Blood Price (#1)
Vicki Nelson, formerly of Toronto’s homicide unit and now a private detective, witnesses the first of many vicious attacks that are now plaguing the city of Toronto. As death follows unspeakable death, Vicki is forced to renew her tempestuous relationship with her former partner, Mike Celluci, to stop these forces of dark magic—along with another, unexpected ally…
Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII, has learned over the course of his long life how to blend with humans, how to deny the call for blood in his veins. Without him, Vicki and Mike would not survive the ancient force of chaos that has been unleashed upon the world—but in doing so, his identity may be exposed, and his life forfeit.
Reviews
“Huff has a lot of fun playing with vampiric lore, coming up with a character that’s an interesting turn on the traditional image of Nosferatu, without losing any of the sexual/dangerous edge that makes such beings so fascinating. Her take on contemporary characters rung true throughout while her clean prose and the quick pace of her plot make for an engaging novel. BLOOD PRICE would make a great movie; as it is, it’s the perfect vehicle for a diverting evenings entertainment.”Mystery Scene
“This is simultaneously a supernatural thriller, a police procedural, and a romantic fantasy. Author Huff splices it together with breakneck pace, good cutting, and, especially, a fair amount of genuine wit. There is a small flood of vampire books at present, but BLOOD PRICE stands out for its entertaining blend of warmly idiosyncratic characters, cinematic pacing, and sharp-fanged humor.”Locus
“A short, snappy little murder mystery […] The characters are sympathetic and vulnerable and the action moves along nicely. Recommended – roll on the next four installments.”SFcrowsnest (UK)
“BLOOD PRICE still stands up as an urban fantasy, and a darn good one too. So, if you enjoy mysteries and fantasy with a bite, check it out.”
“It’s a fun series.”Starburst (UK)
"BLOOD PRICE is the first of the Vicki Nelson (or Blood) series by Tanya Huff. Originally published in 1991...It helped establish my love of urban fantasy, a genre that hadn't been entirely defined."
"Tanya Huff's work never fails to astonish. You think you know what vampires, werewolves, and witches are like? Not when Huff writes them. There's a surprise around every corner, and it's a good one."Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Tanya Huff successfully tackled the Munsters Factor by pitting a domesticated, defanged monster against a more sinister horror, with a good helping of self-awareness on the side. All in all, a perfect formula. Small wonder it started a subgenre."
"Do you think she just woke up one day and said "I think I'll create a genre?" BLOOD PRICE was really the moment where you could see the urban fantasy genre start to turn from something that sort of skulked around the edges of the high fantasy into a fully-fledged, fully-functional genre in its own right. Engaging story, awesome characters, top-notch writing, BLOOD PRICE had it all. Still does. You want to see where the genre started, this is the place to go."
Awards & Accolades
#7 Locus Bestseller List
1992 Aurora Award Finalist
1992 Locus Award Finalist