Blood Vice (Nightfall Syndicate, #1)

Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, book-list-2010

Blood Vice opens with a bang. A fight scene that's action-packed and fast-paced and this is how it continues throughout the novel. However, even with this opening chapter, Blood Vice wasn't quite what I expected. With the quote on the back cover giving me a warning of "intense graphic mafia-related violence and explicit vampire sex" I was expecting something a bit more dark and gritty.

Although Blood Vice doesn't quite measure up to the quote, as it doesn't really contain much violence or graphic...more Blood Vice opens with a bang. A fight scene that's action-packed and fast-paced and this is how it continues throughout the novel. However, even with this opening chapter, Blood Vice wasn't quite what I expected. With the quote on the back cover giving me a warning of "intense graphic mafia-related violence and explicit vampire sex" I was expecting something a bit more dark and gritty.

Although Blood Vice doesn't quite measure up to the quote, as it doesn't really contain much violence or graphic sex, and you know this to be true if I'm saying it... well, you know how I get if sex scenes are too graphic *embarrassed* ;) I believe that even for those who like their romance a little more raunchy in their urban fantasy, they would still enjoy this novel.

The narration is third person, so we jump from Karl Vance, vampire and assassin, to Maria Ricardi, daughter of Alberto Ricardi, the head of one of the biggest mafia families in the city. Karl and Maria are both likable characters and Karl has a lot of heart. The surprising aspect of this novel was that it was really driven by Karl's love for Maria.

Maria is very determined and career driven. As a woman she has no place in the crime world, as seen through the eyes of the men in the 'family'. However, Maria has different ideas and with the backing of her father hires Karl to kill members of the rival family. Maria shows a lot of independence and fearlessness and doesn't bat an eye if the situation requires murder. So, it was with relish that I enjoyed the twist to Maria's character as it put her in a position she couldn't control and revealed a more vulnerable side to her nature. I look forward to seeing how she deals with her new life in the series.

Karl is a contradiction in that he kills with ease, then prays to God. We get to know him fairly well over the chapters and realise that most of his actions come from a good place. He really is one of the good guys and this shines through especially when he's with Maria. He oozes confidence with regards to who and what he is and doesn't seem to doubt himself for one minute. He is quite a complex character and I hope more is revealed about him in future books.

One problem I did have with the book was at the beginning Melton seemed confused as to what to call his main protagonist. The first chapter begins with Karl, but switches to Vance. Luckily the synopsis on the back cover revealed the name as "Karl Vance", but if it hadn't been for that I could easily have thought it was two separate characters, making the opening scene a little confusing. After a while Melton settles for Karl, but occasionally still referrers to him as Karl Vance as though he's reminding the reader who the character is. This is totally unnecessary and did niggle a bit, but after a while the story took over and I became engrossed in what is essentially a very good, fairly refreshing urban fantasy.

Verdict:

Blood Vice is quite original in that it combines mafia war with vampires and they actually mesh well together. There are also aspects in Blood Vice that I hope will be developed further in subsequent books, with Blood Vice being the first in the series. I think this novel is a good addition to the urban fantasy genre and would certainly recommend it.

I actually gave this book 7/10 on my blog, but Goodreads still doesn't offer half stars!(less)

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Jun 27, 2009 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews, urban-fantasy

Karl is Mafia hitman by trade and a vampire. Life for Karl was on the simple side; until he met Maria. Then his past came back to haunt him and it got way more complicated. I'm not really a fan of stories involving the mob, but vampires are a whole other deal. Having said that, I ended up really loving this story. Karl has a bit of mystery to him, and dangerous. Calm, cool and sexy. The first couple chapters were a bit slow, but after that it moved along nicely. It's one of the better Urban Fant...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Blood Rose Books rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great book. It is well written and it will have you hooked from the first line, "It was a beautiful night for murder, but wet work was wet work and had to be done regardless of conditions". If that does not bring you in I don`t know what will.

The book is centered on Karl Vance, Religious, Hit man, Vampire (one of these things is not like the other), who is hired by the Mob to "take out" certain individuals from a rival family. Enter Maria Ricardi, Mafia Princess who wants respect with...more This is a great book. It is well written and it will have you hooked from the first line, "It was a beautiful night for murder, but wet work was wet work and had to be done regardless of conditions". If that does not bring you in I don`t know what will.

The book is centered on Karl Vance, Religious, Hit man, Vampire (one of these things is not like the other), who is hired by the Mob to "take out" certain individuals from a rival family. Enter Maria Ricardi, Mafia Princess who wants respect within the family and eventually take over; however, this is hard/impossible because she is a woman. Maria's father however, likes her plan and decides to indulge her and higher Karl to fulfill Maria's plans. It`s time to go to the mattresses. But the war goes sideways when the rival between the two families attracts the attention of Karl's nemesis, Alejandro Delgado, who has his own ideas about what should go on in Boston, including what happens to Karl and Maria. It is now or never to settle the score(s) between Karl and Alejandro.

I really enjoyed this book, it was descriptive and dark at points, the Mafia and Vampires just work well together. A character I really enjoyed who was not mention above is Xiesha, (fairly silent, but deadly too) who is Karl`s guardian during the day, but who is a witch, I think, and I believe her past will be explored in future books. I also enjoyed the idea around the spirit wolf, and the order of the Thorn. There is romance in the book, but it is not what the book is based upon and appears to be part od the natural flow to the book (don`t let the cover fool you). The book was all about the story and not hindered by extra details or fluff. It is dark, edgy and kickass at points, all things I love in a book.

My only critique of this book, is that I feel like I have read the story before, the characters are different and the situations are different, but the backbones of the story are the same. I wish there would have been just a touch more imagination in that part. But I guess the mixture of Mafia and Vampires makes up for most of this point.

This a great book that has been released in 2010 and Melton is defiantly an author to watch out for.

Enjoy!(less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Drmgrl99 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As if being a vampire isn’t difficult enough, try being a vampire hit man for hire. Want to take it up a notch or two? Throw the mob boss’ feisty daughter into the mix! That’s exactly what Keith Melton has done in Blood Vice.

A gripping story about Karl Vance, vampire hit man for hire, and how he has entangled himself with the mafia while also attempting to rid the world of his longtime nemesis, Delgado. In the midst of a mafia war including several cities, Maria, the boss’ daughter, wants in on...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Nick McGreggor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: good-times, urban-fantasy, very-dark-things

What the hell is up with this book? I must’ve passed it over a half-dozen times while skimming recommendations on Amazon because of that cover. The cover screams paranormal pretty-boy vampire romance to me…so maybe because having a guy undressing on the front is a bad idea if your story is dark and gritty and about mafia connected vampires.

It boggles the mind.

The book itself is (as I said) dark, gritty, hardboiled. Violence. Action. Vampires fighting on the top of a truck racing through Boston...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Jessica (Taking It One Book at a Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Karl Vance, to me, was a great vampire character. To instill such a true faith in god to a creature, that by definition, is damned, perked my interest in him for sure. I mean, he prays outside a church for the souls of his victims after each killing, that's pretty faithful. Vance seems like your run-of-the-mill vampire until you catch a glimpse deeper into who he is and the struggles he's had. Determined to find his rival Delgado & destroy him, once and for all, the last thing he needs is a...more Karl Vance, to me, was a great vampire character. To instill such a true faith in god to a creature, that by definition, is damned, perked my interest in him for sure. I mean, he prays outside a church for the souls of his victims after each killing, that's pretty faithful. Vance seems like your run-of-the-mill vampire until you catch a glimpse deeper into who he is and the struggles he's had. Determined to find his rival Delgado & destroy him, once and for all, the last thing he needs is a distraction. Especially one that comes in the form of Maria Ricardi.

Maria instantly grabbed me as a truly unique female role. Not only is she book smart, I mean she has a degree in accounting, but she's blood thirsty enough to try and prove herself to her mafia boss father. Creating an elaborate plan to hit a rival mafia family where it hurts, Maria decides it wise to call in favored family hit man, Karl Vance. Though she knows little about him, except that his reputation is full of fear and death, she puts 100% faith in him to carry out her plan. When realizing that her need to "see" things for herself may have been a bad choice, Maria is thrown into a life she never even imagined possible. Now trying to get out of that life makes taking down a mafia boss look like a piece of cake.

The chemistry between these two definitely heats up in the second half of the book, it's funny how a heated battle can bring out the need in some people. Creating an amazing series of events can develop a relationship between two people more then they realize. I think Vance & Maria's relationship is one of the things that really sparked my interest in the second half of the book, simply because it wasn't your typical "vampire relationship".

Please, don't be intimidated by the size of this book, yes there are a lot of pages for the first book in a series, but Keith did a great job of never rambling. His scenes run together with ease, he never over described anything (which is one of my true dislikes), plus you're never left wondering, "why was that said". Blood Vice was a great read, and I can't wait to pick up the next book by Mr. Melton(less)

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Dec 17, 2009 Tiffany Danner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have read a lot of books over the last year or so…. and I can honestly say up until now, I have read not a single book that combines mobsters and vampires. Somehow Keith Melton successfully tells the tale of bad ass vampires, violent mafia wars, with a dash of romance on the side.

Maria is the daughter of powerful crime boss. She is desperately trying to prove her worth in the family business to her father and his lieutenants, an impossible task in a male dominated world like the mafia. She has...more I have read a lot of books over the last year or so…. and I can honestly say up until now, I have read not a single book that combines mobsters and vampires. Somehow Keith Melton successfully tells the tale of bad ass vampires, violent mafia wars, with a dash of romance on the side.

Maria is the daughter of powerful crime boss. She is desperately trying to prove her worth in the family business to her father and his lieutenants, an impossible task in a male dominated world like the mafia. She has the brains and balls, she just has to convince her family that a woman can do the job. Maria hires Karl Vance, a hired hitman and powerful vampire, to help weaken the enemy crime family. Over the course of the story the war between families becomes much more than a war over money or territory – it becomes personal for Karl and Maria.

At first glimpse of Maria I was prepared to dislike her. She was independent, frank, stubborn, and sometimes sarcastic. While I like my men a bit feisty, these same traits in female characters sometimes lead me to roll my eyes. Too many times a strong/bitter female is defiant even when it doesn’t make sense in an effort to be heroic or self sacrificing. I was fully prepared for Maria to be that type of woman and was pleasantly surprised to find she wasn’t. She may kick you in the balls and call you names, but she also knows when its best to go with the flow and save herself some pain.

Karl Vance is a bad ass mofo. His employers may not know his true nature as a powerful vampire, but they know he has no problem doing what needs to be done. While he gave up on his soul many years ago, he struggles to keep his darker nature in check and do the right thing. I don’t want to say that he is looking for redemption because I don’t believe he thinks its realistic, but at the very least he is looking to minimize his own impact on the world. If the book cover is accurate, he manages to do all of this with his shirt open. What more could we ask for in a vampire hitman?

The plot of this book is hard hitting and quick paced. I was sucked into the story line from the first chapter and snuck in reading time wherever I could find it! I love a good urban fantasy novel that takes no prisoners and this one does that. There is a surprising twist with Maria’s character arc during the first half of the book that completely threw me for a loop! It was daring and unexpected and may have even broken some of those unwritten book rules. I had to check my progress bar to make sure I wasn’t at the end already!

If I had anything to complain about it may have been the romance aspect of the plot. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Vance and Maria at first… and even at the end felt like I needed more time with them and the connection between them. However, I liked that Vance didn’t always know what to say to comfort her and often found himself saying nothing even when it was probably not the right move. It was realistic to his character, even if it sometimes left me feeling a bit cold.

Oh wait, I remembered one more thing I wanted to complain about…. the people in this book are way too good at recognizing fancy suit brands at first glance. I mean this is dark gritty urban fantasy world, not project runway I jest.. I get that its a mob thing!(less)

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Nov 27, 2009 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: vampires, suspense-thriller

3.5 stars

Violent, brooding, dark and bloody; those adjectives can be used to describe both the plot and the protagonist. As I was reading Blood Vice, I couldn't help but see the movie playing in my head, if only Martin Scorsese made vampire films.

Karl is a freelance hit man, which parallels his personal life as a freelance vampire; having killed his sire to escape slavery, he answers to no one but himself and God. He feeds on the blood of the corrupt, attempting to assuage the guilt of his exist...more

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Jan 29, 2010 Wicked Lil Pixie (Natasha) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Melton didn’t disappoint! I was stunned Vampires + Mobsters, a new combo that works incredibly well. From the beginning it’s all about the action, murders, mob wars and romance all wrapped up into one original story.

What I loved most was that Vampire’s once again are shown to be what they are, violent and primal. Vance is a hit-man, not a fuzzy lovable character though he does have a conscience and still believes in going as close as he can to Holy ground to repent. I only had one issue with the...more

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May 17, 2010 Julia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Blood Vice by Keith Melton was dark, bloody and a breath of fresh air. I have read quite a few vampire books in the past two years- not a single one of those books combined the fun of the paranormal world with the brooding world of mafia families.This is one book that would make a spectacular movie.

Karl is our forlorn hero, a vampire... a freelance hit man vampire. It gets better. He works for the mafia but only follows himself and God. He maintains his humanity by feeding only on those that are...more

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Sep 04, 2011 LolaLovesBooks rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As if being a vampire isn’t difficult enough, try being a vampire hit man for hire. Want to take it up a notch or two? Throw the mob boss’ feisty daughter into the mix! That’s exactly what Keith Melton has done in Blood Vice.

A gripping story about Karl Vance, vampire hit man for hire, and how he has entangled himself with the mafia while also attempting to rid the world of his longtime nemesis, Delgado. In the midst of a mafia war including several cities, Maria, the boss’ daughter, wants in on...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, review

Karl Vance is a mafia hit man, recruited by the Ricardi family to assist with taking over Boston by whacking off the Lucatti family one by one. He is ordered to work under Maria, the Ricardi family princess and money launderer. Little do Maria and her father know, but Karl is also a vampire, in Boston with the hopes of finding his nemesis, Alejandro Delgado.

As Karl and Maria work together to start taking out the Lucatti family one by one, clues begin to unravel to Maria about Karl’s life, and s...more Karl Vance is a mafia hit man, recruited by the Ricardi family to assist with taking over Boston by whacking off the Lucatti family one by one. He is ordered to work under Maria, the Ricardi family princess and money launderer. Little do Maria and her father know, but Karl is also a vampire, in Boston with the hopes of finding his nemesis, Alejandro Delgado.

As Karl and Maria work together to start taking out the Lucatti family one by one, clues begin to unravel to Maria about Karl’s life, and she soon finds herself immersed in a world that thrives in the night. With Karl and Alejandro fighting on two different sides of the mafia world, Maria finds herself stuck in the middle.

Once Alejandro makes Maria his vampire slave, he forces her to do things she never thought or imagined possible. Karl will do everything in his power to help her, and together they just might prevail.

Keith Melton goes all out in this thrilling urban fantasy mafia crime drama featuring a sexy vampire, a mafia princess, a mysterious and powerful daytime guardian, and a crazy holy army.

Usually I am all for authors who take the stereotypical vampire myths and put all sorts of spins on them, making it new and fresh. But Melton really came through for me with his old school vamp ways. I love that Karl is such a badass, even while under so many constraints. Sure he only goes out after sundown, kills in order to live, and has to rely on a woman to watch over his coffin during the day, but he totally rocks it!

I had a little bit of a hard time relating to and liking Maria. Sure I can totally understand her desires to climb the family ladder, and her frustration with the gender stereotypes in the mafia way of life. However, the first part of the book she was so concerned with proving herself as being able to live in that world, that she seemed almost too hard to me. She was so wrapped up in wanting to kill someone to prove to her father she would make a good Mafioso, and that really turned me off to her. But, Melton was able to redeem her a little by having her struggle with the brutality of becoming a vampire and having to kill, even when she needed it to survive.

The conflict between Karl and Alejandro was great, and their few encounters totally rocked. I loved that the two of them represented good and evil, battling it out for supremacy. The fight scenes were hard hitting throughout, and although I’m not a huge fan of the mobster way of life, the mafia undertones totally rocked. For all those mob lifestyle fans out there, this book is a Don’t Miss!

All in all, I give Blood Vice 3.5 out of 5 broken kneecaps!(less)

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Jan 15, 2010 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail

Review courtesy of AllThingsUrbanFantasy.blogspot.com

If The Godfather or The Departed had vampires, they would probably feel a lot like Blood Vice.

"It was a beautiful night for murder, but wet work was wet work and had to be done regardless of conditions." –Blood Vice

This was the first book that I’ve read that came with a warning printed in bright red ink on the back cover:

Warning: Intense, graphic mafia-related violence, profanity, gangster slang, assassinations, fang punctures, explicit vamp...more

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Nov 30, 2009 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, horror, 2009-read, ebook

Blood Vice by Keith Melton throws you head long into the dark, cruel world of the mafia crime syndicate filled with fascinating characters, starting on page one. I loved the mafia elements and dark, gritty atmosphere in the book. The romance between Karl and Maria unfolds at a slow pace, with the right amount of tension however is more of a subplot instead of a main attraction to the story. The story is told alternating between the main characters Karl Vance and Maria Ricardi's point of views, b...more Blood Vice by Keith Melton throws you head long into the dark, cruel world of the mafia crime syndicate filled with fascinating characters, starting on page one. I loved the mafia elements and dark, gritty atmosphere in the book. The romance between Karl and Maria unfolds at a slow pace, with the right amount of tension however is more of a subplot instead of a main attraction to the story. The story is told alternating between the main characters Karl Vance and Maria Ricardi's point of views, but for the most part you hear from Karl. The plot moves at a smooth pace with plenty of suspense and intrigue to keep you interested.

The vampires in this world are both beautiful and terrifying, with a cruel streak. They are not the romantic kind with souls that you see a lot of now a days in the realm of vampires. These vampires are very close to how vampires are traditionally betrayed in horror. They can tolerate no sunlight, they are damned and are the ultimate predator. There are many more traits with one that has an added spin, that I found very unique, but you’ll need to read for yourself to find out.

Karl Vance is dark and brooding, and very self-sufficient in his lucrative business as a mafia hit man. He has the air of a man/vamp who can handle anything that comes his way with confidence and efficiency. He’s also use to being alone and wears his loneness as his own albatross. Maria Ricardi is an Italian mob boss's princess of a daughter, use to getting what she wants, when she wants it. I didn't really like Maria very much when I first met her in beginning of the story because of her self-serving attitude and being so intent on gaining respect from the mob family - at any cost. She came across as being too cold in her emotions and I wanted to see more warmth. But she grew on me as her character developed throughout the story, especially when it became clear that Maria would be the ideal match for Karl.

Alejandro Delgado, is the ultimate bad vamp with the stench of dread surrounding him. He will give you the creepy crawlies along with his terrifying minions because you’ll only expect the very worst from them.

I’d like to mention a character that caught my attention, Xiesha. Karl saved Xiesha from the Order of the Thorns, a secret sect that guards humans against supernatural beings, and she has since guarded Vance during the day while he sleeps as repayment. There was so much mystery surrounding her character, that I'm absolutely intrigued by her and her past. I hope to learn more about Xiesha in the next book.

I really enjoyed reading Blood Vice and I’m looking forward to seeing what's next in the Nightfall Syndicate series. I think anyone looking for a dark urban fantasy that borders on horror, would find Blood Vice an exciting and enjoyable read.(less)

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Sep 08, 2009 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Maria is the only full blooded child of Don Alberto Ricardi, a top mafia family in the Boston area. She is an accountant, but she is a dirty one (isn't that the best kind?) Her job is to keep her family's books clean and make them money, and she does an excellent job of it. After her brother had died, she wanted more responsibility but because she is female, her father will never "make her". Although she knows she has an important job, even the youngest of her father's men outrank her. Feeling s...more Maria is the only full blooded child of Don Alberto Ricardi, a top mafia family in the Boston area. She is an accountant, but she is a dirty one (isn't that the best kind?) Her job is to keep her family's books clean and make them money, and she does an excellent job of it. After her brother had died, she wanted more responsibility but because she is female, her father will never "make her". Although she knows she has an important job, even the youngest of her father's men outrank her. Feeling she is being slighted and wanting to prove herself to her father, she convinces her father to hire a hit man, Karl Vance to take out the Lucatti money makers one at a time. The Lucatti's are the rival crime family in town, standing in the way of the Ricardis.

Maria and her father only know Karl Vance as a a superior hit man, but he is a vampire, a very old one at that. He meets with Maria and her father and decides not to take the this job because Maria's father wants his total loyalty. While Karl will take a job for the right price, he is not about to give up his independence. However, two words are spoken and everything changes - Alejandro Delgado.

Karl wants Delgado dead like no other. Delgado is in with the Lucatti's and Karl knows if Maria's plan hurts the Lucattis enough, Delgado will have to come out of hiding. Delgado himself is a vampire, and both Karl and him were turned by Cade. When Cade first turned Karl and he saw the brutal nature of Cade's ways, the pain he caused innocents, how he could just throw their lives away, Karl swore he would kill him one day. And he did - very slowly, with an abundance of silver spiked through his wrists waiting for the sun to appear. Delgado did not take to this killing kindly and they have been mortal enemies ever since.

Karl agrees to work for Maria, and now Maria has a chance to prove herself to her father. Although she has no qualms about sending Karl out to kill people for her, she herself has never killed anyone. She decides it is time to watch someone in action, so she waits at the next victim's house for Karl to show up to do his job. As she watches through her scope, she witnesses the unbelievable. She sees first hand Karl is much more that a hit man - as she watches him drink dry the man she told him to kill. But that is not the end of her evening. Delgado shows up in the house and a huge fight between Karl and Delgado ensues. They end up out in the street where Delgado sees Maria and catches her smell. Delgado escapes before Karl can kill him.

Maria must now cope with the knowledge that Karl is a vampire and she is no longer safe from Delgado. To bring her down even more, her father has agreed to a truce with the Lucatti family, no longer needing Karl's services. While Maria is down, Delgado rears his head again, and this time no one is safe. Maria finds the only person she can turn to is the one man she doesn't know if she can trust. The alternative is the one whispering to her and leading her away to darkness.

Blood Vice is so much more than just mortal girl meets bad ass vampire - oh and let me tell you Karl Vance is a baddie - mysterious, lethal, intense. A vampire of few words with smoldering good looks. This story examines the struggle Karl faces every day to stay on the side of good although all of his instincts point him towards sinful acts. And it is the struggle of a woman, who has grown up in a family where malevolence is second nature that now finds herself in the middle of an entire new definition of evil.

In this world, vampires are inherently evil. They are predators to the nth degree. Karl Vance has not only worked hard to control his instincts, but his maker Cade brought him into his vampire self in such a cruel way, torturing a defenseless girl, that he has found strength in that. He often feels left by God, but still finds himself kneeling near the church praying for the souls he has killed, no matter how bad the person was. He has sworn to never drink the blood of an innocent, rather he chooses the mafia men he is hired to kill to quench his blood lust.

Karl and Maria get pushed together in the battle against Delgado. While there is physical attraction and their relationship does progress to a certain point, I would have liked to seen a bit more emotional attachement. At one point, Maria finds herself in danger and Karl risks everything to save her. Yet, previous to that incident, I never felt a real emotional connection with them. I think the amount of romance in the book fits the story perfectly, I just want to be on a more intimate level with their thoughts for one another.

There is never a point where this book lagged and there are plenty of unexpected twists to keep the story very interesting. There is actually a huge development a third of the way into the story that I can't mention without giving away a big spoiler, but it definitely changed the direction of the book. I love it when the bad guys in books are BAD and Delgado is such a slimy, evil vampire. As the story went along there were times I thought Delgado isn't really going to do that, and then he does and its wonderful - well, wonderful for the reader, not for the poor character that is being tortured.

Karl Vance is on the more serious side of characters I have read. Keith Melton slowly reveals his past and gives reasons for his present day motives. He has this desperate need to prove to himself that he is a person of worth, that he is not another faceless vampire that kills without conscience. He is alone in the dark world and when Maria comes into his life and becomes familiar with vampires and needs his help, he latches on to that.

I also loved Maria and how she grew up in a crime family and has been ordering hit men left and right to kill competing family members, and she doesn't feel remorse. I kept waiting for her to have a big emotional breakdown, feeling guilty of her past, but it doesn't happen and I find that so refreshing. On the other hand, when Karl Vance has to drink a criminal's blood to stay alive, he is on his knees praying outside the local church. I find that a fascinating opposite.

I honestly have to say, I knew nothing about this book going in. I happened to see a novella written by Keith Melton on Twitter which led me to his website where I saw the cover for Blood Vice and knew I had to read it - yes, I was shallow and fell in love with the hot guy on the cover - kudos to cover artist Anne Cain. I must say how lovely it is when you pick up an unknown book and don't want to put it down until you are done. For those who enjoy dark urban fantasy with romantic tension, this is a must. Best of all, there is so much more to discover about Karl Vance and Maria Ricardi. The next in the series is planned for summer 2010.
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Mar 08, 2011 Morphuess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Blood Vice wasn't bad. It goes into pretty good detail about mob politics. This was a pretty refreshing change with your standard vampire urban fiction. Sadly, I found the male vampire lead to be a bit too emotionless and stale.

Also, the strongest part about the book, the mob politics and issues between families, dies out about halfway through and it turns into the standard vampire conflict, with all mob issues taking a back seat.

Kind of a mix between an urban fantasy and a romance, this book is...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Kaitlin Maitland rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a fantastic book for anyone who loves a fast paced story. Vampires, mafia, and the streets of Boston, what could be better? Keith Melton has a knack for weaving a story with heroes you can really root for, and villains you want to smack with a shovel. The romantic element is subtle, and I'd definitely call this a solid Urban Fantasy suspense title. A must read for anyone who claims to enjoy vampire fiction, and a great suspense for those who say they don't.

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Feb 18, 2010 Misty rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Like a lot of readers, I enjoy a good vamp story once in awhile. Rarely, though, does one grab me like Blood Vice. The dark intensity of Karl Vance set the tone of for the book from the opening scene, and his checkered past and present job as a Mafia hitman filled the story with action.
Karl's counterpart, the cunning Maria Ricardi, kept surprising me. If she hadn't come under the control of the vampire trying to do Vance in, I believe she would have had every guy in the story under her thumb in...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved this book. Straight away your thrown in to the action within the first couple of pages and it just keeps flowing from there, the story never seems to slow down and keeps you griped from start to finish.
I loved the combination of vampire and mafia and thought it came together well. There weren't too many characters to keep up with and the story line it's self was believable.

The character of Karl Vance was likable and strong but when Maria came on to the scene he turned a little wimpy it w...more

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Mar 30, 2011 Sarah (blissbubbley) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-for-larissa-s

Karl Vance is a blood hungry vampire but he's sworn not to feed on innocent people and instead is after Boston's crimeworld. Unknown to Maria who hires Vance to do some dirty work for her family she then soon uncovers his vampire life. Vance's main enemy Delgado then gets Maria as his slave, when she too becomes a vampire!

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Jul 15, 2011 Yvette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Mafia crime bosses? Check
Mafia made men? Check
Mafia soldiers? Check
Mafia families fighting against each other for territory and $$$? Check
A bad ass vampire assassin? Check
Other supernatural characters? Check
Bad ass humans hunting supernatural characters? Check

This has it all! Loved it!

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Nov 03, 2009 Book Utopia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: het, paranormal

An absolutely fantastic idea of a vampire working as a hitman for the mob. The writing lives up to the promise, with incisive imagery and relentless action. The leads are interesting takes on normal protagonists in these types of books, especially the fact that the female lead is unapologetic in her ambition. A twist halfway through sends the two characters into an angsty spiral I found a tad tedious, but as soon as it rebounds from that, it's back to being the dark, rich story it started out as...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Katepc rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dnf

There wasn't anything specifically wrong with Blood Vice, aside from the mafia angle which I'm not a great fan of. I made it to about 20% - the writing was solid and the pacing was good.

The real problem I guess is that the heroine was not someone I could feel any kind of empathy for. The book lost me the minute she suggested turning the rival family's prostitutes into vampires to cost them money. It was an ugly devaluing of already victimised women that turned my stomach. The fact that it came...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Cek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great, fast read--a classic vampire story with a mafia twist. No sparklies!

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Aug 02, 2010 Erika Badass rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5/5
It had the Mafia, Boston and Vampires in it... What's not to like! It was wicked awesome!
I hope there is a sequel.

It was a little difficult for me to relate to Maria, as I have never had aims to be a mafioso made man (erm. woman) myself, but she had redeeming qualities and I did not envy what she had to go through when Delgado had a hold of her.

I thought that Karl Vance was a complex and interesting character, and Melton's writing style was pretty right one for a Bostonite.

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Mar 28, 2009 Angela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Vampire lovers, action

Shelves: urban-fantasy, fiction, ebook

Can't wait to read more from Mr.Melton.

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Feb 06, 2010 Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. The setting is very engaging and I loved the main character, Karl Vance. Great action sequences too. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

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Jul 02, 2010 Gabrielle ~ Bhlack Benehvolence ~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

I loved this book it was very good. I don't usually read Urban Fantasy novels but this one was very well done. It was action packed but it still had some tender romantic moments that I love.

Keith Melton is a very good author, the imagery in this novel was very well done. I can't wait to read the second novel in this series!

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Mar 24, 2011 Jon Kerr rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dark, action-packed. Slows down a bit in the middle, but the ending makes up for it.

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Jun 12, 2013 Marianthi marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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Blood Vice (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

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