The classic vampire story that started it all gets new life for a generation of connected teens 18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging-the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings. "Bold, innovative , and warped. . .an insanely imaginative tour de force." ?James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author "Black expertly interweaves story and technology in this timely Dracula tale." ?Rebecca Maizel, author of infinite Days "What happened?" "Not sure. I was fine when I went to bed." "But?" "But I dreamed that someone got into my room." "Who?" "I don't remember his face. He was tall, thin, pale...I was paralyzed. And then my neck hurt and my mouth was full of..." "Of what?" "Blood. My mouth was full of blood." At first glance, this take on Bram Stoker’s Dracula—told exclusively through text messages, Web browser screens, e-mails, and various photo and PDF attachments—looks like shameless pandering. But check out the first text: “Renfield had a psychotic break. Carted off to Bellevue. More l8r.” It’s an opening gambit indicative of Black’s storytelling instinct, which consistently proves itself able to transcend gimmick. The format, with its realistic images of iPhone and iPad screens, actually lends the book a chilling sort of one-shock-per-page pulse—and let’s not forget that Stoker organized his novel with the letters and diaries of his time, too. Black’s enjoyable modifications turn the plot into a love triangle (well, actually, counting the count, a love pentagon): Mina is a jujitsu-practicing romantic; Jonathan, a womanizing cad; Lucy, his boozy booty call; and Abe Van Helsing, a premed student (“He’s old,” e-mails Mina, “twenty or so”). For every in-joke that weakens the otherwise serious mood (“Drakipedia”), there is an inspired idea (the five pages of bounced e-mails during Jonathan’s captivity). Fast, inventive, creepy, and sure to be popular. Grades 7-10. --Daniel Kraus Bekka Black is the pseudonym for mystery author Rebecca Cantrell, whose recent novel A Trace of Smoke received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly , Kirkus Reviews , and Library Journal . The book was reviewed by the New York Times , was chosen as a pick by numerous independent bookstores, and was a Writer's Digest Notable Debut.