Cursed at Dawn

Blackbird Trilogy #3

by Heather Graham

Dracula lives—and he’s hunting for his bride.

Vampires may not walk among us, but FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter know real monsters exist. They’ve witnessed firsthand the worst humankind has to offer. They’re still catching their breaths after the apprehension of two such monstrous killers when they’re met with horrific news. Stephan Dante, the self-proclaimed king of the vampires, has escaped from prison, followed only by a trail of blood.

All too familiar with Dante’s cruelty, Della and Mason know the clock is ticking. But as Dante claims more victims, a chilling message arrives. The vampire killer seeks his eternal bride—Della herself. Playing into Dante’s desires might be the only way to stop the carnage once and for all, assuming they can outwit him. Della is confident the agents have the upper hand, but Mason knows every gamble runs the risk of not paying off, and this time, the consequences could be deadly.

Genres: Paranormal, Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Thriller, Audiobook

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2023

About the author

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written, entertaining, fast paced, romantic suspense novel which is set in Scotland, and has paranormal elements. It has a likable, strong and capable female protagonist, an engaging male protagonist, murder, mystery, some history, romance, and a satisfying conclusion. This is the third entry in Ms. Graham's outstanding Blackbird trilogy and it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone, but it is better when it is read in order for continuity. I listened to the audio version of this novel, and the narrator, Mr. Roger Wayne, has a captivating voice and does an excellent job voicing the characters.

[Karen A. Haunert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank God that's over, I think...

This was a thoroughly unnecessary third book of a rather bad trilogy concerning a guy who calls himself the "Master of the Vampires". He's supposedly brilliant and charismatic, capable of recruiting people to kill to achieve eternal life. Granted, it's hard to write those characteristics. But this guy does not seem very bright at all. But Blackbird, the international task force put together by the Krewe of Hunters, seems outmatched constantly. A bunch of law enforcement and investigation professionals who discuss private details of an open investigestions in public places when the main suspect and his converts could be anywhere? Characters who explore hard-to-find places alone without telling anyone where they are, repeatedly, despite being captured after doing just that? And my personal bete-noire, calling French men named Jean (John) Jeanne instead, probabky because somebody told a junior copy editor that the correct spelling for WOMEN with that name was Jeanne. So a supporting male character and rumored male vampire have to be named Jane because somebody misunderstood basic French and genders. Since these books came out within a month of each other, there wasn't time to fix the second and third book (I assume). Please fix it when you can. It's extremely annoying. I'm not sure I would ever read anything from this series again. The idea of the group is fine, but this trilogy was poorly conceived, and I absolutely hate the woman putting herself in jeopardy trope. Della has some good qualities, but if she were a real FBI agent, she would be demoted for some of the dumb stuff she does. And the prison break was laughable. No American prison infirmary is that lax with security. The lawsuits alone...

[Mary Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This trilogy is so bad. I wanted to try something from Heather Graham and this probably wasn’t where I should have started bc if this is how she writes I am definitely not interested. The dialogue is awful, and entire parts of the books are just repeated over and over again- the concept of the series is interesting and could have been very good but it was executed very poorly. Basically skimmed the last 25% of the book just to get it over with. Other than her dedicated fans enjoying, I don’t how this book has such high ratings! I wish I had a dollar for every time they said ‘he’s a monster’. Ugh

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dante has escaped and he’s headed to Scotland. FBI Agents Della and Mason along with their international team known as Blackbird give chase. This trilogy has been a lot of fun as I couch surfed all over from England to New Orleans and Scotland.

Stephan Dante believes he is the king of vampires. He recruits followers and tricks or threatens others to do his bidding. They land in Scotland only to discover Dante has killed again. This time at a private school during a production of Snow White.

The team has their work cut out from them and will receive aid from beyond. Graham did a lovely job with pacing and building suspense. Those who helped him revealed how diabolical Dante is. His fascination for Della scares Mason, and he has to trust her as an agent.

I loved the history and lores dabbled throughout as they looked for Dante’s hiding places and worked to save victims. We learned about the Black Plague and conditions during the period as we explored tunnels and crypts.

The romance which is served as a side, balancing the dark and the light, felt genuine and wasn’t distracting from the overall mystery thread. The crew splits up and our primary focus is Della & Mason. We do learn that others on the team can speak to the dead.

We meet two new agents, which gives me hope we will see more of the Blackbird Unit. The trilogy wrapped up strong, as did the romantic thread. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Kimm · Rating 3 out of 5]

least favorite of the three

I felt this book wasn't as good as the first two.it dragged more and they repeat stuff A LOT. I got so tired of hearing "we've got to catch this guy!"

And the history got really thick. I don't mind history, but I ended up just browsing through a lot of it.

[Jean F. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much history

I love historical context and I love all things Scotland, but Graham got lost with history and did not develop plots and characters as she usually does. The story dragged on and the conversations between characters were stale and somewhat contrived. I’ve been a fan for a long time but this one was tedious. Graham can do much better.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well… that was a trilogy.

After book one (Whispers at Dusk) earned a middling 3 stars and book two (Secrets in the Dark) left me underwhelmed, I still held out hope that book three would pull things together, especially with the promise of a suave international killer loose in Edinburgh. Instead, Cursed at Dawn managed to be the most forgettable of the bunch.

Despite the stakes supposedly being higher, Dante—the series’ criminal centerpiece—is barely even present. We spend most of the book with agents eating, sleeping, showering, and flirting, all while coming up empty on every lead. The romance is dull, the tension nonexistent, and any spark of danger is buried under repeated history lectures about Edinburgh’s tunnels, which, by this point, are practically supporting characters. (Yes, they're old. Yes, they’re built on older tunnels. Yes, we got it the first twelve times.)

Nearly every character speaks the same way, to the point that dialogue becomes a guessing game. There’s zero personality in the voices, just a flood of interchangeable agents, victims, and disposable "failures" from all over the world, none of whom make a lasting impression.

And for a finale? The big showdown lasts a few pages, at the absolute end of the book, and it's hardly a showdown...more of a dirty walk, though something's crumbling.

If you’re in it for a gritty, gripping criminal pursuit, this series ultimately doesn’t deliver. If you’re here for historical facts and agent bar snacks, you’re in luck.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hoped by book three it would have gotten better. Why they jumped back to the King of Vampires again was tiring. So now he has escaped to Scotland, with the new group on his trail. The trail is bloody, since he believes he is Dracula. The ghosts again steal the book. The team splits up.
Mason, and his partner, and risk taker Della use some information to attempt again to trap him. Book one flash backs. It seems a vampire needs a bride. The end ing was ok, and we learned some about the black plague, catacombs, and that more of the team can speak to the dead. My advice would be to stop throwing this group at your readers, until you have the finesse of the Krewe of Hunter series. This group is supposed to hunt the worst of the worst, and the totally weird. Watch some X- files reruns. That duo runs rings around your bigger group. Blackbird needs to stay a trilogy, until you actually learn to write horror, and mystery murders. Two stars.

[Amber Stout · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still needs an editor

This book was better than her last few but the author still needs a new editor. The use of exclamation marks are still overused. Unless the rules of grammar have changed, words should not be broken where they were. There were still two instances where names were confused. In chapter five, Lachlan and Mason are going to Lachlan's car but in the next paragraph it's Edmund and Edmund's car. In chapter seven, Edmund is out with Jon, but then he is wth others at HQ. The premise is interesting but I am not sure if I want to continue to read this author.

[Kelly Couture · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way to repetitive. I had to push myself through it. The conversations are constant repeats of previous conversations. It’s like they had to convince themselves of what they believed.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of the Krewe of Hunters series for a long time, and this European spin-off is proving to be just as delightful.

Della and Mason, along with their colleagues on Blackbird, are chasing Stephen Dante again; he's escaped from the forensic hospital in the US and is on a new killing spree. This time, the tale takes us to Edinburgh's Old Town, with its narrow winds and closes, and haunted history.

The chase is on, of course; this is a paranormal romantic thriller, and it's all about stopping the bad guy rather than looking out for fair-play puzzle clues. Both Dell and Mason can see and speak to the dead, so they have help from local ghosts who've had it with the killings in their town.

Heather Graham really is the queen of romantic suspense. It's almost impossible to talk about this excellent novel without delivering spoilers. If you enjoy the genre, check this one out; it works as a stand-alone story, but the previous two books in the series are exceptional as well.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

FBI agent Della and Mason are on the hunt for Dante who is leaving bodies in his wake convincing many that he is a vampire king.

So this book is book three to the Blackbird Trilogy. If you're familiar to any of Heather Graham's books then you'll know that while they do work well as a standalone it is great if you read the previous one but this book really does well getting the reader's familiarized with what happened before.

I really enjoyed reading this. I like seeing how they work together to work on this case with the local police in Scotland as well as the ghosts in area. I enjoyed watching as each body or what would be a body they come across they are getting closer and closer to Dante. There was just so much going on in your book is hard to put down. I highly recommended you always check out this book as well as the series especially during this Halloween time it's a great time to read it .

[Vakaris the Nosferatu · Rating 2 out of 5]

all reviews in one place: night mode reading ; skaitom nakties rezimu

My Opinion: Shallow, two-dimensional characters, if they’re bad, they’re stupid, if they’re good, they’re just saving and helping everyone, cooperating without questioning too much. Unless they’re bad, then they’re willfully stupid, of course, and will refuse to talk to a woman. The plot had no suspense, despite the attempt to convince the reader that this here is a tense moment. Sure, but at all times we’re aware of what’s going on, and if we’re not: a ghost will appear and tell us, because they’re all just waiting there to help, it seems. The books aren’t bad. They’re written nicely and are easy to read. But the plot is really dull. So, unless you really want something where thinking too much won’t be required – these might not be for you.

A firm 2 out of 5, but props to author for good writing style, it may seem little, but it’s incredibly important.

[Linda Smatzny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third book in the Blackbird(new group of international Krewe) that is about catching a killer who bills himself the king of vampires. Most of the story takes place in Edinburgh. Interesting use of the history of the city of Edinburgh and all its nooks, crannies and underground spaces. The book was an easy read.

[Jamie M Rademacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy the book, but felt it dragged on. I think the story could have ended in book 2

[Francesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished the story. It was okay.

[Marlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the Blackbird Trilogy, Whispers at Dusk, Secrets in the Dark and this final book in the trilogy, Cursed at Dawn, is the story of one very long, dark night for the members of Blackbird – at least in the metaphorical sense because the action in this paranormal romantic suspense series takes place over more than one night – and on more than one continent.

When the series began in Whispers at Dusk, the original members of Blackbird, Special Agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter were tasked with tracking down a serial killer calling himself the ‘King of the Vampires’ who led them on a not-so-merry chase from the bayous of Louisiana to Castle Bran in Transylvania and all points in between until he was brought to justice.

Or so they believed. Although maybe it was more like hoped even then.

The second book in the series, Secrets in the Dark, takes place while Stephen Dante was awaiting trial in a secure U.S. facility. Blackbird, now a fully international team, traveled to London to track down one of Dante’s apprentices, a man who decided that since he couldn’t beat the so-called ‘King of the Vampires’ using the ‘King’s’ own tricks of the trade he’d be better off appropriating a much older title from a much scarier killer, and took to calling himself the ‘King of the Rippers’ as he stalked Whitechapel and decorated the same streets with a fresh coating of blood and gore.

Blackbird caught him as well, and was taking a few days of well-earned R&R when they learned that Stephen Dante had orchestrated his escape from prison and was on the loose yet again, using his tried and true methods of charming or bribing a new network of acolytes and informations, stalking a new brace of beauties he intended to kill, and yet again with Agent Della Hamilton in his sights with an eye to making her his final victim.

Only this time he’s come to Edinburgh, Scotland, a city full to the brim with history, mystery and magic, abounding in ghost stories and banshee myths, with a twisty layers of buried geography that Dante knows like the back of his hand.

But so do the ghosts of Scots long ago, haunting the city from all the way back to the time of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, who are more than willing to help the living fight one more righteous battle against evil.

Dante believes he is all-seeing, all-knowing and all-powerful, but the ghosts level the playing field for Blackbird with powers that he can neither imagine nor counter. Even as they help to bring his reign of terror to a crashing end.

Escape Rating A-: I’ve enjoyed the entire Blackbird Trilogy, and certainly have been caught up in each entry as soon as I started it, but I liked this one just a tick better because we spent next to no time in Stephen Dante’s head, nor that of any of his proteges. His is not the point-of-view I want to experience. I want to see the case through the investigators’ eyes to watch as the solution fits and starts and eventually falls into place. I don’t need to see the bodies drop to be caught up in the drama and terror, I just need to know they’ve fallen – which we certainly do in this story.

Although it probably helped a bit that there are few actual deaths in this entry in the series. Dante and particularly his minions, keep snatching people but he’s made too many mistakes, he’s let the Blackbird team, especially Della Hamilton, get to know him a bit too well, and this time around they manage to get there in time to save people considerably more of the time.

Which makes this one more about the psychological terror that they know he’s going to strike again – and has and does – than the actual horror of quite so many of his staged tableaux of pale, cold, bloodless, ‘sleeping’ beauties.

(But speaking of what has come before, although the Blackbird Trilogy is an offshoot of the Krewe of Hunters series, you don’t have to read that to get into this. There’s just the right amount of catching up infodumping that Cursed at Dawn probably stands alone – but it would be better to start with Whispers at Dusk to see the team come together.)

The Blackbird Trilogy is a combination of paranormal romance and romantic suspense, and it’s a combo that holds a near and dear place in my reading heart. We began with watching Della and Mason find each other, set against the backdrop of the team coming together and following Dante’s trail of blood and death. As the trilogy has continued, it’s been fun to watch more members get swept into the action, as they band together to track an intelligent, organized and elusive – also illusive – killer.

The trilogy is riveting from its bloody beginning to its killer’s crushing end. Justice has been served after a harrowing investigation, and it’s righteous. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Blackbird, and I know I’ll pick up the Krewe of Hunters again whenever I’m looking for more deliciously chilling paranormal romantic suspense.

Originally published at Reading Reality

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Heather Graham never fails to deliver a nail-biting page-turner with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and this talented and much-loved reader favorite has done it again with her latest novel, Cursed at Dawn.

Nobody knows better than FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter just what human beings are capable of. In the course of their work, Della and Mason have certainly met their fair share of brutal monsters capable of sinking to the most horrifying depths of depravity. Having barely recovered from putting two dangerous killers behind bars, Della and Mason get some shocking news that has them reeling: Stephen Dante, the self-proclaimed king of the vampires, has escaped from prison and he has his eyes firmly set on Della and Mason!

The FBI agents know only too well how dangerous Stephen Dante can be. Time is of the essence and Della and Mason must work against the clock to catch him in time. It’s not long before Dante begins his reign of terror anew, but he has one final weapon in his arsenal. He has escaped because he wants to claim his bride and there is only woman he would consider taking as his wife: Della! Horrified, but aware that by playing along she could get closer and closer to her prey, Della is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of justice.

Can Della and Mason outwit Dante? Will they ensure that he finally gets what he deserves? Or are they taking far too big a risk this time around?

Heather Graham has been at the top of her game for decades and she never puts a foot wrong. In Cursed at Dawn, she has once again pulled out all the stops and delivered a hair-raising, heart-stopping and electrifying thriller that is dark, exciting and so unpredictable readers will be burning the midnight oil and turning the pages way past their bedtime

A first-class chiller where the pace never flags, the shocks come thick and fast and the jaw-dropping revelations will leave readers breathless, Cursed at Dawn will thrill Heather Graham’s legion of fans and win her a score of new devoted followers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Addy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
This is the final book within The Blackbird Trilogy, and I've gotta say that I was pretty invested in this one! It was definitely better than the first two! 4 out of 5 stars!

In Cursed at Dawn, Stephan Dante has escaped prison and resumed killing. This time, he does it in Scotland. He was smart and convincing, having easily tricked people and gained followers as he had before. Towards the end, Dante kidnapped Brianna, and Demma willingly followed him in an attempt to save her. Honestly, it was all very similar to what went down in Book 1. From there, Mason caught up, a fight ensued causing his gun to go off, and it triggered a cave collapse. In the collapse, Dante didn't make it out and was ultimately crushed, putting an end to the murders.

At first, with the introduction of a few new people, I kept getting them confused again. There are quite a few people that you need to remember and keep straight within this series, and it's hard to remember who is who at times. With this one, the infodumping seemed to be larger when it occurred but fewer in frequency. Oddly enough, it kinda worked and didn't feel as annoying. Though, I must say.. all three books have been VERY similar in their premise. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of variety between the three.

The ending was nice!! I'm satisfied with the conclusion of the trilogy! For one, Mason proposed to Della! Honestly, that scene seemed a bit confusing; however, I'm glad they got engaged! I've rooted for the two of them from the start! And, Blackbird will be expanding! They're taking on new people from more countries, including those they worked with in Scotland. Finally, we found out that the entire team could see ghosts the entire time!! Why did we just get to that in the last book?? I feel like more could've been done in that regard otherwise. All in all, the trilogy was decent! Not my favorite, but it wasn't bad!

[JazzRizz · Rating 3 out of 5]

[AUDIOBOOK - not an option edition yet]
This was a pretty fast moving story. Della & Mason find themselves flying back to Louisana ... as Stephen Dante has escaped prison.

After a VERY brief investigation into the prison break ... they find themselves flying over to Scotland, where they meet up with the rest of Blackbird.

Edmond is there to ferry them to the new crime scene, where we meet Lachland ... who I really like.
Brianna was another fun new character. They both step forward to help Della/Mason ... as the rest of the team takes a major back seat & work in tandam off page .. which was a little disappointing, but in line with the rest of the Krewe books.

Della is a little tiresome in her reckless tendencies to place herself in very sketchy situations to create the tension situations. Dante has throughly planned his actions, and the team struggles to get a step ahead of him. The ghosts once again step up and help when needed.

Overall, it was a decent book .. but I can't say I'm sorry to wrap up the Della/Mason trilogy.

It seems like Graham has cracked the door open for future books featuring this International team.

[Darla Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter know that monsters are real and they have just captured two of the worst. But they get some unwelcome news when they find out Stephan Dante, a man who calls himself the king of the vampires, has escaped. They find out where he's going and they're soon headed to Scotland where they'll meet the rest of the Blackbird team. The team must once again outwit a killer before anyone else dies.

I've really enjoyed this series and this book is no exception. I was drawn into this bewitching story and kept hooked from beginning to end. The book's well-written with wonderful characters and I loved reading the history of the city and of Scotland. I know that this was the third book in the trilogy and it was a great ending, but I loved this team and do hope there's more to come. Maybe in another trilogy or something. I highly recommend both book and trilogy which should be read in order.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The conclusion of the first Blackbird trilogy. I gave this book an extra star because the setting of the catacombs in Edinburgh was interesting, and the murder scenes were a bit more theatrical, howing a possible character arc for Dante. However, there was a lot of (to me) repetative history dumps. I like learning some history as part of a story, but I prefer it presented in a more interesting manner, and somewhat relevant to the plot. In this book, the history was a lecture from a ghost, a lecture from a police officer, a lecture from a bartender. Della of course uses herself to save another, confident in her ability and Mason's tracking to save her. Mason is spared from killing Dante, he and Della marry, and another pair of lovers is brought into the Krewe. I hate to say it, but I think the author left the back door to the crypt open in case she needs the villian to reappear in a future trilogy.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stephan Dante has escaped from prison. Della and Mason are absolutely horrified. They are very familiar with Dante, “the vampire killer”. His cruelty and inhumanity is like nothing else these FBI agents have ever come across. They know he must be found quickly or there will be deadly consequences.

I have been reading this author since I was in high school. She has been a staple in my reading life for years. But, this is not my favorite series. It just seems too simple and predictable.

But, dang if she did not teach me quite a few things about Scotland and it’s lore. I very much enjoyed the weaving in of all the old superstitions and legacy’s surrounding the history of this country.

Need a quick serial killer chase…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun trilogy. It's a stand-alone trilogy, but the organization and characters are part of a series. I didn't realize until I was almost finished with the first book. There are almost 30 books in that series, and I'm debating if I want to take that on. I already have 3 series going, and I'm enjoying them, so I'm not sure if I will take this on, as I tend to binge read them to catch up. I also have a ton of TBR still. Back to this trilogy. I really enjoyed this authors writing style. She made every word count. No long, drawn-out pages of description of anything. A few sentences and on we go. I like it when authors assume the reader can visualize for themselves. Don't insult me with trivial details. I don't need to know there were precisely 8 rats in a room. Say there were rats plural, and I can freak myself out from there.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even this isn't the best book by Heather Graham it is a gripping story that kept me hooked and reading till late in the night because I wanted to know what was going to happend and how Della and Madison were going to beat Dante.
It's an exciting ride, there's some repetition, but i had a lot of fun and rooted for the detective.
I'm curious about the future of this series: there will be more stories set in Europe or Della and Madison will be back to the Krewe ?
Heather Graham is an excellent writer of paranormal story and would be an excellent writer of horror stories.
This one is a mix of genre and I appreciated this series.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another in the Blackbird trilogy series, in which Stephan Dante has escaped jail in the USA and shows up again in Scotland, resulting in the deaths and near-deaths of several young women. Both Della Hamilton and Mason Carter go after him again, knowing that Della is the one he's really after and he'll stop at nothing to get her, maybe even get her to come to him.

Crawling through the catacombs near old churches results in encounters with ghosts who again become instrumental in finding the elusive Dante and in keeping Della alive, even as they finds herself trapped underground with Dante and certain to die unless Mason and friends can get to her before her blood is removed and she's laid out in that classic Stephan Dante style.

A thriller from first page to last.

[Rainelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good. The book is fast pace for those speed readers. The plot was certainly entertaining. It had me interested and excited to read the book. There are a number of characters that bring their own expertise to the hunt for the villain.
With that being said, I did find myself confused many of times over who was who. In certain cases I lost the flow of reading the book. The same could be said with the overwhelming information that was supplied to this book. A lot of it has no relation to the villain, who they are chasing. I almost felt like I was in history class.
I don’t mind history. I love it in fact, but not so much in a serial killer crime book. Until next time my fellow readers. Read on!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The end of a terrible trilogy.
The big bad "king of the vampires" escapes prison in America and wreaks more havoc and commits more murders in good old Scotland.

The main hero's - two ghost seeing special agents, working with an international crew of ghost seer's capture him after much draggy conversation about English, Irish and Scottish history.

And then to top it all off their is a double proposal between the two hero's and the two newest members of the ghost seeing international team.

BLEHHHHHHHHHHHHH. A root canal with no anesthesia would be less painful. But - if you are looking for a totally predictable serial killer, investigative romance with a paranormal twist - this might just be the book trilogy for you.

[DeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I may have read this one thinking it was the second book in the trilogy, then realized it was actually the third - that was my bad. That being said, as with most of Heather Graham's books in her series you can pick them up without reading the previous books, you just may miss out on some foundation or background information. I'll still go back and read the second one though so I can put the pieces together. This one did feature the villian from the first book so it was interesting to see that return of that villian and the interaction between him, Della and Mason. The pacing was really good on this one and I'm super glad I got the chance to pick it up, even though I read out of order.

[Marilyn Skowron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Vampire In Scotland

Members of the special Blackbird team hunt a deranged man who calls himself the KIng of the Vampires and goes on a killing spree in Edinburgh, Scotland. FBI agents Della Hamilton and Mason Chase join witha group of international law enforcement members to try and stop the serial killer. As usual a number of ghosts aid in the search and rescue efforts. This mystery is full of suspense with many complications and gives a great insight to the history of Scotland as a bonus to the plot.