Trust the Night (edition 2009)

I can't quite remember who recommended this book to me. I wish I could, because I have some questions for them! "Trust the Night" was my first read by Sara Saint John. I'm still trying to decide if the Saint John was going for humor (and missed) or seriousness (and missed), but either way there were so many things that bugged me I kept reading in spite of myself...in a kind of stunned amazement.

OK, I'll start with the plot. "Trust the Night" is a paranormal contemporary romance with vampires, well two vampires at least. One is our hero? and one is the villain. Both are so blandly true-to-type they're almost like cardboard cutouts of every cliched story you've ever read about vampires. In point: he was turned 'against his will', kept almost as a love slave while pining for his wife back home. When he finally escapes, it's only to arrive home to find his wife has been murdered by a serial killer. So he settles down with his sister, doesn't get 'involved' with women other than to feed, and yet--all it takes is a few days with the heroine and now he's willing to sacrifice himself for her. Uh huh. The villain? Well, he's Mad Jack, Jack the Ripper, turned vampire in some way we never learn about, and recently arrived to Oklahoma City (because that's a hot spot for vampires?) for some reason we never learn about, and he's apparently been quiet for all these years? Uh huh. Oh, and of course both our vampires continue to dress from their era...and the heroine just assumes our hero is fond of old movies from the 40s...yuh huh.

Our heroine suffered a tragic childhood (which we don't really learn about til the end of the story from a flashback triggered by the villain) AND an abusive marriage (although not for long) and decided to become a cop (yet didn't bring charges against her ex?) to make a difference for other victims. OOOOkay. She's fascinated with old movies (go figure) and hasn't been involved with anyone until our hero (no, really?) comes along and in just a few days she's in love with him too.

ARGH! Haven't I read this before? Where is the 'something new or different' to distinguish this plot/story from all the others available? I guess if you're a Sam Spade fan who doesn't mind a heroine who seems to vacillate between intelligent thought and several 'too stupid to live' moments (like--she KNOWS the killer is a vampire, but she decides it's OK to act as streetwalker bait because she'll have normal human police backup then wanders off into the dark? and then later decides to face him down anyway...all alone?) or a plot that never varies from the expected (will he 'turn' her so they can be together forever? DUH)--then you will be perfectly satisfied with "Trust the Night" by Sara Saint John. ( )