HALF THE BLOOD OF BROOKLYN

The further, even gorier adventures of Joe Pitt, Vampyre extraordinaire (No Dominion, 2006, etc.).

Unbeknownst to most, there are 4,000 undead sucking blood in Manhattan. Among them, the talented Joe Pitt has always been a sort of paradigm of Vampyre independence—until now. Suddenly, he’s become an establishment figure, head of security for the powerful Society clan. There are obvious advantages to a regularized undead life. It’s nice, for instance, to have a reliable blood stash. Even more importantly, Joe gets the time he needs to care for his beloved and seriously ailing girlfriend Evie. There’s a price, of course. Joe has to go along to get along, and when he’s assigned the onerous Brooklyn gig he grumbles but obeys. Something strange is stirring there, he’s told: Go find out if we have to worry about a Vampyre Civil War. What Joe discovers is strange enough: a motley group of Chosen Vampyres, including a Rebbe out of Fiddler on the Roof, a Jewish mother out of a Henny Youngman sketch and a cadre of murderous warriors in battle yarmulkes. Readers whose world view is as bleak as Joe’s won’t be surprised when his mission comes to a bad end. “Like there’s any other kind,” he says dourly.

Violent, often ugly, Huston’s series is not for the squeamish, but fans will find this installment the best to date.