Book Review: Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

Day Shift
Author: Charlaine Harris
Series: Midnight, Texas (Book 2)
Publication: Ace (May 5, 2015)

Description: In Midnight Crossroad, Charlaine Harris “capture[d] the same magic as the world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, and [took] it to another level" (Houston Press). Now the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse novels returns to the one-traffic-light town you see only when you’re on the way to someplace else…

There is no such thing as bad publicity, except in Midnight, Texas, where the residents like to keep to themselves. Even in a town full of secretive people, Olivia Charity is an enigma. She lives with the vampire Lemuel, but no one knows what she does; they only know that she’s beautiful and dangerous.

Psychic Manfred Bernardo finds out just how dangerous when he goes on a working weekend to Dallas and sees Olivia there with a couple who are both found dead the next day. To make matters worse, one of Manfred’s regular—and very wealthy—clients dies during a reading.

Manfred returns from Dallas embroiled in scandal and hounded by the press. He turns to Olivia for help; somehow he knows that the mysterious Olivia can get things back to normal. As normal as things get in Midnight…

My Thoughts: Things are getting exciting in Midnight, Texas, which is not at all what the residents want. A mysterious company has bought the long-empty hotel and is turning it into a long-term hotel for both people working at a nearby technical company and elderly people waiting for openings in assisted living facilities. The first elderly residents are from Las Vegas and were recruited to live there.

Manfred brings unexpected attention to Midnight when one of his clients died in his presence. He is being accused by her paranoid son of stealing her jewelry - jewelry that she told Manfred she hid from her son. Things heat up for him even more when it is learned that his client didn't die of natural causes.

We learn more about Olivia in this book too. Some of the mystery about her is revealed as we learn of her abusive childhood and her current career as a hit woman. She is clearly someone who feels a lot of rage and who doesn't really see other people as real. She is recruited by the Rev to help solve Manfred's problems and get the spotlight off Midnight. Her first thought is to kill the son to end the threat.

Adding to the things bringing unexpected attention to midnight is a young boy who is staying with the Rev. Figi helps keep his fed and clothed as he enters an accelerated growth period. It turns out his is a shapeshifter getting ready to make his first shift - into a Bengal tiger. We learn that the Rev also shifts into a tiger.

There are some crossover characters from the Sookie Stackhouse series that make appearances in this story. Barry Bellboy happens to be the grandson of one of the elderly characters staying at the new hotel. He is terrified of being in Texas because the Texas vampires are still very unhappy with him. And the father of the young tiger shifter is Quinn who was one of Sookie's love interests.

This was an interesting story filled with fascinating characters. There are certainly more stories to explore in Midnight, Texas, and I look forward to reading each of them.

Favorite Quote:

"The boy is growing at twenty times the normal speed," he said. "An old hoodlum just popped in to promise us he'd keep silent in return for scones. Mr. Snuggly has uncovered bad doings at the hotel, And I still need to clear my name of these bogus theft charges, which draw attention to Midnight, and therefore to all the other shit that should remain secret."

"That's a good summary," Fiji said brightly.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.