Book Review: Driving Mr. Dead

After failing as a magician's assistant, a photographer, and most recently, a bride, Miranda Puckett takes a position as a driver for Beeline, Half-Moon Hollow's premiere vampire concierge service.

Miranda's assignment? Driving Collin Sutherland, the world's most fastidious vampire from Washington to Kentucky, so he can deliver a mysterious black case to Council official Ophelia Lambert.

Collin, a paranoid, aristocratic vampire with a debilitating fear of flying, refuses to let the case out of his sight. Miranda needs this time on the road to decide whether to permanently cut her ties with the fiance that had an "emotional affair" with a childhood pal, but Collin’s neatnik tendencies are driving her around the bend. The man acts as if leaving a fast food wrapped on the passenger seat is reason for a full-on CDC de-contamination scrub-down of the car. All she can do is promise to stop intentionally doing the things that make his stiff upper lip twitch with irritation.

As more and more mishaps occur on the road trip from hell, Miranda and Collin work together to meet his delivery deadline. Hotel rooms are destroyed. Beloved cars are defiled. And somewhere along the line, client-driver hostilities become snarky flirtation.

Will Collin and Miranda make it to the Hollow in one piece? And if they do, will Miranda leave old, safe relationships behind for something new and well, just plain weird?

For months, I'd been meaning to give Molly Harper's book a shop. A friend told me that she thought I'd like one of her work, but, as is often the case, it took me a little while to get around to giving her a shot.

Driving Mr. Dead seemed like a good place to start because it just sounded like a fun book. As I was reading, though, it seemed as if it took place in the same universe as herJane Jameson series. I was, however, able to follow the book without any problem, so I don't think it's dependent on that series.

As for the book itself, I thought it was a fantastic read, full of great humor and characters. Miranda and Collin's interactions had me smiling from the start, and the mishaps they encounter during their cross country road trip were so ridiculously amusing; I could not get enough of this book.

My only complaint is that there wasn't more. It was a wild, thoroughly enjoyable ride. I am certainly looking forward to reading more of Molly Harper's work in the very near future.