The story is about a former policeman turned P.I. who finds missing children, named Kane Tyler. He's somehow lost his memory and slowly learns that his wife was murdered and he was hired by a crime boss to locate his missing daughter. He also finds out gradually that he's suffered something more than memory loss...he's become a vampire. He discovers that those responsible for his transformation are also the ones behind the kidnapping and his wife's murder...or are they? Between trying to protect his own daughter, trying to finish his job, and trying to pick up the shattered pieces of his own life, Kane Tyler's case becomes more than a simple kidnapping.
Swiniarski's sense of detail is very vivid. Very drawn out, but without rambling on about trivialities or boring the reader to death with insignificant factoids. He gets right to the point and gives us exactly what we need to know. There is a good combination of comedy, drama, and action, and his writing style is impressive in that it allows you to form a picture of what is happening. As I read the book, I could actually SEE the images in my head. I could see Kane Tyler, I could see what he was doing, I could see the action taking place. Books are supposed to do that, but rarely can one form so clear a picture in the mind, and this book does that. It's that well-written. Good story, good characters, good dialogue...it's good. It's very good. "Raven" is an excellent book that makes for an exciting read for anybody into a good mystery, good horror, or good action. It's one of the best vampire books I've ever read, and it's one that I keep coming back to. If you can find a copy...give it a read. You won't be disappointed.