A serial murder investigation draws near its conclusion. For seven years the killer has evaded capture, but the police finally have their prime suspect in custody – a man who claims to be a vampire over three hundred years old.
PC Holleigh Ryder is tasked with the most unsettling and challenging assignment of her career. All she wants is to get to the truth and achieve justice for the murdered women, but this has been no ordinary case and it is far from over.
The vampire has his own endgame in mind, one that may leave the police praying they had left the damned undisturbed in their graves.
Born in South Wales, Lee Allen was an avid reader from a young age, already beginning to develop his fascination with mystery, intrigue, crime, horror and the supernatural. He soon turned to creating his own stories and hasn’t stopped writing since. He completed the manuscript for his first full-length novel while still in secondary school, which was later published as his debut crime thriller "Those Crimes of Passion" in 2012.
Heavily influenced by gothic fiction, he later released supernatural mystery "Alone" (2014); horror chiller "The Jack O’Lantern Men" (2015); short story collection "Whispers from the Dead of Night" (2020), a hybrid of horror and multiple sub-genres; and erotic horror crime thriller "Bitten" (2021).
His first children's book, "The Ghost Train", was published on Hallowe'en 2022, followed by the sequel, "The Ghost Tree", published on the Autumn Equinox 2023.
Lee continues to reside in Wales with his feline writing companion, immersing himself in imagination and research.
From the very first page, Allen's visceral and poetic writing immediately pulls you into a dark, crime-noirish-type world in which we follow Holleigh Ryder as she investigates the trail of a murderer. Sinister and complex with several unexpected twists, Bitten is a unique take on vampire lore.
Allen has managed to breathe fresh life into the genre, crafting a terrifying and utterly fascinating story. And this is not just another vampire novel; it's a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to be human in the face of unimaginable darkness.
A tiny warning: Allen definitely leaves nothing to the imagination, so if you are squeamish or aren’t into graphic sex scenes, prepare yourself. Some of the descriptions were eyebrow-raising at times. Ha!
Even so, this erotic horror novel will interest fans of the vampire genre and erotic novels. With its unique take on vampires, rich character development, and relentless suspense, this book is quite an achievement. I guarantee it will haunt you long after you've finished reading.
☆☆☆ The plot of the story was very intriguing. A vampire crime story of who did it.. you will definitely be wondering thru the whole book who the killer is. The first part of the book I had I hard time following with all time jumps back and forth, and the dialog was confusing at times. Some huge twist and turns towards the end of book.
A Gothic Horror Thriller Layered with Poetic Eroticism
Whilst familiar with some of Allen’s classically inspired Gothic Horror writings, this was my first foray into what I describe as Erotic Horror–and this book delivers. Allen has crafted a fabulous storyline full of authentic characters and surprising twists. Bitten is layered with threads of Vampire folklore, creating a unique and modern twist on the clash between the living and the undead.
I also loved that the story is set in modern times, but I often felt I was walking through the dark, foggy streets of the 19th century or earlier. If you are looking for a thrill ride that will get your pulse rate surging, I suggest taking the plunge with Bitten.
This might be the very first vampire novel I've tried! I'm not really into vampire stories, but supernatural and mystery novels fascinate me a lot which gave me the push to give this a try.
Bitten is a mystery, dark erotica, fantasy, thriller story. While I found I'm not comfortable reading this type of story, the plot made me curious enough to move forward. The story evolves around PC Ryder who is assigned to investigate the unsolved serial murders of several women, and their prime suspect is a vampire! It kinda annoyed me at first when the investigation doesn't seem to be going anywhere because the detective is very obviously fascinated with the suspect. But as they go through the cases, uncover truths and gets deeper into the mystery, the story started to build up.
I applaud the author for fitting the story line with the current times by lightly mentioning some of the social and global issues that happened the past years (like the covid). I wonder if the intentions is to give readers the illusions that maybe this story is actually happening somewhere all along?
Structure wise I find the book very confusing to read, I have to go back and re-read some parts a couple of times in order to connect them in my mind. Not sure if this is because I haven't been reading western novels in a while and and I'm not used to the structure style? The story started somewhere in the middle going towards the climax, it and has a lot of flashback here and there as they go through the details of the cases. The little 'diary' like snippets in between are an interesting touch though, it gives readers a perspective from the other side.
This book is definitely for readers who are into dark mysteries and thriller. I find some parts to intense for me and made me feel a bit uncomfortable but this is overall an interesting one!
Bitten By – Lee Allen Format – Kindle Edition Print Length – 304 Pages Genre – Fiction My Ratings – 4.7/5
Lee Allen's novel Bitten is a work of art. Isn't the idea of a murder case story with a Vampire twist intriguing? As a result, it piqued my interest. The story is about a murder investigation, and the readers read the story with the correct date and time with each page turn, so there is no misunderstanding when reading. The protagonist of the story is PC Holleigh Ryder. She was given a case that was not common or comparable to any other cases; it was the most difficult task she has ever had in her entire career. Yes, a murder case that was out of the ordinary. Murderer evaded arrest for seven years after committing the murder, but he was apprehended by police after seven years. It's not as plain as it seems. According to the individual in jail, he is a 300-year-old vampire. This thing astounded me, and I was glued to my seat. Without giving too much away about the story, go get your own copy of this book and find out what happens next. Or what is going through the vampire's mind? Or will the murdered brought to justice? A gripping story of murder, fear, and desire. Before this novel, I read and reviewed the Author's "Whispers from the Dead of Night," and after it I was impressed by his writing style and the way he develops the plot. Be it the narration, language, characterization, selection of Title and Book Cover everything is on point. Overall, it was a fascinating read, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. It's worth noting how the story progresses. It was an apt mix of mystery and vampire vibes that piqued my interest, and the story's twists and turns kept me reading. From my perspective, this is a book that everybody can read. Happy Reading
It is a very good thriller, it is not my favorite genre but it caught me, not as fast as I would have expected, because I got confused with the narration times and that made me lose a little the thread of the of the plot, but I attribute it to the fact that it’s not written in my languege. Even so, it’s the second novel I read about vampires and it fascinated me, because it combines perfectly the mystery, suspense and eroticism that surrounds them. About the characters, I have mixed feelings because Ethan as the seductive and biting vampire fascinated me, Holleigh as the girl seduced by the dark, sex and motivated by her police career gets a lot of stars and finally, uff the corrupt cops Sam and O'neill, what a good narration and twists in the story. This is a novel exclusively for adults, because of the sexual theme that although I have read other stories more erotic or more explicit, are very hot. I didn't like the tenses in which it is narrated, because I got lost if it was the past, present or who or what was being talked about, I had to look for many scenes because I got confused, but out of those repetitions it was amazing, ahh and I didn't like the final part of Ethan either. My favorite part without a doubt was the climax of the novel, when you think you know they’re going to catch the killer vampire and oh big surprise. Finally, the rhythm of the book for me was a little slow because English is not my mother language and it is written very well, it was a little difficult for me because of the formal language, but for others I think it would be fast.
This is one such great murder mystery that keeps the reader guessing right to the end. This is a legal mystery, with an unique and interesting storyline.
A serial murder investigation of a women draws near its conclusion. For seven years, the killer has evaded capture, but the police finally have their prime suspect in custody but the twist is that suspect then claims to be a vampire over three hundred years old. PC Holleigh Ryder is tasked with the most unsettling and challenging assignment of her career. All she wants is to get to the truth and achieve justice for the murdered women, but this has been no ordinary case and it is far from over. There is so much to know about this mysterious murder case, so many twists and turns are there to keep you interested till the end.
The investigation of the murder continues but the vampire has his own endgame in mind, one that may leave the police praying they had left the damned undisturbed in their graves. Will the murdered women gets justice?
Read this interesting book where the mystery and investigation won't make you feel bored at all. The characters are very well described and the writing style is good, the way this story is written is intriguing, every chapter starts with time and date, this way it is very easy to connect with the flow of the story.
I went into this book expecting to love it. I love vampire books, I love paranormal romance, and I love a good mystery. Unfortunately this just didn't hit the mark for me. First of all, this is not a paranormal romance (and it doesn't have to be! That was my own mistaken expectation). Rather it is a crime/mystery novel with a vampire as a character and suspect.
The layout of the book and the way it jumped around in date and time, as well as who was narrating, was confusing for me. I was contantly trying to figure who we were with at the moment and where it fell on the timeline.
While I love a good erotic story, the constant sex scenes on what seemed to be every other page got a bit much. That and the female protagonist seemed entirely sex-driven. She was completely 'helpless' to her desire for the vampire and it made her almost wanton. Personally, I found that made her annoying and wanted her to stop being so powerless to her sexual desires that she could barely remember to function. She was practically feeling herself up while interrogating him because she couldn't stop rubbing her thighs or squeezing them together.
Finally, there is no such thing as non-consensual sex. There is consensual sex and there is rape. And if a woman is 'helpless' and manipulated into it, I don't think of it as consensual.
This erotic murder mystery book was not really my cup of tea. While I do enjoy a good erotic book, this one seemed to glorify the act of forcing someone and hurting them during intercourse. It also glorified the idea of hunting and corrupting powerless women and entertained the idea that women should enjoy that. There is also no such thing as 'non-consensual sex', as it is said in the book, there is only consensual sex and rape. Simple. The story was weirdly paced and the idea of the dark and sexy vampire was not executed well, he only seemed creepy and perverted, as every man in this book was. Even the main female character seemed perverted, as she masturbated to the thought of what she believed was a murderer of several young women. Ew. All in all, I couldn't enjoy this book and saw a lot of problems in the way abuse and rape were portrayed as something desirable for women. I'm sure that some people may find pleasure from reading this book, like men with a good complex who dream of submissive women who relish their perverted fantasies.
A combination of Vampire story with murder investigation, Perfect read!!
The blurb was exciting and that made me read the whole book in one sitting. A serial murder investigation of a woman whose killer is still out! Read this book to find out whether that woman will get justice?
The story is unique, full of mysterious events and suspense that kept me interested till the end. This is a kind of mystery book with a unique and interesting storyline. I am sure once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put down. A great combination of mystery and suspense that keeps the reader guessing right to the end.
The writing style is simple and easy to catch. I am really impressed with the suspense part that is very well maintained till the end. The characters are well described and well developed. Read this interesting book where the mystery and investigation together making it a perfect read.
From the outset of bitten, I was hooked. The time jumps are very well executed, and never leave you feeling like you're stumbling through with no idea what's going on! The premise is original, and the novel is incredibly well written. The voices are markedly different depending on which character's viewpoint we are reading from, adn this also added to my enjoyment. Holleigh - love the spelling - is an interesting protagonist. She is flawed, shows both strengths and weaknesses, and has many relatable traits. Her interactions with the....accused....are tense and gripping, and hugely satisfying to read. This truly was not a book or genre I thought I would ever read, but I really enjoyed it. The characters are well fleshed out, the premise is new and interesting and the sex is well written! I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants to try something a bit different, or who enjoys crime thrillers as well as something a bit hotter!
The bitten written by lee allen is a fantasy thriller .It is based on crime procedural where an officer PC ryder trying to uncover the murder case .Will she be able to uncover the truth? We see the story unraveling from her perspective and what had happened around 7 years ago . The story is written in present and the past is written as in between so sometimes reader (me) get confused so for me the transition phase is not so smooth as i have to go back again at the header so yes may be i didnt enjoyed it too much again it happens and sometimes the transition is smooth so i really cant fanthom it whether i enjoyed the reading process or not.Ok now come to the story, well the mystery around who is the perpetrator of all the victims is mystery till the end and this is good that the reader got interested and invested in the story And there is some surprises at the end. I will recommend the story to those who loves fantasy ,mystery and crime .
Launching this book on Valentine’s Day was a god move by the author. And I can’t thank Lee Allen enough for introducing me to my new love, Bitten. The cover of the book got my nerves tickling. After reading Whispers from the Dead Of Night I was already in love with Lee Allen’s writing and this book just pushed me beyond limits. 733 pages and not one page made me feel like I would keep it down because of boredom! The story is dark, graphic, gritty and disturbing, but also challenging and thought provoking and is just the type of thriller I enjoy most. The story is extremely fascinating and I just had to find out how all the pieces would come together in the end. I loved how it was written. The author weaved the story together really well and everything came together and it was really well done. 10/10 for me!
What a master piece! Mr. Allen has created an intriguing suspenseful, darkly erotic novel. Full of twists and turns that leaves the reader chillingly satisfied. His writing style is so crisp and vivid that you can almost reach out and touch the characters! There's a serial killer on the loose! Victims are found bound and exsanguinated. The police are baffled by the perpetrator's modus operandi. All the murders have occurred one one certain date. Suspicions arise that this is no ordinary killer no, some believe that something evil, something supernatural is the culprit. It lurks in the dark seeking its prey. Do you dare read this? I think you should. It will leave you eerily satisfied. I read this book into the dead of night finishing it an hour ago. It was so good I couldn't put it down.
I was gifted this book by @lovebookstours to read and to review for an honest review. At the beginning I was intrigued, as the writing style and the format of the book was different than what I expected. It was like a dairy format with different dates and times that ran alongside the investigation.
At times though that was very confusing for me, where at times during the book I wasn’t sure where we were at in the story and what was going on.
It was like no other vampire story I have read, which is great, as it brings new and exciting versions of the monster we are very familiar with. The scenes of them being staked was so good, with all that gore - more please! And there were scenes that made me think “oh this is good” like the scene at the pub with Eloise. The cover is fab! And it did catch my attention from the start. I just think the dates and the pacing of the novel could be brushed up a bit more!
This book is definitely for readers who are into dark mysteries and thriller. The layout of the book and the way it jumped around in date and time, as well as who was narrating, was confusing for me. I was constantly trying to figure who we were with at the moment and where it fell on the timeline. The book is definitely different from what I was expecting before picking it up and that messed with my flow a Lil bit but overall it is a good read [pardon the pun]. For mature readers though due to the sexual content. I encourage you to pick up a copy and give it a read, it's definitely a different experience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The whole time I was reading this, I somehow felt as though something was attempting to seduce the reader. Valentine's Day was a recurring theme in this book, and the concept of the Valentine Vampire was something that struck me as unsettling, and yet, I went on reading, with a kind of dark, twisted fascination.
This book does contain explicit sexual scenes and graphic violence, and for that reason, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. However, this didn't take away from the author's storytelling skills, which I felt were excellent, and I found there was a constant element of surprise - this book never really stopped surprising me.
I was 'bitten' from the get-go. The language,articulation of the story is nothing short of a mystery.Holleigh's character is intriguing and is intrigued by her 'lover' who is a mystery to those around her. The investigation to the deaths of several Women in the community and the notes found in their vicinity makes it hard to really decipher and make sense of this whole debacle. The author keeps you guessing at what would transpire if the police take this step,instead of that one. PC Ryder is at the centre of the hole thing,but no one is wise enough to put that together,until, well...
This book sounds like an intriguing prospect doesn’t it? It was a fun way to spend a lazy Saturday, that’s for sure. This is a spicy book that will have your heart racing in places. Really well written and captivating - almost immediately the reader is drawn in - for me, I just had to keep reading! Strong characters and a tumultuous story, Lee Allen is a skilled writer who knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Definitely recommended if you are into vampires!
Bitten by Lee Allen, is a spicy, dark paranormal thriller that really pulled me in from the beginning, its plot (crime mystery) caught my eye and I loved the whole paranormal mix. THE SPICEE! Is SPICY and dark. (Loved it!) I haven’t read a vampire story quite like it and it definitely isn’t the usual old basic vampire tale. PC Ryder is a great character whom I enjoyed a lot with his obvious fascination. Descriptive and intriguing all the way, definitely one to add to your TBR!
Loved this book, really enjoyed the twists and turns in the storyline, and didn't manage to work the ending out, which is unusual for me. Vampires have been my favourite horror characters since I was a teenager, and I always enjoy reading stories about them. Not giving out any spoilers, I would highly recommend this book, but It does contain adult material, so probably wouldn't be for everyone
This book is definitely one of the best I've read this year. A book that's dark and alluring all at the same time. I have always been a fan of the vampire folk and Lee Allen has given me something to talk about for quite a while. A mix of murder, sex, passion and the supernatural all wrapped up in one. I will not give any spoilers but this is definitely a MUST READ.
3 stars A wickedly spicy tale of a Vampire! This was an interesting crime story. I wasn't expecting the twist at the end. However I felt the dialog could have been more clear. At times I had to reread to understand who was saying what. The timeline jumps made it difficult at times to follow the story.
I was captivated by the writing style of this author. It was so descriptive and evoked the perfect atmosphere for this dark, erotic murder mystery with a paranormal element. In many ways the vampire protagonist was almost superfluous to the ongoing investigation as the murders appeared to be more about sexual domination than supernatural evil. I enjoyed the alternating timelines, with flashbacks to past events, although it did take some getting used to. As PC Ryder (Holleigh) becomes involved in the investigation, it appears she has some conflicts of interest. It’s hard to understand how she could have reconciled her determination to obtain justice for the victims with her affair with the prime suspect in the case. While I didn’t think everything was as clear-cut as it seemed, II didn’t see some of the surprising twists that threw the whole story in a completely different direction, though I suspected there was little chance of this ending in a happy end. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Really enjoyed reading this book, couldn't put it down. Gripping storyline, with twists and turns, evil lurks in every corner. Highly recommend, well worth a read