DEAD OVER HEELS

Author: MaryJanice Davidson ISBN: 9780425219416 3/2008 PARANORMAL Publisher: BERKLEY

MaryJanice Davidson delighted fans with the wickedly sexy and wildly funny anthology Dead and Loving It—stories in which the worlds of the Wyndham Werewolves and Undead Queens collided. Now she returns to that sensual and irresistible afterdark realm of werewolves, vampires, and mermaids in three more original novellas. Join Vampire Queen Betsy Taylor as she embarks on her much anticipated honeymoon with Sinclair in the shoe capital of America: New York City. Explore the undersea world with a mermaid who rescues a modern-day pirate. Race with a competitive werewolf to see if she'll be the last of her pack to find a mate—in an all-new anthology of immortal lust, fiendish laughs, and heart-pumping thrills.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

I’m not sure it’s a good idea to read Mary Janice Davidson’s DEAD OVER HEELS while drinking a hot beverage. In fact, I know it’s not. How do I know this little fact? Because I was drinking a hot cup of coffee when I began reading the first story in this anthology. I hadn’t gotten far when I began to laugh. And laughing with coffee in my mouth—and then out of my mouth—is a very messy way to read. But, even as I mopped up the book and chair, and my jeans, I knew the mess was worth it. Oh yeah, it was definitely well worth it.

DEAD OVER HEELS is like riding a roller coaster at warp speed—fun, exhilarating and just a wee bit scary. The first story takes Betsy, the Vampire Queen, and Sinclair on their honeymoon in New York City. This is where the fun starts, with the couple drinking Cosmos, having fun and leaving Betsy’s shoes in walls while they wreak havoc in the hotel.

Then, when a man is marooned with only a mermaid for company, strange, and funny, things happen. Con learns that there’s more to staying alive when you’ve been shipwrecked than eating raw fish and floating around in a rowboat, especially when there’s a gorgeous mermaid intent on keeping him alive.

The final story deals with still another otherworldly being, a werewolf named Cain. Cain lives on Cape Cod and has a problem: she’s got twenty-two days to find a mate. That’s it, just over three weeks before her thirtieth birthday, by which time she needs to be mated. How does an unmated werewolf find a love match? And so quickly? The tale is one that is fun and touching, with twists that made me laugh out loud.

My only problem with DEAD OVER HEELS is that it ends too quickly. All too soon this vampire, mermaid, werewolf anthology was over, and I was bummed. Really bummed. I loved Mary Janice Davidson’s original storytelling style, wicked sense of humor and what are undoubtedly some of the most memorable characters around. This is a fast, fun read. I’m going to keep this one on my shelf, despite the coffee stains on the pages. It’s one of those pick-me-up books that will never go out of style.

Kay James