The Dead Travel Fast

By Deanna Raybourn

A husband, a family, a comfortable life: Theodora Lestrange lives in terror of it all

With a modest inheritance and the three gowns that comprise her entire wardrobe, Theodora leaves Edinburghand a disappointed suitorfar behind. She is bound for Rumania, where tales of vampires are still whispered, to visit an old friend and write the book that will bring her true independence.

She arrives at a magnificent, decaying castle in the Carpathians, replete with eccentric inhabitants: the ailing dowager; the troubled steward; her own fearful friend, Cosmina. But all are outstripped in dark glamour by the castle's master, Count Andrei Dragulescu.

Bewildering and bewitching in equal measure, the brooding nobleman ignites Theodora's imagination and awakens passions in her that she can neither deny nor conceal. His allure is superlative, his dominion over the superstitious town, absoluteTheodora may simply be one more person under his sway.

Before her sojourn is endedor her novel completedTheodora will have encountered things as strange and terrible as they are seductive. For obsession can prove fatal and she is in danger of falling prey to more than desire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
• Release date: Aug 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781459248076

Deanna Raybourn

New York Times bestselling author Deanna Raybourn graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a double major in English and history and an emphasis on Shakespearean studies. She taught high school English for three years in San Antonio before leaving education to pursue a career as a novelist. Deanna makes her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband and daughter and is hard at work on her next novel.

Reviews for The Dead Travel Fast

[thewalkinggirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Synopsis: After her father's death, Theodora Lestrange leaves Edinburgh to visit a childhood friend in Roumania and work on her novel. There, she meets the brooding Count Andrei Dragulescu. Gothic hijinks ensue.The eerie tone is set as soon as Theodora enters Transylvania:"The water flows from springs through the graveyards and into the town, its purity contaminated by the dead." and continues throughout descriptions of the decayed castle:"The candlelight gloom concealed the tarnish and moth I had detected by daylight, and the fire burning in the tremendous hearth and the great dog lounging beside it lent an air of medieval grandeur."Similarly eery is her host, the Count Dragulescu. Recently returned to the castle after his father's death, the count had spent the past decade debauching around Paris, using Casanova and Baudelaire as his role models. At this point I was glad to be reading this for the Gothic aspects rather than the romance, as... ugh, not my scene. But I'm not the heroine of this particular story, Theodora is, and she had a much different response to the count:"I dipped a spoon into the pudding and took a bite. It melted, creamy and luxurious against my tongue, the comfort of a nursery pudding dissolving into something quite exotic and otherworldly. What had been bland and uninspiring in Scotland here was mysterious and almost sensual. It seemed a fitting metaphor for the place itself, I decided with a flick of my gaze towards the count. I dipped my spoon again and gave myself up to the pleasures of the table."Indeed, Theodora seems to relish her time in this strange land with its unexpected sensuality and danger, learning about the myths of werewolves and strigoi (vampires) with the same fascination as she learned about the local black apples. (Albeit with less doubts, vis à vis the apples.)Even after learning that the count's late father might be a strigoi, out to destroy everyone who carries his blood, including his pregnant mistress/housemaid, Theodora becomes more immersed in the mystery and danger of the castle and its inhabitants. The count, of course, picks up on Theodora's Gothic fascination, and structures his seduction accordingly:"Is it so terrible to believe in the dark and terrible things you have been told of? Fear and passion walk hand in hand, you know. We are afraid of being destroyed, being possessed, and yet we crave it. What child has not thrilled to ghost stories whispered under the bedclothes by the dark of the moon? And what man or woman has not longed to be lost in the wood and found again?I shook my head. "You speak in riddles and I do not understand you.He leaned forward, his grey eyes quite black in the shadowy room. "Then let me speak plainly. You are afraid here and you do not know what to believe. I have told you that I will protect you. You have only to trust me and you will be free to enjoy your fears."Honestly, while I did mostly enjoy Theodora and Andrei's interaction, her endless ruminations about the relationship did start to wear on me after awhile. Which is why I was happy when condescending Charles (her publisher and not-quite-fiancé) arrives from Edinburgh to find out what's going on. I think he's supposed to be the level-headed nice boy in the love triangle, but since Theodora isn't really interested in him romantically, he serves more as a safety net for her in case she needs an out.But his arrival also serves as a catalyst for the plot to really start, which I welcomed. A creepy atmosphere is all well and good, but story progression is also nice. Without spoiling things, what followed includes an attempted murder, more rumors of strigoi, betrayal, secret passages, a flight through the woods, poison, and a dog rescue. (Fun!)Overall, I really enjoyed the author's writing style: While modern enough to be more accessible than its 19th century counterparts, it has the classic Gothic pacing and atmospheric tone, a mix of scary and sensual that made me smell the juniper and basil, and wonder what new monstrous thing would be unveiled next.

[suetara · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the Julia Grey novels by Deanna Raybourn, and enjoyed this standalone book. However, I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a supernatural thriller, gothic novel or mystery novel. Even so, a good read.

[lexxa83 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A stand alone book by the author of my beloved Julia Grey series. This book is wonderful filled with the supernatural, a fiercely independent heroine, mysterious hero and several plot twists that keep the reader guessing. The ending was also fantastic, which is what usually seals the deal on whether I like a book or not. I can't wait to see what other books Ms. Raybourn brings to her readers in the future.

[ut0tecum0loquerer · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Very much a gothic novel, which I have always found tiresome.

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As a fan of Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey series, I thought it would be interesting to see what she did with something new. When I read the synopsis, however, I was concerned because it felt like Raybourn was finding a way to capitalize off the highly popular vampire romance genre. While I know that Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey series is very different from Twilight, in today's book market it's tough to not compare any vampire novel to Twilight. Perhaps Raybourn chose vampires to drawn in genre fans; what she ended delivering was something more reminiscent of the classic Dracula novel crossed with the Lady Julia Grey series.In The Dead Travel Fast, headstrong Theodora Lestrange must find something to do with herself before her dear brother-in-law marries her off to the first eligible bachelor. Theodora heads to exotic Transylvania to visit with a childhood friend. There she meets the mysterious and seductive Count Andrei Dragulescu, her friend's intended, who just happens to be related to those in the Dragulescu family, which much of the Dracula legend is based off of. After the shocking and vampiric death of a servant girl, Theodora sets out to solve the mystery of the mysterious Transylvanian vampires while trying to balance her feelings for Count Andrei.Highly atmospheric, The Dead Travel Fast provokes old gothic mysteries, somewhat in the vein of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, Dracula, the superstitions behind the original vampire myth -and Raybourn's original heroine, Lady Julia Grey. I wouldn't say that this book was better than Lady Julia Grey, it's somewhat in the same vein, but not as engaging -even somewhat repetitive in comparison. This book also starts a little slow, and does become interesting, but just doesn't quite to get the level of the Raybourn's other novels.I'm not sure if I would read the sequels, but fans of these Victorian mystery/gothic novels will eat up The Dead Travel Fast, but it just didn't get me excited. While I was glad that this goes back to the original Dracula legend, I'm frankly a little tired of vampire novels -there's just too many floating around out there right now.

[madonnasue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not as believable as her Julia Grey series. Although I think it stretched the imagination and left you wondering whether certain tales told were meant to be believed as true or as fantasy. I enjoyed it.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Deanna Raybourn is quickly becoming one of my favorite mystery writers. I have devoured most of her Lady Julia series and embarked on this stand-alone novel. While I did not like The Dead Travel Fast as well as I did the Lady Julia novels, it is nevertheless a good read and I had a lot of fun reading it. Written in the tradition of Gothic novels, set in Transylvania, and filled with legends of vampires and werewolves, The Dead Travel Fast is a good tale, even if it lacks the vivacity of Raybourn's other works.

[weaselofdoom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have stumbled upon Deanna Raybourn after seeing rave reviews of her Lady Julie Grey books on AllAboutRomance.com, and really enjoyed them. So, when I won a copy of her stand-alone novel, The Dead Travel Fast, from LibraryThing.com's Early Reviewers Program, I was ecstatic. I got the book, read it, and then life interfered and here I am, a year later, finally reviewing it.Theodora Lestrange is a non-nonsense young Scotswoman who wants to be a writer. She does to Transylvania to visit her friend, and discovers herself in a Gothic castle complete with a mysterious Count and supernatural happenings.Deanna Raybourn has stated that "The Dead Travel Fast" is her homage to the Victorian Gothic Romances, and she does a great job of that. However, I had a hard time getting into the romance, and some information pertaining to the villain should have been made known a lot sooner, in order for it to be believable.

[peleluna · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not a bad summer read courtesy of Early Reviewers. I couldn't decide if the author wanted to go the Gothic Romance route or the supernatural one. The book certainly works as the former, but struggles as the latter. I expected a vampire read, but was pleasantly surprised for a gothic read. The story was engaging, but the transitions were a bit choppy and certain premises weren't fully developed (e.g., Cosmina's sudden personality shift, the romance between Theodora and Andrei, Florian's reconciliation of his music career and his present life). The book had a lot of potential, but wasn't focused on what direction it wanted to take, except for an ending that was expected.

[cherryblossommj_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In 2007, thanks to Michelle Moran's blog I discovered "Silent in the Grave", the first in the Julia Grey series. Then I impatiently waited and read "Silent in the Sanctuary" within days of the release and considered myself a real fan of Deanna Raybourn. After reading the third book in the Julia Grey series "Silent on the Moor" I could not wait for more. When I found out that author Deanna Raybourn would be writing a different book off of the Julia Grey series, I was intrigued, but uncertain.Finally, I had my hands on an ARC of "The Dead Travel Fast". I was still curious but cautious. Whenever you really get into an author for one series, you never know as a reader if it is the author or the characters that you are so enamored with. While reading TDTF I can tell you that I absolutely love the Lady Julia Grey character and miss her and look forward to more from her... but it is definitely the story telling voice of Deanna that captures the audience and makes them reading her stories with rapid page turning succession.Having such enchanted locations such as Edinburgh and Transylvania, a new Raybourn heroine Theodora draws a reader in with a storytelling voice of strength that intrigues for more. Each chapter provides great depth of description that begs for more. It is truly a mystery and one can hardly know what is indeed fact or farce for the characters. It is truly enjoyable to read a tale where the mystery is not revealed too easily and suppositions go round and round.Theordora Lestrange is no Lady Julia, and the bewitching Count Andrei Dragulescu is no Brisbane, but they carry their force and are alluring on their own. And on a final thought, there could not have been a better ending, and I indeed did not see it coming.*Thanks to author Deanna Raybourn and Stephanie of Nancy Berland PR for providing a copy for review.*

[revslick_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Most people are familiar with Deanna Raybourn's Lady Julia Grey mysteries. This novel takes some elements from them like a strong leading lady and a nice lead in to a mystery to be solved. Unfortunately, this novel doesn't hold up as well as her Lady Julia series. It is still a nice easy read because she has a good sense for telling an engrossing story. The writing feels natural and progresses great until the last 30 pages, which tries to wrap everything up too soon. Personally, I think the author can't decide whether to go all out supernatural thriller or scientific sleuthing. One can do both but both have to be held in balance, which the author doesn't. In short, it is still a nice read, but Deanna could have pushed the supernatural boundaries a little more and had a good story turn great.

[justabookreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Theodora Lestrange is a woman alone but she’s not unhappy with her status. She intends to pursue her writing and hopes to make a living at it. For a woman in 1858, it’s an admirable but tough choice to make. Unfortunately, her brother-in-law doesn’t consider this normal and feels that something should be done. When Theodora receives a letter from an old friend asking her to come and visit her in Transylvania, she decides that it’s the change she needs and takes off for the strange land. Once there, she finds herself in an old, drafty castle with a Count and Countess, wolves, rumors of the dead returning, and a death in the castle. Theodora finds herself drawn into the strange world these people inhabit and dares to fall in love with the Count.I haven’t read anything by Raybourn and have heard that it would be best to start with the Lady Julia Grey series. I ignored that and went right for this one, mostly because that’s what my library had. I can’t say it was better or worse than any of the others not having read them, but I found this one to be a good distraction of a read. Theodora was interesting in that she’s not the typical woman of the time. She’s outspoken, has a career, and has no interest in marriage or children. I did find it odd that she was a writer that didn’t seem to write much though. It’s mentioned here and there that she spent a morning or afternoon writing but it doesn’t feel part of the character. In the end, there is a book but it feels tacked on a bit as if it was meant to remind you all along that she was a writer. While there is talk of vampires and werewolves, the folk tales and rumors don’t feel fully developed and the love story, which feels like it should be a much larger piece, feels a little stifled. The character of Theodora also had a small but annoying habit of saying, “I warmed to my theme…” when she was arguing, disagreeing, or trying to prove a point. She may have been warmed, but I felt annoyed by it. Not sure why it bothered me so much but it did. I don’t want this to turn into a negative review because it’s not. I flew through this book in a day so I can’t say that I didn’t like it. There were several aspects though that didn’t feel fully put together though. I do think I will seek out a few of her other books and give them a try when I have a chance. There was something that made this compulsively readable and I want to see what else she has to offer.

[fantasydreamer_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Dead Travel Fast is my first Deanna Raybourn novel and found that I really enjoyed her writing style. The writing flowed very well and kept me turning the pages. Little teasers of paranormal tidbits were dropped throughout the story while Theodora found ways to rationalize anything that was out of the ordinary. That provide a nice balance to the story.The one quibble I had with this book is the romance between Theodora and Count Andrei. I felt a few of their scenes together were a bit abrupt and the attraction between the two wasn't palpable for me. I felt there wasn't enough details or reasons provided for the deep romance that was suppose to be depicted.With the romance aspect aside, the novel was an enjoyable read, and though I wished the paranormal aspects of the novel had been played up a bit more, I just might pick up Deanna Raybourn's first Lady Julia novel.

[lilk_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Dead Travel Fast – Author: Raybourn, DeannaTheodroa Lastrange travels to a castle in the Carpathian Mountains at the invitation of her school-days friend, Cosmina. There she finds an old castle, an aristocratic family, and a count to which she is mysteriously attracted to. She also finds superstition and dark tales of werewolves and vampires and was involved in the destruction of an alleged vampire. My feelings, about this book were mixed and changed almost page to page. Parts of the story are very good; wonderfully written, touching, emotionally and thoroughly engrossing but sometimes not complete.It is difficult when you read for character, and the only character you really feel any attraction for is a lesser character, Count Charles. Rather than Ms. Lastrange being gutsy and independent, I found her to be wimpy, particularly in her attraction to the Count. On the plus side, there were some scenes that were very well done; for the most part I appreciated her explanation for some of the “supernatural’ events that were portrayed in the book. I’m on the fence with this one, it was okay.

[nvrlvedurmind · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Dead Travel Fast is the story of Theodora who finds herself in a castle in Transylvania where she hopes to find inspiration for a book. There she encounters murder, vampires, mystery and what she longs for the most: passion. She quickly falls in love with Count Andrei, the master of the castle. Personally, I don't really know what to make of it. It is well written but it quickly changed plots going from a vampire story, to a romance, to a mystery one and I don't think any of those routes were followed through, I felt the ending was rushed.

[cfoxylady · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

All you need for a great read; a big castle, a handsome Count, and a good mystery.

[stonecoldfoxonfire · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Dead Travel Fast isn't quite a bodice-ripper, but it might as well be. Raybourn creates a gorgeous setting for her gothic piece set in Victorian Transylvania. Protagonist Theodora represents the "new woman" of the time period, while Count Dragulescu is your standard tall, dark, handsome, and tortured love interest. Nothing about this book is incredibly orginial, and the vampire motif in general is way past overdone in today's literature. However, fans of the genre will enjoy the clever banter between the two leads. Raybourne seems to know her history; it's not an unintelligent read, nor is it boring. It's biggest flaw is that it simply isn't breaking any new ground.

[girlmisanthrope · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An anachronistically driven heroine who solves a murder in superstitious Transylvania and finds love in the process. While I appreciated her character development and her descriptions of eastern Europe were well-developed, I just couldn't get past the author's lines like these:"He was a creature of mystery...a conundrum no mere mortal could hope to solve.""...when I drew his clothes away with impatient fingers, I could have wept at the beauty of him."Bleck! Too cliched, too melodramatic. It's "Twilight Circa 1870".

[litfan_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I struggled with how to rate this book. The first third drew me in instantly: a spirited heroine goes to a creepy, centuries-old castle in Transylvania to attend her friend’s wedding and work on her novel. The setting was well-described by the author such that you feel you’re there. There’s good slow, suspenseful build-up to the mysteries that surround the house and the family of the Count, to whom Theodora is instantly attracted. The middle part of the book seemed to drag; some of Theodora’s behavior was so out of character from how she had initially been presented, that at times I found her irritating. It seemed like the author was trying to show how living in such a haunting atmosphere would affect someone’s character, but it was so jolting that it didn’t seem realistic. Characterization was sacrificed in the interest of plot development.The last part picked up again, with some thrilling plot twists that I didn’t see coming (and I can usually spot them miles away). It regained the momentum of the first part of the book, along with the spine-tingling anticipation and suspense. The good qualities of the book include a wonderfully rendered Gothic atmosphere, romance, and suspense. I would have given it four stars, if not for the middle third. Worth reading, particularly if you like mysteries, but it could definitely have been more even with more attention to consistent character development.

[igjoe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this to be a surprisingly wonderful book. It seems everyone is trying to get in on the 'vampire' craze of today, but this book stands alone. Thrilling characters, fabulous plot twists. I devoured this novel in just two nights. It had a very classic feel, but still remained fresh and unique. I have never read any of Ms. Raybourn's novels before this and now I am inspired to pick up some of her other works. Can't wait!

[jubercat · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

What a huge disappointment after the Gray/Brisbane series. I found it to be very silly, especially the names of the main characters. It felt like a parody of a gothic novel. I had to skim to finish it. Sorry, Ms. Raybourn, I really wanted to like it.

[fiaminggiory · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'd first like to say that I often page through a book before reading it.. sometimes to fully experience that "New Book Smell," sometimes just to see if there is anything eye-catching in the pages. So I almost immediately found the Reader's Guide questions at the end of the book, and I loved it. I think it's wonderful to include something like that in a book, of course I didn't understand them all when I first saw them. But it was certainly nice to re-think about parts of the book after knowing the end result, to see the little clues that popped up during the course of the story, etc.I pretty much devoured this book. I loved the writing style, the prose, half the time I honestly felt like I was in the time period mentioned. And the descriptions of the castle and the town around it - ahhh, I want to go! It made me feel almost homesick for a place I've never been, and definitely never lived. The setting was described a few times as like from a fairytale, and I can just about picture it. As much as I loved the writing, it was also the only place I could find any fault or issue, and what a small one it is. I noticed a few phrases used maybe a few too many times. For example, the author used "stomach turned to water" several times, and maybe it was just me, but it kept making me pause after the first few times it was used. The phrase wasn't used out of place, it just took me out of the story when it was used. But frankly, that's such a small thing, it wasn't nearly enough to make me dislike the book in the slightest.And I loved the mystery element to the story. Was it really a vampire? Were all the myths circulating the area just that - myths? Or true stories passed down so people didn't forget what had happened, and could happen again. Or maybe it wasn't a vampire. Maybe it was just some twisted person. These points were foremost on Theodora's mind for a good portion of her vacation. And I loved that we got the same amount of information as Theodora did, so we could try to figure out the big mystery for ourselves.I'm going to give "The Dead Travel Fast" by Deanna Raybourn a FOUR out of FIVE. I really did love this book. I hope to check out more by this author sometime soon. Especially if more of her novels have such an interesting supernatural spin on things.

[bookmagic_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Theodora Lestrange is living with her sister and brother-in-law in Scotland unsure of what is next in her life. She is trying to make a living as a writer, not easy in Victorian times. Her sister wants her to find someone to marry and her publisher has proposed marriage to her. But while Theodora is fond of him, she wants true love. So when a former school friend, Cosmina invites her to stay with her for several months in a castle in Transylvania, Theodora jumps at the chance. She thinks the atmosphere will be perfect for the novel she wants to write. She is immediately attracted to the strange Count Andrei Dragulescu, Cosmina's cousin. But Theodora finds that the stories Cosmina used to tell her in school are not just considered folklore by the townspeople and that they believe in werewolves and vampires. After a maid in the castle is found dead with fang marks in her neck, Theodora is unsure what to believe.my review: I enjoyed the author's Lady Julia series and was unsure what to expect of this novel. But I really liked the Gothic atmosphere and the creepy characters. Theodora is young but knows what she wants. I liked her a lot. I also thought Andrei sounded sexy even while I wondered if he was a vampire.I know some have been disappointed in this novel as compared to her series but I think I liked this one better. It was deliciously creepy and as it is a stand alone novel it didn't get bogged down with setting things up for future books. Of course I liked Theodora and Andrei so much that I would like it to be a series but then their relationship would have dragged on like Lady Julia and Nicholas Brisbane.This is not a paranormal book but a dark, thriller in an excellent setting. It seemed like the author really did her research and created a fantastic mystery. I would have loved to stay in a castle in Transylvania though I would have been scared silly. I thought that the ending had some nice twists and I was unsure what to expect for much of this novel. It was worth the read alone for the atmosphere but Raybourn served up much more. I was sorry to have it end. This is a definite re-read for me!my rating- 4.5/5

[riverwillow · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is an elegant pastiche of late Victorian Gothic. 'Dracula' is clearly an inspiration, but Theodora owes much to the 'New Woman' heroines of late Victorian novel, fortunately the modern twist means that Theodora doesn't share the same fate that contemporary, often male, writers bestowed on their heroines. I love the Julia Grey series and sadly, and probably unfairly, this book suffers in comparison, as the wit is not quite so sparkling and the chemistry between Theodora and her Count is interesting but fairly straightforward, which mean that the book is just not as compelling and fun as that shown in 'Silent in the Grave'.

[kasthu_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Theodora Lestrange is a budding author who receives an invitation from her friend, Cosmina, to stay in her fiancee’s castle in Transylvania. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to gain inspiration for the novel she’s always wanted to write, Theodora goes to Transylvania—and finds herself immediately attracted to the castle’s owner, count Andrei Dragulescu.I’m not quite as fond of this novel as I am of Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey series, and I’ll tell you why. Theodora Lestrange is a pale copy of Lady Julia, I’m afraid, unrestrainedly modern and not quite as interesting. There’s not quite the same amount of wittiness that Lady Julia gave us time after time. There are also a lot of discrepancies in her character, especially when it came to her friendship with Cosmina.I can’t help but compare this romance to the one between Lady Julia and Brisbane in Raybourn’s Silent series. I think the problem lies in the fact that, whereas the Lady Julia-Brisbane romance had time to evolve over a few novels, here the romance aspect simply seems rushed, and based more upon physical chemistry rather than emotional or mental (how many times are we told about how physically attractive the count is?). We’re told over and over that there’s a mental connection, but I’d rather see it firsthand.I loved the premise of the book, and I wish that there had been more of the supernatural in it. Theodora is the ultimate skeptic, I know, but I would have liked to have seen more vampires, werewolves, strigoi, or whatever. This book had the potential to be extremely scary, but I thought it fell down in that aspect. Also (and this is a minor point but it annoyed me all the same), the author is very selective about the British spellings she uses (why "faery", for example, and not "mediaeval?").Deanna Raybourn is a talented writer, and she knows her Victorian period extremely well. She’s obviously put a lot of time and energy into the research and writing of this book, but I for one can’t wait until she returns to the Lady Julia Grey series. If you’re a newcomer to Deanna Rayboun’s novels, this is probably not the place to start.