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Case Files from the Nightfall Detective Agency: Fury of the Vampire
David Alyn Gordon’s Fury of the Vampire is a sweeping supernatural thriller that jumps across centuries, from ancient Jerusalem to 1920s Arizona, weaving together myth, history, and horror. The story follows vampires, werewolves, jinn, and humans caught in webs of betrayal, love, and ambition. At its heart is the eternal struggle between Lilith, Abram, and a cast of characters tied to mystical objects like the Ring of Solomon. Intertwined with this are political conspiracies, mob dealings, and the simmering tension of racial injustice in early 20th-century America. It’s a bold mix of folklore, pulp action, and noir detective work.
I enjoyed how daringly the author blends myth with history. Seeing Lilith spar with Abram in one chapter and then finding myself in the smoke-filled dance halls of Prohibition-era Tucson in the next kept me hooked. The pacing is brisk, and the action scenes pop with energy. I found myself leaning in whenever vampires clashed with werewolves or when political schemers whispered in dark corners. The dialogue can be blunt, sometimes even melodramatic, but it fits the pulpy, high-stakes feel of the book. It reminded me of flipping through an old serialized adventure, where the thrill matters more than polish.
Some passages carry raw emotional weight, like Malia grieving for her cousin, while other scenes are exaggerated. That didn’t ruin the ride for me, though. If anything, it made the book feel unpredictable. I enjoyed how unapologetically it leaned into its own wildness. It’s not a quiet or subtle novel; it’s brash, bloody, and loud. And I have to admit, I had fun with that. Sometimes I rolled my eyes, other times I grinned, and a few moments genuinely made me pause and think, especially the parts dealing with cultural memory and injustice.
I’d say Fury of the Vampire is best for readers who love fast-moving supernatural adventures, who don’t mind a little chaos in their fiction, and who want something that feels both familiar and refreshingly strange. If you’re into folklore reimagined as a gritty pulp detective saga, this is your book. It’s messy, it’s fierce, and it absolutely has bite.
Pages: 164 | ASIN : B0FLTB1L71
American Eugenics Movement
Trail of the Zombies follows a trio from the Nightfall Detective Agency as they unravel a sinister conspiracy tied to eugenics, Indian boarding schools, and a nefarious project called the Utopia Institute. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Great question. I had recently heard of the recent stories about the mistreatment of Indian children in boarding schools and read/mostly watched several documentaries on the subject in researching the beginning of Trail of the Zombies. I also am a fan of the works of Edwin Black and his book, War Against the Weak, told about the height of the American Eugenics Movement which coincided with the timing of the persecution of the Indian children. I also wanted to portray zombies in the way they were meant to be depicted. Recent works and movies/television series inspired by Day of the Dead and The Last Man on Earth show them as flesh-eating monsters. Those are actually ghouls, not zombies.
What kind of research did you do for this novel to ensure you captured the essence of the story’s theme?
This kind of supplements my response to question one. I read and watched a lot of material like many documentaries on the persecution of the Indian Children, the American Eugenics Movement, and actual Zombies. You can find all the sources I used in the Acknowledgement section of Trail of the Zombies.
The Trail of the Zombies crosses many genres. What books or authors were the biggest inspiration for you?
Good question. I mentioned Edwin Black and his book War Against the Weak. That really helped. Universal Horror and Horror movies of that era from other studios like White Zombie were inspirational as well. Mystery-Noir works also guided me as well as the writings and shows of Rod Serling like The Twilight Zone. Historical Fiction like those by James Michener also influenced me.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
The next book in the Case File Series will be Fury of the Vampire and it will come out before Halloween this year. It picks up right where Trail left off and our heroes will have to solve a political assassination, prevent widespread contamination of a local water supply, stop the antagonists from creating an alternative reality, and combat a powerful Jinn. I think readers are going to enjoy it when it comes out.
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For the first time since coming into their office, Simon struggled to lift his head, the bullet hole in his eye becoming more evident.
“To find out who killed me.”
Thus begins the next thrilling adventure for the Nightfall Detective Agency.
Vampire Detective Tori Jacobsen and Werewolf Detective Bram Mueller are drawn into the shadowy depths of the Utopia Institute to both solve the murder of the late Ira Simon and the reports of abuse of the Native American Students and those deemed unfit to attend there.
Set in 1929, just outside Marana Arizona, the pair unearth a web of dark secrets.
The Institute is a front for a sinister plot.
Evil Forces, once thwarted in their pursuit of the Eye of Aten, are now bent on creating an army of Zombie slaves from the people held at the Institute.
The ultimate goal?
A hidden Aztec treasure that could fund their designs for world domination.
Tori and Bram must race against time to prevent the ushering in of a new Dark Age of Terror.
If they fail, the world will descend into chaos and repression.
The stakes have never been higher.
Case Files From The Nightfall Detective Agency: Trail of the Zombies
Trail of the Zombies is a supernatural detective story set against the haunting backdrop of 1920s America. The novel follows a trio from the Nightfall Detective Agency as they unravel a sinister conspiracy tied to eugenics, Indian boarding schools, and a nefarious project called the Utopia Institute. Zombies, mind control, and historical evils merge into a narrative that is both pulpy and painfully relevant. At its core, the book is a thriller with a conscience, blending paranormal intrigue with real-world atrocities.
The writing in Trail of the Zombies is striking in its directness and conviction. Gordon confronts the grim realities of the era head-on, refusing to soften or obscure their brutality. Chapter five, in particular, stands out as we are introduced to the eugenicist architects behind the Utopia Institute. Their dialogue, steeped in cold-blooded ideology and unapologetic prejudice, is profoundly disturbing and all the more powerful because of it. Gordon draws unsettling parallels between fictional characters and historical figures such as Harry Laughlin and Madison Grant, blurring the line between fiction and fact. The result is a narrative that reads like speculative history, yet feels alarmingly authentic.
The novel’s use of zombies is particularly compelling in its departure from conventional tropes. Initially, I approached this element with some hesitation, given how frequently the genre relies on familiar, often superficial portrayals. However, Gordon subverts expectations by grounding his depiction of zombies in Haitian Vodou tradition, reframing them not as mindless predators but as victims, individuals chemically manipulated and robbed of their will. This interpretation transforms the horror into something far more poignant. The attack on Professor Wallace in chapter one, for instance, is not simply a moment of terror; it is a sobering reflection of exploitation and control. The fear evoked is not of the undead themselves, but of the systems and individuals who create and command them.
What I also loved was the supernatural detective team at the heart of the story. Tori is a vampire with attitude and compassion. Frank is a golem with a heart. Mueller brings a touch of old-world wisdom. Their banter adds humor, but more importantly, their compassion balances the grim subject matter. When Tori rescues Malia from the Institute’s goons at the synagogue, it’s a fist-pumping moment of justice. The way Gordon blends mythology with gritty noir detective work just works.
Trail of the Zombies is an unexpected yet impactful work, gritty genre fiction used as a vehicle for urgent historical and moral inquiry. Beneath its pulp-inspired exterior lies a pointed critique of systemic injustice, particularly in relation to eugenics, racism, and the abuse inflicted on marginalized communities. Readers with an interest in social history, speculative fiction, or political horror will find its themes both provocative and emotionally resonant. Some passages, particularly those involving the mistreatment of children, are difficult to endure, but they serve a necessary purpose. This is a forceful and unflinching novel one that challenges as much as it entertains.
Pages: 158 | ASIN :B0DFM8W9FJ
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