Let the Night Begin-Kathryn Smith

Let the Night Begin
Kathryn Smith
Avon, Jul 2008, $5.99
ISBN: 9780061245039

In 1899 in Clovelly, England Olivia Gavin is looked upon as an eccentric who sleeps during the day and works at night. Nobody connects her to the men who disappear and end up in a place where they have no idea how they got there. She is a vampire who never wanted to be one; her husband Reign turned her against her will on their wedding night. Irate she walked out on him cutting off all ties and has not communicated with him since. A messenger gives her a letter stating her nephew James who she raised has been abducted; if she wants him back alive she is to hand over Reign to them.

She goes to Reign to ask for his help in finding and rescuing James, but conceals the demand she hand him over to his enemies. Reign unexpectedly agrees although he doesn’t trust her and knows she is not telling him the entire truth. He demands they behave like husband and wife while on the quest. They learn James went to Scotland with friends who know his aunt is a vampire; their fathers belong to belong to the Order of the Silver Palm who will use Olivia and James as expendable pawns to get the Blood Grail they think Reign has.

This is a stand alone book so the audience will not have to read the previous related tales (see NIGHT OF THE HUNTRESS and TAKEN BY THE NIGHT) although that enhances this Victorian paranormal suspense thriller. The vampires seem real making the hunt for them feel genuine; while the romantic second chance at love subplot is cleverly developed as both have a lot of trust issues to overcome although Reign seems indifferent to his knowing that his wife was going to betray him feels off base. Still LET THE NIGHT BEGIN is an enjoyable vampire historical romantic suspense in which the sleuthing and confrontation is supported by the romance.

Harriet Klausner