Karina Halle delivers a gripping, dark romance in Nocturne, set against the smoky backdrop of 1940s Los Angeles. Drawing inspiration from the infamous Black Dahlia murder, Halle weaves a tale of obsession, mystery, and supernatural intrigue. Lena Reid, a lounge singer with a hidden vampire heritage, becomes entangled in a web of murder and secrets when her best friend is found dead. Enter Victor Callahan, a private investigator with his own dark past. Their chemistry is palpable, and their journey is both thrilling and haunting.
The novel seamlessly blends elements of film noir, true crime, and paranormal romance, creating an atmosphere that's both nostalgic and eerie. The pacing is steady, allowing for character development and suspense to build naturally. Fans of dark romance and historical fiction with a supernatural twist will find Nocturne to be a compelling read.

Nocturne by Karina Halle
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ out of 5
Words cannot described how obsessed I am with this book. I didn’t know I needed a 1940s noir vampire romance with some true crime thrown in but it turns out it was exactly what I needed. I honestly cannot recommend this book enough!

Our heroine is a jazz singer and a vampire in the 1940s in LA. Her best friend is murdered horrifically (Black Dahlia murder) and she sets out to discover what happened. Hired by the family, our hero is a PI who also sets out to discover what happened and when he crosses paths with our heroine they decide to (eventually) team up to solve the case.

Incorporating a real life murder into this book really hooked me and then I stayed for the fantastic world building, characters and suspense. I loved the main characters and their journey together and honestly I have all praise and no notes!

3.75/5

this book was a good ass time! i had never read karina halle before so i didn’t really know what to expect, but the vibes she brought to the table were exactly what i was looking for as a read. set in LA during the film noir/post war period we explored the case of the black dahlia with a paranormal twist, making this book feel nostalgic and familiar without trying overly hard. i love anything to do with vampires, but the setting was so sexy featuring jazz clubs and mobsters that i could hardly put this book down. while the plot was quite formulaic and the ending predictable, the story was gripping enough to keep me engaged. weirdly enough, i actually wanted a little bit more from the romance and smut, as i felt it was so well done that i wanted more details about it. i love a man who is feral for his woman (victor literally goes actually feral multiple times in this book, swoon) and that primal mating urgency between the two of them was so hot. i could read about them bonding and drinking each others blood in bloodlust for hours!

i thought it was pretty silly getting introduced to van helsing, “dracula” and the brief mentioning of charles manson during the story, and i wish she would have left those characters out so the plot could have stood on its own. she had great backbones for it, and she didn’t need to reply on name recognition to create an intriguing storyline.

in all, karina didn’t need to reinvent the wheel with this paranormal vampire romance, and i’m glad she didn’t. i would surely pick up another one of her books in the future.

3.75 stars
Ok, this was a fun dark romance-mystery vampire read. I really enjoyed the old Hollywood feel of this book as well, and for a standalone I feel the word was built up nicely. There were a few things that bothered me plot wise, but I had a good time reading this.

Karina Halle never disappoints. I didn’t know I wanted a vampire murder mystery (based on a true crime case) until I read this! Highly recommend.

L.A confidential meets SeVen, basically an L.A noir with VAMPIRES!!! This was a total vibe and I devoured it in one sitting.

Pros
obsessed MC
femme fatale vamp FMC
murder mystery
VAMPIRESSSSS
old school holywood vibes

Cons
uh weird accidental incest???
basically the whole scene/plot which included the above.

Fun read where you don't need to use your brain, like it's not ground-breaking but it's a good time.

Thanks so much Netgalley and publisher for the copy!

4.5 My true crime and vampirism lover self ate this up ♥️

I had been wanting to read Karina Halle’s books for so long and finally got to reading one because I got it granted as a wish here on NetGalley, and safe to say I need to read the rest, hopefully I’ll be able to get them here in my country, because her writing style pulled me in immediately and I adored her storytelling.

Lena’s (a lounge singer) and Callahan’s (a PI) paths cross while he is trying to solve the famous irl cold case of the Black Dahlia, with a twist in this story of course (or is it? 👀), adding vampires, gangsters, cults, with old Hollywood noir vibes and a moody atmosphere. Plus some forced proximity and lust? Hell yes. It was an amazing read ✨

I loved that the fmc was a femme fatale so she didn’t mince her words, wasn’t shy and was bold. The mmc? Morally grey, protective and possessive, bold, forward, touch her and 💀, and oh so scrumptious. The control and willpower on that man! That's so sexy to me. Like Lena said, man has balls of steel, and I find that too damn hot.

And obviously can’t miss the eroticism of vampirism in this spicy standalone 🔥 and there’s of course biting and blood play, so yes. I thrived.

The ending! If you’re a true crime fan, you’ll know.

I’m one for going in blind with books, so I try not to give away a lot on reviews, but there’s so many components in this book that I loved that I won’t mention because I feel they’d be too spoilery.

But if you love true crime, vampirism, old film vibes or the ones in the mood board, spice and mystery then this book is for you. ♥️

Thank you Metal Blonde Books for granting my wish for this ARC as well as NetGalley and Karina Halle too, for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

Being loosely based on the Black Dahlia Murder case back in the forties, Lena is a vampire hiding in plain sight and is a singer in a mob controlled club and her best friend is killed, resulting in her crossing paths with private investigator Callahan. Callahan is experiencing black outs, resulting in Lena suspecting what he may be. This leads to personal journeys, romantic journeys, and lots of conflict.

Overall, this was my first time reading a Karina Halle book and I will definitely check out more of her work! This story was well-written, was easy to follow, and overall good in my opinion. Some parts were repetitive and redundant. I rated this book a 3 because I did have a hard time getting into it, and it might just not have been for me being a time piece. Thank you Karina Halle and Netgalley for the ARC!

Everytime I read something by Karina, I love it.
This is a dark vampire romance. Add to that one of my favorite characters of a private investigator? It was made for me.
The book is set in the 1940's and is a murder mystery with a serial killer, rituals, stalking, kidnapping...its like a menu of all the fun thriller tropes we love to read and add some romance in and you have a perfect setting for this book.

Lena is the FMC and her vibe is everything for me. A singer for the mob nightclub-perfect for the 40's setting. and the spice is definitely red hot

Karina nailed it with this one.

***Overall Rating: DNF @ 70%***

At this point, I don’t know why I’m still slogging through this book. Mysteries usually have me flying through the pages to get to the reveal, but in this case, I just couldn’t care enough to continue.

The mystery of the Black Dahlia’s death and who was killing these women didn’t make me curious enough, and even the relationship (with explicit spicy scenes) between Lena and Callahan couldn’t make me feel anything except boredom. I felt so disconnected from the characters, and the pacing was too slow and flat for me.

Did I laugh? Yes. For some reason, I found it funny when Valtu, aka Dracula, was flirting/teasing Lena.

Did I cry? No.


***Swoon Score: 🦋🦋 One Sigh, No Replay***

Callahan took “touch her and die” literally

He became possessive and protective of Lena shortly after they met. He stepped in one time when he found Lena’s boyfriend Marco hurting her.


***Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Hot and Explicit***

Callahan was feral for Lena

Callahan had a little bit of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde sitch, and so far, he only gave in to his need for her when his “good guy” side was not in control. This meant those times became furious claimings because his primal side couldn’t be denied. The spicy scenes were definitely explicit, and there was even a WTF scene (at least for me) that I thought wasn’t necessary, but the author included to maybe show how vampires were supposed to be hypersexual creatures.


Do I recommend this? No, not really. Unless you’re a fan of true crime and curious enough about this take on the Black Dahlia murder.

~Thank you to NetGalley and Metal Blond Books for the review copy of this book. This is my honest review and opinion. I read the book on KU when I found out that the book had already been published.~

♥♥♥

GENRE: Paranormal
POV: Dual, 1st person
TROPES: vampires, jazz singer x private investigator, true crime inspired, touch her and die, protective MMC

I went into Nocturne really intrigued by the early 1900s setting and the backdrop of a dark, supernatural tale. The first half of the book pulled me in with the mysterious air around both Lena and Victor; their setup was very interesting and unique. However, I found myself wanting more from the characters emotionally.

I struggled to fall in love with Lena or Victor. Their dynamic was lust-charged throughout and lacked actual love, and while the spice did increase later in the story, it never quite evolved into something that made me crave them as a couple. That “epic romance” vibe I was hoping for just wasn’t there.

It also didn’t help that the vampire element — which I expected to be central — was almost non-existent in the beginning. It became more significant in the second half, but by then, I’d already started to feel a bit detached. When the secrets finally began to unravel, things turned pretty predictable. And I'm not someone who usually sees twists coming, so that says something.

I can see why readers are drawn to Nocturne. I just wanted a little more from both the romance and the plot.

(4.5/5)

Moody and atmospheric, this book ticked boxes I didn’t even know I HAD.

Seductively haunting, Nocturne can be read as a dark standalone romance set in 1940s Los Angeles where a dark murder has recently happened and its circumstances may not be as originally thought. For those who have read this authors other books, particularly the Dracula Duet, you will enjoy the nods to characters you have met before!

Lena was a phenomenal FMC, the epitome of Femme Fatale. Karina introduces to her slowly, revealing her intricacies and secrets over the course of the first third of the book. This subtle introduction really leans into the noir genre, mysterious and mesmerising, every page spent within Lena’s chapters were enthralling.

In comparison, Callahan hit the pages like a steam train. Abrupt, bold, brash and immediately likeable. He has some secrets too, but ones not even he can share.

This was my first ever Karina Halle book, but let me tell you it will not be the last.

I want to thank NetGalley, Metal Blonde Books, and Karin Halle for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The review is my own opinion and I have given this freely.

A huge thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to review Nocturne by Karina Halle in exchange for my honest review. 
What was not to love about this book ? It had it all ! Karina Halle never fails to deliver an amazing story and her new dark vampire stalker romance is once again a testament to her amazing writing !Based off on the Black Dahlia murder (a true crime that is to this day still unsolved) she takes all the right liberties to make a story suspenseful and steamy at the same time. 
Lena and Callahan dance around each other like moth to flame and it's only a matter of time before they both give in to temptation and find everything they deserve in each other !The film noir vibes from the 1947 Los Angeles and the old Hollywood aesthetic mixed with the right amount of dark romance and supernatural creatures, is a combination that you wouldn't expect to find yourself to love so much but will anyway !
Go read it for the aesthetic, the vibes and for Callahan. OH my GOD Callahan was everything !

I wanted to like this but ended up being unsure. I stopped at 93% and just returned to complete. I found the initial storyline intriguing and liked the twist and introducing previous characters but there was something about the story that didn't hold me and I was skipping pages willing for some action and plot. Not my favourite I'm afraid

I didn’t realize it tied into Halle’s vampire world, so the familiar cameos were such a fun bonus. The beginning was a bit of a slow burn, and it took me a minute to connect with the characters—but once things picked up, I was all in.

Set against the backdrop of 1940s LA and the Black Dahlia murder, Nocturne blends noir vibes, true crime, and supernatural twists. Lena and Callahan's connection grew on me, and their chemistry ended up stealing the show. Add in gangsters, secrets, and vampires, and you’ve got a gritty, atmospheric ride that feels both fresh and nostalgic.

Another win from Halle—unexpected, layered, and totally worth the ride.

The first thing that drew me in was the GORGEOUS cover! This book was unique and it had everything a girl could want in a story - vampires, a murder, and a sizzling romance… I loved it!

I picked this up because I’m a huge fan of Los Angeles in the early-to-mid century, and enjoyed the hell out of LA Noire, LA Confidential, and the works of James Ellroy.

Nocturne is something I’m not familiar with. I don’t usually read these sort of dark romance books, or romance books at all, but since it was set in a familiar place, I thought I’d give it a go.

I did enjoy it, to an extent. Although the settings and characters were very surface level (the brooding detective, the femme fatale), I thought it was an interesting concept, especially with Halle’s interpretation of a vampire.

I’m not sure how to feel about the rest though. Again, maybe I’m not built for dark romances, but there was a lot of repetition of certain things (we don’t need to know how big Callahan’s anatomy is all the time).

A very minor detail that stuck out to me was that Lena has a digital alarm clock, but those weren’t patented until 1956. Other than that, the book was alright. I genuinely liked the fact that Callahan and Lena managed to start a family, despite it all. I’m a sucker for happy endings sometimes.

Thank you to Metal Blonde Books and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you love dark romance and vampires this is for you. I loved the 1940s setting and the story that unfolded.

What an interesting standalone read with a throwback to the late 1940s in Los Angeles. Lena and Victor have an unexpected connection and soon their quest to solve a mystery builds to a relationship. The only hitch is one is a vampire….eek! As the mystery unfolds their relationship becomes consuming. Good closure but would like more on the mystery and consequences (trying not to spoil!)
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved every book I’ve read from Karina Halle, but this one just didn’t pull me in as much as they usually do. I think I was expecting something else when they described a Hollywood Noir story, or just that I found the characters to be a little wooden, it could even be that I didn’t feel like we were in post war America. The romance and the plot played out really nicely, if somewhat predictable as well as a little anticlimactic. I would definitely recommend it for those who enjoy vampire novels with twists, I just wouldn’t count on it being super suspenseful mystery it was advertised as.