Night Shift (Thorndike Core)

Night Shift is the final book in the Midnight, Texas trilogy by popular American author, Charlaine Harris. Midnight, Texas is home to some very unusual residents. Some are humans with special qualities; some are decidedly not human, despite their appearances. But when the Crossroad starts to attract people bent on committing suicide, the psychic, the witch, the vampire, the shapeshifters (were-tigers), the angels and their human friends all realise that Midnight is also home to a powerful Demon.

The rather gorgeous Sylvester Ravenwing has arrived to manage the Gas N Go, but is there another reason he's in Midnight? When her somewhat obnoxious older sister, Kiki turns up, it really is the last thing Fiji Cavanaugh needs. Lemuel Bridger is working on the translation from Etruscan of the old Vampire books found in Midnight Pawn, hoping he will discover just what is ailing the town. When he eventually learns than someone's virginity needs to be sacrificed to prevent a virgin sacrifice of a much deadlier sort, some of the town's residents are more enthusiastic than others.

From each earlier series that Harris has written, readers will recognise a secondary character who plays a larger role in this series: Sheriff Arthur Smith, Bobo Winthrop, Manfred Bernardo and John Quinn all appear. This instalment features several suicides, a hardware store visit, a séance, an attempted murder, a magical killing and a very sexy climax. The back story of several regular characters is explored, and Harris gives the reader a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, while still allowing scope for the town to be revisited. Very enjoyable!