Melanie Tem is a leading teller of beautifully dark, Jamesian tales, and Desmodus is one of my favorites.

In the shadows of the moon a bloodthirsty caravan is heading south. After a plentiful season of savoring the sweet taste of warm blood, the matriarchs sleep while the men carry them to their winter sanctuary. One boy begins the journey, a willing servant of the tribe. But, before the trip ends, he watches his faith in his vampire family begin to disappear. As a member of the weaker sex, Joel has always accepted his role as caretaker, but as the days grow colder his disillusionment builds. When Joel’s loyalty is tested by his desire to save an innocent from his gruesome family’s truth, he threatens to destroy the very thing he has always protected. Haunted by a relentless dream, Joel must decide where his real loyalties lie. Now as the tribe travels to their haven, their very survival depends on their weakest member.

“Melanie Tem may well be the literary successor to Shirley Jackson and be destined to become the new queen of high-quality, psychologically disturbing horror fiction.” —Dan Simmons

E-Reads carries three other Tem horror novels and a wonderful horror story collection, The Ice Downstream.

– RC