An intriguing page-turner…
Greyson brings an enchanting tale of vampire witch hunt, body-switching, and loneliness, set in enchanting lands of Romania, Bulgaria, and England. Ileana Vladislava barely escaped the mass vampire killing in the midst of a vampire witch hunt of 1578 in Transylvania and fled the country. Now centuries later, Ileana lives out a lonely existence in Wightwick Hall, a castle within the Jesmond Dene woodland valley in Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear. When she sees the young and lovely Myrna Ivester at a public library, she knows she has to take a chance and try to convert Myrna into a vampire. But the sinister vampire hunter Claymor Elgany is on the trail of Ileana again, threatening to destroy everything she holds dear. The movingly told vampire witch hunt in the beginning gives the backstory on Ileana and on the persecution of the vampires in medieval Transylvania. The enchanting moors of Newcastle upon Tyne come fully alive, and a hint of suspense stays in the back, keeping readers turning pages nonstop. The book is full of charm: Ileana and Myrna are fascinating protagonists, and the nosey neighbor Lorraine Krag provides lighthearted distractions. Readers will revel in Greyson’s moving depiction of Ileana struggling to come to terms with her lonely existence. The cliffhanger ending leaves hints of more dark tales to come with Ileana and Myrna in the lead. With its cinematic setting and dark intrigue, the book makes for a quick page-turner. Fans of urban fantasy will relish Greyson’s vivid portrayal of a lonely vampire’s life.
The Lonely Vampire
By Ann Greyson
Pub date September 1, 2020
ISBN 9780578705088
Price $13.99 (USD) Paperback