Dead and Gone (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 9) by Charlaine Harris

I have previously given this series a 10 of 10 and this book may be even better than the other books.

I read Dead and Gone in four hours and 20 minutes, without stopping. For anything. Yeah, it is that good.

As the blurbs have told us, the weres and shifters come out in this book, their own great reveal. Dead and Gone doesn't cover enough days for us to see much more than the world's initial reaction, I look forward to seeing the longer term reaction of governments and religious organizations in future books.

Two plot points from previous books get mostly wrapped up in this book. About a half dozen plot points head in a very good direction but aren't quite wrapped up yet. And we get a few new plot points that make waiting for the next book that much harder.

Dead and Gone does not end in a spot where you must know what happens next. It's a good ending, with most everything tied up nicely and just enough loose stuff for a bit of speculating about what might happen next. Before I get too much further, here is the blurb:

Except for Sookie Stackhouse, folks in Bon Temps, Louisiana, know little about vamps—and nothing about weres.

Until now. The weres and shifters have finally decided to reveal their existence to the ordinary world. At first all goes well. Then the mutilated body of a were-panther is found near the bar where Sookie works—and she feels compelled to discover who, human or otherwise, did it.

But there’s a far greater danger threatening Bon Temps. A race of unhuman beings—older, more powerful, and more secretive than vampires or werewolves—is preparing for war. And Sookie finds herself an all-too human pawn in their battle.

Sookie being used as a pawn? Surely not. Some things never change, right?

There are parts of this book I loved. I may go back and read those parts again tomorrow.

And there were some pretty rough parts, too. Rougher than anything Sookie has dealt with before. But I guess you have to expect some really rough stuff sooner or later, in a world inhabited by monsters.

So, the plot is good, and the continuation of previous plots worked for me, too. But one of the great things about this series is Sookie's view of the world. In some ways it's a small town simplified view, but in an odd sort of twist, there is almost a zen quality to some of her musings: Life broken down in ways I don't often break it down. And conversations that are a lot more frank than conversations in my world often are.

The books in this series are an engaging read, and Dead and Gone did not disappoint.

Dead and Gone gets a 10 of 10, and the series remains at a 10 of 10.

Book Review: 10 of 10
Series Review: 10 of 10






Sookie Stackhouse / Southern Vampire Series
1. Dead Until Dark
2. Living Dead in Dallas&
3. Club Dead
4. Dead to the World
5. Dead as a Doornail
6. Definitely Dead
7. All Together Dead
8. From Dead to Worse
9. Dead and Gone