Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

This book started off with a bang and I honestly couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the noir setting, the characters, the plot and the vampires.

I liked the characters so much that even though I’m not a fan of instalust, it really didn’t bother me when it came to them. I thought they had good chemistry and I found myself eager at every chapter for them to have their next interaction.

I will say, my main issue was a scene that involved the FMC and MMC being drugged and compelled by bad vampires which led to a nonconsensual situation. It was very uncomfortable to read especially with how inconsistent the MMCs feelings during all of this were.

<b>Karina Halle brings intensity, sensuality, intrigue and suspense in her latest paranormal romance Nocturne. Set in 50s Los Angeles, this vampire romance sucked me right in from the first scene. The plot is complex and explosive with endless twists and turns. It was scorching hot with pure fiery emotions. The effects will linger in my heart for a long time.</b>

* set in 1950s
* vampire romance
* based on one of the most sensational unsolved mystery of America, the case of Black Dahlia aka Elizabeth Short.

<b>I love reading this period piece and Karina Halle executed it so well. Some characters are real from the history and she used them to weave this vampire tale. Victor Callahan, the ex military ex boxer PI investigating the murder of Elizabeth Short and going through something big that he doesn't understand himself. Lena Reid, the sultry singer best friend of Elizabeth involved with the mobsters and hiding her vampire identity. Their paths cross and things go crazy. The author crafted every part so beautifully that you won't be able to blink. Callahan and Lena's connection feels like this living breathing all consuming epic thing from the very first touch.

Callahan is an alpha hero through and through. Protective, confident, strong, sexy..but his world is falling apart with his vampire transformation happening but he didn't know it till Lena let him know. There is an uncontrollable feral need for hunting and violence and claiming coming that makes him dangerous. Lena is in danger too. There are some old evil vampire bloodline who is trying to open the gate to their ancient home and they are murdering women to perform rituals. Lena is their target too. She isn’t a damsel in distress. She is fierce and bold but she is also falling for a man who is struggling. She is the one who kept Callahan together. In the end, Callahan managed to get his animal side under enough control to use it to beat the devil. Their passion is scorching hot, specially when Callahan's other side takes over. It's action packed with some epic appearances by oldies like Van Helsing and Dracula! Lena and Callahan is a force together and I absolutely loved every second of their adventure.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

Another amazing vampire romance from Karina! In this one we have Lena, a vampire singer hiding in plain sight amongst the Hollywood elite, and Victor, a PI who finds himself involved with the Black Dahlia murder. Lena and Victor connect through the case and find themselves in the middle of something much larger and more sinister. I loved so many things about this book - the 1940s Hollywood setting, the murder mystery, the vampires, the spice!

I also loved the darker elements of the story with everything from mobsters to feeding dens to ritual sacrifice. Not to mention a possessive MMC whose favorite phrase is “you’re mine”. It’s been a while since I read the Dracula Duet so I admit it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize it was connected. But overall I loved how the mystery played out and all of the action and suspense at the end. My interest was also peaked by the epilogue and I’m hoping for another book based on what played out there.

A big thank you to Karina for the ARC!

I absolutely loved Nocturne. The writing style really made it feel like I was back in 1940s Hollywood investigating the Black Dahlia. The added element of the ancient vampires was a nice touch. The spice was just right. Karina Halle knocked it out of the park with this book. One of my favorites of the year so far!

Fantastic 1940s Black Dahlia, mystery and dark romance plot. Los Angeles singer Lena Reid and P.I Victor Callahan get entwined over the murder of Elizabeth Short aka. The Black Dahlia. A series of dark murders are happening all victims of a secret group and mob. Edgy, smutty, entertaining, and lots of mystery. loved the historical essence; Van Helsing, Dracula. stalker, "your mine" troupe. Hot, femme fetale vibes. Loved it!
Highly recommend! *** do check for triggers in this before diving in. ****


Thank you Netgalley and Metal blonde books for my advanced copy, in exchange for my honest review.

“Nocturne” was my first Karina Halle read, though more or less I knew what I was getting into. And I must say that I enjoyed the ride, even though it wasn't perfect one.

It is a dark romance with vampires twist. And what a twist! We meet Lena Reid, a beautiful singer who catches eyes of the many. She finds out that her friend, Elisabeth Short... was murdered.

Does it ring a bell? You're right! It's a true crime and unresolved story from 1947, Los Angeles. Elisabeth Short was brutally murdered and drained of blood, but her case has never been resolved. And now Karina Halle took that fact and created a story about it... And took vampires in it.

Apart from Lena we meet Callahan, private investigator who takes up the Elisabeth case. Little does he know that once his path crosses with Lena, his life will change forever...

It's dark romance, so we get violence and explicit sexual content. It's not very very dark, but if you don't enjoy that kind of literature, please skip this one. Also, if you don't enjoy instalove, it may also not be for you, as the stuff starts off pretty immediately... Though may I say, it was so hot, and they were so perfect, that I didn't really mind.

Vampires! I won't tell you who is who, but it was an interesting take. I just miss some more information about how they work, as they seem to differ from vampires I know. Like, kids...

Overall I enjoyed the story and the writing and I'm definitely going to pick up other books by Karina Halle.

Thank you @netgalley for an ARC.

5 ⭐ 3 🌶️

That was so freaking good. Such a fantastic mix of paranormal romance and thriller with some horror vibes set in 1940s LA, I really couldn't get enough. I loved the characters, the plot and the spice, truly just everything about this book.

Callahan and Lena were amazing. I loved seeing their relationship progress and watching Callahan come into his own. I really enjoyed the side characters as well, some of which apparently have their own books I must now dive into.

The last 30% had me up until almost 3am. Once the third act started I couldn't put it down, it was so utterly thrilling. And then the way it wrapped was perfect, I adored their happily ever after to pieces.

⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Oh boy, I really didn’t want things to go this way….

The concept of the story immediately hooked me. As a true crime fanatic and romance enthusiast, the two worlds colliding is what I would have once considered to be the perfect storm. I am no longer of that opinion.

The Black Dahlia case has always interested me and yet I couldn’t have been more bored while reading this. As much as I appreciate when someone takes an already existing thing and makes it their own, I can’t say it worked regarding this book. There just seemed to be so much going on and yet nothing at all. And of course the uneven pacing did not help.

I found the characters to be so bland. There was nothing about them that made me feel connected to them so honestly, I couldn’t have cared less about their fates. They all could have been slaughtered and I wouldn’t have batted an eye.

As for the couple, they severely lacked chemistry outside of the physical. The spice was really well written. Definitely, could feel the heat between the characters but it’s unfortunate that they couldn’t maintain the chemistry outside of the bedroom so to speak.

To put it plainly, I did not look forward to picking up my kindle to read this book and couldn’t wait for it to be over. I just felt completely disconnected from the story and the characters.

I will say, the story was a very unique spin on a real case and I completely appreciate that but it wasn’t enough to alter my opinion.

With all of that said, I personally cannot recommend this book.

This is a dual POV dark fantasy that is romance centered, with a mystery plot unfolding in the background. The beginning was pretty strong--it definitely piqued my interest right away & was easy to get in to.

Unfortunately, this lost its spark for me kind of quickly, relying on insta-lust to entertain & I don't tend to love that. I think there was too much focus on the relationship and not enough on the characters themselves, making it hard to connect to them and have an interest in them on their own or really even together.

The plot itself was interesting enough, but I found that a lot of the major revelations were foreshadowed too obviously so they didn't have much of an impact when they were confirmed later on.

Overall, though, I think that I might just not like dark romances, but I'd imagine that people who do will enjoy this a lot more than me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I fear I am now a Karina Halle stan 🙂‍↕️

I saw two words in the blurb of this book and immediately requested it on NetGalley. <i>Black Dahlia</i>. That was all it took.

Because what do you mean this book follows that murder, is set in the ‘40s, and the MCs are a P.I. and a jazz singer (who’s a vampire, btw)????? Sign me the fuck up!!!!

I loved the film noir style of this book, the lore of vampires, the whole investigation into the Black Dahlia murder. God, it was so cool. I’ve researched that case for my own personal interest for so long and heard all the theories and for this book to take one of those theories and run with it???? Incredible.

Lena is a mysterious singer in a club whose clientele is mostly mobsters and criminals. Her best friend, Elizabeth Short, was murdered and she found herself questioning just what happened. Victor is a P.I. and war vet who took the case to investigate the truth for Elizabeth’s sister, coming across Lena and learning more about himself and the world than he ever intended to.

Let me just say, the plot was plotting and the lore was loreing. This was honestly so interesting and I loved the historical and paranormal elements woven together!!

I’d LOVE to see more books like this on the market so I can gobble them up!!!

Thank you so much to Metal Blonde Books for the ARC!!! 🫶🏻

I feel spoiled by Karina Halle. We recently got Grave Matter, Death Valley, and now Nocturne. All 5 stars. Seriously.

I absolutely loved the vibe of this storyline. I think everyone has heard of the cold case, The Black Dahlia murder that happened in the 1940’s. There’s always been a ton of rumors and conspiracies on what really happened to this 22-year-old young woman. But what if… vampires were involved.

This is a very interesting take on a very in famous cold case. And I absolutely loved it every minute of it.

Vampires, rituals, ancient symbols, and blood magic.

Lena Reid is an absolutely stunning singer at the Emerald Room in Los Angeles. She was friends Elizabeth Short, the woman murdered and coined into The Black Dahlia murder case.

It’s then we meet Victor Callahan, a private investigator who is hired to solve this very interesting murder case.

When Lena and Victors worlds collide, they end up working together and figuring out just how dark the city of Los Angeles can get.

Raw hunger, obsession, stalking.
An ache, a pull to one another.
Both are covering up secrets.
Secrets that will unveil a plot twist I did not see coming.

I read this book so fast. I really really loved it. Enjoyed it. The perfect amount of spice. The suspense and mystery was great. I love the paranormal aspect of it. And it comes with a really cute HEA.

This was….okay. It was kind of chaotic. I figured out Callahan pretty quickly. There were sexy moments but it just didn’t work for me. I did love the found family aspect but the rest of the story was just okay.

4.5 ⭐️

Nocturne immerses readers in a richly atmospheric world of vampire pulp noir romance, and I was completely captivated. The novel’s moody, cinematic style evokes the golden age of noir—think velvet-draped nightclubs, whispered passwords, and shadowy corners. Lena and Callahan feel tailor-made for this setting: Lena exudes old-Hollywood glamour in the vein of Rita Hayworth or Lana Turner (with a striking redhead twist), while Callahan brings Cary Grant charm, tempered with a rougher, more dangerous edge.


Halle masterfully weaves in a fresh take on the Black Dahlia case, reimagining the tragic story of Elizabeth Short through the eyes of her close friend Lena. This choice not only adds emotional depth, but also restores a sense of humanity to a figure often reduced to a sensational headline. It’s a poignant and thoughtful shift that sets this retelling apart from others.


The chemistry between Lena and Callahan crackles on the page. Their dynamic builds slowly, but when it ignites, it really ignites. And for longtime fans of Halle’s work, there’s an added layer of joy in returning to the familiar, beloved world of her earlier vampire characters—an Easter egg that fans will certainly appreciate.


Nocturne is a seductive, genre-blending triumph that offers both style and substance. Halle has created something fresh, nostalgic, and undeniably compelling.

Absolutely loved!! As a lover of true crime and someone who’s read about the Black Dahlia murder, I knew this was going to be a wild read.

I loved the old Hollywood X vampire vibes and Karina Halle wrote the book perfectly to capture those vibes. I am obsessed with Lena and Callahan *chef’s kiss* and the breaking of bed was giving Twilight series vibes!

Karina Haille is either a 5 star or 3 star author for me, and this hit 5 star status! What I thought was a stand-alone (and is) has light connections to the rest of the vampire world that she is creating and I loved the subtle hints and introductions around this. I love a bit of smut but I did find my self skipping forward pages - I don’t think that reduces my review but a fade to black option never goes a miss!
The story was good and full of twists and turns, the romance was hot and the connection was real! I loved the film noir gangster elements of the book!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review.

so interestingly enough for this one i liked everything but the romance lol. i found myself not wanting callahan and lena to get together because when they did the story hit the biggest plateau for me. sexually they had great chemistry but outside of the spice there was just nothing to hold my interest between the two of them.

i thought this story was really cool!! i loved how unique it was and how it brought a cool twist to the black dahlia murder, as someone who has been deeply interested in forensics, true crime and vampires since i was young this was just the perfect set up for a story for me which is why i find myself so upset that the romance wasnt it for me 😭

i really enjoyed the appearances of the characters from karina’s dracula duet!! it was a nice surprise seeing them in this story.

besides not caring for the romance my other biggest disconnect with this story was the pacing, it felt so choppy in some areas which was really surprising for me as i have only felt this way one other time in a book of hers (realm of thieves, which also had a very boring couple for me as well).

i dont know. maybe ill give this another shot with the audio one day to see if that’ll help keep my interest?!

Nocturne by Karina Halle is a gothic fever dream of blood, lust, and obsession set against the smoky backdrop of 1947 Los Angeles. Think Black Dahlia meets L.A. Confidential—but with a vampire who stalks like a predator and loves like a curse.

Victor Callahan? Yeah, he’s dangerous, possessive, and totally unhinged in the best way. And Lena? She’s no damsel—she’s sharp, broken, and drawn to the darkness like it’s written in her bones.

This is not your average vampire romance. It’s bloody, bold, and beautifully messed up.

⚠️ TW: Definitely check the trigger warnings
#Nocturne #KarinaHalle #DarkRomance #NetGalley #VampireSmut #BlackDahliaWithFangs

Elizabeth Short. thought she would make it big. That was the dream of Hollywood.
Little did she know she would be come famous after her demise. In this gothic Black Dahlia Murder retelling, Lena, whom is friends with the victim tries to solve her murder while hiding her own secret identity while she gains a mysterious stalker and the help of a PI with an unknown past.

“The feeling of being hunted settles over me like a physical weight”.
“Grief does strange things to people. Makes them forget things, lose time. Sneaks up on you when you think you’re safe”.


In this gothic retelling of the Black Dahlia murders, you will dive into a world written like a black and white movie. Old Hollywood comes alive with murder, mystery, vampires and much more. 4.5⭐️

This was such an entertaining read, and what a setting!! 1940s..film noir inspired...murders...private investigator...VAMPIRES!? I love it!!
The only thing holding it back from a 5 star was that the relationship fell a little flat for me, but I still highly recommend this. It was a really fun read!

Thank you so much to Metal Blonde Books for the arc via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on the book.

1940's themed based on the true story of The Black Dahlia murder?! But add dark, stalker Vampire theme. SIGN. ME. UP.

Think jazz clubs, mob bosses, gangsters, private detectives ..

I really enjoyed this read, Karina has done it again! It slumped in the middle slightly for me, but picked up and the end finished strong with a teaser into the next book which I am helllaaaa keen for 😍 I am also really enjoying these books Karina is writing based on true stories/history, like she did in Death Valley!