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From the author of the “exciting, suspenseful, horrifying” (Stephen King) Fever House, a Vietnam veteran and his adopted niece hunt—and are hunted by—the vampire that slaughtered their family. It’s the winter of 1975, and Duane Minor, back home in Portland, Oregon, after a tour in Vietnam, is struggling to quell his anger and keep his drinking in check, keep his young marriage intact, and keep the nightmares away. Things get even more complicated when his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia, is sent across the country to live with Duane and his wife, Heidi, after a tragedy. But slowly, carefully, guided by Heidi’s love and patience, the three of them are building a family. Then Minor crosses the wrong man: John Varley, a criminal with a bloody history and a trail of bodies behind him. Varley, who sleeps during the day beneath loose drifts of earth and grows teeth in the light of the moon. In an act of brutal retaliation, Varley kills Heidi, leaving Minor broken with guilt and Julia filled with rage. The two of them are left united by only one thing: the desire for vengeance. As their quest brings them into the dark orbit of immortal, undead children, silver bullet casters, and the bevy of broken men drawn to Varley’s ferocity, Minor and Julia follow his path of destruction from the gritty alleyways of 1970s Portland to the desolate highways of the Northwest and the snow-lashed plains of North Dakota—only to have Varley turn his vicious power back on them. Who will prevail, who will survive, and what remains of our humanity when our thirst for revenge trumps everything else?
Reviews with the most likes.
Coffin Moon completely took me by surprise. I'm not usually drawn to vampire tales, but this one had me hooked from page one. The characters felt heartbreakingly real, and my heart aches for Duane.
Julia has endured far too much for someone just 13 years old. After losing her entire family, she's raised by her aunt and uncle—but when tragedy strikes again, she becomes consumed by vengeance. How far will she go to settle the score? And how far will Duane go to protect her in her relentless quest? You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
This book is brilliantly crafted. The prose felt unconventional at first, but by the third chapter, it hit its stride, and suddenly, it was full throttle to the end. By the time the extreme gore kicked in, I was absolutely ravenous for more vampire havoc.
An absolute must-read. 5 stars.