Product Description

Vayl is the CIA's top assassin. A master of black ops, he has never failed. He's also a 291-year-old vampire. Assigned to protect Vayl, if such a formidable creature can be said to require protection, is Jasmine Parks - 'Jaz' to her friends. But Jaz has got problems - and not just the run-of-the-mill ones you'd expect from someone whose job consists of putting her life on the line for an undead assassin. She hasn't had sex in god knows how long, so Vayl's almost overpowering vampire charisma is making it increasingly difficult for her to keep their relationship ...professional. Her personal life is a long line of missed birthdays and Christmases, and lies and excuses to her family. And then there's that other thing: the blackouts. See, there's times that Jaz can't account for and things that happen in those times that Vayl - not to mention the CIA - may not appreciate. And if they find out, Jasmine knows it won't just be her contract that's terminated ...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28775 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
'Rardin fuses spy girl with vampire slayer in this entertaining [debut] . . .delivers all the paranormal touches that fans of Hamilton, Harris and Whedon enjoy' Publishers Weekly 'A heroine whose past is darker than those she hunts, and a storyline that keeps you guessing. . .sure to be a winner.' Keri Arthur, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author 'Bond meets Dracula - only better than that. Jaz is an awesome, awe-inspiring heroine' Patricia Briggs

About the Author
Jennifer Rardin began writing at the age of 12, mostly poems to amuse her classmates and short stories featuring her best friends as the heroines. She lives in an old farmhouse in Illinois with her husband and two children.

Customer Reviews

Great Beginning to New Vampire Series
Jaz Parks works for the CIA as a partner to Vayl - CIA assassin and vampire. A supposedly simple assignment becomes complicated by the threatened release of a deadly virus. But it's even more complicated than straightforward terrorism, and with the end of the world looming, time is running out for Jaz and Vayl.

This is not a romance, though there is a strong chemistry between Jaz and Vayl, and their partnership is the central relationship of the story. In some ways it is like a marriage, their lives depend on one another, and they each have to know how the other thinks. There is a trust between them, that they'll protect each others backs.

Jaz is a female character who knows (relatively speaking) her own mind. She knows what her capabilities are and isn't afraid to stand up for herself, or for others. Written in first person point of view, this allows us to see that as well as a sarcastic outer voice, she has a sarcastic inner voice too.

Vayl is written extremely well. Unlike a lot of modern vampires, you believe he's been alive for nearly three centuries. There's a wonderful contrast between them - Jaz, so modern and now, Vayl a product of his long life and the experiences he's lived through. He has a delightful tendency to take Jaz literally.

"If he's going to put some poor kid's face back on straight tonight I'll do the hula."
"Lovely dance, that. The story is all in the hands. I did not know you knew-"
"Vayl, I was kidding."

It's not all quips and banter though. There is an edge of darkness that runs through the story. Jennifer Rardin has written one of the most brutal, horrific and real vampire attacks I can remember reading for quite a while. It's clear that they are voracious predators, and it's only an individual's personal integrity that prevents them from becoming a monster.

You're also aware whilst reading that something very bad and very significant has happened to Jaz in the not so distant past. She's missing parts of herself, she'll have flashes of memory or something will happen and she'll be remembering an incident from her childhood. This gives the first person point of view an added depth, taking us further into her experiences. Even when we initially find out what happened to her, it still isn't the whole story.

We're left at the end with the battle won, but the war still being fought. Luckily book 2 is already available so I don't have to wait to find out what happens next. If you liked Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews, I think you'd like this.

Also available
Another One Bites the Dust - Bk 2

Coming Soon
Biting the Bullet - Bk 3 - Feb 2008

New author shoots for gold
Buffy meets not only the CIA but also 007 all rolled into this cracking first offering from brand new author Jennifer Rardin. What makes this a fun book is not only that the principle protagonist is a sassy, wisecracking kickass heroine, but also that we have a super cool vampire assassin working with her. With one being a hothead rebel, the other a calm collected by the book thinker.

What else works well in the tale for me includes the rapport between the two, lending a believability to this duo that really just keeps the book rolling from hard hitting action sequence to the next predicament with both facing danger as well as learning that at times, the only way out is the hard way and the even harder villain. Wonderfully creative, dark where it needs to be, funny in places but above all, a tale that will lead to a series that I hope will keep the vibes that this first offering has given the reader. A great option for a Christmas present for all fans of not only Buffy, but supernatural fiction in general, with a touch of Harry Dresden, a touch of Interview with a Vampire and just a dash of Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld.

Nice....very Nice
Enjoyed it! A mixture of spy like novel with a vampire twist!

Jaz is a great lead in this, Val, the vamp is great. Throw in a crazy clairvoyant, an amusing Private Detective and an excited computer dude guy! It was great.

The plot is not too hard to follow, read the product description for the overall synopsis. There are twists, laughs (many many many), a lil horror. Brilliant.