Nocturne di Karina Halle

Overall score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Drama: 💧💧
Sugar: 🧁.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Trope: vampire - murder mystery - romantic suspense - horror

First of all, I want to thank Karina Halle and NetGalley for this eARC
Here, my honest opinion.

What else can I ask for when I have film noir vibes in a 1940’s LA setting, with a redhread femme fatale jazz singer and a PI as main characters? Well, I can have vampires!

In Nocturne, murder mystery, horror romance and a little bit of true crime blend together to create another great novel by Karina Halle.

I’m a crime fiction reader, and I’ve always loved James Ellroy and the L.A. Quartert. It’s not all about the mystery, but also about the incomparable aestethic.
Let’s also say that I’m a sucker for vampire stories, and you can easily understand that I’m the perfect audience for this book.

I liked the setting, the characters and how the Black Dahlia murder fits into the story.
The spice is great and that’s exactly what you hope for in this kind of romance.

Unfortunately, there’s also something that did not truly satisfy me.
Nocturne can be seen as a spin off of The Dracula Duet, but the “guest stars” did not convince me, as well as the villains, too predictable in some aspects (the cruelty or their opinions on humans). Probably, what I didn’t like is that the resolution comes thought a conflict within the vampire community.

However, I’m very glad I could read this book and I’ve already ordered my physical copy.

I highly recommend it to those who like the setting, morally grey characters, protettive and possessive MMC, romantic suspense and a little bit of horror.

Nocturne is a seductive and smoky descent into Los Angeles in the 1940s.

Set at the time of the murder of Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia) Nocturne follows Lena ,a club singer and Callahan a private detective, as they work to uncover the truth behind the murder. Pulling homage from the classic film noir aesthetic, you can expect lots of mysterious figures and smoky lounges as well swoony detective and hypnotic singer. But that isn't even my favourite part of this book- that would have to be the vampire twist that Halle incorporated into the story.

I have been a longtime reader of Karina Halle now and her vampire novels are just so well thought out and her world building is immaculate. I have enjoyed every single one of them that I have picked up and Nocturne is no different. I also love to see the celebrity appearances of some of her other characters as well. I love that her characters and her vampire lore is all connected!

When I tell you that this book had something for everyone I am not kidding: murder mystery, cult themes, vampire lore & the seductive 1940s setting!! Not too mention this book was SPICY!!

Whenever I am in a reading slump, Karina Halle announces her next book coming out and SOMEHOW magically, it is exactly what I want to read, every single time. Let me tell you this book was everything. I tried to prolong the book as much as possible, because I truly did not want it to end. This was so much fun and easily a six star read for me!

I loved the Vampire / Black Dahlia story line. Some parts of the story fell a a little flat for me. I loved the setting, the mood, and the characters. The Black Dahlia story line really pulled me in from the beginning.