The tall, dark and handsome stranger seemed okay. He was erudite, well-read and had a killer sense of humor... oops! That unexpected, chance kiss turned into a neck biting... or an attempted one. Jo flees, wondering what on earth would possess a person to bite a woman hard enough to draw blood! Leaving her friends behind, she heads for home, the peace and quiet of her nest. Thank goodness, there had been a cab waiting right outside the bar.

Her awakening the next morning is a painful and bizarre one. She feels hung over, the daylight stings her eyes, and her head hurts so badly that her image in the mirror is blurred and fuzzy. Even worse, her neck is sore and the tender spot is actually oozing blood. Ewww! A hot shower and a good pep talk helps, and she staggers into the living room to find coffee and breakfast. Only problem is, there is a man in her living room, holding some kind of wooden club. Feeling even more confused, and more out of sync with the world, Jo is totally overwhelmed by the last 24 hours. Escorting the so-called cab driver to the door, she tries to put it all behind her, and prepares to get on with her so-called life.

Liz Jasper's clever premise of a vampire botching an attack gives the book an unusual slant, and her funny take on vampirism opens up the storyline to the premise that the "Underdead" do not have an easy time of it! Evocative of the personality of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, Liz Jasper's characterization as the beleaguered science teacher is hysterically funny. The book evolves quite naturally, and as Jo begins to understand and fight her impending vampirism, she finds romance as well.

The taxi driver turns out to be Gavin Raines, a police detective, trying to eliminate the vampire "gang" plaguing his city, and his arch-nemesis, Will, the clumsy vampire, is hovering around Jo, hoping for a chance to put the bite on her once again. The two men circle around Jo, creating a bizarre love triangle which does not bode well for any of them.

The setting of the middle school, with the teacher in-fighting, the rumor mill and the continuing side effects of the bite all mesh into a fabulous story. We meet Jo's co-workers, her parents, and other characters Ms. Jasper uses to flesh out the tale, which turns this first novel into a page-turner extraordinaire.  Can Jo overcome fuzzy vision, a nasty reaction to sunlight (which only holy water can cure!) and a newly found longing for undercooked meat, to find happiness? Will Gavin stake Will, or does Will put the bite on Jo first? Does the dead body in Jo's science lab mean the vampire, Natasha, is on the prowl in the school? The second novel is in the works, and will be published as an e-book first (Underdead In Denial) in October. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, with a delightful twist, you are bound to find this first novel great entertainment. ENJOY!