Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse doesn't fit in. A barmaid at the local watering hole in her small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, Sookie does her best not to stand out. Not that it does her any good. All the locals know about her disability. Sookie can read minds. Most of the residents think Sookie is at best slow or at worst insane because of this ability she has been forced to deal with. But Sookie is not alone in standing out. The world Sookie lives in has drastically changed. The creation of synthetic blood by a Japanese firm has allowed vampires to come out of the closet (or coffin) and demand their rights as citizens. No longer forced to feed from humans, vampires can now live and work side by side with them. When a vampire named Bill comes to live in her small town Sookie is immediately drawn to him. He is the one person in the entire town whose mind is a complete blank to her. But when women begin to show up dead around town everyone's suspicions quickly turn to Bill. It is up to Sookie to clear his name and discover who the true murderer is.

The first book in the Sookie Stackhouse series is a joy to read. With Sookie Harris has created a unique character that readers will want to root for. I would recommend this to all mystery readers, as well as readers who enjoy reading paranormal fiction. Mystery readers who like mysteries set in small rural towns will enjoy the local color Harris brings in. This is also a good selection for readers who enjoy reading about alternate realities. Sookie's trials continue in Living Dead in Dallas.

The Library Diva recommended this on 6/19/05.