I went into the local library today, returned three books, picked out three new ones, and the librarian brightly asked whether I wanted the new borrowing slip to include the 4th book I had borrowed previously – something called Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. It was “A Southern Vampire Novel” according to a note on the cover.
I swore blind I hadn’t ever seen it (most immoderate and ill-advised behaviour on my part as I am nortorious for never remembering names or titles of books, films, people and whatnot) and that it sounded exactly like something I would never borrow (fair comment).
Only trouble is, when I got home, there it was, smiling up at me from the coffee table. Not only had I borrowed it; I had read it with considerable enjoyment. Light, but hey, who wants porridge for afternoon tea?
The truth is that I had been captured by the cover as the book lay on the shelving table. I was classified “horror” but I thought the cover hinted at humour in the horror genre; I opened it and read the first couple of lines.
I am a sucker for things laughingly put; I am not above laughingly putting things myself from time to time. So I borrowed it, and read a frolicsome confection of “horror”, sex, romance, murder and mystery. Or something. A Southern vampire story!
I do enjoy happy surprise results when I do something on a whim.
I must congratulate both the writer and the cover illustrator. A fun book which you could judge by the cover.
Cheers, Geoff
Geoffrey Heard, Business Writer & Publisher
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