Dead Ever After is the dramatic final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series which were turned into the hit television show True Blood. Waitress and telepath Sookie lives in Louisiana when the supernatural world first reveals itself to the rest of the world.
If you haven’t yet read any Sookie Stackhouse books I highly recommend that you do as they are wonderful. I wrote a blog post back in November 2022 where I highlight some of the reasons why they are so great. They are definitely worth a read and in my opinion they are fundamentals of vampire fiction building up an entire society and history of the vampires across the books.
Dead Ever After finds Sookie in emotional turmoil after the end of the previous book where she not only raises her boss Sam from the dead but also leaves things very unresolved with her vampire boyfriend Eric who is less than happy that she used her one wish on bringing said boss back to life. Eric wanted her help getting out of the political marriage to a vampire queen. Sookie’s heart’s desire turned out to be saving her friend’s life.
In addition to the emotional roller coaster Sookie’s life has never been in more danger, which really is saying something given how many near death experiences she has had in the thirteen book series. A literal devil has gained the soul of two new people, a business man and his associate. The businessman has an additional request over excessive wealth. He wants Sookie dead. Worryingly this isn’t the first person who has mentioned Sookie to this devil…
The book starts with their encounter with this devil and escalates from there. You spend the book trying to figure out who these men are and who else is trying to kill Sookie. It’s a long line. But just as she has many enemies she also has many friends. Friends past, present and new all gather together to help save Sookie. But can they manage it or will she be the one who ends up dead ever after?
I have been reading the Sookie Stackhouse books for eleven years. I read my first one in 2012 on a Gothic literature course and I was hooked. I doubt I would have picked these up otherwise and I would have missed out. There is really something special about Sookie and Charlaine Harris. They are the perfect combination of supernatural, whodunnits, thrillers and romance. Everything all in one fascinating ball. And truly a beautiful step into southern American living. I’m one glass of iced tea away from being there when I’m reading them.
It’s a beautiful thing to read a series for such a long time. I’ve read around one a year for a decade and it let me live inside that world and Sookie feels like an old friend now. Did I make my choice about who Sookie should be with five minutes in? Yes. Was I right, yes. Did it bring me great joy to read the ending to Sookie’s story? Yes. Not giving anything away I was very happy with the ending to the series. It felt right for Sookie.
A rare and very special series. I’m sure I will reread them at some future point and I’m so glad I took the time to enjoy them.
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