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Vampire Files #10
Cold Streets
Vampire detective Jack Fleming's latest venture-the Lady Crymsyn nightclub-has become the favorite haunt for Chicago's elite. But amongst his patrons lurk a smarmy blackmailer and a dangerous up-and-coming mobster from New York-both unaware how deadly Jack can be when blood is spilled...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 7, 2003
2 people are currently reading
476 people want to read
About the author
P.N. Elrod
95 books591 followersPatricia Nead Elrod is an American fantasy writer specializing in novels about vampires. Her work falls into areas of fantasy and (in some cases) mystery or historical fiction, but normally not horror, since her vampires are the heroes. -Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 17, 2019
This is the 10th book in the series and I haven't read any of the previous, so I had no idea what to expect. After a relatively slow start reminescent of some of the TV series where the main character solves a small case at the beginning and then moves on to the major case of the episodes it quite quickly turns into a fast paced, intense, witty story of classic gangster Chicago of the 1930s. With vampires. Loved it. (I should definitely get a hold of the rest, at least the next one, especially if it takes care of some of the loose ends this one leaves.)
Edit: After reading all the previous ones, it's much more satisfying to get to this one again with much better understanding of characters and setting. Glad I read it again.
Edit: After reading all the previous ones, it's much more satisfying to get to this one again with much better understanding of characters and setting. Glad I read it again.
February 15, 2019
Cold Streets is the 10th book in the Vampire Files series by P.N. Elrod and the 4th that I've read so far. The series focuses on vampire / night club owner / private detective Jack Fleming who lives in Chicago in the '30s. He works with partner, Charles Escott, helping him with cases and also runs a night club with girl friend, singer Bobbi.
Both Escott and Fleming are working on a kidnapping case as this story opens, the daughter of a wealthy Chicago socialite has been kidnapped and the two detectives are working to make the pay-off with the kidnappers. Escott is the face of the business and Fleming uses his vampire powers in assisting him. In this case he keeps himself invisible as he follows the kidnappers to their hideout.
As well, this story has two other plot lines. Fleming's friend, Gordy, a Chicago mob leader is having meetings and difficulties with the New York mob and Fleming is trying to help him stay out of trouble. As well, Bobbi wants to hire a dance act for the night club, but there are difficulties with the relationship, with the husband cheating on his partner.
So there are many different features to this mystery thriller. One of the kidnappers also tries to blackmail Fleming with his knowledge of Fleming's vampire nature. Everything that is going on makes for a fascinating story, lots of action, lots of intrigue and vampire skills and talents. The story builds very nicely and comes to an intriguing climax. Along with the action and mystery, the story is peopled with interesting characters. It will definitely hold your interest. (3.5 stars)
Both Escott and Fleming are working on a kidnapping case as this story opens, the daughter of a wealthy Chicago socialite has been kidnapped and the two detectives are working to make the pay-off with the kidnappers. Escott is the face of the business and Fleming uses his vampire powers in assisting him. In this case he keeps himself invisible as he follows the kidnappers to their hideout.
As well, this story has two other plot lines. Fleming's friend, Gordy, a Chicago mob leader is having meetings and difficulties with the New York mob and Fleming is trying to help him stay out of trouble. As well, Bobbi wants to hire a dance act for the night club, but there are difficulties with the relationship, with the husband cheating on his partner.
So there are many different features to this mystery thriller. One of the kidnappers also tries to blackmail Fleming with his knowledge of Fleming's vampire nature. Everything that is going on makes for a fascinating story, lots of action, lots of intrigue and vampire skills and talents. The story builds very nicely and comes to an intriguing climax. Along with the action and mystery, the story is peopled with interesting characters. It will definitely hold your interest. (3.5 stars)
June 24, 2013
Absolutely awesome. It's not even about the plot - which admittedly wasn't as twisty or mysterious as usual - but all about Jack's character development. The story was so intense that by the time the end came around, I honestly had no idea what he was going to do that hadn't already been done. Cold Streets did not fail to deliver another tense ending, with serious repercussions that aren't so easily dismissed. Very excited to see what this means for the next book!
February 16, 2016
These books get better with each book. Lots of fun. It left one plot string not completely resolved, so I'm looking forward to the next book (now on order). I also figured out P. N. Elrod is writing two other series as well, so I may sample them.
August 30, 2010
1930s noir and a vampire with a heart who interacts with the mob.
P. N. Elrod is amazing in her depiction of the time period. You can see, smell, feel, and hear it as you read.
P. N. Elrod is amazing in her depiction of the time period. You can see, smell, feel, and hear it as you read.
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November 22, 2020It all starts with a kidnapping. A group of thugs kidnap the mentally handicapped daughter of a society matron, so Escott and Jack ride to the rescue. Jack uses his ability to ride along unseen in the vehicle that picks up the ransom money to track the kidnappers' gang back to the farmhouse where they are holding he girl, incapacitates the men, then hauls them off to the police station, hypnotized into giving full confessions, and takes the girl home to her mother. Joy all the way around.
Except that the ringleader of the kidnappers is a sociopath, and there are two categories of people upon whom Jack's hypnotic talents fail to work - drunks and crazies. So with the help of some sleazy lawyers and loyal friends, the leader, Dugan, gets bailed out of jail and appears to be on the road to acquital. Jack and Escott won't tolerate this, so a good deal of the novel is spent trying to send Dugan to jail instead of letting him expose Jack as a vampire - he wasn't hypnotized, and he remembers everything he saw.
On the gangland side of things, the bosses in New York are a little worried about revenues being down in Chicago, so they send one of their more brutal bosses, Hog Bristol, down to find out why, and to take over the territory from Gordy if he doesn't get satisfactory answers. Of course, Hog's a jerk, and nothing Gordy says will stop him from taking over Chicago. When either Hog or one of his men guns Gordy down in the street, Jack ends up taking over Gordy's operation temporarily to keep a New York takeover at bay.
It all ends up in a brutal scene after Jack is caught unaware by Bristol and his men, while he's chatting with a now captive Dugan. Again, I ask how in the world a vampire whose hearing is so acute he can eavesdrop on conversations across the room, and hear the changes in the heart rate of a blackjack dealer can let three goons get the drop on him. In the end, to escape the slaughterhouse where Bristol takes Jack to be tortured, Jack has to slip over the edge into madness for a time. We'll see in the next book if he's able to ever recover from his ordeal and what he had to do to survive.
Except that the ringleader of the kidnappers is a sociopath, and there are two categories of people upon whom Jack's hypnotic talents fail to work - drunks and crazies. So with the help of some sleazy lawyers and loyal friends, the leader, Dugan, gets bailed out of jail and appears to be on the road to acquital. Jack and Escott won't tolerate this, so a good deal of the novel is spent trying to send Dugan to jail instead of letting him expose Jack as a vampire - he wasn't hypnotized, and he remembers everything he saw.
On the gangland side of things, the bosses in New York are a little worried about revenues being down in Chicago, so they send one of their more brutal bosses, Hog Bristol, down to find out why, and to take over the territory from Gordy if he doesn't get satisfactory answers. Of course, Hog's a jerk, and nothing Gordy says will stop him from taking over Chicago. When either Hog or one of his men guns Gordy down in the street, Jack ends up taking over Gordy's operation temporarily to keep a New York takeover at bay.
It all ends up in a brutal scene after Jack is caught unaware by Bristol and his men, while he's chatting with a now captive Dugan. Again, I ask how in the world a vampire whose hearing is so acute he can eavesdrop on conversations across the room, and hear the changes in the heart rate of a blackjack dealer can let three goons get the drop on him. In the end, to escape the slaughterhouse where Bristol takes Jack to be tortured, Jack has to slip over the edge into madness for a time. We'll see in the next book if he's able to ever recover from his ordeal and what he had to do to survive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2023
Quirky, quaint. Not that great. Won’t read anymore of this series.
November 15, 2007
read 02.10.07
August 8, 2010
It's been awhile since I read one of these. It was nice to get back to Jack Fleming's world. You'd like these, Cynthia.
December 15, 2015
Still enjoying this series. I can eat 'em up like candy.
March 31, 2011
violent but good
October 3, 2012
I am loving this series
November 17, 2013
A really different vampire book. I wasn't emotionally invested in it, but it was an interesting read.
January 18, 2016
Jack Fleming must deal with gangsters who know his secrets and want to destroy him and his friends.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews