Review: Blood Lines (Vickie Nelson #3)

“Long-imprisoned by the magic of Egypt’s gods, an ancient force of evil is about to be loosed upon an unsuspecting Toronto…

Blood Lines, by Tanya Huff, is the third book in the Blood (Vicki Nelson) series. The setting is contemporary (1990s) Toronto. It is now October (fall) season. Victoria “Vicki” Nelson, private investigator and former Metro Police cop, finds herself in a marathon race with former lover and ex-partner, Detective-Sergeant Michael “Mike” Celluci, at the CN Tower. While both detectives have the energy, enthusiasm and ego to strive for excellence, you wonder how they manage to stay together. On the other side of town, Henry Fitzroy, 450-year-old vampire, romance writer and bastard son of King Henry VIII, Duke of Richmond and other titles, lays restless in his sleep as he dreams of the golden sun. Does the sun means his life as a vampire is near the end? Must he sacrifice himself to keep the nightmares away? Feeling weak, miserable and insane, Vicki stays by his side, so that he does not commit suicide.

On the other side of the world, British scholars in the United Kingdom have uncovered a sarcophagus undisturbed in the basement. Inside the tomb lies an ancient evil that must never be opened. The British once reported they did not need any more relics from the Eighteenth Dynasty. Dr. Rax, head of the Egyptology Department in the Royal Ontario Museum of Toronto, brings the sarcophagus to his coworkers, hoping to uncover ancient knowledge and to claim celebrity status. However, during one night a janitor at the museum accidentally removes the top from the tomb and has his life taken away. The news press and police arrive at the scene of the crime. Mike Celluci has taken interest in the case after rumors have spread that a mummy has killed the man. His worst fears become true (after Blood Trail) after questions and evidence pinpoint that something supernatural is behind this mess.

Meanwhile, Henry’s condition worsens as the sun blazes brighter in his dreams. He must confront his fate, he asks himself, but then what? Mike tells Vicki what happened at the museum, and asks if she can take the case. Before they can settle down with the details, Mike and Henry must settle a jealousy fuel over who is more worthy of Vicki. All she can do is shake her head and urge them to act more like mature men. As more deaths escalate, Vicki, Henry and Mike must battle a mummy before he revives an evil Egyptian god into this world.

Blood Lines was an interesting and enjoyable book. While only 270 pages like the first novel in this series, the interaction between the characters was rich and hilarious. The jealousy (love triangle) between Henry and Mike over Vicki was memorable and priceless. I thought she could have made a longer and better book by explaining the mummy’s past besides being a life-sucker of mortal souls. Something always happens to poor Vicki. At least Mike and Henry team together, despite their petty fights, when it comes to saving Vicki and the world.

Huff makes many references to Toronto landmarks in the story, like the Royal Ontario Museum and the CN Tower. For trivia sake, the CN Tower is the world’s tallest free-standing structure. Its symbolism with ancient Egyptian history and architecture becomes important in this story, as the mummy (Anwar Tawfik) searches for a place to perform his ceremony to the other world to summon his god. This story could have been excellent, but the ending was too brief and flat. There were some flashbacks of Henry’s past whenever he confronted the mummy, but they were not all that relevant and intriguing. If you're not into ancient Egyptian terminology, you may have a hard time understanding Egyptian references.

Stay tuned for my next review in the Vicki Nelson Series, Blood Pact.