A serviceable sequel to his 1987 hit LIVE GIRLS, Ray Garton’s NIGHT LIFE answers the nagging question, “So what happens after you blow a sex club/vampire hideout in New York City to smithereens?” Originally published two years ago, it’s just now getting widespread release by Leisure.

It all begins when a successful horror novelist named Martin Burgess hires a couple of freelance investigators to prove that vampires exist. Hearing of the events that occurred in LIVE GIRLS, Burgess supplies them with the necessary newspaper articles on such to get them started. One of the gumshoes, Karen, goes straight to the source: reporter Walter Benedek.

Benedek confirms that, yes, vampires are real, and hey, why don’t I introduce you to two of them? That’d be his best pal, Davey – LIVE’s protagonist – and his wife, Casey. Even though they’re in hiding and keeping their blood-craving identities secret, they graciously agree to tell Karen all about them. Yeah, it’s a stretch.

But without it, this story would end with Karen’s interview with the vampires. They tell her the vamps fall into two groups: the “responsible” ones like themselves, who never hurt anybody, and the “brutals,” who do.

Well, the brutals get word that Davey and Casey are spilling the beans, so they come out in full force to make their displeasure known. As in, friends get killed. Women get kidnapped. Women get anally raped and gang-banged on film. Lesbian vampire sex is had. Vampire war is fought.

Yes, lines are crossed, which is the mark of good Garton. Just as the porn world played a part in LIVE, with the seedy clubs, it rears its ugly head here with the film industry bigshots in league with the brutals. Things aren’t quite as crazy as in NIGHT LIFE’s predecessor (”snakes, pimps and ping pong balls,” to refresh your memory), but one thing Garton never does is play it safe.

He also plays for keeps. Don’t expect things to turn out hunky-dory for the entire cast of characters, which effectively keeps you on your toes. It may not be his best work, but it’s no lazy rehash, which is saying something. –Rod Lott

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS AUTHOR:
• LIVE GIRLS by Ray Garton
• THE LOVELIEST DEAD by Ray Garton