One Foot in the Grave

One Foot in the Grave is the second novel in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. The second novel is a good extension of the plot started in the first book. Again, we have plenty of action spiced with romance. We also get some new characters and some old ones get some depth. I enjoyed it very much and am looking forward to digging into the next novel in the series.

The Night Huntress Series is another one of those series set in the now where the supernatural exist. In the case of this novel, humans are not aware of the existence of supernatural except for maybe a government agency or two. This novel focuses mainly on vampires but we do run into a ghost and ghoul or two as well. We also have the unusual case of a vampire and human hybrid child, which is something that doesn't occur in some novels. Frost also bucks some of the traditional vampire myths in her novels so garlic or sunlight aversion here, but a stake through the heart will still do the trick.

Our Heroine, Cat, is a half-human and half-vampire. Her mother was raped by a vampire and Cat was the result. In this second novel, she has left her lover behind to protect him, and is building a new life working for the government as a vampire hunter. She has a specially trained team of humans who back her up as she goes out again trolling for vampires to kill. And she is still looking to do her father in for what he did to her mother. Cat is settling into her new life well, she has a new friend Denise and a boyfriend Noah. But she still misses her old flame Bones. The one evening she goes after a vampire named Ian. Before she gets around to killing him she discovers he is the vampire that made Bones. Feeling she owes Bones, she lets Ian go-which starts a whole new chain of events. Ian realizes that she is a half-breed, and therefore very unique and he wants to add her to his "family." And then Bones finally finds her-seems he has been looking for his lost love for these four years. So now Cat has several problems, someone is trying to kill her via a hit-man for she is the red reaper (as the vampires have named her) and the vampires would like to stop her from decimating their numbers any further, Ian wants to kidnapped her, and Bones wants back in her life. What is a girl to do? Will the government and her mother let her keep Bones? Cat just thinks that their relationship just can't work out. Will she even stay alive long enough to see? To find out you have to read this excellent novel.

This novel read really well. The plot moved well and was spiced with enough romance and action to keep it interesting. I read it in one sitting. It even made me laugh out loud a couple of times. Needless to say the plot never bored me and I can't wait to see what Frost comes up with for her next novel.

Frost writes some excellent characters. We get some new ones in the form of Cat's team at the government agency, and these boys especially Cooper could be interesting once they are developed more. Cat's boss Don turned out to be a very interesting character in this book but to tell you why would spoil the surprise. And we get to watch Cat develop some more and luckily we get a bit more Bones in this novel as well. I really like her characters they are fun to read about.

Also the government agency thing is playing out well and is becoming an even more interesting aspect of these novels. In no other book I have read, has an agency had such a big role in the plot. It is turning out to be very interesting.

This novel was a lot of fun to read. Fans of the supernatural especially vampires should love this series. But be sure to start with the first book, Halfway to the Grave, or you will be completely lost.