Death's Excellent Vacation

Title: Death's Excellent Vacation

Edited By: Charlaine Harris and Toni Kelner

Publisher: Ace 2010

Genre: Paranormal

Pages: 339

Rating: 4 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; April Read-a-Thon

Really got into this anthology.  I loved reading the wide range of styles.  Many of the stories had twists and turns that I didn't see coming until the end (those are the best ones).  A majority of stories earned high marks.  I'm highlighting my favorites (this is becoming a pattern):

1. Jeaniene Frost "One for the Money" -- I know this is part of her Night Huntress series.  I haven't read any of those books (they're on my list), but I really got into this story.  Frost gives enough background that you understand the bigger storyline.  A great action/adventure story featuring vampires, hit men, ghouls, and ghosts.  Thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
2. Daniel Stashower "Meanwhile, Far Across the Caspian Sea" -- Really intrigued by this author.  The story, set at LifeSpan books, started innocently enough.  But you know somethings up pretty quickly with the mention of Thaddeus Palgrave.  I loved the big twist at the end.  Extra points for having a character who loves researching and history as much as I do.
3. A. Lee Martinez "The Innsmouth Nook" -- A bed-and-breakfast in the dreary little town of Clam Bay.  Nothing too interesting, right?  Wrong, Clam Bay has its own deep secret (hee hee for my bad pun).  Definitely did not see the secret until the end, but that's really what makes the story awesome.
4. Sharon Newman "Home from America" -- Great story from Ireland.  Definitely called the big reveal at the beginning, but a really well-constructed story.  And the twist at the end, priceless!
5. Toni Kelner "Pirate Dave's Haunted Amusement Park" -- I love amusement parks and the supernatural, so of course I loved this story.  Great humor and mystery.  Vampires, werewolves, and pirates!  Oh my!