Book Review: Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

Charlaine Harris, author of the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse series that the HBO True Blood show was based on, is about to publish the second book in a fresh new series.

Day Shift is set in small town Midnight, Texas, the cast in this murder mystery is a fascinating menagerie of unique characters who aren't what they seem. Half the fun of reading this book is trying to figure out who or what these characters are, and why they live in tiny Midnight.

There are three plot lines in this story, and they are all intriguing. Manfred, the legit physic who runs a not-so-authentic psychic hotline, has a wealthy client die in such a manner than he's a suspect. The run-down, abandoned old hotel has suddenly been refurbished, and strange new visitors enter the picture. And, reclusive ole Rev has a surprising young guest who has a compelling effect on all the residents.

My absolutely favorite genre to read is mystery, with fantasy following a close second, so any time these two are combined, I'm willing to dive right in. And this book didn't disappoint. The plot mysteries were solid, the characters more than two-dimensional and we learned more about the curious and secretive beings in Midnight.

Some books in a series are fine as a stand-alone, and this one is not bad on it's own ... but it's definitely a lot less confusing and more exciting if you start with the first book in the series, Midnight Crossroad.

I received an advance copy of this book to read through NetGally, a free site where you can discover, read and review new books before they are published. Day Shift is due out in bookstores on May 5, 2015.