Book Review: Worse Than Death

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Worse Than Death     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Sherry Gottlieb
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Fantasy   Vampire   Private Investigator
Forge, Jan 2000, $22.95, 251 pp.

Los Angeles police detective Jace Levy resigns from the force when he decides to take a different bite out of crime. Jace agrees to allow his lover, vampiress Risha to turn him into one of the undead so they can spend much of eternal night making love with one another. Still, Joe remains a bit reluctant to complete the final transition from mortal to immortal. However, Jace’s need to spend eternity with his lover overrides his usual good sense. His desire for an eternal orgasmic experience persuades him to allow Risha to complete the change.

Joe continues to work as a private investigator hunting those who prey on society and making them his meal. However, the transition that was supposed to provide Joe with his soul’s desire has a Twilight Zone twist to it. Instead of great passionate lovemaking, his sex life begins to fail as a by-product of male vampirism. Joe blames Risha for hiding the truth while she accuses him of using her to abort the effect of a mortal disease.

WORSE THAN DEATH starts off as a biting humorous satire centering on the theme to be careful what you wish for because you might be very unhappy when you get it. The interaction between humans and vampires adds an interesting element to the early plot. However, once Joe completes the metamorphosis, the story line seems to lose much of its teeth. Still, fans of vampire tales, especially Sherry Gottlieb’s popular previous work (see LOVE BITE) will enjoy this parable about some fates bring WORSE THAN DEATH.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner