Dead Ever After

A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 13

By: Charlaine Harris

Narrated by: Johanna Parker

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times best-selling author Charlaine Harris has won numerous awards for her Sookie Stackhouse Southern Vampire series, which has been adapted into the hit HBO show True Blood. In this 13th and final book, a murder rocks the town of Bon Temps and Sookie is arrested for the crime. After making bail, she sets out to clear her name - but her investigation only leads to more deaths.

©2013 Charlaine Harris, Inc. (P)2013 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"The Sookie Stackhouse series seamlessly mixes sensuality, violence, and humor." ( Boulder Weekly)

"Harris’s creation offers a magical and mysterious twist on traditional vampire stories." ( Houston Chronicle)

"What sucked me in? Definitely the books’ oddly charming, often funny mix of the mundane and the absurd. And the chills and thrills in boudoirs and various locales around the South aren’t too bad either." ( The Seattle Times)

I want more!

I just finished the Sookie Stackhouse series. I devoured all 13 books and I was not ready for them to end. All of them were so entertaining, fun, exciting, and totally engrossing. I want more!

Perfect ending

Charlaine Harris wrote the perfect last story for Sookie. She truly earned her place in this magical world.

🤔 …

as far as endings go, i was not impressed. i absolutely hated that Eric didn’t stand up for their ‘love’ and that they went their separate ways. i’m Really glad she didn’t end up with Bill, but Sam? um, no. Sam is way too wishy-washy when it come to expressing himself.
the only thing i really Did like was Pam’s promotion and that Karen isn’t a karen.
idk. i expected more and i was simply disappointed …

Caps the series with everything

Would you consider the audio edition of Dead Ever After to be better than the print version?

Johanna Parker has always given a great added dimension to this series. Throughout the series she developed voices for all the characters and carried them consistently into this last book as well. Her timing and attitude gives a great sense that Sookie is talking directly to the reader. I feel like I have a group of people I know in Louisiana though my last trip there was as a child.

What did you like best about this story?

This plot is as multi-layered as any in the series. It makes sense as the culmination of all of the stories in the series leading up to it. It is hard to say goodbye to a story line as good as this. Having mentally explored over the last year all the ways I could think of for Charlaine Harris to take this last book, I'm glad it was her responsibility, not mine, to actually finish it. While I've enjoyed the characters and stories repeatedly, they are her creations and she continued to add dimensions to all of them right up to the end.

Which scene was your favorite?

I'm not ready to pick just one yet, too many pivotal moments to chose from.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sookie's story comes full circle.

Any additional comments?

In the month prior to this release, I went back and listened to the entire series in chronological order. This last book fits into the progression Charlaine Harris built with such care over the course of the series. Whatever one might have expected to happen along the way, she always had her characters explain things to Sookie (and us the readers) so that we could see the "whys" behind her plot developments. One of my favorite aspects of these books is how the main character admits things honestly, even if they aren't things she wants to be true. As a character trait, it is one we could all use more of. Thank you for a great ride and read, Ms. Harris. This is a series I will return to as a favorite re-listen many times.

The End

I must admit, I was really looking forward to this last book in the series, and then I ran across reviews of the book on Amazon that appeared well before the book hit the shelf, um, or MP3 files, as it were. I was extremely disappointed to find out the end of the book due to reading the first review on the page. Hey, I was curious, darn it! That type of thing is just awful, and for one reader to do it to another without any notation, and then call Harris every name in the book because something didn't end the way that they wanted it to was completely juvenile. And then the remainder of the reviews were people bombing it with one star, not even having read it, and then writing a review saying they were never going to buy it. Those stars are important, and I know I will purchase something based upon those reviews, so I wanted to be sure that I posted a review in support of the book, which I HAVE read/listened to.

The book basically has three things going on, there is a murder mystery (of course); old friends reappear to help Sookie in her time of need--nice way to tie them in; and the loose ends get about as wrapped up as Harris wanted them to be.

That said, it really wasn't bad. I found Johanna Parker to be highly entertaining as usual. Nobody else could have made the Sookie books so entertaining, like listening to a movie, and she does not disappoint.

We have the usual writing from Harris, which chronicles Sookie's every movement, but that is how she has always written Sookie, so it should not be a huge surprise to anyone really. I thought the murder mystery part was well done, and helped move along the storyline to an end, as you would expect.

Basically, if you are a fan of the Sookie books, you would really do yourself a huge disservice not to finish out the series. If you are going to be emotionally stunted if the end doesn't turn out exactly YOUR way, don't clog up the reviews with the ranting and raving associated with being part of Team Whomever, because it is just childish. Complain to the Twihards, they will understand your angst.

To sum up: Good book, not great, but good. Typical Harris mystery. Didn't hate it.

Johanna does a great job narrating!

If you could sum up Dead Ever After in three words, what would they be?

Not long enough.

Which character – as performed by Johanna Parker – was your favorite?

I think Johanna does an awesome job with all the characters but Sookie is my fave.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes but I don't want to give it away.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to see what Charlaine Harrie does next.

I'm All Weepy...

I have a deep emotional appreciation for really good books and film, but my attachment has never run nearly this deep. I love the Sookie Stackhouse series. It has been a pleasure 'listening" to Sookie evolve over the years, even as she hardens a bit. I've probably listened to the entire series ten times...unheard of for me.

Charlaine Harris does a good job of touching on all of the key players in Sookie's life. It couldn't have been easy working everyone in, and she gives just enough information to leave the reader with a sense of where that character is going.

As far as where Sookie stands romantically...it makes sense, but I will say lacked the sexual tension and fireworks that some of her other love interests brought to the table. Still, I'd say the result will leave the reader feeling like Sookie found the best kind of love.

Johanna Parker is spectacular as usual. In her hands, book narration is true art.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book, but have to admit that I was hoping for a bit more sentimentality in the writing. This is the final book in a series that is beloved by many, and personally I hope that the author loved the series right up until the very end. It lacks some of the emotional intimacy that made this series such a success in the first place.

Devoted fans will enjoy this book, feel a little wistful that it's all over, but maybe have hoped for a wee bit more.

Dead Ever After

So, I didn't hate it. I fully expected to, given the pages and pages of negative reviews. But (and this is a huge spoiler) I never expected Sookie to end up with either Bill or Eric. She just wasn't happy with either of them, couldn't trust them, and didn't have a future with them. I thought she'd been pretty clear on that in the previous books. I was a little surprised with who she end up with, though, because I didn't see that as a happily ever after either. I read the Sookie Stackhouse series because they were fun. I didn't expect much else from them, and they delivered. They were even addictive. So, being the last book in the series, I thought it was okay that she revisited all of the old characters (though once I found myself questioning whether one had died in a previous book). Overall, it wasn't as awesome as it could have been, but if you've read the previous twelve, I think you'll appreciate this one. And the narration is wonderful as always. I'm sorry to see the series end.

A disappointing conclusion to the Sookie series

What did you like best about Dead Ever After? What did you like least?

The foreshadowing in this story was unduly heavy, and I knew who the antagonist was by the end of the first chapter. The new characters are lacking depth. The old love interests merely make a cameo appearance. Johanna Parker did a great job as usual reading the story, but the story itself was weak and predictable.

So Sad It's Ending

What did you love best about Dead Ever After?

I love how much Sookie has evolved in the book series. I also love how there are so many people we have seen in past books in this one.

What did you like best about this story?

Johanna Parker has a great voice for Sookie. Her performance was wonderful, really brings Sookie and the story to life!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I hated to get out of the car!