THE COWBOY AND THE VAMPIRE: ROUGH TRAILS AND SHALLOW GRAVES is the third instalment in the series, so be forewarned: this review could contain spoilers for those who haven't read the two previous books. Tucker, Lizzie and Rex are on their way back home to LonePine, Wyoming, along with their friend, Lenny the weapons expert, and Russian vampire Rurik whose mission is to protect the vampire Queen.

At long last, Lizzie and Tucker will be getting married, not in a very romantic way, but safety prevails: it will be at a truck stop, with very few guests and at night, obviously. Things don't go exactly as planned: our friends are ambushed, and while they are incapacitated, Lizzie disappears. Elita soon joins them in their search for the missing Lizzie, to ensure that she comes to no harm, and that the vampires existence remains unthreatened. While searching for Lizzie, it seems there might be some news regarding the whereabouts of Tucker's long-lost brother, Travis.

Lizzie has been abducted and taken to a medical compound at a secret location. Her tormentor, Dr. Louisa Burkett, tries to convince her that she's mentally ill, and that she is not a vampire. The mad doctor believes her patient's unusual constitution could unveil the workings of the unconscious mind, her lifelong quest while her boss, the evil billionaire Auscor Kingman, has set his sights on a drug to halt the aging process.

THE COWBOY AND THE VAMPIRE: ROUGH TRAILS AND SHALLOW GRAVES is particularly well written, even more so than the previous books; there are a few passages that are quite lyrical and philosophical. The camp element is still present, the dialogues are as funny, but there are a few heartbreaking moments as well. The authors remain true to their world- building, adding a few more layers, and the new characters are compelling. I must admit I was taken aback at the turn of events in the last few chapters and I certainly did not see the ending coming!