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The Vampire of Plainfield
Plainfield, Wisconsin. 1954. Robbing graves to appease his malevolent desires, Ed Gein inadvertently sets loose an ancient vampire on the unsuspecting town of Plainfield. As the number of missing persons rises, Ed realizes the vampire’s ultimate plan has been put into motion, and to prevent his dastardly practices from being exposed, he decides to slay the vampire himself. But he soon understands that he’s all the hope Plainfield has. As the few people closest to Ed are sucked into the vampire’s realm, he’ll be forced to reach deep inside himself to bring the incredible nightmare to an end. On this night, the Ghoul of Plainfield must battle the Vampire of Plainfield…to the death!
386 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2015
11 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Kristopher Rufty
69 books237 followersKristopher Rufty lives in North Carolina with his three children and pets. He’s written over twenty novels, including ALL WILL DIE, THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD, DESOLATION, THE LURKERS and PILLOWFACE. When he’s not spending time with his family or writing, he’s obsessing over gardening and growing food.
His short story DARLA'S PROBLEM was included in the Splatterpunk Publications anthology FIGHTING BACK, which won the Splatterpunk award for best anthology. THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD was nominated for a Splatterpunk award.
He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more about Kristopher Rufty, please visit: www.kristopherrufty.com
His short story DARLA'S PROBLEM was included in the Splatterpunk Publications anthology FIGHTING BACK, which won the Splatterpunk award for best anthology. THE DEVOURED AND THE DEAD was nominated for a Splatterpunk award.
He can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more about Kristopher Rufty, please visit: www.kristopherrufty.com
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 8, 2021
This book was entertaining. I read it when it first came out.
My thinking now? Enjoy it for what it is.
Gein is inept and the scenarios are at times chuckalicious!
I loved it!
My thinking now? Enjoy it for what it is.
Gein is inept and the scenarios are at times chuckalicious!
I loved it!
February 7, 2022
So weird but really cool
October 17, 2015
Ed Gein Vs Vampire sign me up! The best Vampire book to come out in years. I have always been fascinated with Ed Gein knowing that my favorite movie horror villains were based on him. Rufty took a great idea and turned it into a fantastic book that will be legendary.
The suiting up chapter was my favorite!
The suiting up chapter was my favorite!
November 24, 2015
A TERRIBLE TALE MAKING A HERO OUT OF A REAL MONSTER, SAD IT IS.
Hello, I read this story and wished I had not. I did a little research on the person this book was based on and thought, "WHAT THE HELL". I understand it was a work of fiction, but come on. Let's leave 10 year old girls out of stuff like this. Nobody wants to feel guilty after reading a damn vampire story.
Hello, I read this story and wished I had not. I did a little research on the person this book was based on and thought, "WHAT THE HELL". I understand it was a work of fiction, but come on. Let's leave 10 year old girls out of stuff like this. Nobody wants to feel guilty after reading a damn vampire story.
January 23, 2016
Great read. I like the way Ed Gein was interwoven into the story. Robin sure had me fooled. I would highly recommend it to horror fans!!!
March 29, 2016
Great ...
Great premise and execution by Rufty! I found the book enjoyable fun ... in that twisted, sick way that I normally savor blood and vampires.
Great premise and execution by Rufty! I found the book enjoyable fun ... in that twisted, sick way that I normally savor blood and vampires.
September 22, 2025
I have been wanting to read The Vampire of Plainfield for quite some time. The premise of Ed Gein, serial kiiler and model for so many fictional serial killers, from Leatherface to Norman Bates to Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs, Gein has been a fixture in popular culture and American serial killer fiction for many decades. Kristopher Rufty uses Ed Gein has the centerpiece of the story, a outsider in town who spends many nights digging up graves for heads and body parts. When he finds an old graveyard in the woods and decides to dig up these older graves, he finds that one of the graves is of a corpse with a stake through his heart. He thinks it would be a good money maker to pull the stake out and then ram it back in, over and over, gathering crowds of people to see the spectacle, but as soon as he releases the stake, the vampire flies off and starts killing people in town. Ed Gein knows that he has to find this vampire and put it back into it’s eternal resting place.
The premise sounds like a great horror novel, vampire against killer, but the story becomes more than that, and most of the extra things are not good. There are many choices that Rufty makes in the novel that are awful, especially when it involves the kids that he writes into the novel. He tries to make the novel more like Salem’s Lot, where Ed has a young man that helps him, but fourteen year old Timmy and his friends are horny and sex is more important to them than getting rid of the vampire. Timmy’s friend Peter is written to be the most horrible person in the novel, more horrible than a serial killer and a vampire. Peter is a classmate of Timmy’s that kidnaps and repeatedly sexually assaults a 10 year old girl before both of them become vampires. Timmy’s love interest, Robin, who is at least seventeen, has her clothes ripped off of her toward the end, and in the middle of the fight between Timmy and the vampire, Timmy has to stop and think about how Robin’s breasts are giving him an erection. All of the descriptions of breasts are the same: a description of the shape and then the size of the nipple. I do not want to read this about underage characters in this way, and it makes the parts about Ed Gein and his obsession with dead bodies, shrinking heads, and wearing the skin of a woman as armor, the least offensive parts.
I had high hopes for The Vampire of Plainfield, but I cannot get past all of the sexualizing of the underage characters, particularly the ten year old who is repeatedly assaulted. It is unfortunate because I love the ideas behind the plot, I would have liked a more adult focused version of this, where there are no kids getting raped, but instead I have to be clear that this is not a book that I can ever recommend to anyone.
The premise sounds like a great horror novel, vampire against killer, but the story becomes more than that, and most of the extra things are not good. There are many choices that Rufty makes in the novel that are awful, especially when it involves the kids that he writes into the novel. He tries to make the novel more like Salem’s Lot, where Ed has a young man that helps him, but fourteen year old Timmy and his friends are horny and sex is more important to them than getting rid of the vampire. Timmy’s friend Peter is written to be the most horrible person in the novel, more horrible than a serial killer and a vampire. Peter is a classmate of Timmy’s that kidnaps and repeatedly sexually assaults a 10 year old girl before both of them become vampires. Timmy’s love interest, Robin, who is at least seventeen, has her clothes ripped off of her toward the end, and in the middle of the fight between Timmy and the vampire, Timmy has to stop and think about how Robin’s breasts are giving him an erection. All of the descriptions of breasts are the same: a description of the shape and then the size of the nipple. I do not want to read this about underage characters in this way, and it makes the parts about Ed Gein and his obsession with dead bodies, shrinking heads, and wearing the skin of a woman as armor, the least offensive parts.
I had high hopes for The Vampire of Plainfield, but I cannot get past all of the sexualizing of the underage characters, particularly the ten year old who is repeatedly assaulted. It is unfortunate because I love the ideas behind the plot, I would have liked a more adult focused version of this, where there are no kids getting raped, but instead I have to be clear that this is not a book that I can ever recommend to anyone.
December 27, 2017
Ed Gain, who history now knows as the butcher of Plainfield is a grave robber. He collects buried skulls and shrinks them down as a keepsake for good luck. During one of his grave robbing evenings he digs up an old vampire. Quite a find. Credit to him for unleashing this monstrosity to the locals of Plainfield.
Ed’s buddies Timmy and Peter know all about Ed’s weirdness but he’s a good mate so they just kind of except the weirdness that he brings. Especially as he has the best comic books. The kind that Timmy and Peter’s parents would never let them read.
So, there we have it. A 1950’s setting, school kids, a local weirdo and a vampire unleashed on the town.
Personally, I really enjoyed this one. I’m too young to relate to the 1950’s but I do think of Stand By Me and IT (1990) when I read books set from this era. No phones, no computers, just kids fooling around, trading comics and staying out late. Throw in a vampire and a body snatcher/murderer and all hell breaks loose.
I’m a big fan of Kristopher Rufty and working my way through his back catalogue is what lead me to this book. This is one of his best.
Ed’s buddies Timmy and Peter know all about Ed’s weirdness but he’s a good mate so they just kind of except the weirdness that he brings. Especially as he has the best comic books. The kind that Timmy and Peter’s parents would never let them read.
So, there we have it. A 1950’s setting, school kids, a local weirdo and a vampire unleashed on the town.
Personally, I really enjoyed this one. I’m too young to relate to the 1950’s but I do think of Stand By Me and IT (1990) when I read books set from this era. No phones, no computers, just kids fooling around, trading comics and staying out late. Throw in a vampire and a body snatcher/murderer and all hell breaks loose.
I’m a big fan of Kristopher Rufty and working my way through his back catalogue is what lead me to this book. This is one of his best.
February 16, 2024
KRISTOPHER RUFTY AS BRILLIANT AS EVER!!
I am reading Kristopher Rufty's books one after another. Every one so far has been a heart-stopping adventure from beginning to end.
I would definitely recommend him as an author of choice to anyone who enjoys tales of the macabre, supernatural and deep suspense. Thank you Mr Rufty for once again taking me on a spine tingling journey!! 😊😊
I am reading Kristopher Rufty's books one after another. Every one so far has been a heart-stopping adventure from beginning to end.
I would definitely recommend him as an author of choice to anyone who enjoys tales of the macabre, supernatural and deep suspense. Thank you Mr Rufty for once again taking me on a spine tingling journey!! 😊😊
February 23, 2020
Wow a book with Ed Gein as the main character. This was my 4th book by Kristopher Rufty. His writing is so much like Laymon. Will be picking up all his books.
October 22, 2021
Really enjoyed this book. Interesting and original. Could even break into my top 10 vampire books list.
August 12, 2023
Good ole Eddie Gein digging up graves and accidentally sets free a vampire… yes please!!! This was a lot of fun! I just loved the idea and the execution of it! Well done by Rufty as always!
August 21, 2025
Solid Historical Fiction horror
The story was original and I appreciated that aspect. The pacing left something to be desired. I'm a fan of Rufty and this was a solid effort.
The story was original and I appreciated that aspect. The pacing left something to be desired. I'm a fan of Rufty and this was a solid effort.
May 18, 2016
Review Coming Soon
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews