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The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires: A Novel

"This funny and fresh take on a classic tale manages to comment on gender roles, racial disparities, and white privilege all while creeping me all the way out. So good."--Zakiya Dalila Harris, author of The Other Black Girl

Steel Magnolias meets Dracula in this New York Times best-selling horror novel about a women's book club that must do battle with a mysterious newcomer to their small Southern town.

Patricia Campbell's life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she's always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they're as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor's handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn't felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind--and Patricia has already invited him in.

Little by little, James will insinuate himself into Patricia's life and try to take everything she took for granted--including the book club--but she won't surrender without a fight in this blood-soaked tale of neighborly kindness gone wrong.

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424 pages

Average rating: 6.74

1,416 RATINGS

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47 REVIEWS

Community Reviews

Anonymous
Dec 11, 2024
8/10 stars
Just loved this book. It’s like Little Fires Everywhere procreated with True Blood. Campy & gruesome while brushing against serious topics of class, gender, race and culturalism. Can we get a Netflix series, please?!
Barbara ~
Dec 11, 2024
8/10 stars
The setting is in a town called "The Old Village" in South Carolina where it's the 90's. The men are the rulers, in and out of their homes and the wives keep the house and the occupant's lives in and outside of their homes in respectable order. Image is everything. So is politeness...even if it kills you.

Just ask Patricia, the heroine of the story. She along with 4 other housewives decide to gather together to form a bookclub. They love to read true crime stories and enjoy it as their own getaway from reality. Patricia Campbell however meets her new neighbor, James Harris and let us just say, it was more than she can bargain for. For one thing, she begins to realize he's a vampire. The only one who believes her is someone who doesn't live in her part of town and is of a "different zip code." There were times when I was so disgruntled, I wanted to put the book down. I am glad I finished it because towards the ending, we see there is no stronger strength then women coming together and acting as one.

The author, Grady Hendrix truly shows us the differences between the social classes as well as the misogyny the women have to endure to keep respectable and proper and maintain the visual façade, in place.
Marlou
Nov 06, 2024
2/10 stars
Meh! Not for me! Thought this would be right up my alley as I’m a lover of fantasy and supernatural!!! But after 5 chapters, seemed to be going no where…skipped to middle of book…still nothing captivating…then last 2 chapters! Blah! For me it was like a combination of Witches of Eastwood and Practical Magic meets The Housewives! Very predictable storyline!
kikisage
Oct 08, 2024
6/10 stars
I enjoyed reading it, but the middle dragged on for me and I really had to push through
JT Penguin
Oct 07, 2024
7/10 stars
This book needs the following trigger warnings: Abuse (spousal), child sexual assault, child molestation, rape and forced consent. That being said, the book was good. A few inconsistencies or things that didn't make sense (getting a broom from the kitchen where Lora is sitting when you don't want her to know what your doing). I liked the accurate portrayal of life in a small southern town in the early 90s (where I grew up.) I could have done without the cockroach in her ear *barf*. Not your typical vampire so that aspect was cool. Overall, I probably wouldn't read it again but it's a good choice for Spooky season.

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