deadlocked

I finished the most recent installment in the adventures of Sookie Stackhouse last night. "Deadlocked" is the next to the last book Charlaine Harris will be writing about the telepathic barmaid from Bon Temps, Louisiana. I have loved this series and have stuck with it from the very beginning. Are all the books great? No. Some were better than others, but Harris always entertains and Sookie continues to be a loveable character. This latest book begins the end and unless Harris has a major plot twist up her sleeve, the cards are laid out on the table.

The book is getting some lukewarm reviews on Amazon and B&N and I can understand that. While this novel features a murder mystery at its center, the mystery doesn't drive the plot. Sookie and her relationships with the men in her life continues to be the source of the conflict. I cared little about who killed who and more about Sookie's crumbling 'marriage.'  The books have always been about Sookie and this one reveals even more about her.

So, now we wait a year for the final novel. Harris has already released the book's title and publication date. I wonder if she will feel relief when that last one hits the shelves? Sadness? Joy?

Sookie is an icon now and if nothing else, Harris should be damn proud of that.