La Screams

Name: La Screams
Price: 17.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781475991482

✍️ Su Boddie

Reader Score

4.4

(1 review)

$17.95

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A rookie cop hunts a vampire in nineteenth-century Los Angeles.

This novel places Mike Sullivan, a horse-riding officer in a growing metropolis, against an impossible enemy. The story blends historical detail with supernatural horror as Mike confronts the limits of human justice. He must reconcile his romantic life and family duties while tracking a killer that defies logical explanation. The text integrates literary references to bridge the gap between skepticism and belief.

Key Themes

supernatural crime vampire mythology police investigation

Literary Context

The book is set in late nineteenth-century Los Angeles when the population exceeded one million. It reflects an era where police relied on horses for patrol and traditional methods were becoming obsolete against new forms of criminality and fear.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Bram Stoker · Anne Rice · Sheridan Le Fanu

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Vampires

🏛 iUniverse 📅 2013 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781475991482

📝 Description: La Screams

Mike Sullivan works as a rookie police officer in late nineteenth-century Los Angeles. The city has over one million residents, yet the police force consists of only seventy men who ride horses to pursue criminals. Crime rates rise sharply during this period. Mike investigates mysterious deaths that lead him to William Shakespeare O'Brien, an old sailor. O'Brien claims a female vampire boarded his ship and caused the fatalities. Mike doubts this story until he reads Bram Stoker's Dracula. The novel draws on Gothic traditions and supernatural fiction genres. The narrative follows Mike as he balances his duty with personal struggles. His mother suffers from a serious illness, and he loves Jennifer Fitzgerald, whom he hopes to marry. These distractions complicate his investigation. He eventually realizes O'Brien is correct about the vampire hunting Los Angeles streets. Conventional police methods fail against this bloodthirsty foe. Su Boddie wrote this historical horror novel published by iUniverse in 2013. The book suits readers who enjoy period pieces with supernatural elements and police procedurals. It may not appeal to those seeking modern forensic techniques or non-fiction accounts of law enforcement history.

💎 Our verdict on La Screams

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🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Su Boddie effectively merges historical detail with supernatural dread, creating a tense atmosphere where the vastness of Los Angeles feels both overwhelming and dangerous. The protagonist’s struggle to reconcile duty, romance, and family illness adds emotional weight to the horror elements. While it lacks modern forensic excitement, it succeeds as a character-driven Gothic tale. It is best suited for readers who appreciate atmospheric period pieces over action-heavy procedurals. The integration of Shakespearean themes and Dracula references enriches the text, offering a thoughtful exploration of belief versus reason in the face of the inexplicable.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who enjoy historical horror set in the American West will find this book compelling. It offers a unique perspective on early law enforcement, contrasting the limited tools of a seventy-man horse-riding force against supernatural threats. The narrative appeals to those interested in the psychological struggle between skepticism and belief, as well as the personal sacrifices made by officers in a rapidly growing metropolis. Fans of vampire lore that diverges from modern tropes will appreciate the integration of literary references and the exploration of how conventional justice fails against an impossible enemy.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Su Boddie effectively merges historical detail with supernatural dread, creating a tense atmosphere where the vastness of Los Angeles feels both overwhelming and dangerous. The protagonist’s struggle to reconcile duty, romance, and family illness adds emotional weight to the horror elements. While it lacks modern forensic excitement, it succeeds as a character-driven Gothic tale. It is best suited for readers who appreciate atmospheric period pieces over action-heavy procedurals. The integration of Shakespearean themes and Dracula references enriches the text, offering a thoughtful exploration of belief versus reason in the face of the inexplicable.