Charlie Huston’s “Joe Pitt” novels

It’s October, and Halloween will be here before you know it. If the season has you in the mood for something a little dark, I suggest you check out Charlie Huston’s “Joe Pitt” novels.

Vampire tough guy and part-time armbreaker Joe Pitt is nobody’s hero. Operating in a twilight world of moral ambiguity, Joe doesn’t mind snapping necks and breaking bones if it gets him where he’s going. It’s a tough world out there.

Powerful vampire clans run Brooklyn and Joe, an unaffiliated rogue, does their dirty work. His continued existence outside of the powerful clan structure depends partly on their good favor, but Joe has to constantly be on guard to keep from being caught in the ongoing clan power struggle.

“Already Dead” is the first volume of the series. A mysterious flesh-eating virus is turning human beings into brain-chomping zombies. Joe is tasked with investigating the epidemic, and very powerful people want to make sure he’s off the case – for good.

“No Dominion” picks up right after “Already Dead.”  Joe stumbles onto a new drug that can affect vampires – normally immune to most narcotics – after very nearly getting put through a plate glass window. Joe’s intrigued; eternity can get boring and a dependable high could pass the time, but where is it coming from and what is it exactly?

“Half the Blood of Brooklyn” finds Joe’s HIV-positive girlfriend Evie in the hospital, gravely ill and close to death. To make things worse, there’s a vampire slayer – a “Van Helsing” – on the scene and the Brooklyn clans are at each other’s throats.

“Every Last Drop” is the most recent novel in the series, having been released just a few days ago. Joe’s a dead man walking after the events of “Half the Blood of Brooklyn.” He’s on the outs with all of the clans and has nowhere to turn when an old enemy comes calling with an offer: infiltrate a new clan that’s claiming to hold the cure to the vampirism and all is forgiven.

Charlie Huston’s “Joe Pitt” novels are taut, well-plotted and dark. It’s a noir horror saga with plenty of style and street-cred, and just what the near-anemic field of vampire fiction needs.

---

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

• More love for Charlie Huston
• Books received: 9/18/08
• Joe McKinney wants to know your thoughts on vampire fiction
• No Dominion by Charlie Huston (Orbit Books)