What do you think?
Rate this book
Alliance Vampires #6
Dead By Dusk
For American Stephanie Cahill, Bella Vista is a new beginning - a chance to put her painful past behind her. Yet, from the moment the first body is discovered at the site of an archaeological dig, Stephanie feels as if she's being watched, followed, studied,.hunted. Archaeologist Grant Peterson senses something odd about this dig, something that has him locking his door at night. And now, the echoes of a burial site's ancient legend can be found in the chilling signature of a killer on the loose, as one by one, young women start disappearing, only to be found horribly mutilated. The powerful attraction between Stephanie and Grant is a complication neither can afford as they are pulled into a desperate race against time to keep Stephanie from joining the ranks of the missing. For nothing in Bella Vista is what it seems. No one can be trusted. And those closest to Stephanie may prove the most dangerous of all.
379 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Shannon Drake
74 books552 followersHeather Graham Pozzessere
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 13, 2010
This book had a great story behind it; yet, the delivery of the pertinent information felt like fly balls being hit from every direction. It was clumsy, disjointed, and more focus was placed on character detail than plot.
April 16, 2016
I enjoyed reading Dead By Dusk. I'm not good at writing reviews. All I can say about any book that I read if I pick it up, start reading and can't lay it down to even eat or it goes with me to the reading room (bathroom) it has to be a good book... LOL. I've read the other books in this series and have enjoyed them all, even though you know some where along the way there is going to be a sexual encounter with the distraught couple, that can't stand to be together any more. Also, the King Vampire and his court is going to come and save the day. If you have read any of Heather's books from this series you know who he is and the rest of the party.
February 15, 2023
Once lovers, the hero and heroine parted ways when the hero began to have changes in his personality and even calls out another woman's name in bed. Now, the heroine takes a position as director to an improve group in Italy hoping for a fresh start. Imagine her surprise when her ex-boyfriend, whom she's never stopped loving or even thinking about, shows up at her hotel. He actually had the same plan she had, to escape for a time to Italy in an archeology dig site to put some distance between him and the woman he stills love more than the world. Immediately strange things start happening. One girl from the group goes AWAL before a local girl is found at the dig site torn up by what looks like animals. Then there's the dreams and the nightmares than begin to plague all members of their group as well as shadow figures seen in the heroine's bedroom.
The whole vibe throughout the story was very gothic and dark and on pins and needles. There are some pretty disturbing scenes in this book, one in particular is having the mother of the dead girl hack off the dead girl’s head at the funeral. It was certainly a suspense if not even a horror genre book with just a dash of romance. This is not the type of book I like to read because the romance is so limited and defiantly not the focus of the story. Such some parts were nice but most of the book, the hero and heroine are just in the thick of the mystery and in leaves no room for developing feelings or any real passion. The main characters never developed past their already existing love for one another. It's just apparent that there's nowhere for them to go and I don't like that, I want to be taken on a journey which brings two people together. Overall, I did not care for this story, mostly because it's not within the genre I prefer but also because it was a little boring at times and pretty much the same general mystery of all the other book in her series. A girl goes to a foreign country and is drawn into a paranormal murder mystery. It's been done before and better. I did, however, like the hero and the heroine. Especially the heroine with her love for the hero all the while worrying about his mental health and the hero trying to cope with the fact that it was him that drove a wedge between them. But, it wasn't enough to make me like this book.
The whole vibe throughout the story was very gothic and dark and on pins and needles. There are some pretty disturbing scenes in this book, one in particular is having the mother of the dead girl hack off the dead girl’s head at the funeral. It was certainly a suspense if not even a horror genre book with just a dash of romance. This is not the type of book I like to read because the romance is so limited and defiantly not the focus of the story. Such some parts were nice but most of the book, the hero and heroine are just in the thick of the mystery and in leaves no room for developing feelings or any real passion. The main characters never developed past their already existing love for one another. It's just apparent that there's nowhere for them to go and I don't like that, I want to be taken on a journey which brings two people together. Overall, I did not care for this story, mostly because it's not within the genre I prefer but also because it was a little boring at times and pretty much the same general mystery of all the other book in her series. A girl goes to a foreign country and is drawn into a paranormal murder mystery. It's been done before and better. I did, however, like the hero and the heroine. Especially the heroine with her love for the hero all the while worrying about his mental health and the hero trying to cope with the fact that it was him that drove a wedge between them. But, it wasn't enough to make me like this book.
September 7, 2016
The ending was convoluted, I didn't really understand it. But at least, the middle section of the book was interesting enough to keep my attention.
September 18, 2017
Yes, it's another romantic vampire book, series even. I should have read the jacket more carefully but the price (free) was right and I will listen to almost any book in the car.
It tried to bring in some medieval history and brought this to modern day with an archeological dig, a decent premise. It does get a bit more convoluted from there however. The premise of a play/comedy club was good and well developed, as were most of the characters. Some of the seduction scenes were very steamy but the vampire/sorceress stuff was pretty mediocre. Good vs. evil vampires, good vs. evil villagers, and the scene where they come with torches, axes, pitchforks, etc. was a bit too much.
It WAS entertaining, and though I almost dropped out a couple of times, I did listen to the end. Caveat lectorem.
It tried to bring in some medieval history and brought this to modern day with an archeological dig, a decent premise. It does get a bit more convoluted from there however. The premise of a play/comedy club was good and well developed, as were most of the characters. Some of the seduction scenes were very steamy but the vampire/sorceress stuff was pretty mediocre. Good vs. evil vampires, good vs. evil villagers, and the scene where they come with torches, axes, pitchforks, etc. was a bit too much.
It WAS entertaining, and though I almost dropped out a couple of times, I did listen to the end. Caveat lectorem.
July 11, 2017
When American Stephanie Cahill, wants to make a new start on life she runs right into the very thing that she wanted to avoid, Archaeologist Grant Peterson. There is something sinister lurking at the dig site Grant is working on and Stephanie gets caught up in the middle of it when the killer starts targeting people she knows.
This was my least favorite book in the series. Even though it was about vampires, the story line was not as captivating as the other ones. Also, the tone of the book was disjointed from the rest. I admit with as much as I like the series as a whole, I had a hard time getting through this one.
This was my least favorite book in the series. Even though it was about vampires, the story line was not as captivating as the other ones. Also, the tone of the book was disjointed from the rest. I admit with as much as I like the series as a whole, I had a hard time getting through this one.
June 16, 2020
1.5 stars
Disjointed. I skimmed through most of the beginning bored, it picked up around the middle. Wasn’t into the romance, especially since I don’t love stories where the main characters were previously together (& in this their breakup was as dumb as their randomly getting back together). Plot was interesting, but definitely could have been told better. Didn’t dislike it, but wouldn’t recommend.
Disjointed. I skimmed through most of the beginning bored, it picked up around the middle. Wasn’t into the romance, especially since I don’t love stories where the main characters were previously together (& in this their breakup was as dumb as their randomly getting back together). Plot was interesting, but definitely could have been told better. Didn’t dislike it, but wouldn’t recommend.
December 5, 2022
i enjoyed the heavy giallo movie vibes that dead by dusk had going, along with the menacing and tense authorial voice. sadly, the weak character work, boring "romance" and the fact that pace is all over the place, completely unbalanced, made the reading experience Not Great ©. wasn't bad, some of the secondary characters were very entertaining and made up for the pair of bland protagonists i had to follow along.
February 14, 2018
First off I had a hard time reading it. It took me longer then I anticipated. It was slow going for me. Since I have read lots of her books. I was expecting the same. This one though dragged on from chapter one to chapter 7 then it started picking up speed for me. I finished this morning.
February 15, 2019
Ugh, I struggled through this. Way too long to get it all done.
May 12, 2022
Was a good read overall for the majority of the book, however the ending was anticlimactic, I was expecting so much more.
Read
November 7, 2023I highly recommend this book.
This is the sixth book in the series and is the best so far. Find the other books in the series and return order.
This is the sixth book in the series and is the best so far. Find the other books in the series and return order.
January 31, 2011
* "Dead by Dusk" is set in a tiny Italian village, where an archaelogical dig has loosed a demon. Much is like "The Awakening", also by Shannon Drake. Both start with the mysterious mutilation and murder of a lovely innocent, although this book has more blood and carving, in keeping with the medieval origin of the darkness. The couple are estranged, but come together for work, here acting, helpful friends and relatives are indistinguishable from villains until the final pages [and spoiler - are rescued by vampires from other Drake books]. I like the twisting whodunit aspect, but not the bruising sex to confuse us whether our hero has been conquered by evil, or the supernatural saves all, so read more Drake, commercial push. Although detailed geography serves to separate books and impress us with research (boring), the locale is itself a character integral to the plot. Even the fog is a villain. Like the other book, I guessed the wicked woman, but not her man.
Read
November 27, 2016for American Stephanie Cahill, Bella Vista is a new beginning - to get over her break up from the love of her life. the forst thing thay goes not as plan. First after departing from the plane she relize her ride is a no show. 2nd the actors from they hire for the resort are not there for their meeting. when the actors shows up the next day one is midding. then the dreams start. on top of alk that, a body of a misding local girl is discovered at the site of an archaeological dig, now Stephanie feels as if she's being watched, followed, studied,.hunted. Archaeologist Grant Peterson senses something odd about this dig, something that is not right or safe. And now, the echoes of a burial site's ancient legend seems to be calling to him, as one by one, young women start disappearing, only to be found horribly mutilated. The powerful attraction between Stephanie and Grant cant be denied when they team up to fight the evil
March 15, 2008
I think maybe I should have liked it more than I did. The characters had their own distinct personalities, and I liked the story line and how it got to the end. The action and love scenes were the same as usual, terrific, but I didn't enjoy it as much. It was lacking a little 'oomph', but I can't quite put my finger on what was wrong. Having read the rest of the series, I don't know how many times the words: 'what the hell?', came out of my mouth. I got confused at certain points, but then it was made clear who was who, kind of like Drake saying: "Haha, I tricked you!" Several times, I kept thinking, where's the link? I think maybe it should have been sooner, but then I think if it had been sooner, it might have taken away from the book. It was good, don't get me wrong, but not as good as the rest of the series.
January 29, 2016
In this paranormal romance, American Stephanie Cahill moves to a small village near Naples, Italy to start a new life after breaking up with her longtime love, Grant Peterson. In the past few months, Grant's personality had started to change, and as much as Stephanie still loves him, she needs some time on her own. Imagine Stephanie's surprise when not long after arriving in Naples, she runs into Grant, who's working at an archeological dig site, claiming he had no idea she was also going to be in the area. Stephanie's new coworkers at the dinner theater group she is now directing begin getting sick, or just disappearing altogether. No one seems to know who they can really trust, and the whole village is on edge. Can Stephanie trust Grant, who says he is determined to protect her, no matter what the cost, or is she safer on her own?
November 1, 2007
Part of Shannon Drake's vampire series. This one took me a year to get through. I didn't like the characters- did not CARE about them at all. And the guy and girl who got together- they had already been together before and broke up- I don't like those types of stories- if YOU do though, you'll LOVE this book. I mean, if it didn't work out the first time.... why does it work out the second time?? HELLO!
April 24, 2008
I got this from my husband's grandmother, but...we apparently don't have at ALL the same taste in books. I hadn't realized that this was the sixth book in a series or I probably wouldn't have even started it. But even if I had known what was going on, I don't think I would have enjoyed it--the writing just seemed awful to me. But then, I do not read romance novels. This might be a very good one, if you like that sort of thing. I just don't.
November 8, 2014
This book was... quite disturbing and creepy to me. A big turn off imo which sucks because paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres.
Kudos to the author for keeping some of the main qualities of the old school vampires like how they used sex as a trap, and the beheading, salt water, and holy water as a way to weaken Vamps etc. Too many authors always deviate away from these things.
However, this book is: not my fav and not on my recommendation list.
Kudos to the author for keeping some of the main qualities of the old school vampires like how they used sex as a trap, and the beheading, salt water, and holy water as a way to weaken Vamps etc. Too many authors always deviate away from these things.
However, this book is: not my fav and not on my recommendation list.
April 8, 2015
this was originally published a few years ago under her pen-name of Shannon Drake. up to the end, i enjoyed the story. but at the end, it's as if she handed this off to a high school student and said, "you finish it." the end was haphazard; there were a lot of places that made no sense at all. the ending was trite, silly, and a HOT MESS. what a disappointment! don't bother spending your hard-earned coin on this one!
January 10, 2015
Vampire stories are not really my thing, but I thought I would try this one since I do enjoy Heather Graham's books. Much to my surprise, I did enjoy this book. I may even try to read some of the other books in this series. If you are a fan of vampire stories, I would highly recommend this one.
February 9, 2015
This book was very slow in a lot of places and you really had to keep pushing forward to get into it. The first 1/4th of the book was slow and then the story finally began to unfold with the history of exactly what had taken place there centuries before.
December 20, 2015
loved it
As always, great red
As always a great read. It builds up to a heart stopping ending. A Heather Graham book never disapoints. If you like paranomal romance, you will love Dead By Dusk.
As always, great red
As always a great read. It builds up to a heart stopping ending. A Heather Graham book never disapoints. If you like paranomal romance, you will love Dead By Dusk.
Read
April 14, 2008Dark Fantasy
February 14, 2012
Rated 3.5
July 1, 2015
Light reading - steamy sex and minimally believable.
July 22, 2014
another in the author's vampire series. jade and Lucien make an appearance. reincarnation is involved.
September 4, 2014
Oops! I wrote the Son of No One review on here.....
Read
May 24, 2015I enjoyed book. Love horror like books. I consider it a quick red. Would recommend
August 15, 2015
Vampires, actors, archeology and mystery makes for a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews