Death by Design A Bailey Davis Vampire Intrigue
Publication Date: April 11, 2012
Formats Available: eBook, Paperback ~302 pages
Synopsis:
Interior designer, Bailey Davis was minding her own business, and that of her clients when on a job site just outside of Chicago, when she runs into her ex. Annoyed and harassed, she nearly falls into a pit intended for the new swimming pool, but instead loses a precious memento. When she goes back to retrieve it, Bailey finds more than a diamond bracelet. She finds old human bones that someone will kill to keep hidden. Threatened, attacked, and kidnapped, Bailey eventually meets gorgeous Detective Declan O’Connor, of the Chicago Special Investigative Division, who has a few secrets of his own. Together they dive into the perilous underworld of the Guild, where unbeknownst to humanity, creatures of the night roam the world. Their journey takes them from the glittery big city of Chicago to the sultry lowcountry of South Carolina on a desperate search for the truth about her sudden and unexplained powers, who her true family is, and a monster who has Bailey under his control. -from Goodreads
The Cover: I think the cover of Death by Design is beautiful. The depiction of the woman, who I believe to be Bailey, is ethereal and her green eyes are captivating.
My Thoughts: Death by Design begins in 13th century Paris with Sethe, a vampire hell bent on revenge against the woman who spurned him. After brutally murdering her he vows to take his revenge on all of her descendants as well. The story then jumps to modern day Chicago where Bailey Davis, an interior designer and Italian shoe addict resides. Her life is seemingly mundane except for a few quirks – she is extraordinarily quick, strong, and she is able to heal abnormally fast. None of this makes any sense to Bailey until she is attacked and has a strange vision of a young woman being killed.
Detective Declan O’Connor is assigned to work Bailey’s case;
however, the Chicago Special Homicide Division is not the only organization
that is interested in the answers Bailey provides about that night. Bailey’s
life is thrown into turmoil when she is taken into protective custody by the
Full Blood Vampire Nation and is introduced into a whole new world she had no
idea existed. Bailey learns she is the descendant of the Ahkin line, a powerful
family of vampires. As it turns out, this is the same line that Sethe has been
tracking. When the Vampire Nation headquarters is infiltrated and Bailey is
taken captive, she learns the meaning of the nightmares that have been plaguing
her dreams her entire life. Sethe is intent on making Bailey fully his by
taking the power she holds within for himself.
What I liked about Death
by Design was the fresh take on how vampires are created and the powers
they possess. Ms. Kenney has created a new vampire breed, one that I have yet
to see in any other books. Each vampire is unique and may or may not have powers
based upon who changed them or if they were born vampire. I am glad that she included a map of the Full Blood Family Tree because there are so many characters that I got lost and had
to refer back to it.
There were a few things that I did not like; namely, the
grammar and punctuation errors. This happens in every book from big publishers
to self-published books, but they irritate the inner English teacher in me. The
phrase “and they said their goodbyes,” was used too frequently. There were also
places where the story seemed to drag and the excess of information was a
detriment to the flow. I don’t want to give away too much, but the idea of
vampire-compelled sex is rape, pure and simple; treating it as something else is
hard for me to stomach.
Overall, this is a good start to the Bailey Davis series. The next book Designs in Blood is set to introduce new supernaturals and explore more lines on the Full Blood Family Tree. Fans of the Night Huntress series by Jeanine Frost will find Bailey Davis intriguing.
Overall, this is a good start to the Bailey Davis series. The next book Designs in Blood is set to introduce new supernaturals and explore more lines on the Full Blood Family Tree. Fans of the Night Huntress series by Jeanine Frost will find Bailey Davis intriguing.
★ ★ ★
Favorite Description: "His claws dug in deep, and the pain was excruciating. Suddenly he let go of me and was gone. I heard a loud piercing scream and then a popping, slurping sound..."
FTC Advisory: I was given a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. No backroom deals or whispered promises were made.
Where to Buy:
Amazon (Paperback)
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Barnes & Noble (Paperback)
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