Guest Review: To Catch a Vampire – Jennifer Harlow

CLASSIFIED: F.R.E.A.K.S. Do Dallas
Beatrice Alexander, telekinetic special agent, is still adjusting to life among the F.R.E.A.K.S. while wiping out zombies and other supernatural threats. When Bea learns about her “special assignment” investigating a series of human disappearances with Oliver Montrose, her gorgeous but annoying vampire co-worker, she reluctantly agrees to go undercover. Disguised as a married couple, they infiltrate the gothic vamp scene in Dallas. While sniffing out clues, Oliver’s convincing public–and not so public–displays of affection have Bea swooning in her bustier and fishnets. Between contending with her fake husband’s ex-lover Marianna and feeling guilty for hiding the mission from her werewolf crush Will, Bea discovers she’s not the only F.R.E.A.K. keeping secrets. Clubbing with the undead turns bloody when Oliver’s old enemy, the Lord of Dallas, decides to seek his revenge. Caught in the crossfire, Bea is up to her neck in blood-sucking trouble.

Series:  A.F.R.E.A.K.S.Squad Investigators #2
Release Date:  September 8, 2012
Publisher:  Midnight Ink
Source:  Provided by Author
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Reviewer’s Thoughts:

After reading Mind Over Monsters I was excited to read To Catch a Vampire so I dove right in after finishing the first book.  However, there was one huge problem with this installment, not enough Will and too much Oliver.  Harlow fleshed out Oliver’s backstory and developed the relationship between Bea and Oliver.  I’m not a big Oliver fan so I was not completely impressed with the turn of events.  I loved Mind Over Monsters because it was a fresh take on the vampire, werewolf, pretty girl triangle.  This installment felt like Harlow was falling in line with the genre.

The original assignment that required Oliver and Bea travel to Texas and pose as a married couple felt contrived but the mystery itself turned out to be pretty involved.  As with the first book the underlying crime has several moving parts and Harlow keeps you engaged as she develops the plot.  This storyline dragged a bit though, until the rest of the FREAK team joined Oliver and Bea on their hunt for a group of vampire killers.  At that point the story picked up and I rediscovered what I loved about this series; the crime procedural, team, mystery-solving aspects.  And Will was back in the picture. I wasn’t crazy about the ending but I can see that Harlow has left herself room to build in book three, hopefully that one will have less Oliver and more Will.