THE ALIGNMENT

Two ancient families unite in an epic fight against vampires in this supernatural horror thriller.

The fate of humanity hangs in the balance in the summer of 2012; the Mayan calendar is drawing dangerously close to its end, and sinister forces are at work with deadly plans. Meanwhile, two men from very different backgrounds are about to come together in an unexpected way—and the fate of the world lies upon their shoulders. Sean Dunne is a washed-up American homicide detective in Washington, D.C., with a checkered past, and Gregor Innescu is a 72-year-old Romanian man who’s been studying vampires for years. The pair couldn’t be more different, but when their paths cross during one of Sean’s cases, it becomes clear that they have a lot in common. The two men’s families have a long history as partners in a fight against vampires who seek to wreak havoc on Earth, and the time has come for them to unite once again before it’s too late. The book jumps back and forth between the past and present-day 2012 to give readers a deeper understanding of the main characters’ histories. Gregor’s story is particularly effective at explaining his unwavering determination to track the vampires’ movements, due to his past traumatic experience. The scenes that involve supernatural elements are taut and intense, with visceral descriptions of peril: “Sweat began to abate, along with the mental assault and outright fear that had practically paralyzed him, and he began to realize that these feelings were directly proportional to his distance from the monster.” Equally compelling are the vampires themselves, who have complex desires. Although they’re the villains of this story, their mysterious and ancient nature is intriguing, as is their connection to the Dunne and Innescu clans.

An absorbing read that will likely leave readers hungry for a sequel.