4.5 stars

From Dead to Worse is the eighth full-length novel in the Sookie Stackhouse series by popular American author, Charlaine Harris. Sookie attends the society wedding of the year, expecting to go as a guest, but ending up as a bridesmaid and a barmaid. Enlisted for her telepathic powers, Sookie’s efforts to reconcile opposing factions of the Shreveport weres deteriorate into a battle that sees many dead. She also finds herself in the middle of a hostile takeover of the Louisiana vampires, a takeover that results in several of her vampire friends permanently dead.

Spells are cast, a killer exposed and a fledgling relationship ends. Sookie breaks a finger (but not one of hers), does a bit of mediating and saves quite a few lives. There are several attempts on her life by the end of this instalment, so Sookie is surprised and rather satisfied to find herself now under the protection of three powerful individuals. And after her brother Jason’s disappointing behaviour, Sookie is pleased to learn she has two more living relatives of whom she was unaware. Questions remain unanswered so there’s plenty to be going on with in the next book, Dead and Gone, but the last few pages will warm the heart of the most cynical reader. Another entertaining read.