Book Review and Giveaway: The Killer on the Road by Charles O’Keefe

Disclosure: I have partnered with Page Turner Book Tours and author Charles O’Keefe to bring you a review of his novel The Killer on the Road, book two in The Newfoundland Vampire series. I was provided with a free digital copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. All views expressed are 100% my own. However, all photos used were provided by Page Turner Book Tours and the author, Mr. O’Keefe.

I have to disclose before I jump into my review that I have NOT read the first book in The Newfoundland Vampire series, so I can’t offer any opinions on that one. I do not know if the characters are consistent between both books or if the storylines that carried over into the new one are as well.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I can say that I did actually enjoy The Killer on the Road, and it makes me wish I had read the first one because there are some gaps in the story that I would like to have filled in.

When I look at why I like a story, I mostly focus on the characters and the storyline. I did notice, though, a few typos and spelling and grammatical errors in The Killer on the Road. However, I’m not one to focus on those errors and say a book is not worth reading because of them if I connect with and enjoy the story I’ve read. I recognize that we aren’t perfect and that even some of the BIGGEST authors out there have errors in their stories.

Obviously, I can’t give this story a perfect five-star rating because of the errors I mentioned. It would have to be almost free of any in order to achieve that rating. However, I can give it about a 3 1/2 to 4.

My Take on The Killer on the Road:

I have been reading vampire books since I was a little kid because they are some of my favorite books to read. I love that authors have the capability and creativity to change up vampire lore to offer a new take on these supernatural creatures and their origins.

One of the reasons I liked this story is because of its cast of characters.

The two characters I really enjoyed reading about were the Count and Countess. I enjoy reading fiction and nonfiction pieces about infamous characters from the past because I want to understand why people choose to do things they do. So to read the background on these two characters was very interesting to me. It kept me hooked and wanting to read more.

As for Cassandra, I could also understand where she was coming from in regards to her secret mission. Her mindset is one that I think many people have. This is one of those areas, though, that I won’t give much info about because I don’t want to post spoilers and get flack for it. Seriously, there are some people that lose their heads when someone posts a spoiler. No hate mail for me!

The character I connected most with is Joseph because even though he’s a vampire, he’s still very much in touch with his human side and wants to make a difference in the lives of those who are less fortunate.

Most people associate vampires with being a monster and evil, and while there are vampires within the book that are “monsters”, Joseph did not fall into that category. He still had human emotions and reactions that made you feel for him.

I also enjoyed the several twists and characters that I didn’t anticipate.  Maybe I didn’t know those twists and characters because I haven’t read the first book. Either way, I loved that they were included. William Shatner as a vampire..AWESOME! (Shoot! I think that was a spoiler. Or maybe it’s not. I don’t know.)

Recommendations:

I DO NOT recommend this novel for the younger crowd due to the sexual encounters within the story.

Also, if you’re not one that likes to read stories that include sex, this story isn’t for you since there are several steamy romps within the book. And a couple disturbing ones too!

In addition, there’s also some violent vampire encounters that are not suitable for young children or teenagers.

About the Author:

Charles O’Keefe is an author from Newfoundland, Canada, who is an IT guy by day. He is also a married father of two with many interests, including writing, reading, gaming and more. The Killer on the Road was preceded by book one in The Newfoundland Vampire series.

You can connect with the author via Twitter, Facebook and his official website.

Book Description from Amazon:

Joseph O’Reily is still adjusting to the lifestyle and the dangers that come with being a new vampire. He and Cassandra recently fought to the death with Cassandra’s estranged husband John Snow, and now Joseph has experienced his first ménage a trios, as only a vampire can. As if all of this was not complicated enough, he and Cassandra have been tasked with hunting down and killing a rogue vampire, Donald Rathmore. Another of John Snow’s creations, Donald is an evil misogynistic killer in his own right. Donald has no interest in avenging his creator’s death, but killing Cassandra is at the top of his list.

While Donald continues his murderous spree, Joseph and Cassandra always seem to be one step behind him. The chase is further complicated as they encounter other vampires and learn more about the mysterious nature of the Vampire Council and the coming war between good and evil.

Joseph is only now beginning to trust Cassandra, and this trust will be shaken when he discovers she has even more secrets than he imagined. Her idea of justice and morality is at complete odds with his own. Despite all his powers and growing skill, Joseph is tested physically as a vampire and emotionally by Cassandra. This time the answers and challenges may be too much for the young vampire to handle.

You can purchase The Killer on the Road on:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Finally, before I close, you can win your own copy of The Killer on the Road via the giveaway below. Good luck!