Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Already Dead (Joe Pitt) (Joe Pitt Casebooks, #1)

by Charlie Huston

They live among us, slaves to the very condition that empowers them. They are the Vampyre, and their sole chance at survival lies in banding into Clans. Only Joe Pitt has gone his own way. The upside is freedom. The downside is there's nobody on his side when trouble comes around. Joe gets rough receptions from all the countless Clans shifting about on the island of Manhattan, but his current trouble is with the Coalition - the Clan that controls the city river to river, from 14th Street to 110th Street. To make things right, Joe takes on his most perilous case: The daughter of a prominent New York family is missing, and her Vampyre fascination makes Joe the ideal man for this high-stakes job.

With his ferocious style, Charlie Huston offers a thrilling new twist to one of our oldest myths.

Reviewed by ibeforem on

5 of 5 stars

Share
Huston’s novels have a rhythm and a flow that makes them nearly impossible to put down, and this was no exception. Surprisingly, there’s not too many twists on vampire folklore here — they still need a fairly regular supply of blood, and sunlight is a problem. In rogue-vampyre-cum-problem-solver Joe Pitt’s world, Vampyrism is caused by a virus (the Vyrus). Pitt’s struggle in this novel is as much with his Vyrus as it is with the people who are trying to control him — or maybe even kill him. Pitt’s supporting Vampyre cast is varied, from the ex-hippie Terry to the businessman Predo to guru Marshall, each approaching Vampyrism in their own unique way. As always, Huston pulls no punches. His writing is gritty and tough and sometimes gory, and you can’t always expect a happy ending. He’s created a complex, complicated, and dangerous Manhattan for his main character to navigate, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he has in store next for Joe Pitt.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 15 March, 2010: Finished reading
  • 15 March, 2010: Reviewed