Book Review: Merrick

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Merrick     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Anne Rice
Class/Genre:   Fantasy
Knopf, Oct 2000, $26.95, 305 pp.

Vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac asks vampiric detective David Talbot to find a way to contact the ghost of Claudia. David knows that if anyone has the ability to do this conjuring it would have to be Merrick Mayfair, a voodoo practitioner descended from a long line of witches. Although David has not seen Merrick in years, he still turns to her for assistance.

As Merrick and David discuss the ethics of disturbing the dead, a spark ignites between them. However, soon she travels to a remote part of the Guatemalan jungle where ancient powerful runes exist. However, the powerful witch remains in doubt about assisting the vampire with his quest to communicate with a ghost.

Maybe it is just this reviewer, but after twenty-two supernatural tales, the vampire chronicles seem a bit anemic. Still, once the great Anne Rice gets rolling, the story line takes off at a rapid speed as vampires converge on witchworld. The joy that holds MERRICK and the previous tales together remain Ms. Rice’s ability to persuade the readers that the supernatural creatures and magical powers exist especially in New Orleans. The audience will find this tale turns extremely exciting in Central America and serves to tie up loose ends from previous novels as well as setting the stage for book XXIII. Vampire aficionados will relish Ms. Rice’s latest entry in her beloved series.

Harriet Klausner

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