When Vamps Bite

Bedlam in Bethlehem #1

by Nicole Zoltack

Detective Clarissa Tempest is one of the best at sniffing out goons, but these particular goons seem to be the bloodsucking kind.
Vamps aren’t real, right? Of course not. But Clarissa knows what she’s seen. Unfortunately, she’s a little distracted, and her actions earn her a suspension. Great. Life is really looking up. Maybe her therapist is right. Maybe she’s under too much stress and is seeing things.
But then a vamp seeks her out, telling her to knock it off and leave them alone or else he’ll knock her off.
 Clarissa isn’t the kind to back down, though.Hopefully, keeping Bethlehem safe won’t require her to lose a lot of blood… or her head.WHEN VAMPS BITE is a part of A Mayhem of Magic World Story universe.

Genres: Paranormal, Vampires, Fantasy, Mystery, Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Contemporary

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2017

About the author

Nicole Zoltack is a USA Today bestselling author who loves to write romances. Of course. She did marry her first kiss, after all!

When she’s not writing about knights, superheroes, or witches, she enjoys spending time with her loving husband, three energetic young boys, and precious baby girl. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire dressed in garb. She’ll also read anything she can get her hands on. Her current favorite TV shows are The Walking Dead and Stranger Things.

Everyone who signs up for her newsletter receives a free book, so sign up now! http://www.subscribepage.com/m0k3l8

Reviews

[Ankita Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Vamps Bite is a novel full of witty dialogues, sarcasm, suspense, grief, anger frustration and a dozen more emotions, along with one of the most realistic heroines ever.

I absolutely loved reading When Vamps Bite and I'm so grateful to the author for the ARC!

Clarrisa Tempest was a fun character to read and be. She was quirky, energetic and believed in herself. She knew what she'd seen and didn't try to demoralize herself or let others do it. I loved her.

The plotline itself was pretty amazing too, with suspense holding steady till the end.

So all in all, it was an awesomely amazing read and I really hope I'll get to read more of Clarissa Tempest!

[Tristan Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give lots of credit to Nicole. There are many many stories of vampires, but she makes her story very original. When Vamps Bite is nothing like other vampire novels out. Nicole will keep you guessing until the very end. Personally I like when authors give character to the antagonist. Her vampires are more than just plain blood suckers. Much like how Anne RIce gave life to Lestat and Armand. When Vamps Bite is a fast paced novel written for everyone especially those that love a good vampire tale.

[Janejellyroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a tedious read. Clarissa isn't great company -- the issue isn't her temper or her contempt for the people she serves, it's that she's so dull. Nobody in the book seems to grasp the difference between someone who is hurting people and thinks he's a vampire (which is something that could easily be possible) and someone who is hurting people and IS a vampire. So we have tons of conversations where people act surprised that vampires might be real and then almost everyone just accepting it with very little proof. This is going to be one of those "special" main character paranormal series where it turns about Clarissa has some very special backstories and she'll probably keep adding new powers each book.

[Veertje Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are vamps just my imagination or are they real?

In this story we follow 27 years old detective Clarissa Tempest. She witness a murder and begins to investigate it. Nothing is what it seems like when more bodies appear. They appear to have been bitten. The investigation turns to the supernatural. Nobody believes Clarissa so she takes it upon herself to solve this mystery.

The author did such a good job in writing the mystery, investigation and the characters. It is a really unique story how it involves vampires and their supernatural outtake.
Clarisso is a great FMC. She is strongwilled and will do what she thinks is right.
There are a lot of things unsolved but that's not a problem because it only makes the story even more mysterious.

[Diane Major · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are vampires real?

I received a free book and the views and opinions are my own. This is Clarissa’s story. The first part where she finds out vampires are real and no one believes her. A riveting story that kept me reading all night. One of those books that you cannot put down. I would recommend this book.

[Amanda Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, the story and the banter were entertaining. Clarissa really gave off 'not like other girls' energy.

It wasn't quite what I was expecting but I enjoyed it and would continue the series.

[Jami Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clarissa Tempest is a vice cop who gets smacked in the face with the reality of vamps, making this urban fantasy tale one suspense-filled moment after another until you've hit the last page.

[Aubrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 50% So. Boring. Even though a lot of things happen. I don’t really care about anyone, plenty of non-natural dialogue and reactions, and a pretty dumb cop main character.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a pre-published version of Nicole Zoltack's When Vamps Bite, and it has become one of my favorite stories by her.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the characters in this book. They are fun and their banter is interesting. It is a nice start to the series. My only complaint is the number of errors in the book. They distract me from the story, which really isn't bad.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one, I really did, and some of the bare bones concepts in the book's world-building aren't bad, but the characters made me want to tear my hair out, especially the main character. I have no words for her. This is a rare instance where I actually do recommend you check it out if you're curious as to what I mean by that, because I personally found the main character annoying and insufferable, but I feel like plenty of others will enjoy her, so maybe this just isn't to my taste. At least this is one of the books I got on Kindle for free, so I didn't lose money on something that annoyed me.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wtf

I forced myself to finish this and I don't know why I did. Tempest is that hard headed, idiotic no nothing heroine that you wish would just die. This book was painfully boring but I did find myself skimming several times. This will be the last book I probably ever try from this author.

[Robert D Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not polished, but interesting

I did enjoy this story. It kept my interest and moved fairly well. A few references let me know about when it was written, which is just an observation. Fairly good character development as well. Will think about more of the series.

[Keri · Rating 1 out of 5]

50% thru DNF. This was really poorly written and filled with incomplete thoughts, irrational actions and a police officer that has no apparent detective skills.

[Seraphia Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Vamps Bite: Bedlam in Bethlehem by Nicole Zoltack is a paranormal novel about cops and paranormal creatures. In this particular novel, the focus is vampires. Meet Clarissa Tempest. Clarissa is a detective with Bethlehem P.D. While visiting her parents’ graves she senses that there is something or someone there with her in the graveyard. After spending some time at a local bar with a couple of co-workers, Clarissa walks home after having a couple of drinks. While heading home she believes that she witnesses a crime in progress. She can’t believe what she sees. She sees what she believes is a vampire but vampires don’t exist! She doesn’t believe in them yet she is seeing one right in front of her or someone who is vamp wanna be. The thing is, the “wanna be” moves too quickly for her to track them and they get away leaving their victim behind. When Clarissa tells what she saw in her statement she is met with disbelief. She believes that she saw what she saw regardless of what the evidence says. Can she prove that vampires actually exist? Or is this going to be the case and chain of events that cost her her job and so much more?
When Vamps Bite starts off I’m immediately engaged with Clarissa, being in a cemetery, visiting the graves of her parents. Clarissa is portrayed as a good cop. She’s gotten far in her career and she works hard to bring down the bad guys. She has a crush on one of her co-workers but things really don’t seem to be going anywhere with that. It’s rather frustrating to witness. You’re torn between thinking either Marlon is dense, or that he just is playing games enjoying the attention he’s getting from Clarissa and her rival. But Clarissa’s world gets turned upside when she witnesses the vampire attack. No one believes her and it’s a huge blow for her and a harder pill to swallow. Since she was out and had a couple drinks some think that it was just something she imagined. But she’s determined to do whatever it takes to prove that she is right about what she saw.
This book is written in the first person perspective so we get to see things through Clarissa’s eyes. While I did enjoy reading this book it honestly irritated me to no end as well. I like that the story kept me engaged throughout but I found the main character, Clarissa, hard to tolerate at more times than one. The author portrays Clarissa as a good cop who has worked hard to get where she is. For me, that means following the rules, obeying orders and staying on the right side of the law. It seems that this is the case the pushes her to the edge and beyond. More than once Clarissa comes off as arrogant and egotistical. These are two things that I absolutely cannot stand in character regardless of gender. She’s warned off by a vampire who more than once warns her of potential deadly consequences. Her boss puts her on “leave” (basically suspension) but instead of laying off she pursues harder. She plays a dangerous with the vampires. Telling them one thing only to go and do the exact opposite. One thing that really rankled me is when she says “It’s easy to follow orders when you agree with them but when you don’t it’s not.” It really made me question as to how she got as far as she did on the mentality.
Despite the fact that I quickly came to dislike Clarissa the story kept me engaged. I continuously wanted to know what was going to happen next. The author really keeps you guessing as to what will happen next with the vampires. What are they going to do? Where will they strike next? Will anyone at Clarissa’s job actually believe her or will they continue to just wonder when she’s going to crack from “stress.” There is a bit of romance in this story but that is not the main focus.
I am rating this book 4 out of 5 stars. The story is well written and professionally edited. The author does a good job keeping me engaged into the story. I wanted to know what happened next and I even want to know what happens in the next story. I would have liked more from the vampires and for at least one of her co-workers to believe her but the story works overall. It’s well done and brings us something unique. A world where we can relate…we don’t believe vampires exist but when faced with the possibility the very thought is rejected.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great premise let down by an easy to dislike main character and poor writing.
Charisma Tempest is our plucky heroine; a 27 year old police officer with an almost preternatural ability to find and arrest goods. (If I never see the word goon again it will be too soon). Her ability to fight crime is matched only by her ability to incite rage in her superiors and an urgent need to protect from her colleagues and the local emergency department doctor. One night she witnesses a horrific murder, forming the impression the perpetrator is a vampire wannabe. This is enough to provoke anger in her superior officer, and she's ordered to attend therapy and take a break from work. Undeterred, she proceeds to discover that vampires are real and sets out to destroy them before they destroy her.
So much for the plot, on to the writing and why it fell flat for me. Written in the first person present tense, the book moves between clunky and slow paced to stream of consciousness angst about nobody else being able take on the vamps, whether or not the flirty colleague with incredible biceps like likes her, and her hatred of the other woman in her vice team. Language choices are a little odd, and it's unclear whether it's the author or the character who misuses terms such as per chance and even objection. Characterisation is one dimensional; Clarissa has a black belt, likes football, eats loads of junk food and doesn't know how to apply make up. She might as well scream "I'm not like other girls!" Her superior officers exists purely to react with rage, and her partner's main character trait is that he's separated from his wife. This might be the author's attempt to portray Clarissa as both self-centred and lacking self awareness, but I'm not entirely convinced.
All in all the plot is enough to get me over the line, and I'll likely continue the series.

[Katheyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

„When Vamps Bite“, marks the start of the bestselling cult series “Bedlam in Bethlehem” by Nicole Zoltack. The book introduces Clarissa Tempest, at twenty-seven an already seasoned detective with a no-nonsense approach to law enforcement. As Clarissa’s clinical (and cynical) approach is challenged by some “sightings” that should not exist, the first logical explanation seems to blame it on a kind of mental disbalance, maybe her therapist is right after all, and she is finally breaking down under too much stress.

Only… the vampire threatening her is a proof of something much more otherworldly going on, and thus reality smash her right on the face, vampires are real and not exactly the literary teenager dream, but bloody killers (pun intended), that pose a real danger to public. As Clarissa tries to explain this new gained knowledge and only receives a suspension for her efforts, she decides to keep investigating on her own. Clarissa is an acquired taste, at first glance too stubborn and arrogant for her own good, but as we get to know her, and understand her character, stubbornness turns into determination and her arrogance her own way to conceal a deeply confidence in her own judgement.

The story develops into a page turner, filled with action and puzzling situations and the occasional humorous sprinkle to lighten the mood until the next twist. Nicole Zoltak writing is fluid and keeps the reader engaged though the story, allowing Clarissa’s character to evolve. The series offers a very interesting mix of crime fiction and paranormal fantasy, where – for once – the vampire is not the cop, but the culprit.

[Ilona Nurmela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was like a rogue Kate Beckett facing vamps, quite an enoyable read

When Vice cop Clarissa witnesses a vampire attack, first, she doesn’t believe her eyes. Her curious streak takes over and soon she’s in the middle of not quite Dusk Til Dawn but an investigation into whether vampires are real and running amok in Bethlehem. The first 100pages are dedicated to Clarissa’s self-doubt and self-loathing - because nobody believes her for a long time… until they do. There is a hint at RH with 2 guys having the hots for her and she eyeing a 3rd, but nothing physical happens in this book, so the romance is a slow burn one and the stress is definitely on the murder-mystery/thriller and paranormal genre. The FMC’s recklessness bordered on lack of self-preservation, but part of it was understandable - who do you trust to be your backup when nobody believes you that vamps are real? I liked the author’s version of vamp lore - not much really known about them in modern times which actually holds true and the mystic properties of their bites were fun. I have an inkling that in subsequent books the-one and magic-blood tropes will be played out as there are hints. Overall, an enjoyable read if you can get past the first 100 pages after which the story picks up.

Recommended for lovers of vampire paranormal thrillers, slow burn romance sidelines with reverse harem elements and you really gotta love rogue heroines who will do what they please even though they work for the police.

[Lene Blackthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe in supernatural beings is hard. But when the evidence is fireproof...
Clarissa Tempest works at Bethlehem vice; she is a tough cop without much personal life, so to say. When she finds herself tangled up in a case involving vampires, no one seems to believe her since she is the only eyewitness. Suspended, she stubbornly investigates on her own, getting attacked, humiliated, and enraged with her colleagues and boss. They consider her over stressed and insane, but she believes in what she saw, and is determined to stop the killing spree in the city at all costs.
I truly appreciate the twist on cop hunting vampires in this book. Fast pacing, action packed, and full of drama, the story is a rollercoaster of fight scenes, clue hunting, and puzzle solving. Witty dialogues and self-centered characters pepper the pages with entertainment and hilarious situations. I also very much liked the forming of character personalities and the forced changes under the weight of evidence. Accepting the unrealistic scenario proved dangerous but worth the shot, and I praise Clarissa for not giving up. I am also curious about how her private life would disentangle from the mess she is currently deep into.

[Mayhem-RW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clarissa Tempest is a Vice cop with the best record of convictions. She says she has a nose for finding bad guys and goes by the book most of the time. But on her way home from the bar, she witnesses a murder, a murder done most peculiarly. She saw a man who looked like he was drinking blood from the neck of his female victim, and he had what looked like fangs in his mouth. Then he was gone, disappeared, and his dead victim hit the ground. Tempest was determined to catch this killer, but then she got a visit one night from a man who could move so fast that she could not follow him. She shot him in the chest, and he did not react to the bullet but instead warned her off the case, or he would return. She was not having any of that.

The world-building needed little work as it was just like our realm but with a secret to keep. The protagonist, the heroine, was well done, and just like someone a decade younger than her, she didn’t always do what she was told. Which was good for us, or the readers of this book, I should say.

If you like mystery and detective stories, or a strong female lead with more than just hints of paranormal fantasy, then I think you will like this tale. I give it five stars out of five stars.

[Jenifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vamps: real or imagined?
I was really liking this book, it had good action and suspense, it had a great build-up to an exciting finale and then just took a weird turn and fell completely flat. Epic letdown.
Clarissa is a workaholic cop - think pre-makeover Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. She is the job 24/7. When weird things start happening to her and weird crimes start happening around her she comes to the only conclusion she can think of: vampires. Of course everyone thinks she's insane almost to the point of her wondering if she really is going crazy. No, she's going to see this through, prove everyone wrong, and try to save lives in the process.

I was enjoying this book even though some continuity issues were like major speed bumps. I hate having to go back and re-read things to clarify or see if I missed something. One big issue for me happened at the beginning and stuck with me throughout the rest of the book. Clarissa seemed to go off on many irrelevant over-description tangents which also became grating.

I just can't believe how much the ending blew everything for me. This isn't a cliffhanger but I guess it sets up the next story in the series?
Overall okay until the last few chapters.

[Kztgs4eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an Arc copy. World building was incredibly well done, and character building was exceptional as well. The storyline and plot line were well-thought-out and developed. The story follows Clarissa who works in the vice squad of her local police department. She stumbles upon a murder in process and begins investigating it which leads to more murders, and so begins the adventure, mayhem, horror, and terror. This book grabs ahold of you and will not let go even after you finish it, and it is not your average vampire story so expect to be surprised. It takes you on a roller coaster ride filled with twists and turns, unexpected surprises, and heart pounding terror and thrills. Honestly I did not want this book to come to an end I absolutely loved it. I highly recommend this book if you like fast paced action, mystery and crime solving involving the paranormal you will love this book. It is very well put together and well written. Thankfully there are more books in the series to keep me occupied with more thrills to discover.

[Esther Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book for some of the same reasons I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and it feels like a natural progression from watching a show about a teenage vampire slayer, to reading a series about a mid-20s police detective who is suddenly faced with the possibility of the existence of vamps.

I love the police angle, and how the story actually feels like it unfolds in a believable city populated by actual people instead of the flat clones that can occur when a story focuses too completely on its two main characters. Sometimes that works, but its nice to read a story with a full cast of characters for once.

Maybe its simply because the police force/investigation genre is not a part of my usual reading rotation, (more of a ‘shake things up a bit’ occasional taste) but the whole way through I felt like I was watching a really interesting cop show. It makes me actually interested in reading a full series of the same characters, because there’s still a rich universe of lore and character depth to explore.

Book two is going on my TBR, for sure.

[DianaRaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHEN VAMPS BITE is my second story from author Nicole Zoltack and the first book of the Bedlam in Bethlehem series. This story is fairly fast paced and easy to read, and hard to put down even when the pace slows down. At times the writing feels a little awkward and the lead character seems to either have a God complex or a death wish. It's hard to imagine a law enforcement officer defying their superior's orders or their own safety as much as this one does.

Detective Clarissa Tempest witnessed a murder and believes the perp was a vampire wanna be. No one believes her, even after she is attacked in her home and more bodies show up. She's told she's off the case, then put on forced vacation, but nothing stops her from looking for these wanna be vamps on her own.

I am looking for the next installment, When Wolves Howl and hoping the writing is a little more realistic.

[Carolien · Rating 5 out of 5]

O. My. Word. I loved this book. I cannot believe that after reading almost 900 books in UF I haven’t read any books written by Nicole Zoltack. If you like NA Urban Fantasy books, a relatable 27 year-old heroine who is also a cop, lots of witty dialogues, and a few handsome men you’re in for a treat.

This book focuses less on the romance part, more on the mystery part and keeps you guessing what happens next - I swear on my magical bookworm heart you should start reading this book. Although I do hope one of the male interests turns out to be Prince Charming in a slow burning romance in the upcoming books. Because this book offers lots of yummy potential ;).

Readers who enjoy books from Jennifer Estep (like elemental assassin) and Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires should give this author a try.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks like a good start to a series. This one is kind of a cliffhanger since very little is really resolved and you will have to read on to see what happens.

Clarissa is a vice cop who wants to make it to homicide. As she is walking home one night from a bar, she hears a noise and finds a man biting a woman's neck. He kills her and just disappears. When Clarissa calls it in she, of course, has to give a statement as to what happened. No one seems to believe that she saw what she saw. They basically laugh at her vampire wannabe theory. When she gets asked to take some vacation due to an incident that occurs involving her gun getting grabbed, she decides to investigate the vampire angle on her own. I am not going to spoil the story for you. Enjoy. I'm off to find the next book....

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Vamps Bite is the first in a series of books about chasing monsters in of all places, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. In the first story the monsters are vampires, and they are being stalked by Detective Clarissa Tempest. The vamps don’t like it. Nobody at the station believes her tales of vampires. They believe she is overworked, extremely tired, and in need of a vacation. So, she is ordered to take one. How is she to convince her colleagues that she is not imagining things? What if she could catch one?

The story has pretty much a traditional monster chasing plot line. The characters are quirky, realistic, and mostly likeable. When Vamps Bite is a good introduction to the series, a quick enjoyable read.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Vamps Bite is a first in series story by Nicole Zoltack that is about the police who are trying to solve several murders in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Clarissa Tempist is a tough as nails cop who is put on leave because, well, the department thinks she is a little burnt out and seeing things, like not real vampires. This is an interesting story told in the first person of Clarissa Tempist as she does her duty as a police officer to keep her city safe. I enjoyed this story and found myself rooting for Clarissa, who happens to be my favorite character. She is just so determined, dedicated, and driven, that it was hard for me not to like her. I really want to find out what happens next in this Bedlam in Bethlehem series.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story!
Clarissa Tempest is a good cop and she truly believed she saw a vampire kill the girl in the alley. Now if she could only convince the force. This book starts with a bang and keeps the reader glued to find out what happens next. Clarissa is a workaholic cop and takes her job seriously. She’d just wish her coworkers didn’t think she was crazy. This is her story on how she did her best to save Bethlehem citizens from the blood thirsty vampires in her city. This was a very entertaining story that had you wondering what would happen next. Who would be the next victim? Why didn’t they kill her but harmed those around her? I’m anticipating the next book so I can discover more and find out why…

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Clarissa Tempest, Bethlehem PD (Vice Squad) aims to get into the Homicide team but first she'll have to deal with an unusual problem – she keeps coming across vampires (or vampire wannabees).
There are a growing number of murders, all the corpses drained of blood, and everyone thinks she's cracking under the strain.
She's put on suspension but continues to investigate.
The other odd thing is that despite being attacked several times the 'vampires' don't seem to want to kill her. Why? It's a small mystery but is obviously related to her birth parents about whom she knows nothing (I'm betting on Fae or Sidhe).
“When Vamps Bite” is novel length but is really an episode in a larger story and ends on a kind of a cliffhanger.
It's a good read, just not a great one.
3 Stars.