Between Tricks: A Half-Demon Noir in an Alternative World: A Dixie Tricks Novel

by Jaime Munn

WHEN YOU HAVE A LITTLE DEMON BLOOD IN YOUR VEINS PEOPLE EXPECT YOU TO HAVE HORNS...

IN DIXIE’S WORLD DEMONS RIDE THE ELECTRICS AND VAMPIRES ARE THE NUMBER ONE WET DREAM IN EVERYONE’S FANTASY...UNTIL THE SAFE WORD IS FORGOTTEN. THEN IT ALL ENDS IN TEARS AND A SHARP STAKE.

Meet Dixie. Upmarket courtesan/monster hunter. (They pair really well. One pays a lot, the other nada.) She loves designer coffee, but hates vampires. (You would too...if you knew what was good for you!) Diamonds, expensive shoes, and designer labels, are her go to spoils of conquest, but they clash with the places her day job takes her. (Nothing is chic in a sewer.)

Life was predictable. (Sexy nights and slaying days make for a very full diary.) Now, her lists might need reordering. There's a new kind of cold dead thing taking top spot in her ick list. Worse, to beat it, she's going to have to partner with the V word. And that's not what she signed up for.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2021

About the author

Jaime Munn lives in a house with too many windows on the outskirts of Manchester, the city of immortal bees. He writes contemporary and urban fantasy stories. His novels blend the real world with his fascination for all things supernatural. By day he is a therapist. By night he is not a vampire.

Reviews

[Kelly Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun romp was effectively written with tongue firmly in cheek throughout. Dixie's main gig is ridding the world of bloodsuckers, but she moonlights as a high-priced courtesan because even a vampire hunter must pay her bills--especially when one with expensive tastes. In between mooning at her handsome roommate, Dixie, the product of a demon father and a human mother, pursues her two careers with bravery, flair, and efficiency. There is an interesting plot and the ending satisfies as it hints of future adventures.

If you are in the mood for an entertaining and irreverent read, this is a great choice!

[Amanda Sheridan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Buffy Summers and Sookie Stackhouse had a lovechild, and Spike was their childminder, then Dixie Tricks would be it.
By day she hunts monsters, mostly vampires because, of all the monsters out there, vampires are the ones she dislikes the most. That s her day job. But the money isn’t all that great so she spends her nights, flat on her back, or her knees, as a high-class courtesan, administering to the needs of her wealthy clients.
She has friends in high places and friends in low places. Demons and humans and all those in between that make up her world.
But when Cawley, the Prince of Nowhere, and one of her favourite nighttime clients, goes missing she has to find him. And if that isn’t a big enough problem, someone is making zombies. Which is illegal. (I never knew that!)
To find the prince and catch the zombie-maker, Dixie has to enlist the help of one of the city’s most well known and loved vampires. The sexy, but chilly, Dylan Carrafiell – who is a proper vampire, not one of those sparkly ones.
I love this book. I absolutely love it. It has everything I want wrapped up between the covers. A great story, a sassy heroine, sexy men – both alive and undead. It is funny and, without it going into explicit detail, it teases the reader with erotica. Yet it has a darkness in it as well, and it is this that makes it a truly great vampire/monster story because, around the halfway point in this book, things take a dark turn and Dixie discovers that her charm and wit might not be enough to save her. I love how the author did this, so subtly that I almost didn’t see it coming. Brilliant!
It is told from Dixie’s point of view, in a fast-paced, rambling way, almost as if she was rushing to get her thoughts out and onto the page as fast as possible. Before something bad happens to her? Maybe. Maybe not.
Read it yourself to find out. I don’t do spoilers.
But I do love this author’s style. It is unique. Witty and full of snark. Very tongue in cheek and I will definitely be reading more of this author’s work.

[Lauren Erzsebet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dixie is a monster hunter with a special hate for vampires even if others seem to find them swoon worthy.
She has a little demon blood but none of the other signs of one especially none that protrude.
Our little Dixie is a feminine lover of baubles and classy shoes but while one profession gives all that the other can seriously damage it.
Also being a courtesan to royalty and the such can be tiring but provides a girls best friend. Shame you can't wear a decent diamond when you're hunting creatures.
When a new monster surfaces and vampires suddenly making good partners to kill said evil... Will she still hate the bloodsucking fantasy awakening men still?

This book is set up like a diary written by a sassy, strong and capable woman who is all danger and pointy sharpness.
I absolutely loved this book and the characters attitude made this my life for an entire day.
It is so rare to find an author with such a writing style that has you hooked like its your drug and you are dependant.
I cannot praise this enough... The storyline is strong with its switch between violence and femininity.
Working with the enemy always leads to altered opinions...
This was a wonderful mix of drama, humor and more with its action packed pace and plot.
It would be a mistake to miss out on this wordy treasure.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tim Beeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute blast!

Not my normal choice of book but one I still thoroughly enjoyed.
This isn’t a difficult book to like. There’s plenty of well written action, loads of thrilling elements and a story that moves along at a decent pace.
I enjoyed the use of suspense coupled with dark humour and then when you throw in vampires, monsters and a useful dollop of magic, you’ve really got your hands full (in a good way!)
Dixie Tricks is a brilliant character, very complex and one which lives life in the extreme but a really interesting and, ultimately, likeable character.
Without heading into spoiler territory, this story contains – vampires, monsters, demons, zombies and zombie makers. If that doesn’t pique your interest, then I’m not quite sure what will!
I really did enjoy this story as a breath of not quite fresh air. There are elements of dark and light, humour and seriousness all wrapped up in a fantastically well-written story.
I’m glad I picked this title up and will definitely look for more by this talented author.

[Douglas Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our heroine is used to working on the shady side of the street, but she also tries to keep a low profile. That goes right out the window when she gets sucked into a whole mess of trouble.

This is an urban fantasy story with all kinds of paranormals running around. It is a veritable menagerie, but then that is half the fun. The story is well written and comes with a fascinating setting and a large cast, all of which combines to keep the reader entertained and somewhat busy. You almost need a scorecard at times to keep all the players straight, but that also makes the story move along at a good clip. The plot itself is a good one with plenty of twists and turns to keep things interesting, as well as some humor to occasionally lighten the mood. Overall, it was a lot of fun and I look forward to more from this author.

Highly recommended

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes

[Charissa Dufour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between Tricks was such a fun rollercoaster ride. The narration is first person and VERY unique. More than once I rolled my eyes at the tangents and the times the narrator broke the 4th wall, but that may just be my preferences. I didn't really care for those bits. That being said, It was still a really fun story with lots of great adventure and plot twists. It also had sprinkling of sexiness so that is always a plus.
While I didn't enjoy the break in narration, I did enjoy the references to pop culture such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and how did she make ends meet which legit made me LOL.
Great, unique book. Only 4 stars cause I didn't enjoy the breaks in narration.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the storyline it’s well written and kept me turning the pages. The characters are engaging and kept me entertained throughout. Vampire thrills and chills with a hint of steam makes for a good read.



I received a copy and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Poet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fell into this one!

I picked this book as a lark. The name was what made me laugh. I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Strong characters that grew over time and a finale that brought the characters to fruition. As an alpha male, I am always drawn to alpha females, and Dixie is most of that. Read this one, as I will again at some point. Bon chance.

[E.M. Duffield-Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual read

Between Tricks is a fun, fast-paced lightheartes romp of a book with a strong ending. It has very strongly defined characters and a distinctive (and somewhat sassy) narrative voice.
The first person narrator appears to talk directly to the reader on occasion, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it does make for a very defined style.
The urban fantasy world is full off well designed and well realised magic, with complex layers in the world building. This book has clearly been well thought through.
It has real world cultural references, which I thought an interesting choice given the unique world building, but it does help to add to the almost self aware, self referential style of the book.
On a more personal note, I have to say that I didn't particularly warm to the narrator, Dixie, but I'm sure that other people would love her.
Th

[Lauren Eason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was generally fast-paced with a lot of quips and snarky banter between characters. It's written from Dixie Trick's point of view as if it's a journal - sometimes she's talking to the audience, and other times she's simply telling her story. She's down to jump your bones at night and turn you into bones during the day, if you're a monster of course!

The story follows Dixie Trick's who's called into investigate a rash of disappearances around the city. Her first thoughts turn to vampires because she's got a nasty spot for all things dead. She soon realizes that her other most-hated dead thing is making its rounds and it's up to her to figure out who's creating them. Could it be the same person who kidnapped an orphan named Ethan and her beloved Prince of Nowhere?

Dixie is a fun, witty woman with a lot to say. She shoots straight from the hip and rarely glances back to assess the consequences. In a way, she's admirable for her no-nonsense attitude, but in a different light, one might see it as immaturity. She walks a fine line between girl and woman, in my honest opinion. At certain points in the story I even had to remind myself that this person is older than sixteen.

Being a book about a prostitute, or as Dixie would say "the resident whore," there's not a lot of sexual interaction between the characters. There's allusions to sex, sex talk, and mention of kinks, but not a whole lot of explicit scenery which may or may not be your drug of choice.

This is not a romance novel. The summary of the story alluded to an enemies to lovers trope, but alas, not in this book (maybe the next one). There's attraction, lust, but not a whole lot of intimacy or romance. In fact, some of the characters, even her supposed main love interest, is more of a side character with not a lot of depth. It was hard for me to build a strong, emotional attachment to any of the characters - and unfortunately, the one that I found interesting didn't survive very long.

The vampire that Dixie ends up working with is supposed to ooze charisma and sex appeal. However, Dixie seems to be immune to this, only hinting at some interest with little sparks of jealousy, even when she has her boy toys and the Prince of Nowhere at her feet. It's almost like a child who sees another playing with a toy even though they already have one, but they must have both. I'll say that Dixie is definitely not a character without flaws - she has loads of them.

The storyline was a little predictable, but it was still enjoyable. I would say the last few chapters were trying a little too hard to be cryptic (and stingy) with information, even though it wasn't hard to guess where the plot was going.

Overall, it was a fun read with quirks. I thought the plot was interesting and I liked the use of monsters.

[Robert Appleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A half-demon courtesan, who also moonlights as a paranormal investigator, is tasked with finding a missing vampire of royal lineage in this entertaining urban fantasy. Dixie Tricks is a high-priced escort who genuinely likes her over-sexed, under-the-radar lifestyle. She gets to bed the hottest vampires in town, then venture into the city’s supernatural underworld to right a few wrongs. Her latest case is also a personal one—the missing vamp, a rich celebrity among his kind, is one of her favourite clients.

Dixie pretty much has her pick of the horny elite, but the guy she has the strongest feelings for is the one she can’t have: a dreamy gigolo who services only rich male clientele. Still, it’s a glamourous world of limos and parties, until a deadly attack on someone close to her sets Dixie on a hidden trail into the dark heart of the city, where she encounters all manner of supernatural forces.

Author Jaime Munn makes the most of Dixie’s first-person narration, especially her lascivious female gaze and her sense of humour. Many of her one-liners are witty, and she’s able to bring this layered world to life for us by poking fun at it. It works a treat, up to a point. The first half doesn’t really get going in terms of plot momentum. Dixie spends so much time drooling over the men in her life – barely a page goes by without her remarking on how sexy someone is – that it starts to drag. A few too many quippy asides to the reader start to have the same effect. The narration is often flip when it should be serious, which lessens the stakes in a crucial action scene. And while it never quite veers into erotic territory, the first half indulges a little too much in the prurient side of Dixie’s high living for my taste, at the expense of a gripping story.

It picks up the second half, when the noirish and supernatural elements combine for a twisty, pacier urban fantasy mystery. The most colourful characters are thrown into the mix together along the way, the quips and the lusty gazes take more of a back seat, and the whole thing feels on surer footing. There’s some genuine tension as the plot approaches its climax. The complex world-building pays off with a couple of hidden motives and twists I didn’t see coming.

Urban fantasy readers should enjoy this one. My issues with the first half are down to personal taste, and I’m sure some readers will revel in those elements I felt outstayed their welcome. But there’s no denying Jaime Munn is a very good writer who’s fashioned an imaginative, well-described alternate world of blood and champagne.

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get to know Dixie: you won’t regret it

With so many stories about vampire hunters, the next big thing’s gotta have a gimmick, and “Between Tricks: A Dixie Tricks Novel” does offer something at least a little new. This version of Van Helsing is part-human, part-demon and a high-end whore. Dixie Tricks is spirited and sexy and excels at both careers: destroyer of monsters by day and devourer of men by night.

Jaime Munn has given us an amusingly wicked novel, styled as a journal, that teeters on the brink of erotica but, perhaps reluctantly, settles as urban fantasy. Munn is an excellent storyteller, and “Between Tricks” delivers, chapter after chapter, even when its heroine realises she might not be sassy enough to save herself. There is a superb balance of femininity and ferociousness as the story hurtles across the pages.

Dixie’s latest challenge is the loss of a high-end client, and she has to resort to the help of the dashing Dylan Carrafiell, a full-time vamp, even though she despises vampires more than other fantastical folks. You cannot help falling for Dixie from the start: she is complex, challenging and desirable, and highly likeable, even when the bubble bursts and Munn encourages Dixie to connect directly with the reader. The extreme mix of situations, characters and variety of monsters is humorously handled, with the truth that someone is making zombies deliciously waiting in the wings. And a special mention must go to Sister Ellyn.

Munn almost loses control of the plot twists towards the novel’s end but eventually restores order for a satisfying, albeit foreseeable, climax. It is also a perfect opportunity to spawn a series of sequels and spin-offs, as any great franchise should. So pick up a copy, settle back on a lazy afternoon and get to know Dixie: you won’t regret it.

[Laura Daleo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between Tricks: A Dixie Tricks Novel by Jaime Munn ticked a lot of my boxes as a good vampire book. Pros: The story combines drama, suspense, humor, monsters, magic, and mystery - a little of something for everyone. Sister Ellyn's character was clever and unique, which I hadn't encountered in a vampire book before. The scenes were extremely well written, filling my imagination with vivid images as though I was right in the middle of the action. My attention was constantly held by the plot twists, perhaps a few too many, but I was intrigued to find out what would happen next. I particularly enjoyed following the secondary characters. Sister Ellyn deserves a standalone novel.
Cons: the book has a lot of clichés, but what vampire book doesn't? Dixie, the main character, frequently wanders off topic and addresses the reader directly. I felt these interruptions disrupted the storyline. Anne Rice's character, Lestat, was a great match for this narrative type, but I didn't think it worked with Dixie. I didn't feel connected to her, either. There wasn't any sense of femininity in her character. I know few women who share her mannerisms or actions. Dixie's behavior was not typical of a real woman, but that could have been how she was supposed to be portrayed. A lot of plot twists occur. It had everything but the kitchen sink. In fact, the story became burdensome at one point.
I definitely see a market for more Dixie Tricks novels. Many secondary characters could be explored in other books. Adding to my earlier comment, I'd like to see a book featuring Sister Ellyn. My interest in her was immediately piqued and I wanted to learn more about her.
Between Tricks: A Dixie Tricks Novel is definitely worth reading. Dark fantasy, supernatural, and paranormal fans will enjoy it.

[Christine Duts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love fantasy, but I’m not crazy about urban fantasy. However, the plot intrigued me, so I decided to read this book, and I’m glad I did! If there’s a book that convinced me to read more urban fantasy, it’s definitely this one!
From the first pages, I loved the main character, Dixie Tricks. She’s strong and sassy with her own kind of humor. I especially liked this novel because the author didn’t turn her into one of those impossible-to-scare, tough heroines who swears like a sailor, which always seemed unconvincing to me. Dixie is definitely tough and sassy, but realistically. She doesn’t dive headfirst into the action. She knows her limits, she knows what she should be afraid of, and she has her weaknesses, too, such as prejudice (against vampires), which she discovers early on in the story.
I never liked the distinction between the black and white good humans and evil monsters in books. So I loved how there were monsters in this book that were downright dangerous and had to be avoided (and eliminated), but then there were other monsters that showed a human side and who made Dixie think twice before resorting to dispatching them.
Dixie’s direct speech to the audience was also enjoyable. It made her real and more natural as if she were telling us her story or as if we got a glimpse into her personal notes.
I really enjoyed the occasional humorous comments throughout the story. They often made me chuckle or laugh out loud.
Dylan, the sexy vampire she has to work with, her roommate Jester, and Sister Ellyn were three side characters I really liked. I felt some chemistry between Dixie and Dylan and was a little disappointed that didn’t go anywhere, but who knows, perhaps in a future book?

[F.G. Laval · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fast-paced character driven story about a vampire hunter, who is also half-demon and boosts her living by taking on private clients in the evenings. It starts off quite stream-of-consciousness from the first person view of Dixie Tricks; fantastic name, which suits her personality well. This gives the reader a very close insight into how Dixie thinks, which is sometimes a bit too close for comfort, but the author is clever in the way he doesn’t let Dixie’s thoughts intrude at the expense of the story. He lets us linger for just enough time with Dixie’s thoughts before picking up the pace. When we are graced with Dixie’s asides, they then add to the delight of the novel, and some of them are just laugh out loud. This is a character who doesn’t take herself too seriously, which just adds to the charm.

There was enough original content to make this urban fantasy a fresh experience for those who are hooked on the genre; everything you think you know about vampires, demons and zombies is not necessarily the reality in this alternative world. It has all the elements you might expect, including a mystery missing prince, a drop-dead gorgeous master vampire, an evil zombie-making sorcerer, and some great fight scenes. I love that Dixie gets to save the day, despite her only advantage being a taser she keeps in her handbag by the name of Little Red.

The author has written a story that is complete but also sets up a fascinating situation for a follow-up book. You won’t be disappointed by how this story ends, and you will itch to get your hands on the next volume.

[Elle Sie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tagline of this novel is what caught my attention in the first place (She's half demon but not half bad) though it was the witty writing and fast pacing that kept me reading. Dixie tricks is a vampire hunter. She takes on night clients as well to make ends meet and finds herself on a mission to rescue one of her favourites, a prince called Cawley. I found Dixie to be a smart, tough and sassy character; apart from her red hair I pictured her as a cross between Faye from Cowboy Bebop and Kelly from Ash versus the Evil Dead as a tough woman who knows how to achieve a means to an end. I liked how she directly addressed the reader too, which helped me to engage in her story; a great idea on the writer's part. Some of the more interesting parts included the awkwardness of Dixie's relationship with Ethan when she had to take on night clients right after being with him and knowing that he was still in the next room. I did also like Dixie's relationship with the Prince of Nowhere, and the development between them towards the end of the book. Very well written and humorous, an entertaining read.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was struck by the voice from the first page. Munn hits Dixie Tricks’ narration effectively, with gritty, hardboiled inner monologue and characterization. The world building was also appealing and effectively rendered. Dixie lives in a world similar to ours, yet populated with vampires, zombies, royalty, inquisitors, devotees of the Coptic Church and nuns who worship the goddess. Munn does an admirable job getting the familiar to sit alongside the sinister and alien. In Dixie’s world, you might ride in a carriage sitting next to a vampire while reading a Superman comic, all while being pursued by paparazzi. Yet it feels organic and believable. I also liked the way that Munn weaved the narrator’s day and night jobs into part of a larger conspiracy. While I was unprepared for the level of sexuality and the extent to which it saturated Dixie’s way of thinking, it definitely had veracity for the diary of a courtesan, and will be a selling point for many readers more used to the genre. Hopefully Munn will continue this series and explore more of Dixie’s adventures and world in future novels. Pick this up if you want something action-packed and entertaining.

[Michael Kan · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This is one orgy I’d never admit to.” This novel is best for people looking for an urban supernatural story that features a main character who’s happy to indulge eroticism. The words sex and sexy are used throughout with a main character who seems ready to shag whenever. So be prepared. The story reminded me of the Keanu Reeves film Constantine in that you get a smart and proficient main character dealing with a shadowy world inhabited with demons, vampires and otherworldly spirits. The story is told via a first-person narrative, which features plenty of stream of consciousness. It’s an interesting story choice that lets you really understand the main character’s personality, and I did enjoy Dixie’s voice. There’s also action as we encounter Dixie taking on various supernatural threats and trying to unravel a conspiracy. However, the stream of consciousness and the moments where Dixie often talks to the reader directly may not work for every reader looking for a more traditional narrative.

[Josie Bembridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drink every time you read the word 'sexy!' - That was a joke but it sums up the overall feel to the book for me.

Now I won't lie, it took me a little while to really get into this book. We follow the life of Dixie Tricks and let's just say that the life of this half demon, vampire hating, monster slaying, courtesan, is not for the faint hearted. The story is fast paced, steamy in parts, filled with hilarious dialogue and even has a few twists in the mix! Overall it was a very enjoyable easy read, and I look forward to reading more of Dixie's adventures in the future!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dixie redefines love and family as she in her own bawdy way battled elements and essences of power, darkness and light and tries to stand for those who need her

She had long ago buried her given name and family. Life and love lend her more losses along with love, yet it might be for the better that way

imperfect lives and love can likely use the help to survive and thrive

steamy, humorous and bawdy alternative universe adventures

[Emzy Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. The world building is absolutely phenomenal. Ooh the characters. Those sneaky booger snuck into my heart, set up shop, and I don’t think they plan to leave anytime soon. The banter is absolutely fabulous. The plot has more curveballs than a baseball game. All the shocks and twists have my jaw great exercise as I kept picking it up from the floor. I want more of Dixie Tricks!

[Lisa's fire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humorous, what a blast..

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. A new take on a popular genre. A sassy heroine, lots of action and a great mix of both light and dark humour. Can not wait for the next book to see how the characters develop and where the story goes.

[Karen]

great , when is the next dixie tricks novel