The Strain by Guillermo Del Torro and Chuck Hogan

One of the more fun perks of my job is the fact that I occasionally get to read a book before it is published. Such was the case with The Strain, which comes out on June 2.

This book follows a group of epidemiologists investigating the strange deaths of all but three passengers and crew on board a flight that lands at JFK airport. These doctors discover that they're not dealing with a normal virus, but something much more supernatural.

Yes, this is a story about vampires, but these vampires do not sparkle in the sunlight. Nor do they fall in love with any of the human protagonists. These vampires are blood-thirsty and deadly. And most of them don't even have a lot of thought beyond feeding on human blood. These vampires are more like a disease quickly traveling through the island of Manhattan, and if not stopped will take over all of North America.

This novel was creepy, suspenseful and a whole new take on the traditional vampire mythology, although there are some nods to the classic Stoker, such as the large coffin full of dirt that transports the Master vampire to North America.

This book was very well-written and engaging, and Del Torro's film expertise gave the storyline a cinematic quality. The chronology and sequence of events was set up much like a movie would have been, which I think added to the suspense of the book.

If you're a fan of scary vampires and horror then I definitely recommed this book, though I warn you it's the first of a trilogy and the next book won't be out until next summer.