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!

'A vampire romance so dark it'll bite.'

What a great read! Didn't want to put it down! Full of mystery and the need to want to find out what the HELL was happening! Set in late 1940s LA. A gruesome Murder takes place and of course, a hunky detective works on the case and starts to unravel interesting things! Low and behold, falls head over heels for a stunning woman... this books is good! Romance, Dark, moody, intriguing, plot twists, historical references, some good bits of banter, lots of spice 😀, stalker, morally grey hero, femme fatale, forbidden romance, possession, true crime inspired. I give this 4.5 out of 5 stars 🌟 #netgalley #karinahalle #bookish #bookishthoughts #bookfriends #BookTok #bookbesties #ilovebooks #readersoftikbooktok #readersoftiktok #kellybreadingfanatic #arcreview

The horror romance I needed that will stay with me forever.

Absolutely devoured this book. From the very first page, I was obsessed with this book and the feeling never went away.

Callahan is amazing. I absolutely love him. He might be one of my new obsessions. I really felt a lot of emotions when it came to him. Happiness, sadness, anxiety, heartbreak. He was written so well that he felt like a real person instead of words on a page.

Lena was a great character as well. She’s really dynamic and strong, and unlike a lot of female main characters, I never once got bored of her.

Every time we switched pov between Lena and Callahan, I was both sad that we were leaving the former pov and happy that we were moving to the other. They were both written so very well.

The plot of this book is fabulous. It’s like true crime mixed with paranormal romance mixed with a 1940s setting that adds so much to the plot. The atmosphere is amazing.

I’m sad this is a standalone.

Thank you much to Karina Halle, Metal Blonde Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and in no way are influenced by the manner in which I received it.

Such a fun murder mystery mixed with a very spicy vampire romance. I enjoyed the detective spin on the book. It felt like one of those old time detective books mixed with vampire romance. It was such a good read and I quickly read through the pages because it was so entertaining.

Rating: 4 ½
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Spice: 3

Check this out, dollface. I love true crime and when I saw that the background of this story revolved around the Black Dahlia murder in the 40’s, SAY LESS. And MYYY GAHHHHDDD this book GIVES the vibes, I’m talking, femme fatale, gothic, film noir. *Atmospheric chefs kiss* I’m not going to leave out that nod to Manson at the end… fingers crossed for a possible interconnected series??????? Honestly, I just need more. K, thanks.

Karina Halle never misses with her paranormal romances. You obviously have the atmosphere, 10/10. She gives you mystery and tension that will have you flying through the pages with enough spice thrown in to set the book on fire. You’ll find yourself rooting for the characters and gasping at the twists and turns. Am I still convincing you?

This is out NOW and available on Kindle Unlimited. Also check out her Dracula Duet, starting with Blood Orange.

I really enjoyed Nocturne! It was addictive, full of twists, and the 1940s setting combined with the Black Dahlia murders made it such an intriguing read. Thank you to Karina Halle and NetGalley for the ARC!

There are two things you can always expect from a Karina Halle book: an amazing story and a large dose of WTF did I just read but in the best kind of ways. Nocturne is not an exception to this; combining film noir with vampires isn’t something I thought I needed but I was wrong. Karina’s take on horror romance / dark romance is right up my alley, but as always read the trigger warnings before picking up.

The writing in this novel really captures the classic femme fatal / film noir vibes. It made the world come to life in my mind. When it comes to the vampire twist on the genre, I mean who doesn’t enjoy vampires. Especially the way Karina portrays them as not evil or good, but rather just a species really in touch with the intensity of life who like people can choose the type of vampire they want to be. I highly recommend this book and her Blood Orange and Black Sunshine series for more vampire goodness

This was such a great read! It was gritty, suspenseful, dark and mysterious. The film noir vibes were excellent and the twists were unexpected!! And there are vampires!!

I loved how it felt like a classic PI movie with a Hollywood starlet. It was such a cool setting and the tension and mystery was so well done. It actually has a lot of historical basis in the Black Dahlia murder and the scene in California at that time.

Lena Reid is a glamorous, independent FMC, singing at a nightclub when her best friend is murdered in a horrific and ritualistic way. Vincent Callahan is hired by the family as a private investigator to find out what really happened and he meets Lena. They uncover a lot of secrets together as they work towards identifying the killer. It's dark, dangerous and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

As I said, the twists were so well done and the ending was incredibly satisfying. Thank you Karina Halle and Metal Blonde books for the review copy.

A gloriously brutal story with the background of the Black Dahlia murder with all the sensuality and blood your little vampire-loving heart could wish for.

Lena Reid's close friend, Elizabeth Short, has just been murdered, found drained of blood. The press are focusing on the scandalous side of the case, on Elizabeth's search for stardom and what dangerous company she might have kept, but Lena, a nightclub singer with her own ties to danger, rightly believes her friend deserves better.

Victor Callahan is investigating the murder, but soon finds himself enthralled by Lena. His constant blackouts and lost time make him desperate, but with the supernatural and the underworld mixing to put him and Lena in danger, he must rely on every one of his senses to make it out of this mess.

I loved the writing, the compelling characters, and the denouement of the story, hinting at future terror.

An entertaining and quick read. True crime meets the 1940s with a noir vibe - and vampires! I had a nice time with this one - finished it in a single sitting - but I still can’t bring myself to rate it higher, as it didn’t quite amaze me the way other books in the genre have. Overall a solid 3 stars.

This was my first book by Karina Halle, and I found her writing style quite nice - very easy to read, with a good flow and pace. Clear and straightforward. The plot kept me engaged throughout and the chemistry between both MCs was definitely palpable. That said, the relationship did feel a bit flat at times for my personal taste. It was spicy, sure, but it still lacked something I can’t quite pinpoint.

Last but definitely not least, thank you SO much to Karina Halle and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I have read many Karina Halle books and I have always absolutely loved her fantasy/paranormal books. When I heard about her newest book, featuring vampires and mobsters, I was beyond excited to read it.

Nocturne delivers on everything that it promises, including a sensational romance and a thrilling mystery set on an atmospheric backdrop.

Karina Halle has the most beautiful writing style and every word drew me further into the enticing tale. The chemistry between our main characters was super intense and as per usual, Karina Halle has written the most delicious steamy scenes.

Once again, Karina Halle has smashed it out of the park and I am super excited to read whatever she writes next.