CBR Book#25: Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Spoilers past the jump!



Sookie and Bill have broken up following the events of the last book, Club Dead. Sookie works the late shift on New Year's Eve at Merlotte's Bar since she has no vampire boyfriend to fill her evenings. As she leaves work, she spots a man running down the road in only jeans. As she gets closer she realizes that it is actually vampire Eric Northman, owner of Fangtasia, boss of Bill, and her sort of friend. She pulls over and asks Eric what he is doing so far from his home and without his vampire associates, Chow and Pam. Eric has no idea who he is, who Sookie is, or anything else about his life as Sheriff of Area 5 and vampire. Well, he knows he's a vampire.

Sookie takes pity on Eric, but not without the thought that he may be attempting a complicated ruse to get into her bed. She calls Pam and finds out that there are witches/Wiccans in the area that wanted a piece of Fangtasia. The head witch, Hallow, also wanted a piece of Eric. You know, *wink*. Anyway, Eric didn't want to give himself or his money and Chow got pissed at the witch sent to negotiate on Hallow's behalf. As a result, Eric disappeared and was left without his memory.

Oh, and Bill is in Peru.

Sookie's brother, Jason, negotiates a fee of $35,000 for Sookie to take on the responsibility of Eric since the witches are still looking for him. They have no reason to know or suspect Sookie, so it seems that she would offer the safest place for him to hide. Speaking of Jason, his New Year's Eve date was a shape shifter named Crystal. After taking her back to his place a day or two later, Jason disappears. Sookie begins to deal with her feelings for this new Eric, the looming battle between vampires and witches, and the whereabouts of her brother. Complications ensue!