Los Angeles, California - Present Day

If Dawn Madison knew what she would be getting into when she agreed to join Limpet and Associates, she's not sure she would make the same decision twice. Yes, they are the best chance for her to find her missing father, but the opening of her eyes to the things that go bump in the night was unexpected and, frankly, Dawn wouldn't mind going back to being clueless. She's honed her body to be in top fighting shape against vampires, but is her mind tuned and ready to repel attacks?

On the heels of her first major showdown with the bloodsuckers, Dawn and her team are trying to determine if a recent murder is tied to the Underground, the vampire society. Lee Tomlinson, the alleged killer, was literally found with the victim's DNA on him, and Limpet and Associates believe Lee is either a vampire Servant or tied to them in some way. Before they can know for sure, though, they need to question him. But getting close to him has proven almost impossible. Then, improbably, there is a second murder almost identical to the one committed by Lee. The case against him is airtight, so what exactly is going on? Are the vampires making a statement and, if so, what is it?

A dark and thrilling urban paranormal tale, MIDNIGHT REIGN is a gritty and suspenseful ride. While Dawn, her colleagues at Limpet and Associates and their quest to expose the Underground are the core of the story, also well developed is the vampire side of the tale and how they came to be who and what they are. Although there are definitely some good guys and bad, it's a very human story that highlights that rationality and logic go out the window when emotions are evoked.

Dawn, the daughter of rising starlet Eva Claremont, is often angered by the comparisons to her mother who died while Dawn was still a baby. Raised by her father, Frank, Dawn rebelled against anything to do with her mother, going so far as to become a stuntwoman rather than an actress. But Frank's disappearance has thrown her into a tailspin, especially when rumors swirl of Eva's possible ties to the Underground. On top of this is the mystery surrounding Limpet's founder, Jonah, and Dawn's possibly destructive attraction to him. Who is he, and what ties does he have to the vampires he's so set on exposing?

There are no easy answers and a plethora of friends and enemies with shifting allegiances in Ms. Green's sequel to NIGHT RISING. MIDNIGHT REIGN draws Dawn Madison further into a world that is dangerously seductive. Will she ever find her way back into the light?

Kathy Samuels