Blood Books (vol. 1) is an omnibus containing the first two of Tanya Huff’s “Blood” series; Blood Price and Blood Trail.

Blood Price, the first in the series, introduces us to the main characters. We have Vicki Nelson, a female detective that left the force because of failing eyesight, her ex-partner (and on-again, off-again lover) Mike Celluci and her assistant, Henry Fitzroy. We learn that Henry is actually a vampire.

The novels are similar in style to Butcher’s Dresden Files in that each deals with some supernatural “baddy.” However, other than Henry, the detectives don’t have any special powers other than those that would be possessed by any good police officer. Huff’s novels are, however, much truer to standard police procedurals being somewhat formulaic. The first third of the book sets the scene and introduces all of the possible bad guys. Tension builds through the next third until the true villain is unmasked and the remainder of the book is the capture with a final climax.

Blood Price has a college “nerd” using demons as a weapon to try to become popular and get friends and women. In Blood Trail, we meet some of Henry’s friends that happen to be werewolves. Family members are being assassinated by a religious zealot and Henry asks Vicki to track down the perpetrator. In the end, they are left to “wer justice.”

The first two books were really entertaining. I’m looking forward to volume 2 and might also look into the Blood Ties series on Lifetime which is based on Huff’s novels. ( )

Vicki Nelson, former Toronto detective, and now private investigator, teams up with Toronto police detective Mike Celluci, and 450-year-old vampire Henry Fitzroy, the bastard son of King Henry VIII in two tales that are a nice blend of crime and the supernatural.

Both of the books in the series, Blood Price and Blood Trail, were interesting and had pretty well-developed characters. In fact, it's the interaction between Vicki and the two men vying for her attention that makes these books so readable.

I particularly liked the second book that revolved around a clan of werewolves who brought Vicky and Henry in to help them find the person behind two murders in their family.

These books were evidently turned into a TV series that I missed so I can't compare it to the TV adaptation. I'd recommend the whole series of books though. ( )

I only discovered the books after the series Blood Ties (which are based on Tanya Huff's books) was cancelled. If you enjoyed the series, you'll enjoy the books.

Visit me at my book blog: Booklorn. ( )

Blood Price - OK. This is the ghost one. The way they lock Henry into it is pretty good - highly annoying for him, though! Not one of my favorites, but pretty good.
Blood Trail - I do love this one. I write about werewolves (no, nothing published or even nearly publishable - just for my own enjoyment) and how these are similar and different is fascinating. ( )

I picked this up because I love the tv show and I'm glad I did. Good stuff and very very sexy. ( )