In the shadowed streets of a city that never truly sleeps, Evelyn Sparks hides a secret as dark as the bodies she examines. She's the borough coroner-cool, meticulous, and unshakably composed. But she's also what the world believes to be a myth: a vampire surviving discreetly off the blood that passes through her morgue. It's a perfect arrangement-until someone starts stealing her supply.
Detective Johnathan Hale has seen it all... or so he thinks. Hardened by years of chasing killers through alleys and lies, he's called to investigate a string of gruesome crimes that make no sense-bodies drained of blood before they reach the coroner's slab. When he meets Evelyn, something about her unnerves him, though he can't say why. Their partnership crackles with tension, curiosity, and an undeniable pull neither can explain.
But the trail leads them somewhere darker than either expected-a rogue vampire with no regard for secrecy, and a witch whose magic threatens to unbind the fragile veil between the living and the dead. As Evelyn and Johnathan fight to uncover the truth, old wounds resurface, forbidden desires ignite, and the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur.
In a world where blood ties mean everything, love may be the most dangerous mystery of all.
Here is what a 5-Star Review had to say:
Reviewed by Olga Markova for Readers' Favorite
The Difference Between Us, by award-winning author Eileen Sheehan, is an engrossing blend of crime mystery, paranormal fiction, and romance. Homicide Detective Johnathan Hale is investigating a mystery; someone in the city is draining blood from recently deceased persons. The only thing in common between these corpses is that they are bloodless. At a crime scene, Johnathan meets Coroner Evelyn Spark, and before long, they fall in love. But unknown to Johnathan, Evelyn is also investigating, by stealth, the mystery of bloodless corpses. She is a vampire feeding on the blood of the recently deceased, and a thief is stealing her food. The head of the Vampire Council has mandated her to find the culprit. But will Johnathan and Evelyn find the perpetrator? And what lies ahead for their romance?
The Difference Between Us is a shining example of Eileen Sheehan's understanding of the entertainment value of novels to be enjoyed over one or two evenings. Spellbound, I read this immersive, fast-moving, suspenseful, and twisty mystery in two sittings. I instantly took to Evelyn and Johnathan and thoroughly enjoyed their investigations. The human-vampire romantic scenes added suspense to the storyline, and the humour offered a respite from the plot's tensions. I also enjoyed the spectacular, magical combat, sophisticated witchcraft, and the history of vampires and witches. But most of all, I appreciated the thought-provoking manifestations of the sibling bond and the pitfalls and advantages of truths over lies. I highly recommend this fascinating story to mature fans of crime mysteries and paranormal romance.
