Soul of the Night by Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain is a homoerotic paranormal romance set in the late eighteen hundreds.

San Francisco with its frequent enclosing fog is home to many strange and unknown creatures that prey on the people that live there, some human and some not. Gobei is a ghoul that has lived in San Francisco for a long time and recognizes the work of the Poisoned Dragon, an inhuman creature who preys on and viciously kills people. Gobie meets up with Kiyoshi a vampire that he has known for longer than he can remember. Kiyoshi feels the power and is drawn towards the Poison Dragon for better or worse. Kiyoshi remembers back to times long past and then thinks about how his present happiness began.

Eight years earlier in Japan, Kiyoshi is walking through a village when he hears an uproar and he goes to see what is happening. Kiyoshi learns that that this man is none other than Ryuhei Nakamura, a famous Kabuki actor that he has long admired. Kiyoshi invites Ryu out for Sake and they end up spending intimate time together. Ryu and Kiyoshi realize that in spite of their differences they are drawn towards each other, fulfilling an emptiness that they each feel. Kiyoshi decides to stay with Ryu in spite of his reservations.

Present time, Kiyoshi finds himself still with Ryu who continues to be very temperamental and difficult for all to deal with except Kiyoshi. Ryu and Kiyoshi are actors in a Kabuki theater that is presently performing for the Japanese people in San Francisco. Things quickly get out of control when multiple murders take place and Kiyoshi comes under scrutiny as a possible suspect.

Ms. Sheridan and Ms. Cain have created a very visual and intriguing would that captures the reader from the very start. The very visual writing style in addition to the artwork that accompanies the story work together to bring the story alive for the reader. The characters of Kiyoshi and Ryu are seen as flawless foils for each other and are perfect for one other. Ryu is the epitome of the eccentric and spoiled star, but underneath he has the same needs for love that everyone has. Kiyoshi may be a vampire, but he is also loving and very tolerant of all the frailties that he sees and loves in Ryu. Add the traditional Japanese theater and culture and you have a book that is not only creative, but also spellbinding to the reader.

Reviewed by: Teresa