Melissa F. Olson’s paranormal fantasy novel “Midnight Curse” takes traditional theories and mythologies surrounding vampires, altering them to suit a modern audience.

While this is the first book in the Disrupted Magic series, it is not the first involving the main character, Scarlett Bernard.

Scarlett Bernard cleans up the mess of the Old World, which contains magical creatures like vampires, witches, and werewolves. There are rules to the world that must be followed or they risk exposure to the human world. When these rules are broken, the issue is brought to the Vampire Trials, which is a two-day trial for those in the Old World to tell their grievances.

The day before the trials, Scarlett receives a message from her former roommate, Molly. As Scarlett arrives at Molly’s home, she senses something is off – and walks into the home to find Molly at the center of a travesty.  

Despite the circumstantial evidence, Scarlett refuses to believe Molly is responsible for what occurred. Scarlett seeks the help of an old detective friend to unravel a complicated mystery.

The plot was relatively refreshing and full of continuous action. Olson utilizes traditional concepts of vampires, witches, and werewolves, but she adds a modernized twist to intrigue young audiences.

The story, itself, is based in Los Angeles, a place where an entire world can be completely hidden from other people. One part of this world inThis includes a vampire sex slave operation that is discovered early on.

And while this novel does not serve as our introduction to Scarlett Bernard (exemplified by the references to previous novels), Olsen uses interactions with other characters to fill in the gaps for newcomers to Scarlett’s story. 

It was well-written in general, but even more so with the backstory worked in. Constant action can be seen as jarring to readers, but Olsen works it in well and creates an even flow of plot development and adrenaline rushes.

The characters are also well developed and show depth in their personality. This gives the reader the ability to attach to the characters throughout the story, creating an emotional ride during the action-packed novel. These attachments allow us to really understand why Scarlett is doing all she is: attempting to save an old friend’s life and stay within the restrictions of the Old World.

Overall, this well-written novel is high on the recommendation list.