Bloodstone (A Deadtown Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

Nancy Holzner (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 27, 2011 | Series: A Deadtown Novel

They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders - but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human...

Boston's diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer-dubbed the South End Reaper-uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there's no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston's human and inhuman residents.

As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt, Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend, Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The suspense never flags, resulting in rapid page-turning, and the author skillfully weaves together the multiple story threads into a satisfying whole. This reviewer highly recommends the fantastic Deadtown series and its intriguing denizens to all urban fantasy readers and will be first in line for book four." -Bitten by Books

"An ancient feud and a serial killer give demon slayer Victory Vaughn more than a little trouble in the third installment of Holzner's vivid and butt-kicking Deadtown series . . . Make sure you reserve a place for Holzner's novels on your bookshelf." -RT Book Reviews

"Once again Nancy Holzner has delivered another nail-biting novel." -All Things Books

"Had me pulled in from the get-go . . .  the story and characters flowed perfectly together . . . Would I recommend? Yes, Yes, Yes." -Book Lover's Hideaway

The latest and in my opinion the greatest Deadtown novel . . . If you haven't started this series then you are missing out on one of the most original urban fantasy settings to date. -Bite Club

About the Author

Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a “no reading at the dinner table” rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a Ph.D.

She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she's worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer.

Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each others nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ace; Original edition (September 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044102100X
• ISBN-13: 978-0441021000
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 1 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a "no reading at the dinner table" rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD.

She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, shes worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer.

Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each others nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.

Visit her web site at www.nancyholzner.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Deadtown series just gets better and better November 8, 2011

By Deborah Blake

Format:Mass Market Paperback

"They call it Deadtown: the city's quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Mostly humans stay far from its borders--but Victory Vaughn, Boston's only professional demon slayer, isn't exactly human..."

If this blurb sounds intriguing to you, I can guarantee that the book itself more than lives up to it. BLOODSTONE, the third in author Nancy Holzner's Deadtown series, is a fun and fabulous paranormal romp from the very first page. And the action never stops long enough for you to catch your breath. (As if you'd want to.)

Victory (Vicky) Vaughn is one of the most unusual and likable characters I've ever come across in an urban fantasy. Although I will confess, I have a major soft spot for her aunt Mab, and her werewolf-lawyer boyfriend. I even like Tina, her former apprentice (the ONLY zombie character I have ever found likable.) Even more, I love the world that Holzner has created; one that looks a lot like ours, until you peer beneath the surface to find various paranormal creatures (including Vicky's vampire roommate, Juliet--yes THAT Juliet).

In this installment of the series, a killer who uses a curved blade--nicknamed the South End Reaper--is not only causing death and mayhem, he is creating even greater strain in an already difficult relationship between Boston's human and inhuman residents. And it is up to Vicky, her friends, and her aunt Mab to find out who is doing the killing and put a stop to him, her, or...it.

If you haven't read any of the books in this series, I suggest starting at the beginning with DEADTOWN, although any of the books can easily be read on its own. Holzner does a masterful job of building on the previous books while still making each volume a stand-alone novel; not an easy task to do, believe me!

Holzner gets better with every book; I loved this one, and I am waiting with baited breath to see what happens next...

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best one of her 3 books in this series. October 29, 2011

By A. Kilgore

Format:Mass Market Paperback

I liked the first book, although the zombie teenager annoyed me, I wanted to just slap her but maybe that is what the author was aiming for, lol. The second book was better, more detailed, some funny moments & snarky dialogue kept it interesting. I was disappointed in the 3rd only for the romance (or lack thereof). Ms. Holzner is maybe taking the Urban Fantasy credo of "no romance/sex scenes" a bit too much to heart. It would be nice to have a little more detail in the parts where the main character & her sometime boyfriend (?) get together. It was abrupt & jarring to have them described so concisely. One was only about 5 sentences long! I needed a LOT of imagination there, lol. But overall Ms. Holzner is getting better with each book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars super urban fantasy September 27, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Mass Market Paperback

In Boston shapeshifter Victory Vaughn is the only professional demon exterminator in town. After dispatching a particular nasty Peccatum 24/7 sinful demon, with permits Victory and her boyfriend Kane the werewolf lawyer head from Deadtown to her sister Gwen's house in Needham through check points manned (loose definition) by zombies who accept junk food bribes and humans who accept nothing from the paranormal especially if the guard is a Human First zealot.

Her niece Maria is starting to have the pre-shifting dreams, which alienates the two sisters as one is forced to live in Deadtown while the other resides in the human burbs. Meanwhile Victory worries about her roommate Juliet on the run from The Old Ones and the action of the South End Reaper serial killer has the paranormal and the normal on the edge of vigilante justice and rioting. If that is not enough to take her off her food, Kane becomes stuck in his wolf persona.

The third Deadtown urban fantasy (see Deadtown and Hellforged) is a terrific thriller in which Vaughn's personal and professional lives deftly intertwine. The fast-paced story line grips the audience but also makes a strong case against a prejudicial society that uses de jure and de facto means to keep a group locked away as second class citizens. Filled with action even when waiting to get through ID card checkpoints, Bloodstone is a terrific taut thought provoking thriller.

Harriet Klausner