History Literature / NightHuntress

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: In ''First Drop of Crimson'', Mencheres [[spoiler:is forced to turn Kira into a vampire]], and the villain deliberately leaks video of this, which ends up on the news and Website/YouTube. YouTube commenters, being a special brand of stupid and horrible, post such gems as "Worst actress ever," "Should have had more blood," and "WTF is up with the lame glowing eyes?"

* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire - Vampires do not need to kill their victims, so good guy vamps aren't uncommon. Bones especially, since he hunts down other vampires who murder, rape and use humans.

** ''Halfway to the Grave'': The primary parties involved in the HumanTrafficking network are power hungry individuals motivated by [[ItsAllAboutMe self interest]].
*** [[TheSpook Hennessey]] puts on an act of [[FauxAffablyEvil being a gentleman]], but in reality, runs a vicious human trafficking network which keeps women, especially the impoverished, as livestock and brood mares, subjecting anyone who would betray him to the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath cruelest of fates]]. Hennessey regularly allows his clientele to sexually abuse the women under his control, as well as feed on their blood. Identifying Cat as his attempted murderer, Hennessey has her grandparents killed, then takes her mother hostage to trap her.

** ''One Grave at a Time'': [[TheWitchHunter Inquisitor Heinrich Kramer]] is presented as a putrid, disgusting sadist who had gotten off in life on raping and abusing women underneath his self righteousness. Kramer's delusions of piety do little to cover his hypocrisy and lust for control over others.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter - Vlad Tepesh, Doc (Holliday, one presumes) and Marie Laveau. Joan of Arc is mentioned as [[spoiler: the only other dhampir known to exist.]] Menkaure/Mencheres and Djedefre/Radjedef were real Egyptian pharaohs. Lampshaded when Cat is amazed to learn that the BigBad of the book is Cleopatra's daughter, and Bones points out that the sort of person who makes enough of an impression to be remembered centuries after their time is exactly the sort of person who's likely to catch the attention of a vampire who might turn them.

* HypnoticEyes - Vampire mesmer can be used to brainwash humans if they look at the vampire's eyes.

* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming - every one of the Night Huntress books has the word "Grave" in the title.
* IHateYouVampireDad - After Ian became a vampire, he gave his three best friends the gift of immortality by turning them into vampires, two of them against their will. Two hundred years later they're still a bit sore about it but are generally civil, though in the third book Bones finally thanks Ian. And, of course, Cat's literal vampire dad is an asshole in oh, so many ways.

* LastOfHisKind - Half-vampires are exceedingly rare, and the only other one on record died before Cat was born.

* MandatoryMotherhood: You'd think that marrying a vampire and becoming one yourself would mean that you stay childfree. Not if you're Cat, due to having her eggs stolen and fertalized.

* NighInvulnerability: [[spoiler: Denise is ridiculously hard to kill later in the series. To the point where she survives a public beheading.]]

* OurVampiresAreDifferent - Vampires can only be killed by shredding their hearts with a silver knife. They are inhumanly fast and strong, and only need to breathe during unusual physical exertion. They can mesmerize humans with their glowing eyes, and wipe their memories or give them orders. Their blood can temporarily transfer some of their powers to humans. Their [[{{Masquerade}} secret society]] has an elaborate hierarchy based on lineage from a Master vampire.

* SecondActBreakup - Twice; first [[spoiler: Bones leaves Cat]] until she can figure out how she feels about vampires, and then [[spoiler: Cat writes Bones]] a Dear John letter.

* SuperSenses / SuperSpeed / SuperStrength - all in the domain of vampire superpowers.

* YourCostumeNeedsWork: In ''First Drop of Crimson'', Mencheres [[spoiler:is forced to turn Kira into a vampire]], and the villain deliberately leaks video of this, which ends up on the news and Website/YouTube. Website/YouTube commenters, being a special brand of stupid and horrible, post such gems as "Worst actress ever," "Should have had more blood," and "WTF is up with the lame glowing eyes?"

** ''One Grave at a Time'': [[TheWitchHunter Inquisitor Heinrich Kramer]] is presented as a [[LeanAndMean putrid, disgusting, emaciated sadist]] who had gotten off in life on raping and abusing women underneath his self righteousness. Kramer's delusions of piety do little to cover his hypocrisy and lust for control over others.

** ''One Foot in the Grave'' and ''At Grave's End'': [[ArchnemesisDad Max Williams]], the estranged brother of Don Williams, is the former FBIAgent turned vampire, who seduced, then [[MindRape psychologically tormented]] Justina Crawfield, claiming himself to be an unholy demon. Subsequently [[DisappearedDad walking out]] on her and their child, his actions drive Justina to be an abusive parent to their daughter, Catherine "Cat" Crawfield. [[FantasticRacism Disdainful of his half-breed daughter]], Max makes multiple attempts on Cat's life, culminating in his decision to torture Cat and threaten to sexually assault Justina

[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/halfway-to-the-grave.jpg]]

# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressHalfwayToTheGrave Halfway to the Grave]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressOneFootInTheGrave One Foot in the Grave]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressAtGravesEnd At Grave's End]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressDestinedForAnEarlyGrave Destined for an Early Grave]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressThisSideOfTheGrave This Side of the Grave]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressOneGraveAtATime One Grave at a Time]]''
# ''[[Recap/NightHuntressUpFromTheGrave Up From The Grave]]''

** "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldDevilToPay Devil to Pay]]" in ''Four Dukes and a Devil''
** "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldReckoning Reckoning]]" in ''Unbound''
** "[[Recap/NighthuntressWorldHappilyNeverAfter Happily Never After]]" in ''Weddings From Hell''

** ''[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldFirstDropOfCrimson First Drop of Crimson]]''
** ''[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldEternalKissOfDarkness Eternal Kiss of Darkness]]''

** "Once Burned"
** "Twice Tempted"
** "Bound by Flames"

** "Shades of Wicked"

*** [[DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster Hennessey]] puts on an act of [[FauxAffablyEvil being a gentleman]], but in reality, runs a vicious human trafficking network which keeps women, especially the impoverished, as livestock and brood mares, subjecting anyone who would betray him to the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath cruelest of fates]]. Hennessey regularly allows his clientele to sexually abuse the women under his control, as well as feed on their blood. Identifying Cat as his attempted murderer, Hennessey has her grandparents killed, then takes her mother hostage to trap her.

* "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldDevilToPay Devil to Pay]]" in ''Four Dukes and a Devil''
* "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldReckoning Reckoning]]" in ''Unbound''
* "[[Recap/NighthuntressWorldHappilyNeverAfter Happily Never After]]" in ''Weddings From Hell''
* ''[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldFirstDropOfCrimson First Drop of Crimson]]''
* ''[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldEternalKissOfDarkness Eternal Kiss of Darkness]]''

** "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldDevilToPay Devil to Pay]]" in ''Four Dukes and a Devil''
** "[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldReckoning Reckoning]]" in ''Unbound''

** "[[Recap/NighthuntressWorldHappilyNeverAfter Happily Never After]]" in ''Weddings From Hell''

* ''[[Recap/NightHuntressWorldFirstDropOfCrimsonFirst Drop of Crimson]]''

* ''[[Recap/[[NightHuntressWorldEternalKissOfDarkness Eternal Kiss of Darkness]]''

# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress1HalfwayToTheGrave Halfway to the Grave]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress2OneFootInTheGrave One Foot in the Grave]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress3AtGravesEnd At Grave's End]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress4DestinedForAnEarlyGrave Destined for an Early Grave]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress5ThisSideOfTheGrave This Side of the Grave]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntress6OneGraveAtATime One Grave at a Time]]''
# ''[[Literature/NightHuntressUpFromTheGrave Up From The Grave]]''

** "Devil to Pay" in ''Four Dukes and a Devil''
** "Reckoning" in ''Unbound''
* ''First Drop of Crimson''
** "Happily Never After" in ''Weddings From Hell''
* ''Eternal Kiss of Darkness''

# ''Halfway to the Grave''
# ''One Foot in the Grave''
# ''At Grave's End''
# ''Destined for an Early Grave''
# ''This Side of the Grave''
# ''One Grave at a Time''
# ''Up From The Grave''

%%* MockingTheMourner: In "Devil to Pay": Xaphan torments Cat Crawfield with the voices of her late grandparents, who had been killed in the events of ''Halfway to the Grave''.

* [[spoiler: MandatoryMotherhood - you'd think that marrying a vampire and becoming one yourself would mean that you stay childfree. Not if you're Cat.]]
* NighInvulnerability - [[spoiler: Denise later in the series. To the point where she survives a public beheading.]]

* [[LukeIAmYourFather Cat, I Am Your Uncle]]: [[spoiler: in One Foot in the Grave we find out that Don is Cat's uncle]]

* BattleCouple - Cat and Bones.

* HappilyMarried - Cat and Bones almost all of the time. [[spoiler: Except for when she turns out to already be married....]]

* IdealizedSex - Cat and Bones just ''love'' this trope.

* [[spoiler: DesignerBabies and SuperBreedingProgram - Katie is the product of this.]]

*** [[DamnItFeelsGoodToBeAGangster Hennessey]] puts on an act of [[FauxAffablyEvil being a gentleman]], but in reality, runs a vicious human trafficking network which keeps women, especially the impoverished, as livestock and brood mares, subjecting anyone who would betray him to the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath cruelest of fates]]. Hennessey regularly allows his clientele to sexually abuse the women under his control, as well as feed on their blood. Identifying Cat as his attempted murderer, Hennessey has her grandparents killed, then takes her mother hostage to trap her. A shameless sociopath beneath his mask of civility, who enjoys profiting on the misery of others, Hennessey remains a chilling reminder of the evils of slavery.
*** [[SleazyPolitician Governor Ethan Oliver]] colludes with, and frequents, the human trafficking network, using its services for his own personal gain. Having originally used the brothels to [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape women]], Oliver arranges for the human trafficking network to make derelict women disappear so that he can claim to have cleaned up his state and bolster his political career, further intending to continue the process if he is elected President. A revolting, sadistic pervert underneath his good reputation, Oliver serves as a chilling reminder that [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humans are just as capable of evil as vampires]].

ing anyone who would betray him to the [[CruelAndUnusualDeath cruelest of fates]]. Hennessey regularly allows his clientele to sexually abuse the women under his control, as well as feed on their blood. Identifying Cat as his attempted murderer, Hennessey has her grandparents killed, then takes her mother hostage to trap her. A shameless sociopath beneath his mask of civility, who enjoys profiting on the misery of others, Hennessey remains a chilling reminder of the evils of slavery.
*** [[SleazyPolitician Governor Ethan Oliver]] colludes with, and frequents, the human trafficking network, using its services for his own personal gain. Having originally used the brothels to [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape women]], Oliver arranges for the human trafficking network to make derelict women disappear so that he can claim to have cleaned up his state and bolster his political career, further intending to continue the process if he is elected President. A revolting, sadistic pervert underneath his good reputation, Oliver serves as a chilling reminder that [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters humans are just as capable of evil as vampires]].
** ''One Foot in the Grave'' and ''At Grave's End'': [[ArchnemesisDad Max Williams]], the estranged brother of Don Williams, is a former FBIAgent turned vampire. Encountering Justina Crawfield after being sired, Max seduces Justina before [[MindRape psychologically tormenting]] her, claiming himself to be an unholy demon, then [[DisappearedDad walking out]] on her and her child, actions which drive Justina to be an abusive parent to their daughter, [[HeroicBastard Catherine "Cat" Crawfield]]. In the ensuing years, Max slakes his bloodlust as a mercenary under Ian's auspices. [[FantasticRacism Disdainful of his half-breed daughter]], Max has the erstwhile occupants of Cat's former childhood home murdered by a bounty hunter in order to lure her into a trap upon learning that she is alive, so he can have her killed, all behind Ian's back. Upon being confronted by Cat, Max taunts the former about the circumstances of her conception. Abandoning Ian in favor of ending his daughter's life, Max ambushes Cat and Justina, shooting and [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally torturing]] the former, and threatening to sexually assault the lattedr

** ''One Foot in the Grave'' and ''At Grave's End'': [[ArchnemesisDad Max Williams]], the estranged brother of Don Williams, is a former FBIAgent turned vampire. Encountering Justina Crawfield after being sired, Max seduces Justina before [[MindRape psychologically tormenting]] her, claiming himself to be an unholy demon, then [[DisappearedDad walking out]] on her and her child, actions which drive Justina to be an abusive parent to their daughter, [[HeroicBastard Catherine "Cat" Crawfield]]. In the ensuing years, Max slakes his bloodlust as a mercenary under Ian's auspices. [[FantasticRacism Disdainful of his half-breed daughter]], Max has the erstwhile occupants of Cat's former childhood home murdered by a bounty hunter in order to lure her into a trap upon learning that she is alive, so he can have her killed, all behind Ian's back. Upon being confronted by Cat, Max taunts the former about the circumstances of her conception. Abandoning Ian in favor of ending his daughter's life, Max ambushes Cat and Justina, shooting and [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally torturing]] the former, and threatening to sexually assault the latter.

** ''One Foot in the Grave'' and ''At Grave's End'': [[ArchnemesisDad Max Williams]], the estranged brother of Don Williams, is a former FBIAgent turned vampire. Already a psychopath before being sired by Ian Flannery, Max is stated to have [[SelfMadeOrphan murdered his and Don's parents]]. Encountering Justina Crawfield after being sired, Max seduces Justina before [[MindRape psychologically tormenting]] her, claiming himself to be an unholy demon, then [[DisappearedDad walking out]] on her and her child, actions which drive Justina to be an abusive parent to their daughter, [[HeroicBastard Catherine "Cat" Crawfield]]. In the ensuing years, Max slakes his bloodlust as a mercenary under Ian's auspices. [[FantasticRacism Disdainful of his half-breed daughter]], Max has the erstwhile occupants of Cat's former childhood home murdered by a bounty hunter in order to lure her into a trap upon learning that she is alive, so he can have her killed, all behind Ian's back. Upon being confronted by Cat, Max taunts the former about the circumstances of her conception. Abandoning Ian in favor of ending his daughter's life, Max ambushes Cat and Justina, shooting and [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally torturing]] the former, and threatening to sexually assault the latter. Max expresses his intention to dismember Cat in order to prevent her from possibly being resuscitated as a ghoul, only to be neutralized by [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Crispin "Bones" Russell III]] before he can carry out his plans. A disgusting sadist, driven by [[ForTheEvulz a desire to inflict needless cruelty]], Max demonstrates some of the most detestable qualities in humans and vampires alike.

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!Tropes

* HateSink: ** ''Halfway to the Grave'': The primary parties involved in the HumanTrafficking network are power hungry individuals motivated by [[ItsAllAboutMe self interest]].

* HateSink: [[ArchnemesisDad Max Williams]], the estranged brother of Don Williams, is a former FBIAgent turned vampire. Already a psychopath before being sired by Ian Flannery, Max is stated to have [[SelfMadeOrphan murdered his and Don's parents]]. Encountering Justina Crawfield after being sired, Max seduces Justina before [[MindRape psychologically tormenting]] her, claiming himself to be an unholy demon, then [[DisappearedDad walking out]] on her and her child, actions which drive Justina to be an abusive parent to their daughter, [[HeroicBastard Catherine "Cat" Crawfield]]. In the ensuing years, Max slakes his bloodlust as a mercenary under Ian's auspices. [[FantasticRacism Disdainful of his half-breed daughter]], Max has the erstwhile occupants of Cat's former childhood home murdered by a bounty hunter in order to lure her into a trap upon learning that she is alive, so he can have her killed, all behind Ian's back. Upon being confronted by Cat, Max taunts the former about the circumstances of her conception. Abandoning Ian in favor of ending his daughter's life, Max ambushes Cat and Justina, shooting and [[ColdBloodedTorture brutally torturing]] the former, and threatening to sexually assault the latter. Max expresses his intention to dismember Cat in order to prevent her from possibly being resuscitated as a ghoul, only to be neutralized by [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Crispin "Bones" Russell III]] before he can carry out his plans. A disgusting sadist, driven by [[ForTheEvulz a desire to inflict needless cruelty]], Max demonstrates some of the most detestable qualities in humans and vampires alike.

An UrbanFantasy series of books written by Jeaniene Frost, following the adventures of Catherine "Cat" Crawfield, a half-vampire, and Crispin "Bones" Russell, a Master vampire and bounty hunter. These books are told from Cat's point of view. The ''Night Huntress World'' books are set in the same universe, but feature supporting characters in the main roles. The ''Night Prince'' series is a spinoff featuring a new main character with Vlad Tepesh as her love interest.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter - Vlad Tepesh, Doc (Holliday, one presumes) and Marie Laveau. Joan of Arc is mentioned as [[spoiler: the only other dhampir known to exist.]]