From Dead to Worse (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 8) (Hardcover)

by Charlaine Harris (Author) "I was making a neat arrangement of liquor bottles on the folding table behind the portable bar when Halleigh Robinson rushed up, her normally sweet..." (more)
Key Phrases: Bon Temps, New Orleans, Patrick Furnan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Harris outdoes herself in this pivotal eighth Sookie Stackhouse novel (after 2007's All Together Dead), packing the story full of romantic tension and supernatural action. Having barely survived a catastrophic vampire hotel explosion, Sookie's back at work in Bon Temps, La., serving vintage blood and waiting tables at Merlotte's, a vampire bar. Participating in a friend's wedding and fending off the advances of her vampire ex-lover, Bill, and her blood-bonded pal, Eric, leaves Sookie chafing over the recent lack of communication from Quinn, her weretiger boyfriend. When a violent Were power struggle erupts as Vegas vampires attempt to take over Louisiana from disgraced queen Sophie-Anne, Sookie dives into the middle of it, determined to help her shape-changing, blood-drinking friends. Harris provides many fun twists, most significantly Sookie's meeting with her fae great-grandfather, Niall Brigant, which paves the way for a shock ending that will delight longtime fans. (May)
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Review
“[A] deliciously fiendish…increasingly riotous series.”
—Dallas Morning News

“Layered.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] delightful Southern vampire detective series.”
—Denver Post

“I love the imaginative, creative world of Charlaine Harris!”
—Christine Feehan

“With…an audacious wink of her eye Harris creates a world that is both a weird possibility and a wild ride”
—The Anniston Star (AL)

"Charlaine Harris”
—Rocky Mountain News

”Fans of Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake…should cotton to Sookie Stackhouse”
—Publishers Weekly

”A style that’s much more fun than Anne Rice”
—Monroe (LA) News- Star

”A thoroughly engaging series”
—Locus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Ace Hardcover; 1 edition (May 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441015891
• ISBN-13: 978-0441015894
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (350 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,170 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 8 in The Southern Vampire Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More like a series of vignettes than a novel to me, but I enjoyed the various parts (3.5 stars), May 10, 2008

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I honestly am such a fan of Charlaine Harris that I'd go just about anywhere she'd take me. "From Dead to Worse" wasn't quite all over the map, but there wasn't as much of a central them in this book as there was in her usual entries in this series.

We went from weddings, to family revelations, to were-wars--and there was so much more. While the varying parts were interesting and many did tie together, there wasn't the overall unity in this book I have expected from the series.

The beginning chapter where Sookie served as the bridesmaid for Halleigh's wedding was a spinoff from Ms. Harris' short story in an anthology collection, "My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding." I'm wondering if the rest isn't bits and pieces that have just needed resolving for some time.

I think you will see some answers to some interesting questions you've had as readers all along--like where did Sookie get her gift, what makes her different? And there are a few other surprises in store.

Interesting, in part, not as cohesive and riveting as her usual offerings are in a whole. "From Dead to Worse" is still very much worth the read if you are a die-hard Sookie fan like I am, but this is honestly the first of the series I can't simply rave about.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

170 of 187 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars from dead to worse, May 7, 2008

By	Sarah Banks "sarahlen1980" (Madison, MS) - See all my reviews

Let me start out by saying how much I love the Southern Vampire Mysteries. I was super excited for this book, yet I feel very let down after finishing. But I'll start with the positives. The characters were great. Bon Temps was great. I love immersing myself into Sookie's little corner of the world so much that I've read most books in this series at least twice. All of the characters were true to themselves; no one did anything out of the ordinary. No, the characters weren't the problem.

The problem with "From Dead to Worse" was the plot, specifically that there wasn't much of one. It seemed like there was a cameo from every character we have come to know. From Alcide & Sam to Amelia & Eric, they all came back to tie up some loose ends. There was no pacing or buildup to anything special, which brings me to another point. Isn't this series called the Southern Vampire MYSTERIES? Where was the mystery? Charlaine Harris is at her best when she writes mysteries as evidenced by her other series, so this book just seemed meandering & lost.

There were several plot lines that all seemed to get the same page amount as the other. There was no big story here. First, we start with a revelation about Sookie's family & her ties to the fairy world. Then, we move to the Shreveport werewolves who are having loyalty problems with their pack. That storyline is tied up in roughly 70 or so pages, & we turn the page to the vampires. Again, 70 or so pages are spent with Eric & Bill before we are thrust into the lives of Jason & Crystal. Finally, we end with Amelia & Bob.

I am upset with "From Dead to Worse" only because I love this series so much. I realize that many fans will feel differently, but I have tried to be as objective as possible. If this were my first book in the series, I would have put it down halfway through. I'll still continue to buy the new books in hardback, but I really hope that the next Sookie book has a little more bite.

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Dead to Worse, May 7, 2008

By	fireandfog "fireandfog" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews

No question, From Dead to Worse is a bridge book in the Southern Vampire series. I am one fan who thinks that is just peachy keen fine. I thought this was an excellent book, very engaging, by which I mean I read it all in one sitting, no stopping. While it's true that this book is episodic in nature, my feeling is that going along with the characters on these episodes is high entertainment. As I get older, I find it becomes harder to concentrate, and that Charlaine Harris continues to hold my attention eight books into this series is just wonderful. The truth is, if you are going to read this series, you need to start with the first book. Read them in order, and don't start with this one, because you need to know all the back story to fully appreciate how far the characters have come. (And can I just say: Sookie needs a vacation! Ms. Harris, send her off to a beautiful island where she can relax, forget her cares for a while, sip some rum punch on nice beach, and maybe go limbo-ing with some nice fella who doesn't want anything more than the pleasure of her company.)

I think this book is for the fans who have fallen in love with these characters. We've spent the last year since the release of All Together Dead wondering what was going to happen next, and musing about the paths the characters would take. From Dead to Worse tells us some great stories, fills in some of the personal details we've all been aching to know, and sets the stage for what will be I hope many more books to come. I think From Dead to Worse was fabulous. Brava, Ms. Harris!