Charnel House Blues: The Vampyre`s Tale

In addition to being the commissioning editor for Compass Books, Suzanne Ruthven is also editor of the popular quarterly creative writing magazine, The New Writer (which she produces in partnership with literary agent, and publisher, Merric Davidson). She lives in County Tipperary, Ireland.

A really different and interesting book on vampires. I very much enjoyed reading this as, although it is presenting information on vampire legend and mythology, the way that Suzanne Ruthven has written it, through the eyes of a vampire, gives it that compelling intensity which is the signature trade mark of all good vampiric fiction. It also permits analysis of certain points and how they have been handled in literature and film in a personal way, through the character's eyes, which makes it fresh and interesting and avoids the pitfalls of 'dry' academic analysis. Along with that, the author also provides lots of information on castles and geographical locations which any 'groupie' could visit as well as some obscure historical facts. A first-class book. --Krystina Kellingley, Cosmic Egg Books