Dead Until Dark

Dead Until Dark is the first book in the series and was published in 2001. In this book we are introduced to the main characters: Sookie Stackhouse, Jason Stackhouse, Sam Merlotte, Bill Compton and Eric Northman.

The book starts off with the introduction of our favourite vampire, Bill Compton. It's a usual day, or should I say evening in Merlottes' when Bill enters. Sookie can tell instantly becuase there is an air of silence around him, unlike the constant babble of the human minds. Later in the evening Sookie has to save Bill from the Rattrays, a couple of vampire drainers who attempt to drain Bill's blood in the parking lot. This is how Sookie first becomes acqainted with the mysterious vamp.

Meanwhile, a series of murders occur in Bon Temps, which the locals are quick to blame on Bill due to the presence of fang marks on each of the victims bodies however, the police, Bud Dearborne and Andy Bellefleur susepct Jason, as he was romantically linked to two of the girls. Jason being a suspect leads Sookie to ask a favour of Bill: to accompany her to the Vampire bar in Shreveport, Fangtasia. Fangtasia is owned by a vampire much older, and much more powerful than Bill: Eric Northman. Eric is the vampire sheriff of area 5 in Louisiana and realises Sookie's potential. He orders Bill to have Sookie discover the identity of the person theiving from his business. She identifies the theif as Longshadow, Eric's business partner. Longshadow attempts to kill Sookie for talking, resulting in Bill staking him.

Bill realises the power Eric has over him, and therefore Sookie and decides to leave Bon Temps for a short while in an attempt to improve his position in the vampire hierarchy. Sookie returns to Bon Temps to discover her gran, Adele Stackhouse dead on the floor. Her killer, and the murderer of the other girls turns to out to be Rene Lenier, her brother Jason's friend. Rene hates vampires and anyone who fraternises with them. He chases Sookie to the graveyard and attempts to kill her, but only succeeds in gravely injuring her. She wakes up in hospital with Bill by her side.

The identity of the murderer is not the onl discovery Sookie made. She found out her boss, Sam Merlotte is a shapeshifter. She allowed a stray dog to sleep by her and woke to find Sam there naked.