Those Who Hunt The Night by Barbara Hambly

Those Who Hunt The Night
Barbara Hambly
Fantasy
Rating 5 stars
340 pages


Synopsis: Someone - or something - is killing the vampires of London while they sleep during the day. Don Simon Ysidro, the oldest of the London vampires, hires Dr. James Asher, a retired member of the British Secret Service, to find this killer. Asher, who accepts this job for the price of his wife (Lydia)'s life, delves into the shadowy world of the vampires to find a killer that increasingly seems to be one of their number.

My Review: I loved this book. I only wish, A-I would have read this much earlier instead of letting it languish on my TBR shelf, and B-I would not have chosen to read it with my back in an uproar with a pinched nerve as I feel I would have enjoyed it even more:)

This Vampire fantasy slash historical mystery set in late Victorian (or early Edwardian-1906) England is a brilliant thinking man's Vampire novel. The three leads of the story-James Asher, his wife Lydia, and the Vampire Ysidro-are all mental giants, each brilliant in their own specialty. Asher, a former British agent, is sought out by centuries old Ysidro, a Spanish Vampire whose undead roots go back to Queen Elizabeth's time. Ysidro needs Asher's help in discovering who is killing off the vampires of London. To do so, he lets Asher know that not only his life, but Asher's brilliant wife Lydia's life hang in the balance if Asher cannot find the killer. Lydia, an unconventional Victorian Society woman is a great female lead. A woman who chose a career in medicine and Science over an advantageous Society marriage. Will her choice save or destroy her life?

Hambly's writing style is fast paced yet intelligent. Her knowledge of the period shines through and any aficionado of Victorian Fiction should try this book, even if they are not fantasy or Vampire fans.
I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series, Traveling With The Dead, and Ms. Hambly's website states she's in talks for a third, long awaited book in the series.
Highly recommended-5 stars.