Customer Reviews

In the Blood

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So Halloween is right around the corner, and if you are looking for a horror story to rise to the occasion, check out "In The Blood" by Rick R. Reed. It's a story of vampire love, a love that you definitely don't want to be the object of. It was love at first bite for me, from the first chapter to the last, I was under the spell of Reed's terrible trio of living dead characters and the poor souls they set their sights on. The suspense was heart pounding, nail biting, and seemed never ending. The storyline kept me turning the pages till late into the night and I found myself becoming involved with the characters and wanting to warn them of the impending horrific danger to come.

Elise's life has gone in a very different direction then she ever thought. A good girl from a good family has landed in a seedy apartment in the worst part of Chicago. To keep a roof over her head and food on her plate, she turns tricks all night long while turning her emotions off to her deeper feelings about her profession and her clients. But by day, Elise is a brilliant artist, drawing dark emotional pictures that come from deep inside her. Nobody knows how brilliant her work is though, as her self esteem is at it's lowest and doesn't feel ready to show her work to anyone. In fact she goes to extremes to hide it from others. Her life is about to change though, when she breaks her cardinal rule and brings a client back to her apartment, he sees her work and tells his friends about it.

This client, Terence was no art dealer though. He is a vampire. His friends, also vampires. And..they happen to be art aficionados who's daily meals includes the flesh and blood of human beings. Elise knew deep down there was something a bit strange about this trick, but his mesmerizing charisma has her completely under his spell and agrees to meet his friends. Temporarily spared due to their interest in her art, Elise become enamored by Maria, the beautiful but deadly vampire(I see Sonia Braga here). Maria's feelings(yes, Vampires have feelings too!) are the strongest she has felt for a human in 200 years! But as Elise becomes aware of the grotesque lives(deaths?) these creatures lead, the suspense builds as to what will become of her. Will she give in to Maria and change over to become one of them and live eternally with her love, or will the blood loving Terence, suck her life's fluid till she's dead?

Reed is one of the best new horror writers around.I don't know how he keeps coming up with this stuff but keep em coming please.His descriptions of the places put you right there in the story. His tales of the Vampire lust and the victim's fate at their hand will make you cringe with the goriness of it all. He puts Elise in situations that will have your heart in your throat. The book is very well written and the story of the third vampire, Edward, paralells that of Elise's with every other chapter going back 60 years to his fateful meeting with Terrance. I also liked that these vampires were like no others, the story is a fresh take and surprises you at every turn. For more scare the bejuzzus out of you fare from Reed, try IM, a serial murder mystery involving gay men hooking up on line.

It's a real treat and highly recommended for goth and horror buffs.Even the cover art is scary. I had to keep it turned over on my nightstand, it kept looking at me! Not for wimps though. Some pretty graphic material of the vampire feasts and sexually as well(including quite errotic gay and lesbian themes).

Hauntingly captivating....MWAHAAHAA.......Laurie

Maria, Terence, and Edward are more-much more-than ordinary vampires could ever be. Simultaneously, they exceed the admirable vampire image, and fall far short of it. Their feeding habits are much more grueling and they are much longer-"lived" than the usual mode of vampires. In addition, in order to achieve their odd version of immortality, they must sacrifice far more than watching mortal loved ones age and die as they themselves "live" on.

In the Blood is much more than just a vampire novel that will hold the reader's interest. It becomes a philosophical and metaphysical exploration of the adventures of history, art, and sensuality, in the eyes and minds of three vampires who laugh at the Anne Rice vampire milieu. In the Blood plumbs depths not expected in the "ordinary" vampire novel, and by the final outstanding denouement in a story full of convolutions and unexpected surprises, I knew the book would linger long in memory. Rife with sensuality, both romantic and gory, In the Blood sizzles and steams, the fog of lust only temporarily obscuring the mystery and truths underlying the story.

Not your run-of-the-mill story of a lonely vamp. living in solitude who meets a human and falls in love.
This is a vampire story that gives the reader a new and refreshing look at this genre. Here we have three vamps...all sexy or course and each with their own story of how they came to be. Excellent backstory of Edward and loved the sexy Terrence with the body of David; and the glue that holds 'their little family unit' together Maria.
Well developed characters took the reader into the heart and soul of each vampire in a way that enriched the story.
Of course, we must have a human factor incorporated in the mix in order to have our conflicts, heartache and personal angst.
Enjoyed the writing of Rick Reed and have order another book of his. IM

In The Blood is a new twist on an old story. Writers have long been fascinated with vampires, but Rick R. Reed takes the story to a new level.

Elise, an artist by day and an prostitute by night, meet up with a small family of vampires in modern Chicago. Terance, Edward, and Maria each want her for a different reason -- Terance as prey, Edward as a tool for salvation, and Maria as an eternal love. The story follows Elise through her involvement with these vampires until she finally forced to decide what she wants for the rest of her life and how much she would be willing to sacrifice for eternal youth. Through Elise's musings and decisions, we also see Edward's choices parallelled and how they affected his future.

Reed's vampires go beyond the stereotypical vampire-lover we see in so many novels. These vampires are very much hunters, but there is a lingering humanity about Maria and Edward that makes the reader sympathetic to them. Even in Terance's seeming absence of compassion or empathy, we see a vulnerability in him that is scarily attractive. These vampires share the same frailties and vulnerabilities that we usually only see in their mortal prey. In giving them a level of humanity, Reed makes the reader care about these vampires and see them with a depth and clarity that is missing in other novels of this genre.

Reed's writing is poetic yet graphically clear. He doesn't try to win the reader's sympathy by showing the vampire kills as romantic encounters of seduction. Terance, Edward, and Maria are preditors. We never forget that fact. However, we see in these preditors remnants of their lost humanity and it makes us feel for them.

The weaving of Elise's story and Edward's story is a wonderful exploration of the question "What would you give to be immortal?" Too often, this question is overlooked in vampire stories, yet it is the essential question to Reed's work. It explores not only the human condition but the artist's condition as well. The parallelling between the stories gives added depth to both characters and makes the reader see how one choice can change one's life forever.

Reed's novel is a fresh take on an old story. His style is straight-forward and concise. His descriptions are gritty and realistic -- there is no sugar-coating of the truth in this novel. There are some depictions of sexual situations, both heterosexual and homosexual, but they are done tastefully and are in no was gratuitous or just a ploy to sell more books.

In the Blood is a vampire story with a twist. It catches the reader from the first chapter and doesn't let go. It is a fast read that not only thrills us but also makes us think not only about the choices the characters make but also about the choices we would make in the same situation.

Elise Groneman, artist by day, streetwalker or better known as whore by night. Giving herself to numerous amounts of men just to pay the rent, Elise had no idea how drastically her life was about to change the night she met Terence. Who once was an artist painting the dark, deathly images to rid herself of the nightmares of filthy men looming above her; she finds herself in a nightmare all her own.

Terence, Maria, and Edward three of the very few vampires left in population, not only drain their victims of blood, but devour the meaty flesh as cannibals seeking all the sustenance their cold unfeeling bodies could hold. Kidnapping whores and even dining on the homeless or society's outcasts, left plenty of blood for the taking; but all three thought it was much more intimate to share a meal.

Terence wants Elise for her blood, and can not stand the fact that Maria has won Elise's heart. He knew Maria wanted to offer Elise the dark gift and betray him, he had to stop it no matter what. Edward knew what lie ahead if Elise did accept Maria's offer, he did not want her to make the same mistake he did some sixty years ago. So Edward makes a special visit in attempts to get Elise to flee and hide. As she is preparing to leave she hears the rumble of a Harley and knew she was going to be in trouble.

In The Blood is a romantic vampire love story with bits and pieces of erotica and menage a trois.
Mr. Reed put a new spin on his vampires that I found it very intriguing. They could smoke marijuana and not get high, but it sharpened their senses; and they usually had no interest in making more of their own kind to over take the human population.

Mr. Reed is a skilled artist of words, he makes the story vividly come to life. Clearly being able to picture the events and characters, made this novel a pleasure to read.Mr. Reed's writing style is fantastic, and fast paced; the story ends before you know it leaving you wanting more. A little bit of horror, romance and erotica with a dark little twist make up, In The Blood. If you enjoy vampires, then I would highly recommend this novel. 5 Hearts

Not sure what my fascination is with horror lately, but I cannot say I'm disappointed, especially with Rick Reed's books.

In the blood takes vampires to a new level. Both, horrifying and yet, human. Strange combination, but Reed pulls it off flawlessly. What I find most intriguing about In the Blood is the detailed emotional content. Each character, the good intentioned to the evil, are painted with such vividness and their emotions and physical feelings are portrayed in depth that you can not only see them, but also understand them and their motivations.

Reed has a compelling style of writing that leads you through the book even when you're aghast at some of the content. I couldn't put it down. If you're into graphic vampire novels, In the Blood will satisfy.

Gritty, wrenching, edgy, and engrossing, Reed's dark and--dare I say, Shakespearean--take on vampires and the human condition is quite a read. All the players here are lost souls, from the isolated, haunted trio of vampires/addicts who feast on the blood AND flesh of their victims, to the artist Elise who prostitutes herself to pay the bills. In a chance meeting, Elise brings one of the vampires to her apartment as a trick but he's so captivated by her disturbing and distressing artwork that he spares her. One of the other vampires, Maria, is also struck by Elise's art and Elise herself. Perhaps seeking something other than the shadowy and gore-ridden existence she and her two companions have created, she pursues Elise as something other than victim, perhaps a glimmer of her human past aching for some kind of fulfillment beyond mere subsistence.

But Elise knows too much, and she endangers the vampires, so a decision must be made. It is, but perhaps not the one the reader anticipates.

Reed also juxtaposes 1950s New York with present-day Chicago, giving readers a glimpse into the character of the third vampire, who lost his ability to create art when he was made vampiric. He leads a half-life as a vampire, divorced from his art and creative soul. Elise leads a half-life as a human, connected only to her art, any connections she makes with humans those made in the spirit of business, the physical transaction of sex nothing more than a means to a financial end. For a moment, she finds a human connection ironically in the form of a vampire, but it's tinged with desperation and an almost frenetic sense of need.

Each of the 4 main characters is deeply flawed but Reed's skill gives them each something with which a reader can empathize, so that redemption makes sense within the context he's created here. Off the beaten vampire path, "In the Blood" will stay with you long after you finish that last sentence.

Rick Reeds' newest release, a vampire love story, perfectly timed for autumn, introduces you to a trio of urban vampires and one tortured, vulnerable human hanging on to life by her fingernails.

What would you give for love? What price are you willing to pay? These are the themes explored in this tale other worldly.

Meet Terence, as beautifully chiseled as Michaelangelos' David, and colder than marble, Edward, once an artist, who paid the price for love and immortality and now walks a sad melancholy "life" and Maria, centuries old and stunningly beautiful with dark, dark, liquid eyes that draw you into a sensuous pleasure from which you may never emerge.

Elise Groneman lives a beyond bleak, loveless, netherworld existence of her own, drawing and painting grim scenes of murder and accident victims by day and selling herself by night, a nightmare existence but nothing compared to the waking nightmare she will encounter.

In The Blood seems a perfect read at this time of the year, Halloween, All Souls Day, the Day of the Dead while the earth is preparing to take its' winter slumber. It takes you into a dark and sensuous world of pleasure that is punctuated with bloody graphic scenes, not for the squeamish. Like most works of fiction it does require you to suspend your disbelief, sometimes stretching that requirement with respect to some of the actions of Elise, who finds herself falling under Marias' spell.

Rick Reed has written several books of the horror genre. In the Blood is a full working of a short story that appears in his Twisted: Tales of Obsession and Terror.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (9/07)


Elise, once a good Jewish girl from Ohio, is now an artist by day and a hooker by night. She has to prostitute herself to make ends meet. Creating her art is her passion, however, because it reveals so much of the darkness in her soul, she is not able to share this much of herself with the world, so she is not marketing her work. Elise's lifestyle connects her with the scum of the earth. She frequently finds herself in danger. She despairs over this; however, she is unwilling to dig herself out.

When she encounters sexy, enigmatic Terrence, she is intrigued. She does not know that he is a vampire. He introduces her to Maria and Edward. Maria falls in love with her. Terence feels jealous. Edward's story is told alongside Elise's. He was also an artist before Terence turned him in 1954. Edward lost so much of himself when he was turned, he regrets that it happened. He does not want Elise to make the same mistake. When Elise finds out what they are, she is intrigued and scared. The vampire trio commits brutal attacks on their victims.

As Elise is sucked into their world, she finds a great deal of inspiration for her dark art. Maria tries to talk her into joining them with their immortality. Terence and Edward do not want this. Edward warns her about what it will be like to spend eternity having sacrificed her talent. Elise life becomes endangered when she regrets them. She has to find a way out.

"In the Blood," is a gripping, brutal vampire tale. The author, Rick R. Reed does an incredible job of painting the story with his words. You feel like you are watching everything instead of reading the words. The vampires are dark and brutal. In spite of their innate sensuality, they do not have very many redeeming qualities. Edward is truly a tortured artist. He was literally suckered into being a vampire by his feelings for Terrence. He has to spend eternity regretting his decision. As you read the story, you hope that Elise will hang on to her humanity and try to find a way out. You don't want her to go back to her old life; you want her to grow from what she has learned and move on. This is an excellent story for vampire fans. Be prepared to squirm in your seat at the brutality of these creatures.

Received book free of charge.

In The Blood is an intriguing exploration into the supposed "real world" of vampire life. Along the way, many misconceptions and preconceived notions are dismissed - and a clever swipe at the lore of Anne Rice novels is even slyly taken.

Elise Groneman, artist by day and hooker by night, bemoans the tepid routine of her everyday life. Surrounded by the residue of urban dilapidation, she longs for something more, something real, something lasting - anything that can take her away from the dregs of her muted existence. A chance pick-up one night of what appears to be a random John finally makes all that possible - but in ways she can't even imagine.

She soon finds herself slowly becoming more acquainted with the likes of Terence, Edward, and Maria, ultimately discovering the truth of their existence as vampires. Rather than kill her, as is their wont to do, the trio - at Maria's behest - attempts to ingratiate Elise into joining their inner circle, roaming with them throughout all eternity. Maria's reasons? Purely selfish: she has fallen deeply in love with Elise and refuses to dispatch her beautiful soul to the nether regions.

This decision, of course, infuriates Terence; in his opinion, she knows too much about their true nature, and her indecision regarding joining their circle makes her a threat to their long-term security. He insists upon destroying her for once and for all and stops at nothing to make it happen, putting him at odds with his two compatriots.

Blinded by his rage, though, Terence doesn't realize that there are more important things in life than the maintenance of proper order, and the end result of his actions leaves him wishing he had learned that lesson quite a bit sooner.

Rick Reed's endearing tale is a unique, fresh retelling of the power of true love. One would not think that such a task would be possible through the machinations of cold-blooded vampires, but Reed does an admirable job of tugging at the heartstrings nonetheless. His testament to the insuperability of the spirit is inspiring, regardless of the medium he employs.

In The Blood may not be action-packed or intricately layered - but it doesn't need to be. It is a straight-ahead tale of the eternal dance between forces of nature at their worst and best, one that readers of all types will surely appreciate.