The lesser dead

Story told from the vampire's POV, like Interview with the Vampire, or even better, The Vampire Lestat. The narrator, Joey, is a vampire (like Lestat) that enjoys being one. He and his gang take advantage of the humans in myriad ways in the 70s-disco-era New York City. It's grittier and less romanticized than the Rice series.

Joey's ADHD-fueled narration tells the story of how he was turned and gives the scoop on what vampires can do and what can harm them. How they survive and keep hidden from humans. And how they make sure other vampires follow the “rules” and don't expose them to the human herd of New Yorkers. It's in a conversational tone, as though he were talking to the reader directly.

The Lesser Dead is a book that starts out by just daring you to read it:

“I'm going to take you someplace dark and damp where good people don't go. I'm going to introduce you to monsters. Real ones. I'm going to tell you stories about hurting people, and if you like those stories, it means you're bad.”

The A-plot addresses the question of what happens when monsters meet worse monsters? The answer is nasty and dark things but a thrilling time for the “bad” reader.

I'll be on the lookout for more of Buehlman's books.