau's writing gets stronger. The initial setting is at a Horror Movie Convention and the murders that happen there involve the horror movie icons one would find there as well as the fanboys and fangirls that attend. Strong effort with intriguing plot. You don't need to have read the other stories to understand this one, but the characters continue from one novel to the next. Worth your time because there are real scares here that touch upon horror tropes, defying expectations along with the mystery elements. Works as a standalone, but better when read in sequence. Also, worth it to check out Barbeau's writing. Her narrative voice fits her story.

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say that I was disappointed in this, the third book of the series. The story itself was okay, bringing back a character that we thought we had seen the last of, but I have a complaint about the writing in this one. In the previous books, the stories were set in Hollywood and everyone spoke normally. This one was set in New Orleans, so all of a sudden several of the characters now speak (poorly) Cajun French. I live in Louisiana, so it irritates me when writers give the impression that we're all Cajun, live in the swamps, and ride our alligators to work. It was especially bad since in the last book, none of the characters talked this way. Anyway, it was a pretty glaring mistake. I give it 3 stars for the story, but was not impressed by the rest.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't give this book 4 stars because it's a classic or because the writing was outstanding or because the plot was innovative. I gave the stars because it was great fun to read. The book's about a vampyre queen who also happens to be a hollywood scream queen (and her mother and grandmother) who is faced with a dilemma when one of her fanged offspring goes all murderous at a horror convention. Lots of inside jokes here. The author is Adrienne Barbeau, who played Maude's daughter in the TV show. She also starred in quite a few scary movies, including The Fog and Swamp Thing. Her vampyre family includes a galaxy of hollywood stars, including Orson Welles, Rudolph Valentino, etc.
I really enjoyed this book.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Make Me Dead

Chaos reigns at a horror convention in New Orleans in this third installment of Vampyre's of Hollywood series. This book held my attention better than the last. It's a fun story for anyone who is a movie buff, but it does have its tense moments. I like the growth between Peter and Ovsanna's developing relationship. Wonder if there will be a fourth.

[Analisa Parres · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an easy read

It's an easy read with a pretty good plot that did leave me want I g more. I hole this author continues with the series.

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story, and not your usual vampire plot. It easy to read, and full of twists, and humor. Well done, and always look for more by her.

[Stan Hutchings · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Vampyres of Hollywood" is book 1, "Love Bites" is book 2 and "Make me Dead" is book 3 of a trilogy. They feature vampires, a hunky detective, werewolves and many other supernatural monsters. They should be read sequentially, since they are the same story, but continued over three books. "Make me Dead" really needs to be read as a continuation of the first 2 books. They feature a very sexy 450-year-old vampyre; a human, desirable, hunky LA detective; Maral as a very interesting personal assistant; and a host of other characters, in a three-book romance/mystery/horror story. There is lots of action in all the books with vampires, werewolves, boxenwolves, shifters and other supernatural horrors as people and creatures end up dead. Between encounters with monsters, there is also plenty of sexual tension usually followed by intense consummation. Considering the amount of violence and blood, the books are surprisingly humorous. "Love Bites" takes place in and around Los Angeles; and "Make me Dead" at the NOLA Ghoulfest III. I just wish I'd read "The Vampyres of Hollywood" first because the books continue the story started there.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am biased a bit. In 2010 when "Love Bites" came out, Publishers Weekly sent it to me to review. Being a good little book reviewer (and a fan since kidhood of Adrienne Barbeau, I read the first book before reading the second. And I loved it. I really liked the second too & gave it a good review in PW. Thanks to social media, I even got to see Adrienne's reaction to my review. I didn't read this one for years because I abhor ebooks. BUT a couple months ago, we met Adrienne (and she signed my advanced reader's copy of Love Bites)...and she is just the nicest person {she gave us television recommendations and took selfies with us and promised to consider writing a kids book--at my suggestion}. So I broke down and read this--only to find out it takes place at a Conference just like the one where we met her! AND it takes place in New Orleans...our favorite city to visit. So I am biased...this was a lot of fun and I did laugh out loud a few times. Read the whole trilogy. It is worth it.

[Cliff Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the others but amusing as any of them and a good continuation.

[Marge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third time is indeed a charm!! Loved every book so far! Keep them coming!

[Warren Cartwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little story...

[William S. Flowers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book. Kind of a different slant on a vampire's life. Lot of name dropping of some of my favorite actors.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, satire, wit, dead stars, vampires, love, magick, and making fun of everything Hollywood.

[Lois Welsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get ready for a roller coaster ride.

Plenty of twists and turns.

I love the characters and how they interact.

There are adult situations with details so be ready for that.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third volume in the Vampires of Hollywood and I am sorry this is the last one. I love Barbeau's humor and sarcasm and the way she gives "the industry" the business.

[Timothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less of a mystery than the previous two books in the series. It seems the main purpose is to capture the relationship between Ovsanna Moore and Det. Peter King.

[Dawn Ireland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting take on vampires.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the third book in the Vampyres of Hollywood series by Adrienne Barbeau. I enjoyed the building relationship between Ovsanna Moore and Peter King. The story was fun, set at a horror convention in New Orleans, but it wasn't quite as good as the first two books in the series. I do hope to read more in the future from Ms. Barbeau.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in a series; but I read it first because that is how I roll ;)

This is a fun story about a Vampyre Studio owner who is attending a Horror-con in New Orleans. Ovsanna is a 450 year old Vampyre who runs a Hollywood studio that specializes in horror films. Vampyres look great on film and she has been in Hollywood since the silent era reinventing her self as her daughter and granddaughter.

She has her lover and food source, a Beverly Hills PD detective; his mother and the cast of her TV series along for the convention. Unfortunately some of her cast members won't be coming home.

This book is told in the first person by three separate characters, which is indicated in the chapter headings- but if you don't read chapter headings [me totally me] it is a little confusing until you catch on.

Over all it is a 3.5 or of 5.

[Michael Starsheen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I gave this book four stars because it was well written and the characters are interesting. If you like vampire fiction, this is a fun book, the third in this series. I recommend this book to you.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be honest. The cover is what made me look at the book in the first place. The story was the delicious icing on the cake!
Great story! Had a blast reading it! Hope there are many, many more to this series!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun

This is a different kind of vampire story. It takes place at a horror
convention where the main character is starring. There is love, death and the occasional Buffy the Vampire Slayer along with enough romance to hold your attention to the end.

[Patricia Mccammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good

When two of her movie stars are killed, the vampire of Hollywood along with her detective lover has to find out who is responsible.

[PJ Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darker.

I enjoyed this more than book two, it goes a little bit darker and I liked the characters a bit more. The story also flowed better for me.

[Robbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book, but I did expect a bit more humor. I rated it 3 stars.

[Angela Kitchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

style reminded me of Janet Ivanovich