Morganville, Texas – Present Day

After her experience with her boyfriend’s father, Claire Danvers did what she had to to keep her friends safe and alive. Unfortunately, that meant signing a contract with vampire Amelie that ties Claire to Morganville forever. All thoughts of transferring to Harvard or MIT must be put out of her mind, because once you become Protected, you can never leave Morganville. What Claire didn’t realize is how much signing that piece of paper would change her life. Suddenly she has a new set of college courses to take; though, truth be known they are much more interesting and challenging to the sixteen-year-old genius. Amelie has also asked her to apprentice with Myrnin, a very old vampire, possibly a genius himself, but absolutely crazy.

That’s not all this teenager has to deal with. Her boyfriend Shane is still tweaked that their other roommate, Michael, became a vampire after nearly being killed by Shane’s father. Claire’s enemy, Monica, suddenly wants to be BFFs (best female friends) and dead women start turning up on Claire’s doorstep. Claire may need to stop worrying about her education and focus on making it to seventeen.

Things are getting stranger and more desperate in Morganville in MIDNIGHT ALLEY. Claire was warned to stay away from the spider in the alley in the previous book, THE DEAD GIRLS’ DANCE, and now finds herself apprenticed to him. Myrnin reveals the big secret about Morganville to Claire, and it’s one that could get her killed. Then again, there are so many things in this college town that could kill her that Claire doesn’t let it faze her. Claire and her friends have grown tremendously over the course of the series, and Ms. Caine never fails to put them in new and interestingly dangerous situations to continue their evolution. Myrnin is the wild card in the mix, although the return of Jason, Eve’s brother, is an equally chilling occurrence.

Midnight Alley takes night school to a much darker level. Who knew college could be so dangerous?

Kathy Samuels