VAMPIRE ISLAND, RHODE ISLAND
by Geraldine Burrows
In this thriller, a folklorist who arrives on an island to debunk a vampire legend meets resistance from the locals—some of whom prove menacing.
Purgatory Island in New England is known for its vampires. According to legend, Mercy Randall unleashed a vampire plague on the island 200 years ago. But Dr. Leah Gerard aims to clear Mercy’s name—with a scientific explanation for those 19th-century deaths associated with vampires. She quickly sways Randall descendant Adam, a local single dad who suffers visitors nosing around for details about the legend. His sizable Victorian home has a wealth of “never-before-seen data” that Leah can dive into. But other islanders thrive on Purgatory’s lore, from the owner of the neon-gaudy Vampire Vixen Lounge to the secret society of “Rens,” who preserve and spread a belief in vampirism. Leah shrugs off people’s vague threats—until they turn physical. Meanwhile, her research dredges up Randall family skeletons, a few that even Adam doesn’t know about. It all culminates in a shocking murder that Leah investigates to clear someone’s name. In this taut tale, Burrows assembles a memorable cast, including Adam’s hated foe, Dwayne Mayhew, and vampirista fashion designer/mob boss daughter Marie Elaina Marcone. Some of the players star in subplots that the author deftly ties to the main plot—either Mercy’s legend or Adam’s relevant family history. Leah is, without question, intelligent, savvy, and resilient. As such, the narrative’s incessant reminders of her Ph.D. are superfluous. But on occasion, she comes across as condescending, as when she repeatedly calls Adam “Big Man on the Island.” This somewhat dampens the two’s developing romance, as it pales against the subtler pairing of Marie and young patrolman Seth Whitelaw. Still, Burrows pits the story’s “nerdette” hero against several dangers while immersing readers in the island’s spooky ambiance. The 19th-century mystery slowly unravels, resulting in a satisfying conclusion.
A razor-sharp protagonist headlines this gripping tale of mythical vampires and scarier humans.