Dhampir by Barb & J.C. Hendee

Magiere and her partner Leesil travel from village to village, killing the Undead that plague the nearby lands.  But the well run partnership is a con, with Magiere "killing" Leesil in each village with a stage show that leaves everyone convinced she has really done the deed.  It is a life they have lived for years, but one night the con becomes too real when a creature attacks Magiere and just about kills her.  Sick of their travelling lifestyle Magiere announces that she is moving to a tavern she has purchased, that her days of killing are over. 

It seems as though their days on the road are over, with Leesil and his dog offered a place in the tavern it seems as though they have nothing left to worry about - apart from keeping the tavern running and staying in profit.  But killing the strange man in the woods triggers a series of events that will force Magiere to accept some unpleasant possibilities - the least of which is the fact that vampires are very real, and not as easy to kill as her little road show has led people to think.

It is a little difficult to review this book without giving away too much about the story or where it is heading, as Dhampir is the first book in the Noble Dead series and a lot of the novel is about setting the scene for the future novels and future of the main characters.  It is well written and some of the mythologies are a refreshing change from the same old, same old that you can get with some vampire novels.  Magiere is also a refreshing change from some of the "heroes" of those series as she is a flawed human being (like the rest of us) - at least most of the time.  Leesil is an interesting character in his own right, and provides a strong support for both the partnership and for the novel.  Chap the dog is also interesting with little hints dropped about what he really might be, because he is definitely not just a dog.

This is the second time I have read Dhampir, the first time being about five years ago.  Sometimes re-reading a novel can leave you feeling a little like you have seen it all before, but this was like reading it for the first time and I cruised through it in a day, not wanting to put it down.  At least the first few sequels were also good and a worthwhile read.

If you like this book then try:

• Blood price by Tanya Huff
• Children of the night by Mercedes Lackey
• Thief of lives by Barb & J.C.Hendee
• Cry wolf by Patricia Briggs
• Angels blood by Nalini Singh
• Moon called by Patricia Briggs
• Dead witch walking by Kim Harrison

Reviewed by Brilla