Sunday, April 15, 2007

"X-Rated Bloodsuckers" by Mario Acevedo


Felix Gomez, vampire PI, is back in another mind-blowing, action-packed, whodunit. You may remember Felix from Acevedo's first book, "The Nymphos of Rocky Flats". If not, run out and find yourself a copy of that little gem - you won't be sorry.

Felix is hired by Katz Meow to investigate the death of her fellow porn star and friend, Roxy Bronze. The murder happened in Los Angelos, so Felix must travel there to start his investigation. It picks up in a hurry when he can't locate his client, Katz Meow, putting him on the trail with only a contact name, Coyote. Turns out he's a fellow vamp and a strange one at that - he obviously has a lot in common with his namesake, Coyote, aka The Trickster.

The case is not the simple murder Felix was led to believe. There is an obvious cover-up by the cops, Roxy's sleazy ex-husband, her soon-to-be ex-boss (she was going into business for herself), the leader of the vampires in LA, and a shady evangelist all thrown into the mix of suspects. Then there's Roxy's sister, a person that several seem to be unaware of. Add in a potential love interest for Felix, one who just happens to be human, and it's a crazy ride with several red herrings.

What makes Felix great is his humanity - he screws up with the best of them. And Acevedo doesn't let on to you, the reader, what's going on, so you feel like you're sitting there with Felix trying to navigate the twists and turns of the case. It's fast-paced action but not at the expense of character development, something you don't always see in thrillers. I'm eager to pick up the next Felix Gomez case - here's hoping Acevedo doesn't keep me waiting long!

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