* * * * * (5 stars)

This is the first book in the Darren Shan saga, and what a beginning it is! Darren visits a mysterious freak show that leads him on a spiralling journey into a dark world of vampires. The finale is a nerve-shredding race against time in which Darren must question his loyalty to friends and family — and just how much he is prepared to sacrifice for them! A book that leaves you longing for a second bite.