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)

Disappointed

Any additional comments?

After 13 books this final instalment felt completely out of place, as if the writer just went through the motions to conclude a story that she didn't enjoy anymore. The characters were shadows of their former selves, none exhibiting their usual characteristics that made me fall in love with them.It was also boring, the mundane details of Sookie's life were on the forefront and took up most of the time pushing the relationships and plot on the sidelines. I forgot what the story was about, so caught up with her checking her messages and emails. Her relationships as well were incredibly odd, her motivations, her love, it was as if none of the experiences she had in the past 12 books existed. What a pathetic end to this series. I wish I had never listened to it.

What's lower than 1 star? Answer: THIS BOOK

What was most disappointing about Charlaine Harris’s story?

Even though Charlaine Harris says she hired an editor to help with continuity, it didn't work. If I hadn't bought audiobooks, I could have sent her my 12 books so she could look up what happened in the previous books. For example, Sookie says she only met Copley Carmichael once before. WRONG! Also, why include characters that have no purpose in the book just because they were in prior books? I felt like it was a final episode of a bad show where everyone who ever had a part had to take a final bow.

Would you be willing to try another one of Johanna Parker’s performances?

Probably not. Johanna Parker should have reviewed her voices and pronunciation of names from previous recordings. Also, could Sookie have sounded more whiney?

What character would you cut from Dead Ever After?

Quinn. What was he there for? His part could have been performed by any other animal. Harris included him just so she could wrap up any possibility of Quinn and Sookie. Talk about playing to her audience.

Any additional comments?

Charlaine Harris started with a great concept and character in her first book but by book 10 it was clear she was bored with the storyline. This book was nothing more than a contractual obligation for her - she promised 13 books and no matter what the quality, she was going to provide 13 books. I didn't care who Sookie ended up with although Sam is definitely the easy, vanilla way of ending the book. Oh wait, there's another book due out in October that will tell the future. As if I care anymore. And another thing. A DEVIL??!!! COME ON!!!

I solemnly swear upon my Audible account that I will never, ever, ever spend one more cent on a Charlaine Harris book. So help me God.

Disappointing

What disappointed you about Dead Ever After?

The story was a disappointing, overly complicated, out of character in SO many ways, end to a much-beloved series.

What could Charlaine Harris have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Written in the same style as the other books. Decided on one plot to destroy the heroine and stuck with it. Realized that not every character Sookie had any major contact with that was still alive, did not need to make a cameo appearance in this novel.

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

Johanna Parker is the best. She's great with all the characters.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The narration was A+.

Any additional comments?

If you've read the rest of the series you'll probably have to get this one too, but if you are not a die hard fan, read Dead Reckoning, book 12, and the reviews of this book on Amazon and save your money.

Harris really doesn't care about her fans

Ms Harris has always said she writes for herself and I believe it after this one. Very selfish Ms Harris you obviously don't care about your fans. Totally different than the other books, but not better. Its not worth the paper its written on. Don't waste your money. I'm glad this was the last one in this series. I will never buy another one of her books.

So disappointing

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I'm sure Sookie Stackhouse fans won't be able to resist reading this last installment to see where the story goes, but I'd counsel against it. Really, it's so deeply unsatisfying that it's better not to know.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Dead Ever After?

Most of them. Especially the third-person narratives which are at complete odds with all the other novels in the series. Since when do we step outside Sookie's head to observe events happening elsewhere? It just seemed lazy.

Any additional comments?

This book really reads as though the author was just sick and tired of the world she'd created and wanted to wrap everything up as quickly and "neatly" as possible. I wish she would have quit while she was ahead.

dont bother

I'm pretty sure the other reviewer is right, I wondered if charlaine harris wrote this myself.

The biggest disapointment

What would have made Dead Ever After better?

This book would have been better with a different author.

What was most disappointing about Charlaine Harris’s story?

The fact that Charlaine Harris set out to destroy her her fan base. The fact that I will never read any book she writes after this. The fact that she destroyed Eric's character

Which scene was your favorite?

none

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Dead Ever After?

the entire book.

Disappointment Personified

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Actually I can't think of anyone who would enjoy it, or someone who didn't know anything about the series.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Don't know, but certainly not another Charlaine Harris novel.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

She did fine with what she had to work with.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Mostly the last two books were were a disappointment, but I felt sad at the ending of the series. It seemed like Ms. Harris had run out of ideas, excitement and especially passion.

Any additional comments?

I was neutral when it came to Sookie's lovers. Although Bill and Eric were the most prominent and I liked them both. I would have rather that Sookie had remained alone without a man than having to settle for someone who was in the storyline for convenience sake. She seemed shallow and flippant at the end, and all through the series Sookie was none of those things.

BOOORRRRIIINNNGGGG! Sooo disappointed.

Would you try another book from Charlaine Harris and/or Johanna Parker?

This book was so flipping boring. I struggled to get through it, and the plot lines were hard to follow. The whole direction of the book was just sad.

Not sure why this book happened

A terrible last book. I'm utterly disappointed. I didn't have any expectations about how this series should have ended, this just feels lame and too tidy. All the other criticisms were on the nose. A boring parade of characters from past books. With no good reason for them to be there. It's really too bad as this was a really good series to begin with that was dragged out for too long and ended pathetically. I'm really, really disappointed.