Darkside Bk. 2: Lifeblood
by Tom Becker

    LIFEBLOOD by Tom Becker
    Category:  Paranormal
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  9/1/08
    Publisher:  Orchard Books
    Reviewed by:  Jaglvr
    Rating:  5 Stars


    LIFEBLOOD is the second book in the DARKSIDE series by Tom Becker.  The story picks up a few months after
    everything that happened in DARKSIDE.

    Jonathan Starling has remained in Darkside with Elias Carnegie.   As with the first story in the series, the pair gets
    drawn into a mystery that soon turns to them trying to solve a murder.  They are approached to discover who an
    unknown victim is.  The problem is that the victim was murdered the same way as another infamous member of
    Darkside society twelve years ago.  The first known murder victim had been an heir to the Ripper throne.

    Jonathan has learned more history of Darkside in his days of living in the evil society.  Darkside is ruled by the
    ancestors of Jack the Ripper.  When the current ruler dies, the offspring of the ruler must fight the Blood Succession
    to the death to determine who will reign next.  When the murder victim of twelve years ago was revealed to be a
    hidden Ripper heir, the city was put into a whirlwind.  Can the new murder be connected to the old crime?

    Jonathan and Carnegie are aided by members of the Darkside’s newspaper.  There, Jonathan learns that his missing
    mother was a reporter for them, and disappeared around the same time as the infamous murder occurred.  Jonathan
    is certain that the two events must be connected.  If they can solve the latest crime, maybe he can discover what has
    happened to his mother.

    As with the first story in the series, Mr. Becker creates a dark, evil world that grips the reader.  Even in the chilling
    setting, the story moves fast, keeping the reader glued to the pages.  Like rubberneckers driving by a car accident,
    the reader is so enthralled with the story; they can’t help but be drawn into the action.  The pages seemed to turn on
    their own accord.  I sat and read the story in one sitting, waiting to find out if Jonathan’s quest would bring him the
    answers he searched for.  Mr. Becker will leave you wanting more from Darkside, long after the final page has been
    read.

    Note:  The descriptions and settings are a bit bleak and dark.  The story may scare some younger readers.