4.5 stars

Dead and Gone is the ninth full-length novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series by popular American author, Charlaine Harris. The weres have decided to come out to the world, and the supe community holds its breath, waiting for the reaction, which is mixed, but a lot less negative than might have been anticipated. There are incidents, of course: Sam’s mother is shot and Jason’s wife is brutally murdered, although whether this is a reaction to weres, or something more personal, is not clear.

The FBI turns up in Bon Temps to question Sookie, and she fears her life may change for the worse. But soon, Sookie is in danger from another quarter entirely, and has to call in promises of protection from the vamps and weres. She becomes a pawn in a brutal war, arming herself, to surprising effect, with just a garden trowel and a water pistol.

This instalment sees news of two pregnancies, Sookie wed through a trick, and a once good friend setting a nasty trap. Sookie learns more about her family’s history, gets up close and personal with Eric (again) and is kidnapped and tortured. The fairies prove to be much nastier than Sookie had realised, and their departure will unlikely be mourned by many. After this revealing dose of Sookie, what’s next for our telepathic cocktail waitress?