Review: The Cowboy & The Vampire

Goodreads Summary:

When the American icon of the cowboy meets its archetypal antithesis in the "unDead," the result of an engrossing exploration of the complexity of evil, goodness, and the moral framework of the world today.

About the Authors

Clark Hays grew up in Montana in the shadow of the Tobacco Root Mountains. In addition to his fiction work, he is a cowboy, a published poet and occasional food critic. Recently, he was nominated for Pushcart Prize for short fiction and not so recently for a Rhysling award for poetry. Clark brings a deep knowledge about the modern west, weaponry, country music and existentialism to his writing.

Kathleen McFall grew up in the heart of Washington, D.C. She worked as a petroleum geologist and, later, as a journalist, and has published hundreds of articles about scientific research, energy and natural resources. An interest in the overlap of science and mysticism are an essential aspect of her fiction writing. She received an Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship for fiction writing.

Learn more at the Cowboy & Vampire Website and Cowboy & Vampire on Facebook.

Review

Lizze Vaughn is sent to Lone Pine, Wyoming to do a story for her paper about Cowboys and their lifestyle. She never expected for the west to knock her off her saddle and fall in Love with the brooding and handsome Tucker. She can't help but be enthralled as Tucker ignores her requests for an interview in attempt to stay focused on upcoming events. It's not until she showed up at his double-wide with beer in hand that he caves and let's her interview him for her article.

With Lizzie's short visit Tucker never excepted the stunning beauty of the NYC slicker Lizzie to capture his old west heart, but all he can think of is her. Even Tucker's dog, Rex can feel the void her absence has left on the pair. He tried to get on with his life, but Lizzie is on his mind.

Meanwhile Lizze is starting her "research" for another story...about vampires, or people who think they are vampires. Little does she know she's about to become more involved then she could have ever imagined. After being invited to a vampire gathering, hosted by the mysterious Julius, and watching events from a horror movie happen right before her eyes, Lizze gets scared out of her wits! The haunting Julius has his eyes on her. When things don't go as planned, he takes matters into his own hands to get her. But when Lizzie is not to be found, Julius uses his slaves to find out where she might have gone. Thus putting Tucker in danger.

Things go from bad to worse after Lizzie returns to Lone Pine, still scared and frightened of Julius and his words to her, she finds some comfort in Tuckers arms, but Julius has sent his top enforcers after her and trouble ensues. Lizzie is kidnapped and taken back to NYC and tucker is badly hurt and awakens to seeing his homestead destroyed. He seeks out his father, they avert the last enforcer, and tucker is determined to save Lizzie, but at what cost?

Lizzie's fate takes a turn she never thought possible and finds herself in a world she thought wasn't real. As she finds that Tucker has come for her, she finds he is by her side, but will he stay through everything he is about to find out about the vampire/human world. There are more twist and turns in the second half of this story than you can imagine. So strap on your stir-ups and grab onto your saddle horn for a bucking ride sure to enthrall you and grab you by the horns! I cannot spoil the best part of this western meets modern times tale!