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Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5)
Dead as a Doornail - Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5
Author: Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in a little bar in a small town deep in Louisiana. She's funny and pretty and well-mannered, but she doesn't have that many close friends -- mind you, that's not so surprising when you consider how few people can appreciate her abilities as a mind-reader. — It's not a quality that has the g...  more »
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PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780441013333
ISBN-10: 0441013333
Publication Date: 4/25/2006
Pages: 304
Rating:
  • Currently 4.2/5 Stars.
 1946

4.2 stars, based on 1946 ratings
Publisher: Ace
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

daedelys avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 1756 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
The story idea as a whole is good, however, the pieces that put it all together are definitely flawed.

On the whole, the book is a mediocre read. I'd say easy, but once again the author is horrible at keeping a story together. There tends to be a lot of gaps, like the story is being told by someone with ADD, and it leaves a reader flipping back pages to see if they might have missed a detail here or there. (don't worry, you probably didn't) In truth, I think the author figures out that we're supposed to be telepaths as well and know what Sookie is referring to at times.

And, until these books, I've never realized just how distracting a lot of misplaced and unnecessary commas can be... Does anyone proof read this stuff? Maybe someone should get the editor a calendar that shows them grammatical correctness every day.

I'm also really hoping that I'm not the only one to find the werewolf challenge an eye-roller. I'll never be able to watch another dog agility show on TV again without being reminded of that. It was just too ridiculous for words.

A person should be able to figure out quite early who the sniper is because the writer's technique throughout her books has a definite pattern. By the time the unveiling was done I found the confession to be pretty lame.

I've one more to go of the books that I have bought in this series, but I'm pretty sure I won't be wasting any money on buying them new again.
CheriePie avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 149 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
A sniper has been targeting the shape-shifting population of Bon Temps and the surrounding communities. As a new were-panther, Sookie's primary concern is for her brother Jason. But as it turns out, she's also a target, despite the fact that she's only a psychic, not a shifter.

This is the 5th book in Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries, aka the Sookie Stackhouse books. I enjoyed coming back to this series after not having a chance to read them for the last year or so; it felt like revisiting an old friend. :D Fortunately, Ms. Harris is good at refreshing your memory about past characters and activities so the fact that I didn't have the earlier books here to review before picking this up was not a problem at all. She doesn't go overboard in describing past events, but it's enough to give you a feel for things if you haven't read them, or to bring everything back more clearly if you have.

Unlike Grave Sight, the first book in her newer Harper Connelly series, I was left uncertain all the way until the end of the book as to who the sniper was. And even then, she still managed to throw in an extra twist. I knew there's a good reason these books are part of my personal collection. :)
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 69 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
Great fun to see Soakie isn't taking crap off of the men in her life as she's dodging bullets & fire. & the introduction of Quinn makes me wanting more!
amerigo avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on
Helpful Score: 6
This book barely kept my attention. At this point in the series I would like to see more depth in character development and in the creation of Sookie's world. In my opinion, Harris is giving the series too light and fickle a touch-- a bit like Sookie herself, who lacks the ability to really know which man she likes best and why, but all she can say is that she's sexually attracted to all. I see that as a metaphor for the author's own inability to make up her mind which character she wants to keep or discard, so she writes them out - or nearly - because she lacks the skill or interest to develop them, and their relationship to Sookie, further.

I like Harris' humor. I want to keep on liking the series. I want to continue to care about Sookie and friends, but I'm bored. I'm losing interest in cardboard characters that Harris doesn't adequately build up and is very quick to tear down.
batgirl avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 284 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
A very fast read & difficult to put down. More sexy vamps, Weres, shifters, and fairies to contend with, Sookie's life is definitely interesting. One of the best of the series.
Read All 111 Book Reviews of "Dead as a Doornail Sookie Stackhouse Bk 5"

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reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 2 more book reviews
AWESOME book. I love the True Blood series. Much different than the show, BETTER!!! A great read. I got the first 8 set for Christmas & had them all ready within about 16 days. Couldn't put them down.
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on
I really enjoy the Charlaine Harris Sookie novels, the whole series is good.
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 122 more book reviews
One of the best paranormal series
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 9 more book reviews
All the books in this series are good. I highly recommend them!
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 4 more book reviews
Not your typical vampire book(which are not for me) but a spoof on them.I loved the book and couldnt get enough.
reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 6 more book reviews
A well written profile of " Fangtastic" characters and magical possibilities of Weres, Fairies, Witches, and Shapeshifters and their encounters with the "NORMAL", Sookie Stackhouse.

Good read.
dragoneyes avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 769 more book reviews
So far I have really enjoyed all the books in this series. As for this one (the 5th in the series) I wasn't as enthralled by it as I have been with the others. This one took me longer to finish. Of course it has a lot of action with a sniper on the loose, a house fire, and much more that I don't want to give away. So why the three stars? The main reason I love to read this series is Sookie Stackhouse herself. She is the perfect character and totally make the books what they are. She has spunk, southern hospitality, manners and a great sense of humor. I find myself laughing out loud many of times at things she would say. In this book though, I didn't find that as much. Sookie just wasn't the same. She was more pessimistic, grumpy and I did not find her funny at all. I know in this book she is going through a lot but the thing that I liked about Sookie is she never let it get her down. Still, if you liked this series I would still recommend this one. It has enough action to keep you entertained.
morbidromantic avatar reviewed Dead as a Doornail (Sookie Stackhouse, Bk 5) on + 63 more book reviews
I have to say that the plots are becoming predictable. That's not to say that they're not exciting because they are. It's just that you can almost predict who will be the perpetrator by the first few chapters. I had this one pegged. Of course, it didn't have me put down the book. I still find the Southern Vampire Mysteries very fun, very exciting, and very much worth my time to read. I still love them, yes. If you are looking for a shocking twist at the end, you're not going to find it here because the formula is predictable. I am also a bit disappointed in the turn that Sookie's friendship with Alcide took. I don't think it's too much that the two of them could remain friends and get over their little crush from book three. Instead, the two of them are getting to the point where they can scant stand each the company of each other. I mean, Sookie can have a friend she's not making out with... right?

You can bet as soon as I can, I am going to pick up book six.


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