Cover art by Jim Theaston.
SEANCE FOR A VAMPIRE
It is difficult to find the words with which to characterize this
chain of events. It was more than grotesque, it was fantastic. Parts
of it almost unbelievable. You'll see Pirate, mesmerism, executions
by hanging. Stolen treasure, murder, kidnapping, revenge and
seduction. Women taken by force, attempts to materialize spirits of
the dead...
So begins SEANCE FOR A VAMPIRE. Fred Saberhagen's foray into the
realm of the undead. Bestselling co-author of the official movie
tie-in for BRAM STOCKER'S DRACULA, Saberhagen pairs up two of the
Victorian era's most enduring characters to create a powerful,
entertaining adventure.
When two suspect psychics offer Ambrose Altamont and his wife the
opportunity to contact their recently deceased daughter, the wealthy
British aristocrat wastes no time in hiring Sherlock Holmes to expose
their hoax. He arranges for the celebrated detective and Dr. Watson
to attend the family's next seance, confident in Holmes' rationalist
outlook on the situation.
But what starts as cruel mockery becomes deadly reality when
young, beautiful Louisa Altamont appears to her parents in the flesh
as one of the nosferatu – a vampire! The resulting chaos leaves one of
the fraudulent spiritualists dead. Sherlock Holmes missing, and Dr.
Watson alone and mystified. With time running out, Watson has no
choice but to summon the only one who might be able to help – Holmes'
vampire cousin, Prince Dracula.
Alternately narrated by Watson and the charismatic Dracula
himself, SEANCE FOR A VAMPIRE demonstrates that heroes are sometimes
found in the most unlikely places. Saberhagen has recast Bram
Stoker's paragon of evil into a noble, witty and chillingly powerful
character.
