Better Off Undead

Bloodhound Files, Book 4

By: D. D. Barant

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Dark magic, unknown enemies, monsters of every stripe - FBI profiler Jace Valchek has seen it all. In this bizarre parallel universe, shape-shifting werewolves and blood-thirsty vampires don't even warrant a raised eyebrow. That is, until Jace has to face what life might look like as one of them....

It starts off as just another run-of-the-mill assignment: to track down the rogue don of a mafia werewolf family before he upsets the delicate balance of the underworld. But Jace wasn't counting on being bitten...and soon she's fighting the growing wolf inside her with a startling antidote - vampirism.

Stopping a bloody gangland war won't be easy when Jace is feeling some new, and very inhuman, desires....

©2011 D.D. Barant (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A stellar addition to an already outstanding series." ( Romantic Times)

Hate Hate hate the latest "boyfriend..."

Would you consider the audio edition of Better Off Undead to be better than the print version?

Don't Know...never got around to reading it.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It is so hard to do without spoilers..but I enjoyed the book until the end. I just don't seem to enjoy Cassius as much as other people. I think he is cardboard and uninteresting (and when we get to see below the surface he is angsty and whiny...) I don't want any romance between them EVER unless we see them interact more and develop some chemistry between them. I think she has more chemistry with Gally. Sigh....

What about Johanna Parker’s performance did you like?

She is very talented.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Please don't ever sleep with Cassius.

Any additional comments?

The mediocre attempt at "Romance" dropped the book from a four to a three for me.

Hottest and most intriguing yet!

So glad I got this book! It didnt disappoint at all! Hilarious and worth the wait.

The Series is Back on Track!

The last book of this series (Killing Rocks) left me wondering how this book would turn out. Never fear, D.D. Barant brought it all back on track with this book! Interesting story, likeable characters that get you caught up in the story! I'll be anxiously awaiting Back From The Undead in Audible format!!! I hope they can also get Johanna Parker to narrate - she does a great job!

Fighting to be yourself in a world of fang and fur

What made the experience of listening to Better Off Undead the most enjoyable?

Getting used to this narrator takes a bit of time, but what I do love about her is her distinctive voices and comedic timing. I laughed out loud multiple times at the delivery of the main character's dog! This book especially deals with a bit of higher emotions for the main character than other books in the series and I feel the narrator did a great job of expressing these emotions which makes a big impact on the overall feel of this book. In the series as a whole I feel like the narrator really nailed this one better than those before and I'm looking forward to the books to come.

What did you like best about this story?

That's a hard one! I liked how the series got back on track for me from the last book. I was very happy for that. I was REALLY happy for the ending!! I won't give it away but I feel like there was hope and a sense of moving forward for the main character that she needed to allow the series to grow - LOVE! I like that the main character is a fighter. She's not perfect by any means, but she's allowed to have a few moments to be sad and feel what every person does - alone. Then she comes back to fight. She fights for who she is and what she believes in... and how can you not root for that kind of character! I like that the book was multi-leveled with the emotional situation for the main character and the mystery case going on. I felt like this book was a well rounded book and we got to see more into the past of some of the supporting cast that was wonderful. I don't think I can keep it to just one thing I liked best about the story.

Any additional comments?

I highly recommend reading or listening to this (or any) series in order.
I'm really enjoying this series! I feel like each book moves quickly while still taking the time to get to know the characters and the growing complexities of the relationships as well as the world created for this series. I'm really looking forward to more books in the series to come!!!

Better May Be Best

Any additional comments?

This might be the best of the series! I love all the books, but this is the one I will be listening to over and over. No information overload, but don't make the mistake of thinking it's slow. The pace is good with a range of things packed into the story: Jace and The Mob, Jace and Cassius, Jace craving kangaroo meat, etc. As usual, the supporting cast is strong, and is not eclipsed. Don't skip this one!

Much better than last!

First of all, I didn't hate the last book, but it was confusing and hard at times. I see why people got turned off by it, and I agree with others, you could skip it all together and be fine for this book. This book brought you back to the world of the previous two books that you expected to find yourself in. I think you should ignore the review about her "boyfriend!" I was waiting all book long, every time she talked to a guy, thinking will this be her new boyfriend? Am I going to hate him? It's a very misleading and bad spoiler. She doesn't have a boyfriend!

The book is good. Looking forward to another.

I skipped book #3 and didn't miss a thing.

What did you love best about Better Off Undead?

I really liked the idea of two virus' battling it out for supremacy. What an interesting concept. I did have to raise my eye brows that the 'Pire' bite had to be at the same site as the inital slash...inner thigh each time. *roll eyes*

Who was your favorite character and why?

My favorite character is Doc Pete/Tyir. Not so much Tyir but more Doc Pete. He's the man I'm rooting for. I love his personality, how he over came odds, looks out for Jace mentally and physically. He's also the family man and the self sacrificing hero. Go Doc go!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I tried so hard to listen to it in one setting, but life kept moving forward and insisted I be apart of it.

Any additional comments?

I picked up book #1 and #2...then read some reviews that said #3 got a little off track, so I took a chance and skipped #3. I thought if there was anything I didn't understand I would just go with it. Low and behold, I didn't get lost once. I read a bit of plot spoilers to #3 so when a reference came up I understood what was meant. I know this isn't much of a review but I wanted to let others know that if considering this series #1 and #2 are needed for background, #3 not so much (just a filler book that doesn't add too much to the series) and #4 that moves forward again in the information/romance department.