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Spinoza #3
The Vampire in the Iron Mask
Spinoza is a private investigator who specializes in finding the missing. He's good at what he does. Damn good. But he's also a recovering alcoholic and a royal mess. Now determined to redeem his troubled soul, Spinoza won't let his personal demons—or demons of any kind—stop him from finding the missing.
In this third and final Spinoza mystery, a worker at a popular medieval dinner theater hires Spinoza to find out the identity of one of his co-workers, a co-worker who's never been seen without an iron mask...and who just might be a real prisoner. Spinoza's new client hints that the man in the iron mask is being held without his consent in the bowels of the dinner theater, a forbidden area for the other employees.
When Spinoza attends Medievaland, posing as a guest, he doesn't count on bumping into someone from a previous case, nor can he ever forget what he finds when his investigation takes him past his own life tragedy and brings him face-to-face with the vampire imprisoned in the iron mask. But is the vampire someone he should rescue, or fear?
In this third and final Spinoza mystery, a worker at a popular medieval dinner theater hires Spinoza to find out the identity of one of his co-workers, a co-worker who's never been seen without an iron mask...and who just might be a real prisoner. Spinoza's new client hints that the man in the iron mask is being held without his consent in the bowels of the dinner theater, a forbidden area for the other employees.
When Spinoza attends Medievaland, posing as a guest, he doesn't count on bumping into someone from a previous case, nor can he ever forget what he finds when his investigation takes him past his own life tragedy and brings him face-to-face with the vampire imprisoned in the iron mask. But is the vampire someone he should rescue, or fear?
122 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2012
92 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Rain
676 books1,729 followersJ.R. Rain is the author of 110 novels and counting. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest, where he's hard at work on his next novel... and fighting off sparkly vampires.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 3, 2023
Entertaining vampire listening 🎶🔰
Another will written vampire paranormal fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror adventure thriller short story by J. R. Rain ☔. PI Spinoza is asked to investigate what is going on at the show where there is a person in an Iron mask. The investigation leads to an underground bunker with a vampire being held against her will. Spinoza with help is able to free her and she joins her friends. I would highly recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of paranormal vampire mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡😮
Another will written vampire paranormal fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror adventure thriller short story by J. R. Rain ☔. PI Spinoza is asked to investigate what is going on at the show where there is a person in an Iron mask. The investigation leads to an underground bunker with a vampire being held against her will. Spinoza with help is able to free her and she joins her friends. I would highly recommend this series and author to 👍 readers of paranormal vampire mystery novels 👍🔰. 2023 😀👒😡😮
February 8, 2013
This is the THIRD and FINAL story of the SPINOZA SERIES. In this last book we see the re-appearance of Veronica from the first book, now a full fledged Vampire Vampire-Hunter, I guess that's how it should be written.
SPINOZA accepts a case to investigate a possible kidnapping. The CLIENT is a squire in a medieval act where one of the actors wears an Iron Mask. The VICTIM is ALWAYS seen wearing this mask, he is wheeled in and out and the mask never comes off nor is he released.
Spinoza snoops around the grounds until he finds the prisoner and it turns out that not only is the prisoner is a woman, and a vampire. Spinoza tries to rescue her but the guards, who are vampires too, arrive and foil his attempt.
Veronica finds an injured Spinoza in an alley and helps him home. Spinoza explains about how he got to that alley and wonder how Veronica found him. As it turns out, a bond was forged between them when he rescued Veronica.
The rest of the story is straightforward. There is some research done by both Veronica and Spinoza, they plan how to rescue the Vampire and they do so.
The Vampire's name is Natassa and she is a very old Vampire Vampire-Hunter. The man who hires Spinoza turns out to be a vampire aswell and Natassa's lover.
Natassa rewards Spinoza by giving him peace, and no she didn't kill him. She helped him communicate with his son so he could stop feeling guilty about his death.
At the end of the book it is mentioned that both Veronica and Natassa will be back in their own series, together as a team. So look forward to that.
CONCLUSION: I like the whole series, the first book was my favorite of the three. Just one thing I didn't like was how on the 2nd book Spinoza decides to hunt down the other mother of two who was turned into a vampire (Samantha Moon). Well, he never did that. So, I would like to know what happened there, did he forget? Couldn't he find her? Or did he find out it was Samantha Moon and decided she was Ok? Or maybe I simply haven't read the book where that is explained, if anyone knows please post a comment here.
SPINOZA accepts a case to investigate a possible kidnapping. The CLIENT is a squire in a medieval act where one of the actors wears an Iron Mask. The VICTIM is ALWAYS seen wearing this mask, he is wheeled in and out and the mask never comes off nor is he released.
Spinoza snoops around the grounds until he finds the prisoner and it turns out that not only is the prisoner is a woman, and a vampire. Spinoza tries to rescue her but the guards, who are vampires too, arrive and foil his attempt.
Veronica finds an injured Spinoza in an alley and helps him home. Spinoza explains about how he got to that alley and wonder how Veronica found him. As it turns out, a bond was forged between them when he rescued Veronica.
The rest of the story is straightforward. There is some research done by both Veronica and Spinoza, they plan how to rescue the Vampire and they do so.
The Vampire's name is Natassa and she is a very old Vampire Vampire-Hunter. The man who hires Spinoza turns out to be a vampire aswell and Natassa's lover.
Natassa rewards Spinoza by giving him peace, and no she didn't kill him. She helped him communicate with his son so he could stop feeling guilty about his death.
At the end of the book it is mentioned that both Veronica and Natassa will be back in their own series, together as a team. So look forward to that.
CONCLUSION: I like the whole series, the first book was my favorite of the three. Just one thing I didn't like was how on the 2nd book Spinoza decides to hunt down the other mother of two who was turned into a vampire (Samantha Moon). Well, he never did that. So, I would like to know what happened there, did he forget? Couldn't he find her? Or did he find out it was Samantha Moon and decided she was Ok? Or maybe I simply haven't read the book where that is explained, if anyone knows please post a comment here.
March 20, 2021
This is the third and final novella in The Spinoza Trilogy and I’m actually a bit sad about that. I have quite liked this small novellas which is a bit unusual for me since I usually am not to found of short novellas. I much prefer full novels.
It looks like there’s another trilogy out there though , The Huntress Trilogy, which features Veronica from the first and third novella in this trilogy. It seams that this series is co-written by J.R. rain and another author, Chanel Smith. The first book in that series is in my to-read list.
Anyway, as I wrote, I quite liked this third and final instalment in this series. It pretty much follows the same recipe as the previous two novellas which is both good and bad. It’s good because I like the style, the investigative parts, the mystery (okay the mystery is usually pretty predictable but still…). It’s bad because we get another those of the incessant harping about how Spinoza got drunk and couldn’t save his son, whine, whine, bla bla.
I really like that Veronica came back in this story. Not surprisingly she is “suffering” from some aftereffects of being nibbled on by the bad guy in the first book which of course just makes her even more cool in my opinion.
Well there is not much more to say really. It’s a nice small novella and made for an enjoyable quick read for me. If I would make a wish it would be to get some full sized novels with Spinoza in it (without the whining about his boy).
It looks like there’s another trilogy out there though , The Huntress Trilogy, which features Veronica from the first and third novella in this trilogy. It seams that this series is co-written by J.R. rain and another author, Chanel Smith. The first book in that series is in my to-read list.
Anyway, as I wrote, I quite liked this third and final instalment in this series. It pretty much follows the same recipe as the previous two novellas which is both good and bad. It’s good because I like the style, the investigative parts, the mystery (okay the mystery is usually pretty predictable but still…). It’s bad because we get another those of the incessant harping about how Spinoza got drunk and couldn’t save his son, whine, whine, bla bla.
I really like that Veronica came back in this story. Not surprisingly she is “suffering” from some aftereffects of being nibbled on by the bad guy in the first book which of course just makes her even more cool in my opinion.
Well there is not much more to say really. It’s a nice small novella and made for an enjoyable quick read for me. If I would make a wish it would be to get some full sized novels with Spinoza in it (without the whining about his boy).
January 20, 2020
Love the author and enjoyed the book.
June 3, 2021
Book3
The Spinoza cases by J.R.Rain was too good to not read a second time. I am glad Spinoza has Veronica and Rocki, glad he can move on from his sorrow.
The Spinoza cases by J.R.Rain was too good to not read a second time. I am glad Spinoza has Veronica and Rocki, glad he can move on from his sorrow.
January 18, 2024
Fantastic
Great short read, I love Spinoza and glad he will have peace now. Can't wait to read the next one!
Great short read, I love Spinoza and glad he will have peace now. Can't wait to read the next one!
March 17, 2025
I recently read a J.R. Rain book and enjoyed it - thought I'd read another. I also enjoyed this one. I rate it 4.4 stars.
August 13, 2025
Fast Read!
Intriguing, suspenseful, read. With Spinoza you never know what will pop out during his investigations. Can't wait to read the next one. Thanks JR Rain.
Intriguing, suspenseful, read. With Spinoza you never know what will pop out during his investigations. Can't wait to read the next one. Thanks JR Rain.
July 12, 2013
And so the Spinoza series comes to a conclusion. Right next to The Vampire for Hire series this one is my favorite. These books were just so much fun to read! J.R. Rain knows how to tell a good story and how to wrap things up nicely while still leaving room for the future in case he ever wants to revisit these characters. This book was excellent and practially brought tears to my eyes.
For the third and final volume in the Spinoza Trilogy Spinoza is hired to look into a person who may be being held against their will at a Medievel Times like place. Every day for the show someone is wheeled out in a Hannibal Lecter type cage and then wheeled back in and down an elevator. The worker who hired Spinoza has never seen this "actor" before. Nobody knows who it is and nobody seems to want to talk about what may or may not be in the basement. So Spinoza does what he does best and along the way runs into an old friend who he saved in the first book. Together they work to unravel the mystery of the person in the Iron Mask and in the process must face a growing evil yet one question remains. Is the thing in the Iron Mask there for a reason. Is it good or bad? Read to find out.
I love how Mr. Rain throws in characters from other books here and there or mentions them. In each book we either get hear about and see other characters such as Jim Knighthorse, Elvis and even a mention of Samantha Moon. It's these fun little things along with the awesome stories and his great sense of humor which always keeps me coming back for more. I loved every minute of this book and hope to see Veronica and Natassa in their own series or maybe even show up in the Vampire for Hire books.
For the third and final volume in the Spinoza Trilogy Spinoza is hired to look into a person who may be being held against their will at a Medievel Times like place. Every day for the show someone is wheeled out in a Hannibal Lecter type cage and then wheeled back in and down an elevator. The worker who hired Spinoza has never seen this "actor" before. Nobody knows who it is and nobody seems to want to talk about what may or may not be in the basement. So Spinoza does what he does best and along the way runs into an old friend who he saved in the first book. Together they work to unravel the mystery of the person in the Iron Mask and in the process must face a growing evil yet one question remains. Is the thing in the Iron Mask there for a reason. Is it good or bad? Read to find out.
I love how Mr. Rain throws in characters from other books here and there or mentions them. In each book we either get hear about and see other characters such as Jim Knighthorse, Elvis and even a mention of Samantha Moon. It's these fun little things along with the awesome stories and his great sense of humor which always keeps me coming back for more. I loved every minute of this book and hope to see Veronica and Natassa in their own series or maybe even show up in the Vampire for Hire books.
September 16, 2013
Spinoza is a private investigator who specializes in finding the missing. He's good at what he does. Damn good. But he's also a recovering alcoholic and a royal mess. Now determined to redeem his troubled soul, Spinoza won't let his personal demons—or demons of any kind—stop him from finding the missing.
In this third and final Spinoza mystery, a worker at a popular medieval dinner theater hires Spinoza to find out the identity of one of his co-workers, a co-worker who's never been seen without an iron mask...and who just might be a real prisoner. Spinoza's new client hints that the man in the iron mask is being held without his consent in the bowels of the dinner theater, a forbidden area for the other employees.
When Spinoza attends Medievaland, posing as a guest, he doesn't count on bumping into someone from a previous case, nor can he ever forget what he finds when his investigation takes him past his own life tragedy and brings him face-to-face with the vampire imprisoned in the iron mask. But is the vampire someone he should rescue, or fear?
Despite this being the final book of the Spinoza trilogy it still read ok as a stand alone book. The plot was inventive and there were good strongly written characters throughout. My problem now is that I have to go hunting for books 1 & 2.
In this third and final Spinoza mystery, a worker at a popular medieval dinner theater hires Spinoza to find out the identity of one of his co-workers, a co-worker who's never been seen without an iron mask...and who just might be a real prisoner. Spinoza's new client hints that the man in the iron mask is being held without his consent in the bowels of the dinner theater, a forbidden area for the other employees.
When Spinoza attends Medievaland, posing as a guest, he doesn't count on bumping into someone from a previous case, nor can he ever forget what he finds when his investigation takes him past his own life tragedy and brings him face-to-face with the vampire imprisoned in the iron mask. But is the vampire someone he should rescue, or fear?
Despite this being the final book of the Spinoza trilogy it still read ok as a stand alone book. The plot was inventive and there were good strongly written characters throughout. My problem now is that I have to go hunting for books 1 & 2.
March 31, 2013
I am rather partial to JR Rain (not because he is so ridiculously good looking) but because I find his writing curiously compelling. Have just read the 2nd & 3rd books in the Spinoza trilogy in a single gulp. Partly because he is a very easy read & partly because they are very short. One of the drawbacks for me of reading on the kindle is that I totally miss the sense of how long a book is & how far I am through it. Both books left me with a faint feeling of disappointment when I finished them because they were over so soon. Back to Samantha Moon for me I think.
February 18, 2013
This is the third and final book in the Spinoza series. Tortured because he caused he death of his son by driving drunk, the private investigator has devoted himself to finding the missing and helping innocents. When a worker at a medieval dining establishment contacts him to investigate a mysterious woman in a mask who is kept locked in a dungeon, he takes the case.
The story was good, though a bit short. I would have liked more weight and detail. Still, it was complete enough to satisfy.
The story was good, though a bit short. I would have liked more weight and detail. Still, it was complete enough to satisfy.
March 26, 2013
An incredibly well written, fresh take on PI literature, vampire tales and crime literature. This is one you'll want to keep on your read again shelf. It's my first exposure to the Spinoza series and I'll go back and pick up the first two. The movement through the plot is a subtly written dance, making the book difficult to put down. With references to classical literature but decisive pining down in modern culture, the characters are believable and fun to follow.
January 27, 2014
Another great read by Rain! I finally got to learn more on the original person he saved as she reentered the trilogy! I'm impressed on the new characters that are introduced as well and look forward to reading the books that Rain has made since that they're all in! The story ends on a wonderful note and ties up all lose ends. It's an easy read sticking to what mainly counts and still uses some dark humer to keep up the mood.
January 15, 2014
I am sorry I was not initially impressed by the story because there seemed to be so much whining involved. If someone smiled, he stated that he didn't smile anymore. If someone laughed, he stated he didn't laugh anymore. He just seemed so depressed and sad. But it all came together in the end and saved the novella.
November 18, 2012
I gave this 3 stars because I am tired of these short, short books. They are not thrifty if you have to read 3 or 4 of them at $2.99 each to get a regular size book. I will miss Spinoza. This completes the trilogy.
April 6, 2013
Don't get me wrong, I truly did enjoy all three of the books in the series. Liked the characters, the story lines were well written, but what got me was the fact that it took a little under 3 hours to read the entire series. That fact is the reason I gave it only 2 stars.
May 26, 2013
Fitting end to the trilogy. In essence, the development of Spinoza takes place over the course of the novellas. He is a likeable character that I hoped would turn out okay. I hope Roxi is revisited in a short story or novella, as she is an intriguing support character that is largely undeveloped.
December 9, 2012
Such a fantastic and fun series! J.R. Rain knocks the Spinoza series out of the park!
Can;t wait for Book 7 of the Vampire for Hire series "Moon Island".
Can;t wait for Book 7 of the Vampire for Hire series "Moon Island".
March 6, 2013
I read all three books in the Spinoza series. Great stories and a fast read. I think J.R. Rain is a fabulous writer and look forward to reading more of his books.
March 22, 2015
great ending
June 11, 2016
Loved it
January 18, 2014
Sad to see the end of Spinoza...
March 4, 2018
The concept in this story was very good, and I found myself hooked from the start. The hard-boiled detective language was amusing but appropriate. The writing was solid, and the narrator easy to relate to.
Since this 'book' is either a long short story or a short novella, events move very rapidly, and the character development is limited. These aren't bad things, obviously, but I was left wanting more. The part I disliked the most was that the plot was so straightforward and predictable that I knew midway through how things would turn out.
Although this is a fun, action-packed story, it offers no surprises.
Since this 'book' is either a long short story or a short novella, events move very rapidly, and the character development is limited. These aren't bad things, obviously, but I was left wanting more. The part I disliked the most was that the plot was so straightforward and predictable that I knew midway through how things would turn out.
Although this is a fun, action-packed story, it offers no surprises.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews