3.5 - Fun Black Dahlia inspires vampire romance set in the 40s. Bit weird that they used the actual real victim’s name as a character in the story IMO. Also could have been a little shorter & it is in desperate need of more editing, but overall I enjoyed the storyline.

Nocturne is a bit of 'true crime' romance regarding the LA "Black Dahlia murder" vibes and the 1947 backdrop. I love a book that takes some history and interweaves it with romance to really bring together an unputdownable story and Karina did that in spades. Nocturne was a whimsical read. It has so many enticing elements layered throughout; you get vampires, suspense, intrigue, romance and just the right amount of spice to set the story ablaze without detracting from the emotional arc.

The way that Karina writes a story has you gripped from the prologue all the way until the last word. It doesn’t matter what type of book she’s writing I’m without a doubt reading it, and this book was no different. Karina can spin a tale that will live rent free in your mind long after you’ve finished. Her books always weave together the perfect amount of spice, intrigue, allure with her signature prose setting the backdrop for a perfect read.

Highly recommend if you love:
• True crime inspired w/a Serial Killer
• Morally gray heroes and femme fatales
• Vampires
• Forbidden romance
• Touch her and die
• with an old school movie vibes...

Nocturne is equal parts seductive and sinister. Karina Halle blends film noir, paranormal horror, and true crime into something that feels both familiar and entirely unhinged. The 1940s setting hums with cigarette smoke, secrets, and obsession, while the narrative sinks its teeth into themes of control, identity, and monstrosity.

This is not a romance in the comforting sense. It’s blood-streaked, morally off-center, and often disturbing. And that’s the point. The writing doesn’t shy away from discomfort. In fact, it thrives in it. There’s a boldness to how Halle portrays compulsion and longing, using both the supernatural and the psychological to explore the difference between desire and choice.

Fans of twisted vampire lore, unreliable narrators, and gothic suspense will devour this. But it’s not for everyone. The consent lines blur, intentionally so. The violence is graphic. The romance is jagged. And the line between love and hunger is razor thin.

If that intrigues rather than deters you, welcome to the dark.

I loved that this semi-dark romance is also sort of historical fiction. I, like many people, am fascinated by the Black Dahlia, so that was one of the reasons that drew my attention to this book. The other was the stalker element. This is my first Karina Halle book--I'd never seen anything by her before but I was really excited to discover her and have my wish granted for this title! Her books are well-written and entertaining, so I'm looking forward to reading more of hers.

I enjoyed the relationship between Lena and Victor, as well as her friendships and this universe of vampires. There was plenty of spice and that plot twist with his sisters had me VERY disturbed, which for me is always a good sign. I do wish we'd gotten more of the stalker portion, since it seemed that it was going to be a big plot point based off the book description. To me, it felt underwhelming. I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect and enjoyed its connection to the vampire side of the story. I thought this book would be darker than it was, but there was a disclaimer about that at the beginning. Unfortunately, it didn't pull me in as much as I hoped it would, but I still enjoyed it and plan on reading more of Halle's books.

3.5 stars ⭐️ Vampires, true crime, and 1940s Hollywood…give it to me.

Overall, this did hit the spot because I have really been craving a solid vampire book—a request to please bring back the late 2000s era vampires—and Nocturne delivered. It was a fun mix of spice and blood!

This was my first Karina Halle book, and while I enjoyed it, it may have been a little too drawn out for my taste. But she has written so many other books on my TBR that I am even more excited to try now. Maybe Grave Matter is next?

If you like me and are missing Twilight era vamps rn, I would highly recommend Nocturne. It was a good nostalgia hit.

Thank you to Metal Blonde Books for granting my wish for this ARC and for the opportunity to give my candid feedback.

devoured this book. From the moment I saw it was a 1940s vampire murder mystery with a private investigator MMC and a singer/vampire FMC? I was in. Add in cults, stalking, blood, blackouts, primal urges, and the “you’re mine” trope? You might as well have handed me a drink and dimmed the lights.

The vibes? Immaculate noir. Think The Black Dahlia meets Underworld, but in Karina Halle’s twisted, atmospheric universe where danger and desire blur at the edges.

Lena was everything I love in a heroine—elegant and deadly, terrified but still brave, hiding in plain sight while the world turns against her. And Callahan? God, I love an unreliable narrator. His blackouts, his confusion, the creeping dread that he might be the monster he’s hunting—it kept me absolutely hooked. His POV felt like piecing together a dream you’re scared to remember.

Their connection? Instant. Tense. Deliciously messy. I lived for their dynamic—how they trusted each other even when they couldn’t trust themselves. The “you came.” “Always.” line? Destroyed me in the best way. I need someone to love me like that, thanks.

And then Valtu showed up. One of my favorite vampires of all time just casually walking into the story like he owns the place (he does). I squealed. Seeing him, Abe, Wolf—it felt like coming home to a darker, bloodier chosen family. I love how Karina ties all her worlds together without ever making it feel forced.

There were a few parts where I wished for just a bit more—maybe a little more depth in the climax or a longer resolution—but honestly? I was too deep in to care much. This book was violent, erotic, mysterious, and emotionally gripping. Classic KH.

Final thoughts?
If you love dark paranormal romance with noir mystery, broken heroes, bold heroines, bloodlust, danger, and vibes that crawl under your skin… this one’s for you. It’s spicy. It’s bloody. And it’s begging for a reread.

I’m already low-key hoping Karina writes more in this exact time period with these characters. I’m not done with them—and I don’t think they’re done with me either.

𝔑𝔬𝔠𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢 𝔟𝔶 𝔎𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫𝔞 ℌ𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔢
4/5! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

ִֶָ. ..𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ🦇་༘࿐

Hello hot, steamy, possessive vampire romance with a side of 1940's Hollywood glamour, mafia vibes and thriller bits thrown into it.

I love Karina Halle. Everything I had read by her is just a good time. This was no exception. This is based off the Black Dahlia Murder.......but twist it up and add vampires. Lena and Callahan, our two main protagonists, are a power couple working to solve the mystery of one of Lena's good friends, Betty. Along the way, Lena, our vampire, begins to suspect some things about Callahan that he may not know about himself, and whewwwwwww things get steamy.

“I’m going to ruin you,” he says through gritted teeth. “Ruin you for anyone else.”


...riiiiiiiiight.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Anyways, if you're a true crime girlie like me, but also love a bit of romance, glamour and fantasy thrown in....pick this uppppp! It was action-packed, the steam was steaming, and the vibes were perfect. Thank you Karina for another great read.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

There are times when vampire books, especially featuring detectives or police, seem to have vampire added as an afterthought. This is one of those books. I think there was enough spice and plot for the story to stand on its own and it should have.

(Also the playlist should have been era appropriate to immerse the reader. )

This book was amazing! I think the best arc I've ever received. I was hooked from the start. Murder mystery type books aren't usually my thing but the cross into dark romance and fantasy made ir so freaking good and captivating.

Do you love old Hollywood, film noir, true crime and vampires?

This book has all of them! It was such an interesting way to explore the Black Dahlia case and turn it into something new and hopeful. The setting of this book is so dreamy and really pulls you in from the start. The added vampire aspect was fun and interesting and Lena’s vampire friends are definitely my favorite characters. This story follow Lena as she is trying to get to the bottom of her dear friend’s murder, along the way she is tangled up in the web of vampire society and feuding families.

OBVIOUSLY you can write a fictionalized account of The Black Dahlia Murder and add in a vampire component. And OBVIOUSLY I’m going to like it.

Honestly I’m surprised this hasn’t been done before (to my knowledge, I could be wrong!) because it seems like such a natural combination of things given the facts of the real case.

Karina continues to write A+ smut, I loved the small queer component, and the flow of the story in general.

If you’re a fan of true crime and vampires, and can also separate facts of a case for a fictional “retelling,” you’ll really enjoy this one too!

Nocturne is a paranormal romance and mystery based off on the Black Dahlia murder case. The story is set in 1940's Los Angeles, following jazz singer Lena Reid, best friend of a murder victim and a private investigator, Victor Callahan, who's looking for answers to solve the case. All signs starts to point to Lena but she is no ordinary suspect, being a vampire and all. Lena and Callahan work together to unravel the events of what really happened that night but with both hiding secrets, not everything is what it seems.

True crime with vampires?? Sign me up! Give me all the moody and dark atmosphere vibes, and the forbidden romance that I can't resist. Both Lena and Callahan are intriguing characters and well written. I did find some parts a little slow, but it was still an enjoyable read. On my way to go read Karina Halle's entire backlog and any future releases because this did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

i’m torn on my exact feelings about this book. i didn’t care much for the romance. i love karina halle’s writing, but i think ultimately this book just wasn’t for me. it was well thought out, and incredibly well written but i don’t think im into the whole vampire thing. i would definitely recommend it to others, but it isn’t my favorite of hers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Karina Halle for the advance copy.

Nocturne absolutely left me a bit speechless. I am the first to tell you I’m not the biggest fan of vampire romances but this one was darkly delicious.

I have to begin by saying BLACK DAHLIA REIMAGINING!! Yes please! Karina did a fantastic job of creating the 1940’s world. It honestly felt like I was in Hollywood in the 40’s watching everything play out.

Characters and development was very well done. The MMC is a private investigator, investigating the Black Dahlia murder and the FMC is a vampire, jazz singer who was also the best friend of Elizabeth Short. Obviously they “connect” in a spicy as heck way with great chemistry and tension.

The plot was dark and twisty filled with so much mystery, rituals, sacrifices, vampires, witches, magic, suspense and a whole ton more.

Loved it and I can highly recommend to any dark romance reader.

This was a little too spicy for my taste but I did enjoy the vampires, Black Dahlia murder twists and the Hollywood noir vibes!

Lounge singer Lena Reid led a simple, insulated life. She sang at night and kept company with her mob boss boyfriend, otherwise she worked very hard to keep a low profile and blend in. Because Lena was not just a lounge singer, she was a vampire, constantly fighting to ensure no one discovered her secret.

Her world is changed when her friend is brutally murdered and she is sought by a private investigator, Callahan, who was hired by the family. Together, they navigate the case and their feelings for one another, as they try and figure out who murdered Lena’s friend.

As a mystery/suspense, the book held my attention. I loved the post WW1 setting, the old Hollywood feel to the story. I was captivated by the Lena and Callahan’s individual story lines, especially as Callahan tries to solve another mystery: why is he losing time? To me, there were three plot lines in this book: the murder(s), Lena’s journey, and Callahan’s journey. These storylines intermingle into a satisfying conclusion, one with an epilogue that made me wonder if there would be a continuation in the Nocturne series, perhaps with another couple.

I did struggle with the development of Lena and Callahan’s relationship. Their dynamic felt more successful when they were investigating the murders. The romantic chemistry fell flat for me. They have a happy ending, though.

Thank you to NetGalley, Karina Halle and Metal Blonde Books for giving me the opportunity to read Nocturne!

Where has Karina Halle been my whole life? This book was amazing! I loved everything—the story, the mystery, the conflict, the writing, the spice, the characters and (especially) the time period it as set in (1940s) This book was unique, addictive and amazing! I can not wait to devour this author’s backlist!!! I received this book from Metal Blonde books and Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Karina Halle for the ARC!

𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞. 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐲, 𝐚 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫. 𝐀 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞.

I loved this book. It's a spin off from Karina Halle's previous Dracula Duet but you don't need to have read that to enjoy this one.

I really loved the premise of a Black Dahlia inspired vampire story. The time frame in the 40's was so sexy and it really set the stage. You can really visualize the time, the place, the characters.

Victor Callahan is a PI on the hunt to find the Black Dahlia's killer, and Lena is a singer at a club and is also looking for the killer of her best friend. The two join forces in a way and Victor's obsession with Lena grows...

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐞, 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭⁠—

This book is dark and sexy and super spicy. It's a vampire who-done-it, with a lot of interesting twists and turns. Highly recommend!

2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you, NetGalley and Karina Halle, for the e-copy of Nocturne! I’m sorry I didn’t enjoy this book in its entirety.

DNF @ 65%. I was actually enjoying this book for the most part until around the 50% mark. It just seemed to go downhill from there.

It felt like a slow burn romance at the beginning and then BAM! Extremely rough spiciness. I felt like a dick smacked my own face through the pages. Okay, I can get past that. I recovered. The plot was alright to me. Until I got to the part where the sister vampires are basically sexually assaulting the FMC and the MMC via vampire mind control. It would have been alright with me if they used their vampire mind control to make the FMC and MMC have sex. Weird but okay, sure. But to make the sister vampire villains subdue them with their mind control powers so they can go down on them, make them have sex, and then eat the MMC’s ass without question? Hello? Every single part of the sex scenes in this book gave me whiplash. I wish I would have known about the nonconsensual sex acts via vampire mind control and borderline incest before requesting this book.

It’s so disappointing because I was actually loving the storyline, but it just started to feel lazy in the end so the gaps were filled with bizarre sexual acts that I’d rather not read about again. I also felt a little icky towards the fact that this is based around The Black Dahlia Murder. Listen, I love true crime as much as the next housewife, but it feels a little distasteful to write SUCH a smutty book surrounding it. Elizabeth Short was a real, breathing human being who was used, abused, and left on display. Imagine you get brutally murdered(and that’s an understatement of what happened to her) and someone writes a book based off of said murder but the book is mostly just about horny vampires who smoke cigarettes and lack self control.

2.5 stars because the plot was interesting enough, and the book was written well, but I’m pretty disappointed overall and left with an icky feeling after reading only 65% and decided I couldn’t stomach that feeling anymore.

**disclaimer: I received this e-copy through NetGalley from Karina Halle and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**

This was such an interesting take on an infamous case, mix it with vampires and the supernatural and its a solid plot. For whatever reason, I struggled through this. I'm not sure if it was just bad timing or I just didn't connect with the plot or the characters but it seemed to drag for a long time. By the time things got really interesting, I was pretty checked out of the story and just couldn't find myself caring about it. I know so many people loved this book and this very well could be a me issue.