First published 2008
Joe Pitt works the dark streets of Manhattan as a private investigator who happens to be a vampire. Four thousand undead populate the city, split into rival gangs that mirror mafia families teetering on the edge of war. Pitt refuses to join any clan, following his own code instead. This independence makes his existence harder but keeps him free. Two cases land on his desk simultaneously. First, he must track down and eliminate zombies roaming loose through the city. Second, a wealthy but deteriorating couple hires him to locate their missing teenage daughter. As Pitt digs deeper into both investigations, the separate threads begin to weave together in ways he never expected. The zombie threat and the runaway girl connect in a pattern that pulls him deeper into the supernatural underworld he tries to navigate alone. Huston blends vampire mythology with hard-boiled detective fiction, creating urban fantasy that reads like classic pulp updated for modern readers. The story operates on three levels: vampire tale, detective story, and political thriller rolled into one narrative.
Genres: mystery, fantasy, thriller, detective, urban-fantasy
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, investigative-journalism
Setting: Manhattan, New York
Period: Modern
248 pages · Paperback · Alianza Editorial
Content warnings: violence