Author of the New York Times bestseller The Book of Shadows, James Reese returns with a remarkable feat of literary invention. In The Dracula Dossier, Reese combines real historical figures and events—Bram Stoker, Walt Whitman, Jack the Ripper—with glorious speculation in a tour de force of suspense fiction that races non-stop through Victorian London. Bestselling author Michael Connelly raves about The Dracula Dossier, calling it, “a damn good thriller…that had me mesmerized from chapter one.” A package arrives at the desk of a young editor at a New York publishing house, purporting to be a collection of letters and journal entries belonging to Bram Stoker. The anonymous sender refers to it as the "Dracula Dossier." The papers disclose a series of events in Stoker's life that occurred when he worked for Irish theater-actor Henry Irving in 1888 and before he wrote his famous novel. The prolog promises a riveting tale of suspense, even horror, and there are moments of tension and fear, but for the most part the novel is dull and tedious. Readers familiar with the Dracula story will realize that Stoker is meeting people and having experiences that directly influenced his best-known work (Jack the Ripper plays a part). An interesting plot lurks somewhere within this story. Too bad Reese ( The Witchery; The Book of Spirits; The Book of Shadows ) could not bring it to fruition. Not recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/08.]—Patricia Altner, BiblioInfo.com, Columbia, MD Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Sometimes a great premise keeps you going, even when you realize that the author might have done more with it. Here’s an example. The story is classic thriller stuff: in 1888, nearly a decade before he writes the novel Dracula, Bram Stoker leaves the employ of his demanding boss, the famous actor Henry Irving, and comes home to London. Soon after, he becomes embroiled in the Whitechapel murders, and to keep himself from becoming the prime suspect, Stoker has to find out the real identity of Jack the Ripper. It’s the kind of story idea that gets your pulse racing—the creator of the world’s most famous vampire battling the world’s most famous serial killer—but Reese waters the tale down considerably by telling it (in the spirit of Dracula) through a series of journal entries and letters between Stoker and an old friend. Unfortunately, this removes any you-are-there immediacy and turns the reader from a participant in the events into an uninvolved spectator (after the fact). The novel features backs the great premise with some exciting moments, but overall, it’s a disappointment, though Ripper fans will still be curious. --David Pitt “[L]ush and engaging.” - New Orleans Times-Picayune “Distinguishes Reese as a star pupil in the Anne Rice school of dark sensuality.” - Publishers Weekly “[I]nvolving, richly detailed... will surely delight fans…as well as convert new readers” - Booklist “[C]ompelling sequel...the many varied settings and particulars of the time period are vividly portrayed.” - Publishers Weekly “A sweeping narrative of period and peril [that] transports the reader into an undiscovered realm of erotica...” - The Jackson Clarion-Ledger “Not only does THE DRACULA DOSSIER grip us with its fast paced hunt for history’s most notorious killer, it also enchants us with sophisticated and lyrical recreations of its unique period and strong characters. A daring achievement.” - Matthew Pearl, author of THE DANTE CLUB “[A] scrupulously imagined thriller...a rip-roaring penny dreadful that compels reading to the end.” - Publishers Weekly “Those who enjoy gothic novels set in Victorian times…will revel in James Reese’s story…Seamlessly blurring the line between fact and fiction, the book is both characters study and speculative fiction folded into a well-told tale.” - Pittsburgh Tribune “...a mesmerizing blend of fact and fiction, with plenty of Gothic chill.” - Miami Herald “The Dracula Dossier is ...an homage in style and structure to its namesake novel, an engrossing look into the lives of eminent Victorians, and a smashing, scary read.” - St. Petersburg Times “Reese [is] a star pupil in the Anne Rice school of dark sensuality.” - Publishers Weekly “THE DRACULA DOSSIER is as powerful in its imagination as it is in its dedication to historical detail and social reflection. But what’s more is that it’s a damn good thriller...With Bram Stoker and Jack the Ripper along for the ride, you can’t go wrong with this book.” - Michael Connelly “It’s marvelous to have one so eloquent exploring and transcending the gothic genre.” - Anne Rice “Vivid characters...painstaking research...delectable.” - Washington Post Book World “Delectable.” - Washington Post Book World “Darkly erotic...lavishly told...Prepare to put your life on hold for 468 pages and immerse yourself.” - Tampa Tribune “James Reese’s startling second novel is f