The world of Grace General is imaginative and intriguing and I am looking forward to reading the next installment, Slash and Burn though it is sadly already several months over due for publication. Intern With the Vampire is a well written, creative novella and I admit to being surprised at both the quality and the execution. The lead surgeon for example is gorgeous but also a vampire who could potentially suck her dry, it certainly creates an interesting workplace for Aline who has to pretend she is not human to keep her job.

The author’s characterisation is deft and clever and I love how she gently pokes fun at some of the stereotypical characters in a medical drama. I was fascinated by the characters who despite being supernatural have very individual traits. The fast pace of the storyline keeps the reader immersed in the action and the imagination engaged. From the start Aline lurches from crisis to crisis and she barely has time to reflect on her strange new environment. There is an authenticity to the structure of the ER and the treatments which I am sure comes from the the author’s own experience in the medical field and the details really help sell the idea. The blend of the familiar hospital environment and the absurdity of it’s patients and staff works surprisingly well. During her very long shift she treats a senile vampire, an injured mermaid and a zombie while dealing with a black widow surgeon that has taken an instant dislike to her and a doctor whose pheromones make her vulnerable to his deadly charms. As she steps into the frantic ER of Grace General Aline discovers the hospital has a very select clientele and is both terrified and fascinated as she is introduced to a host of supernatural creatures she never imagined really existed. Dismissed from her residency Aline’s options are limited so when Dr Rocque offers her a position at a private hospital she has never heard of, Aline is wiling to at least take a look. Iwasaki places her protagonist doctor in training, Aline Harman in a familiar setting with a paranormal twist. In fact really my only complaint is that at just 152 pages, Intern With the Vampire is too short. As a urban fantasy fan who also enjoys medical drama/thrillers I thought the idea original with lots of potential and this brief novella is an excellent introduction to a new series. I was really intrigued by the premise of Intern With the Vampire when I read it. With a zombie to resuscitate and a mermaid in critical care, Aline has her hands full. Juggling transhuman politics only becomes more difficult when a patient’s life is at stake. On her first day at Grace General Hospital, new intern Aline Harman risks vampire infection, demonic possession, and having her heart torn out of her chest… and this from her colleagues.

Intern With The Vampire by Kit Iwasaki