Murderous Little Darlings

A Tale of Vampires #0.1

by John Hennessy

About A Tale of Vampires Series:

A seven book chronicle of the lives of a group of vampires, each book in the series explores their unique gift, and their take on the living, the dead, and the undead.

Murderous Little Darlings:

Three siblings. An endless list of victims. A whole lot of time to kill.

* * *

With two specimens of the undead on either side of her, Juliana knew there was no escape. Kill the one they had selected for her, or be killed, and become one of them. What had the neighbours in the road called them, back when their childhood pranks were just that?

Oh yes, she remembered now. Murderous Little Darlings. They had the faces of angels, but possessed the very soul of the Devil.

Marcus had fully embraced his vampire side from the moment he was born. Rocco was the second eldest, and had fought the temptation all of his life. Then Marcus finally broke him.

That just left Juliana. Will she resist them, or join in the hunt?

A vampire novella which is the first in a Tale of Vampires Series. In A Tale of Vampires, there will be seven short horror stories that can be read alone, but should really be read in order. Murderous Little Darlings could be considered a dark urban fantasy. When you're finished reading this, go straight to The Blood and the Raven.

This is a Short Read 90 minutes maximum read time. Other books in the series are longer in length but do tie in with the rest in the series.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Vampires, Paranormal, Young Adult, Mystery, Ebooks

61 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

About the author

John Hennessy is the British author of paranormal fantasy horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus his own unique take on vampire lore. He has also written ghost stories and delved into high epic fantasy with a hint of romance.

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John is an international best selling author. The Ghost of Normandy Road reached Number One for British Horror Fiction in July 2020 on Amazon.com, Children of the Dark Light also topped the charts for the same category in August 2020.

His 2015 YA Horror novel, The Ghost of Normandy Road: Haunted Minds I won the Silver Award for its category at the 2016 Readers Favourite International Book Contest.

His 2018 Non-fiction work, The Mastery of Martial Arts: End Fights in Seconds, had a featured review in the prestigious and highly respected Wing Chun Illustrated magazine (Issue 53 April 2020 edition)

A TALE OF VAMPIRES: SERIES - for anyone new to the author's series, this is the sugested reading order:-

Prequel: Dawn of the New Breed
I: Murderous Little Darlings
Murderous Little Christmas Darlings (2022)
II: The Blood and the Raven (Free to subscribers)
III: Innocent While She Sleeps
IV: Dream the Crow's Black Dream
V: Reunion of the Blood
VI: Our Hearts Go to Their Graves

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http://www.johnhennessybooks.com/

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Five Star Seal Awarded to The Ghost of Normandy Road by Readers' Favourite

Reviews

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now my followers and friends will know that I am not a fan of Vampire fiction, however I decided to think outside the box, live on the edge, stretch myself and try a little taster to see what the fuss is all about. It was not that bad of an experience. Whatever next! So yes, shocking I know, I read a Vampire book.



Let's face it, Twilight really put the whole vampire thing on the map, shame really as way back years ago I remember when Anne Rice and her books featuring the Vampire Lestat were the new black. Since then, Vampires have had a strong fan base. I must admit I was a bit ga-ga for Kiefer Sutherland in The Lost Boys, remember that one? Anyway...



Murderous Little Darlings is no paranormal romance tale where the pretty human girl falls in love with a Vampire and swoons as he bites her neck and sucks her blood. No, this is not a fluffy Vampire tale at all.

Murderous Little Darlings. They had the faces of angels, but possessed the very soul of the Devil.

Marcus had fully embraced his vampire side from the moment he was born. Rocco was the second eldest, and had fought the temptation all of his life. Then Marcus finally broke him.

That just left Juliana. Will she resist them, or join in the hunt?

Three siblings, two convinced they are Vampires, one doubting it completely. Will anything change her perspective? Hell yes, that happens in this book. It's described in the blurb as a dark comedy, to be honest I didn't get the comedy element anywhere in it, dark or otherwise. It was a suitably dark and slightly violent novella, but no matter how hard I looked I missed the comedy element.

It's an entertaining quick read, I found the characters very intriguing and would love to see further books featuring this trio, a full length novel please. So much you could do with them.

Siblings. Vampires. Hunger. Blood. Cup of Tea. No wait, that should not be in there, oops.



I enjoyed my little encounter with Vampire fiction, sadly as I don't read a lot of it I can't give you a comparison against much else as I am limited to Dracula and Anne Rice's collection and that was many moons ago. I liked this one. I have surprised myself. Nice work John Hennessey!

I received a copy of this novella from the author upon my request as I was keen to read it, many thanks for the opportunity to read and review the book.

[Pearl Angeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A digital copy was provided to me by the author John Hennessy in exchange for an honest review) Thank you so much, sir John!

When I was given this copy, I did not hesitate to read it immediately because I really have a penchant for Vampire-themed books. And my verdict for this novel? It's totally good!

What made me appreciate this novella is that it's unlike anything I've read. It's not a typical vampire-romance story. It's different and refreshing. It's a story about three siblings who are somewhat in a struggle to either fight or embrace the life of being a vampire. The interesting thing about this book is how these siblings face their consequences for the murderous crimes they did.

I have to say I was surprised at the unique plot the author took in this novella. From the very start, I found myself wondering what's about to come, knowing that either of them might play a protagonist or antagonist.

On the other hand, I love the author's writing style. It's neat and superb and it's everything I was looking in a genre like this.

When it comes to its ending, well, it stunned me. What. Was. That?? I did not see that coming! That was such a surprise. Good job for the real plot twist over there, author!

As a whole, I liked this novella. It's a promising one for a whole great series. Highly recommended!

Rating: 4 Stars

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first reading this book, it began with an air of mystery and intrigue the first chapter or two and then I started to get lost in what was really happening even who was speaking. It was hard to know which direction the story was going and I felt it pulling my mind in too many ways to absorb what was going on. I almost folded in reading this book. But, I decided not to and continued reading. After reading further, I figured out what this book is about at least my own interpretation of it and I found it to be a brilliant concept. There is a depth there that only a unique intellectual can see. I saw it clearly.

One of my first initial thoughts was during Marcus' interrogation was he and his siblings were kids who were behaving badly, very badly. But, as I read through the interrogation scene Marcus had with O'Hara, I realized that even though Marcus (he's 11 years old) was being immature as only a kid of his age could be, stated also in his dialogue the display of immaturity during his interrogation with O'Hara, he doesn't seem to be taken seriously by the adults at least where his claims of being a vampire are concerned. Although, he is seen as a cold blooded murderer along with his siblings. Marcus is an instigator and a bully too as well as a sociopath.

This story shows innocence can be lethal, because it's so easily underestimated and in some aspects societally downplayed. I think the author John Hennessy displayed this aspect of innocence
in a beautifully methodical and sinister way. This is the second book I've read by Mr. Hennessy. So far, I haven't been disappointed yet. I've had a full copy of this book on my kindle for several months and I wish I'd read it much sooner.

[Rachel Maniacup · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I want to thank my good friend John Hennessy, for sending me the pdf copy of this incredible series.

I've been a fan of vampire genre since I was a kid and I've always liked watching and reading stories about them even the legend of Dracula.So when the author of this book asked me if I wanted to have a copy of his first book,I didn't hesitate to say yes(of course!)

I started reading this book this morning,and I couldn't believe that I finished it in just one sitting.It's because once you've started it,you wouldn't want to put it down.You'd be totally engrossed with the story because of its fast pace.

The story of the three siblings here are far different from the vampire stories most of us had known.It's quite unique and interesting! They may look like cute little angels but..

Yet still, I wonder how they became vampires? And the twist of the story at the end of this chapter did surprised me!

Way to go John Hennessy! Can you please send me the second book now? You can't leave me hanging right?:)

If you're into vampires, I highly recommend you this series..A TALE OF VAMPIRES by John Hennessy:)

[Aditi · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Francis "Bill" Nighy, an English actor, has quoted about the 'vampires' as:

The phenomenon of vampires have always appealed to me. Everyone kind of likes a vampire story because it almost could be true.

Once again, my very dear friend and my favorite English author, John Hennessy, has come up with a tale about a vampire folklore, in his latest release, Murderous Little Darlings which happens to be the very first book, in yet another thrilling series named, A Tale of Vampires.

Synopsis:
Three siblings. An endless list of victims. A whole lot of time to kill.
With two specimens of the undead on either side of her, Juliana knew there was no escape. Kill the one they had selected for her, or be killed, and become of them. What had the neighbors in the road called them, back when their childhood pranks were just that?
Oh yes, she remembered now. Murderous Little Darlings. They had the faces of angels, but possessed the very soul of the Devil.
Marcus had fully embraced his vampire side from the moment he was born. Rocco was the second eldest, and had fought the temptation all of his life. Then Marcus finally broke him.
That just left Juliana. Will she resist them, or join in the hunt?

Well to be honest I like John, because of his style of writing. Although his tales are sick, gothic and very, very sinister, still somehow, John manages to insert some ROFL moments in between the darkness and it really helps in uplifting my mood. Another reason would be John knows how to throw his readers off the edge in the climax. That climax completely shook me and once again John left me speechless with his short story.

This is his very first vampire story, which is actually a novella about three siblings. Mind it, this is not like your typical The Vampire Diaries/ Twilight/ The Vampire Academy styled story, instead, John has explored a new approach in this vampire story. So this book is free of any love-sick Vampire, or oh-so-lost-and-lonely-virgin girl, or any such stupid stuff. I started to see vampires in an all new perspective.

John's writing is once again shown us that this author is capable to take his readers inside the pages of his books. With a one-liner joke here-and-there, this book is surely going to be your best-read vampire story.

Now the characters are totally cool, all had a demeanor of some cool, orphan teenager and even with a very brief description; I could feel their Marcus's pain behind his don't-care attitude. Well, all credit goes to John, for making his characters so life-like. His prose is very smooth and that makes it easy to read and with the choice of his short, simple words, the story has got a fast pace. From the very first page of Marcus's blood lust, I completely got hooked till the very end. And of course thank you John for leaving us off with a cliff-hanger and that means I definitely have to look out for the next book in this blood-lust series.

Verdict: A must read black comedy, which is completely different and unique from your regular vampire stories.

Courtesy: Thank you John for the review copy!

[Vani Kaushal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three siblings. Orphaned early. Left to make their own way in the world, which they do, by feeding on others. At least two of them seem pretty convinced that they are vampires, one of them is not. The game is on. Either the third one joins the other two in the hunt or live in the fear of being hunted. The locals call them the Murderous Little Darlings. They have the faces of angels, but possess the very souls of the Devil. How will this chase end? Who would survive and in what form?

I totally loved MLD. My only complaint is, the story ended too soon and I wanted to keep reading. There were so many moments when I felt really scared, the one in the police station when O'Hara sees Marcus's fangs, also the one in the cemetery. I loved Juliana out of all the characters and was shocked to know her secret in the end. The climax, at least for me, could have been a bit more elaborate. Once I finished it, I was tempted to go back and start reading it again. The narrative flows effortlessly and the characters are well-etched. I'd love to read a 500 page novel from John. My serious recommendation to the author is: write for adults. I can totally see a Stephen King hiding inside this author. My next one: Clara’s Song.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 (will round up on Amazon)

MURDEROUS LITTLE DARLINGS is the first in a Young Adult series of vampire novellas from author John Hennessey. When I think of the word "vampires", either the image of Dracula, or--sadly--some sparkly teenagers, comes immediately to mind. I am very pleased to say that what I read here was very unique in both its presentation, and the age of its very young main characters.

We meet the triplets, Marcus, Rocco, and Juliana while Marcus--the oldest by an hour--appears to immediately embrace his vampiric nature, his siblings are less enthusiastic. Eventually, his cruel games and commanding nature get Rocco to side with him.. Al that remains is for Juliana to go along with them.

Even in this novella-length work, there were plenty of great action scenes, and the banter between the siblings and others were often quite comical. As to is the first in a series, you can expect to be left with some unresolved issues to carry over into the next installment. However, this could have been a solid 4-star read for me, if at least SOME of the many issues had been addressed. With a great twist at the end, I was, unfortunately, left with even more questions than I began with.

Hopefully, the next book in the series will clear up some of those.

*I received an e-copy of this novella from the publicist in exchange for an honest review.*

[Sherry Fundin · Rating 3 out of 5]

OMG, Rocco sucks the blood, then sucks his thumb, and my sick little mind smiles at the picture in my head, as I read about these six year old triplets who go on a murderous rampage, and Marcus knows no one will suspect them, because they are only six years old when the first murder happens…BUT, to really make this a great story, I think John Hennessy needs to make it a full length novel, thus filling in the details and plot holes that left me wanting….MORE.

To see more visit fundinmental

[Preethi Venugopala · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murderous Little Darlings is a great, fun read, with some real shocks along the way and a cracking finish. I read this quickly!!!!
*Shivers*

[Ian Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a growing fan of the vampire genre of books, this is the first novella I've read in any genre as I tend to like to get immersed into a good book, rather than see it whizz by at break-neck speed... yes, I do actually slow down when I read... who would have guessed?
The start of this book invokes the images of the three siblings Marcus (the eldest and 'the boss') Rocco (Middle sibling and coerced brother) and of course the instantly intriguing Juliana (the baby sister, as it were) . By sheer chance, the creation of the three isn't too dissimilar to the relationship I once had with my own older brother and younger sister in so much as my older brother would be the one that we youngsters simply didn't challenge, and my younger sister was the one I'd have pretty much killed anyone to protect.
In a way, the same applies today, though I grew up to be considerably bigger and stronger than my brother.
I found it very easy to relate to the relationships they had, not so much so to connect and imagine the personalities of each of the three, this I think could have been expanded upon a little more though it wasn't a necessity and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the tale. I am a little perplexed at these three vampires being resistant to direct sunlight though, my limited experience of this genre would usually see clouds of grey ash poofing about with the immediate contact of the sun on the vamp and yet here, these three 'Murderous Little Darlings' seem to be impervious to it. In so far as Marcus and Rocco are concerned - I get that... eventually. But Juliana is a different matter entirely.
While I liked the twist this foray into the blood thirsty world of the fledgling vampires ended with, the twist to the tale did leave me thinking 'How can this be?' and I then felt compelled to go back through the novella to see if it could actually be read differently to how I'd read it... I'm still checking.
I did like the deep undertones of the tale, the line 'We are what we are, and we do what we do", combined with Juliana's extended version of the same line, was a very thought invoking phrase and is, in a very covert way, the key to the whole novella.
I'm in agreement with a couple of the other reviews for this piece in that it would have been good to have been extended a little further though I suspect that will come in the other tales perhaps? It would be good to see how these three develop as characters and a lot could be done with them creatively.
In summary, while I debated between the 4* and 5* for a little while, I felt that what swayed me was the sheer need to keep reading this book, wanting to know what happened and for me at least, that's what defines a good read and hence it got the extra star. If you like your vamp tales a little more than just the usual cloaked love story - which frankly has been done to death - excuse the pun, then this will surely pique your imagination and keep you engrossed for an hour or two. All in all, I enjoyed this and will keep an eye out for the next in the series.

[Merril Anil · Rating 4 out of 5]

short and powerful

First of all a huge thanks to the author for asking me to read his books and trusting me to share my honest views on his books.

Now, this is the second book that i am reading from his list of books.

So after the author asked me to read his book, i gladly placed an order for the book and it took almost 15 days to finally reach and when i finally opened the parcel, i nearly fainted. i was shocked to see that the book i had waited for ages to get, turned out to be just 64 pages. yes guys its just 64 pages !!! but these pages are good enough to keep you seated firmly

Murderous little darlings is a short story that is based on three vampire siblings but wait till you read the story and see it turn on you by the end, because i m still coping with what happened at the end. ( oops !! did i give away anything? )
The flow of the whole book is much better and fortunately is smooth flow without diverting much from the present. The characters even through its small journey is full of impact and life

The author definitely shows an inclination towards making his characters stronger and capable to make you ponder over them and i am starting to learn that his plots are always wicked and spooky and you can never trust what is going to happen in the book

Murderous Little Darlings is a short, fast and powerful story of three vampire siblings that does not require you to invest too much time or effort but still provides you with a great read. The language and narration is good and keeps the book flowing effortlessly. I loved the twists and thrills that the author has incorporated in his story. Plus what harm is it going to do when it is merely 64 pages and requires hardly half hour of your time

How was it

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murderous Little Darlings by John Hennessy Review:

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and Booklover Catlady Publicity in return for a fair and honest review. Many thanks!

A short, spine-tingling adventure with a surprise twist! That's how this blogger would describe the story Murderous Little Darlings by
John Hennessy.

This short story follows three siblings, all caught up in a web of intrigue as the eldest brother, Marcus, believes that they are vampires,
destined to hunt and kill whomever they please. The middle child, Rocco, fought the urge to feed and turn, but ultimately lost as a result
of his brother's influence, leaving the youngest sister, Juliana, to fight Marcus for what is right and what is wrong. Yet the mystery
of the story showcases that no one truly knows what is happening to these three innocent looking yet deadly children. Are the children
merely suffering from a delusion, or are vampires truly walking among them?

While there were a few minor grammar and pacing issues in this first story, the overall theme, mystery and character development were highly
intoxicating to read, and left me wanting more as the final pages finished. The first of a planned series, this is a story that needs to be
delved into more, and that in my books is the true marks of a great story. This is worth the read, and I can't wait to see the next installment
in the A Tale of Vampires series. Be sure to get your copy of the book now!

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus, Rocco and Juliana are 9-year-old triplets who lost their mother in childbirth. They are angelic to look at and draw cute comments from people who see them for the first time. They are not what they seem. In fact, they are struggling to discover who they are.

Marcus is the eldest of the triplets by an hour and their leader. He says they are vampires and must feed on humans and kill them. Rocco is the middle child and easily swayed. He hates being in thrall to his older brother, but cannot help it. Juliana is a strong child and knows her mind.

There are murders, kidnappings and police chases to liven things up. People who look at the 'darling' triplets do not imagine their murderous designs.



This is a small novella, just 65 pages long. It is meant to be the first in a series of 7 books. It has a twist at the end which makes the readers want more.

It is perfect if you want a quick read and love horror. John Hennessy keeps his language sparse. I am not yet an expert on the little darlings. I expect reading other books in the series will make the picture clearer.

[Max Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book perfectly told about a trio of vampires and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. I whizzed through this book and while I am not normally a vampire book fan as such, John Hennessey did the genre proud. I always look for originality, pace, and great characterisation in a book. Murderous Little Darlings scored on all counts. The story is simple enough but cleverly contrived to catch the reader out which I liked. Five stars well deserved. You can't go far wrong with this clever little tale.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

well this is certainly a good start to a series! a very interesting angle, usually it's the 20 something sparkly vampires that dominate the book market, but this one, strips it all back to the basic premise of Vampires, bloodlust.
The juxtaposition of innocent children and violent killers is played out amazingly across the pages, I really enjoyed this novella, highly recommend it. I'm off to find more from the author now,

so my short point said long summary of this novella? grab it and devour it :)

[J.D. Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Nosferatu to shiny Edward Cullen, the tale of the vampire has been done to death, yet Hennessy manages to find a new twist and it works well. The action begins with the opening scene and holds you until an ending that flips it all on its head. The Murderous Little Darlings who are Julianna, Marcus, and Rocco are off to a wonderful start in this fast-paced series.

[Laura Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever kids are involved in a horror story it makes things extra creepy for me. Make them vampires, and even creepier.

Three siblings go on a killing spree. How could such young ones even do that? And get away with it? That’s an even bigger question.

This book sucked me right in. It’s fast paced with no wasted words. I kept wondering, are they really vampires. That would explain how they could do what they did. Vampires or not, they acted like any other siblings. Fighting among themselves but also protecting each other when it was needed. They felt very genuine.

Murderous Little Darlings was one I couldn’t put down. It’s a short read with a big bite and I started and finished it in one sitting. I sure liked it.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess we can expect the unexpected from John Hennessy! Murderous Little Darlings had so many twists and sharp turns that I was left with my head spinning and this strange thirst for…more!

Three siblings, are they all vampires or not? Is Marcus, the oldest triplet truly a vampire from birth? Is Rocco fighting the urge? Is Juliana denying her heritage? Or is there something completely different going on that will change everything for these three?

You want a fresh look at YA vampires? Looking to avoid going over totally to the dark side of things that go bump in the night? This could be your next great read. John Hennessy has woven a plot that is intriguing, not too dark and to be honest, these kids act like real siblings, bickering among themselves, yet loyal to each other when danger threatens. How far will they go to keep each other safe? Will they embrace the vampiric lifestyle or is there something more ahead for them? Yep, I’m hooked on this little novella with the punch of a tome, thanks to the clever writing style of this author.

Series: A Tale of Vampires - Book 1
Publisher: John Hennessy
Publication Date: October 20, 2014
Genre: Paranormal - YA
Print Length: 66 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Anne Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy Little Kiddies . . .

When I think of vampires, walking-dead, bloodthirsty creatures come to mind. Creatures that shun the light, the cross, holy water, and—yes—garlic. Lethal beings with a hypnotic, and often sexual, allure. A stereotypical image that usually appears on the screen and in books. Vampirism done to death.
A pun, maybe, but you get the idea.

John Hennessy’s “Murderous Little Darlings” was a pleasant surprise. In this story, the world of vampires takes on a refreshing spin with creepy little kiddies. Marcus, Rocco, and Juliana are triplets born of a vampire mother, bound with inherit murderous tendencies. Although not all of the little darlings “embrace the life.” This is the crux of the story. An ongoing struggle between siblings—a homicidal psycho, one confused about which path to take, and the other who is a full-fledged blood-sucking creature but has lost the memory of that sinister existence.

One reviewer, referring to Marcus, mentioned the dialogue was “stunted and not natural.” I’d like to point out that this murderous darling is not a normal little boy. He is a creepy kid who has seen, as well as perpetrated, horrific acts, and in the process of getting his message across, injects dark humor. This totally worked for me.

I would have preferred to have less unanswered questions at the end of the story, but I realize “Murderous Little Darlings” is the first in a series, and an early work of Hennessy’s as well. I’m thinking the threads left dangling will play out in the books that follow.

If you’re a horror fan, or are looking for something different in a vampire story, “Murderous Little Darlings” is a good read. Hennessy does creepy really well.

[Pam Kesterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Murderous Little Darlings is a darling little novella that I had trouble getting out of my head. The ending didn't disappoint and left a nagging hunger to continue with book two of "A Tale of Vampires Series,” knowing that more twists and unpredictability in the plot will unfold as well.

An enjoyable read that follows sympathetic characters of three eleven-year-old into eternity triplets, one girl, and two boys completely differing in personalities, ideals, and methods of survival as vampires—or are they?

I have to admit I was pretty engrossed in the lives of Marcus, Rocco, and Juliana, if "lives," is the right word IF they are vampires. Wow, what a perspective. Thank goodness there are more books in the series. The age of the vampires suggests the series will last a long time with plenty of adventures for them to go through. However we might not see them grow up like in the Harry Potter series.

The A grade writing combined with an original vampire plot will satisfy fan fiction groupies and literary fans alike. Even the use of some words like "whilst" interchangeable for "while" did not come across pretentious in Hennessy's writing style.

I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy sprinkled throughout, peeping through the darkness at just the right time like with the subtle references to vampiric virgins. The mild horror of blood and gore wasn't lost in the plot driven story setting up the beginning of the series with many more twists and turns to come as we follow the lives of the triplets surrounded by commotion.

[J. Kahele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most vampire stories either are about blood and guts and totally turn my stomach, or a sweet tale of romance. But this once was so much different. The tale is about three siblings, who believe they are vampires. Marcus the oldest of the three, embraced the idea of being a blood sucker, as did his sister Juliana, Rocco fought it until Marcus broke him down. The story is not the typical vampire stories we read now a days, about romance and love. It’s dark and at times violent, but it also could be humorous at times. I love John Hennessey’s books only because he is so good at crafting his characters, he allows you to enter into their minds and see how they thing, that is hard for an author, especially when dealing with three main characters, which John did so well.
I like to read about anything, but I often stay away from paranormal books or anything to do with the undead, only because the books tend to become tacky and ridiculous. John has been one of those authors who has drawn me into reading these books again, because he writes so well and creates such a wonderful story. This is my third book I have read by him and look forward to many more. I am fan for life!

[Lesley Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw that this was a novella about vampires, and decided on the basis of the cover, the blurb and the title that it was probably going to be an amusing one. I am not an aficionado of vampire fiction ordinarily, but this lured me in. I was suitably rewarded. Murderous Little Darlings is in no way your average vampire tale. It tells the story of triplets who have the faces of angels but “the very souls of the Devil”. Marcus is the ringleader, the dominant triplet, who ‘believes he’s a vampire and therefore acts like one’ (that’s one theory, early on propounded by the local police, and soon scotched by his truly bloodthirsty behaviour.) His two siblings, Rocco and Juliana, are initially less enthusiastic about their heritage. Juliana is in denial and Rocco isn’t really into the whole thing. The characterisation is superb, as is the dialogue. There is also a serious note embedded cleverly into the narrative, when Juliana says: “We are what we believe we are, and we become what we believe, and we live that life... Because you can change elements of who you are, and you can decide to do something or not. That’s the real power humans hold...” I found Juliana intriguing, and without giving away any spoilers, she is the one to watch as the story builds towards its wonderfully entertaining twist-in-the-tale denouement. I am now almost sold on the whole idea of vampires, if the stories could all be this slick and funny. A well-deserved 5* stars.

[Poet Gentleness · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the vampire story of orphaned Juliana and her two older brothers, Marcus, the eldest and Rocco.
They were angel looking kids. TCristiane70heir souls were black, but for Juliana’s.
Since they were children they were prone to be the bad neighbor kids pranks,until they killed an old woman throwing a rock on her skull.
They started to be called Murderous Little Darlings.

But now they were not kids anymore. And they didn’t play, they killed, as vampires they were.
Well, the two brothers did, but Juliana. She still didn’t believe they were vampires…

So story begins.
I have given John Hennessy’s horror books 5 star reviews before, but now in the face of this novella, I have to give him a 6 star rating.
John is an Indie and beginning author but that doesn’t take an ounce of his talent. John has a way with words that appeals to me and what I like most in his plots is that I can’t discover what is happening until the end, when he reveals everything to the readers. To keep me in the dark is quite a feast because I am an avid reader and I lover of Agatha Christie (but I’ve never read a book from The king of horror — Yes, him, Stephen King scares the hell out of me).
But John Hennessy’s horror stories are… hmm… agreeable while a scary. And this one has a psychopath side that is even more interesting.
If you like this kind of stories, read it. You won’t regret it.

[Michelle Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it wrong to think this story was adorable? I mean, it's about a sociopath little boy and his two siblings.

Marcus is the oldest of the three and his joy for killing makes him seem psychotic. He thinks he is a vampire, a fact he has convinced his brother Rocco of. They play at being bloodsuckers by killing and drinking the blood of their victims.

Julianna is the youngest and the one who resists Marcus's hold the most. For this, he torments her, locking her in a wardrobe to keep her from interfering. In my opinion, she's the smart one. Marcus believes that "We are what we are." While Juilanna says "We are what we believe we are". That's the fundamental difference between the two.
I was surprised at how deep the book got. The characters are very young so I assumed it was going to be a story for young people. I was wrong. It's a story for anyone of any age that just likes to be entertained. But, don't think you'll get out of this one without having to think.

I appreciated the lack of vampire cliches. It made the story fresh in a genre that sometimes seems stale. Not an easy thing to do. I'm glad I gave it a chance.

Surprises abound in this tale. The ending was not one I saw coming. The story doesn't explore the good vs. evil nature of vampires so much as how you come to believe something exists. The depth is something I've come to expect in Mr. Hennessy's work.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella is ideal if you're into vampires and you happen to have about an hour to kill.

Murderous Little Darlings is a promising start to this series.

"Oh yes, she remembered what the locals called them now. Murderous Little Darlings. They had the faces of angels, but possessed the very souls of the Devil."

This first novella is about triplets. Marcus, who very much embraces the concept of being a vampire. Rocco, who falls somewhere in the middle, being reluctant but willing to feed on blood. Finally, Juliana, who is unwilling to accept the whole vampire scenario.

I liked the author's easy to read writing style, making this suitable for younger readers too. This is the kind of book I would definitely have read and thoroughly enjoyed during my teens. It did remind me a bit of The Little Vampire. I only ever had one of those books. The Little Vampire on the Farm, but I read it a few times when I was a youngster, as I loved it so much, and still have my original copy.

There is some violence in the story, but nothing too extreme, and I enjoyed the element of humour within it too.

I would have preferred this to have been a little longer, so I could have got to know the main characters a little more. Loved the twist at the end.

[Adriana Girolami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this wonderful novella, and the engaging way talented author John Hennessy describes vampire' triplets, Marcus, Rocco and Juliana. They are quite different in many ways, giving the reader the excitement of choice. Do we favor Marcus who is truly a vampire or the reluctant Rocco who follows the rules despite his discontent? Juliana is rebellious and despises the whole bloody thing.
The storyline is so appealing and easy to read, but still gives you chill and those cliff-hangers keep you engaged wanting to know what come next.
Young people are sure to enjoy the allure of the cool triplets and their blood thirsty ways; however the story is so charming, infectious that attracts all ages, you get hooked from the very first page until the very end...
John's creative writing and his easy flowing style and great descriptions make you care about the unusual triplets and the dark burdens they carry.
I have become a fan of author Hennessy and his campy, goulash, unique vampires and blood fests. Of course we want more and hope that we will soon read the next offering of this very engaging storyline...
Highly recommended!

[Sharon Brownlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a lover or follower of vampire books...yet. Murderous Little Darlings is well written and the author John Hennessy has applied all the disciplines of short story writing to it - also the story has a beginning middle and end. I loved the humour in the dialogue and young adults, in fact any reader will love it. It isn't too graphic and the story has left me wanting to read more.
As a novella the story has its plot and twists and kept me turning the pages.
The characters that have been intorduced to are likeable and I can't wait to see how the author developes them in the future.
I am so intirgued I have just bought The Blood and the Raven! I am sure we will see a lot of work from John Henessey/
Definitely worth a read.

[Deborah Mitton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the creepiest little books (YA) I have read in a long time. I read it twice because it haunted me and I had to check to see if my memory of the story was corrected - it was - goosebumps.
The author used three very young characters (siblings) - too young even to carry the weapons they used to kill. Yes really!

I think as adults we don't like to think of wee ones committing murders will such violent and intelligence. Again goosebumps. The scene in the police station was brilliant.

As siblings they battle between each other as in any normal family but make the children vampires - or so we are lead to believe - are they truly ? - you add another dimension to the story.

Really well written and do I dare say it again - haunting!

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very easy and short read. it was okay but I think it was a bit to short with not as much substance as there should have been.

I didn't find the characters all that thrilling but we're interesting. something was missing from the vampire style

[Vonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A darling little story about a vampire family, and a bit of scare too. I found this on Kobo.