by J.S. Barnes

Titan Books, out now

It’s been years since Jonathan and Mina Harker survived their ordeal in Transylvania and, vanquishing Count Dracula, returned to England to try to live ordinary lives. But shadows linger long in this world of blood feud and superstition.

J.S. (Jonathan) Barnes’ sequel to Bram Stoker’s horror classic is a terrific read, which should come as no surprise to those who have already enjoyed his Big Finish audio dramas Dracula’s Guests and Dracula’s War. It’s such an old-fashioned cliché to describe a book as unputdownable and a real page turner, but I read all 560 pages in a single day, such was my engagement with it and the grip it held.

Using the same epistolary format as Dracula, the book is written as a series of diary entries, letters, newspaper articles and reports, meaning that the sections are short and to the point and you can’t wait to jump onto the next. Mina and Jonathan Harker are celebrating their son Quincey’s birthday and are delighted to be joined by Jack Seward and Professor Van Helsing. But the renowned vampire specialist is struck down by illness, warning the ‘Crew of Light’ that darkness will soon descend upon them again.

Across the interconnected narratives we meet actor Maurice Hallam who is travelling from Bucharest to Transylvania by coach, who joins mysterious young man Gabriel Shone on a fateful journey through the Carpathian Mountains and the ruins of Dracula’s castle. Back in Britain and the Council of Athelstan is trying to regain its position of power, writer Arnold Salter is seeking his next scoop and the gangs of London are at each other’s throats (so to speak).

I’ll say no more, as part of the joy here is in watching the dark forces grow and the way that our heroes are forced to confront them. The copy is quickly paced, breathlessly so at times, and there’s a continual sense of descending gloom. Indeed it’s only until there’s fewer than 100 pages to go that we get a sense of good fighting back. And if I were to raise a criticism, the resolution of the final confrontation is over rather quickly, though leaving room for further adventures.

Verdict: I’ve not hung on to a book so tightly for many years, its grip so intense that it wouldn’t let me go. At the end you take a deep breath and wonder where that time went, albeit time very well spent. 9/10

Nick Joy

Click here to order Dracula’s Child from Amazon.co.uk