Originally written in the 1970s and set in the 1940s, this mystery had a very film noir, dark and gritty atmosphere. I liked Toby as a character but I could not follow the murder mystery plot or figure out how he was solving it. I'm not sure if this was because I listened to it on audio and so I couldn't flip back and re-read parts or if it was the book's fault. I suspect some of both.I liked all the voices the narrator did except for Toby. The book is written in first person from Toby's point of view so there is a lot of Toby's voice. I think he was trying to make Toby seem cool and confident but most of the time Toby sounded bored.The author often had Toby commenting on how much something costs or what news is on the radio as he's driving around. If you have nostalgia for the 1940s or the past in general, I think you'll find this interesting.
It is the beginning of World War II and in Hollywood, Toby Peters is hired to protect movie star Bela Lugosi, who has been receiving death threats. Just when Peters is about to start investigating, he gets a call that the author William Faulkner has been accused of murder. He apparently walked into the office of his agent and shot him on sight. He firmly denies the charge but the police refuse to believe him. Toby is following up leads by attending vampire meetings and trying to find out answers even when his brother, a police detective, tries to keep him away. The more he looks into the two cases, the more he finds there must be a connection. This was a fun book, not too mysterious but the characters were well written and the book kept my interest.
What do You think about Never Cross A Vampire (2000)?
Pulpy fun thanks to breezy B-movie noir dialogue that will be sure to bring a smile to the face of anyone who enjoys dime-store mystery novels set in LA with a PI and plenty of rain and red herrings. The inclusion of Lugosi is handled well, although Faulkner's appearance doesn't add much, and his character is not written in an endearing way; his scenes tends to drag the short book. Otherwise, the story moves along pretty fast with a crazy cast of characters that play well together. A guilty pleasure that's good to waste an afternoon with.
—Nicholas
