"T. D. McKinney creates a powerful and compelling debut novel, Dancing In The Dark. This marvelous dark romantic fantasy is filled with vibrant characters who resonate with the reader—a criminal profiler, his vampire mistress, and a vicious serial killer—along with an eccentric, colorful supporting cast. The author weaves a rich tapestry reflecting the faded elegance of New Orleans in all its decadent glory. T. D. McKinney presents the sinister twists and turns of a serial killer’s mind with accuracy and flare. This is an author who really did their research. It shows in the wonderful details of criminal profiling. Dancing In The Dark has a future as a best seller, and T. D. McKinney is an author to watch."—John Douglas, New York Times best-selling author of Mindhunter, Journey Into Darkness, Man Down, and many others

"With a protagonist that might have been lifted straight from the life of legendary profiler John Douglas, Dancing In The Dark delves deep into the mind of Special Agent Jack Niemzcyk as he discovers that there is more than just criminals hunting humanity in the night. Frustrated by a case that seems to be going nowhere and leadership that seems determined to thwart him at every turn, Jack starts his own private investigation aided by New Orleans Homicide Detective Remy Lambert and Baby, the Queen of New Orleans. What begins as business rapidly becomes personal. Baby and Jack's spiral into love and lust is a delicious treat both for the jaded FBI profiler and the reader. Dancing In The Dark has so many twists and turns that by the end of the book, you're panting for more. Hopefully, it won't be long before The Shield and the Darkness Book Two appears to satisfy the craving for more of Jack and Baby."—MeriBeth McCombs, Professional Reviewer

"...A fast-moving police procedural, although Jack is a little too slow to catch on to who the killer is. I was pretty sure I knew who the murderer was about the middle of the book. Although in a police procedural it is about the search as much as the solution. This book is also a vampire romance, but it certainly is different from most romances. This is no love at first sight, no purity of eternal love, this is pure passion and lust. It is the monster and the fangs that turn Jack on, not the humanity buried beneath the monster. This is no Beauty and the Beast story. It is about the freedom to let go of all inhibitions. Perhaps the reason that Jack is so skilled at profiling is because he has had the darkness, the monster, in him all along, and he relishes letting it out. He doesn’t mind a bit being Baby’s boytoy, her vibrator with a heartbeat, a kept man with fancy clothes, cars, and a new house. It is rather refreshing and different. The vampire society is definitely feudal, with Lord Alec, Royal Princes, Ladies. Many humans know they are vampires and that they control the city; others are just drawn to the wealth and power. There are a lot of stories about the various vampires, such as Baby’s past, hinted at but not fully explored. Fortunately, there is a sequel in the works, which may provide answers...A wonderful new addition to the lore of New Orleans and Vampires. T.D. McKinney writes an exciting novel combining police procedural and vampires to create one blood-tingling novel."—Linda Suzane, Suite101.com and Midnight Blood

"5 Angels & a Recommended Read!...Drew me in from the very first paragraph. There’s a jaded and unbelieving FBI operative, a boyishly good-looking Cajun cop, some wild, otherworldly vamps and a villain that drips pure evil; in short, everything needed for a phenomenal story is right at our fingertips...Wonderfully gritty, terrifyingly authentic, and blackly humorous, with incredible paranormal elements and dramatic characters."—Michelle, Fallen Angel Reviews

"T.D. McKinney builds on the mysteriousness of New Orleans with her eclectic cast of characters and nail biting suspense. She enhances the book with glimpses from the mind of the killer that will put chills up your spine. Jack’s tendency to look at the case with scientific eyes is reminiscent of X-Files' Mulder and at times was frustrating until he finally realized that he was dealing with vampires. I’m interested to see how the series will continue...Wonderfully dark and erotic. Anyone up for some Dancing in the Dark?" -- Tina Burns, Road to Romance

"5 Blue Ribbons!...Has so many twists and turns that by the end of the book, you're panting for more. Ms. McKinney is deft in her writing, each paragraph has many layers of meaning, clues are dropped in the most unexpected of places, and despite a large and varied cast, you never forget that the focus of the book is Jack and Baby’s relationship, in all its forms. So many good things could be said about this novel that I could go on for pages and pages. So I’ll close by saying that this is a grand entrance into a richly layered world, I can’t wait for the next installment to appear."—MB, Romance Junkies

"5 Cups!...A dark story of death, passion and finding that dreams differ for everyone. Jack is a FBI agent who at first does not believe his own eyes until he becomes a part of the events. Baby is a woman vampire whose seductive charms are hard for some people to overlook. I enjoyed the way these two characters interacted with each other and those around them. This is a story that I would not have chosen myself, but having read it, I’ve found it an enthralling and exhilarating book to read and hope that there will be more written about these characters."—Sheryl, Coffee Time Romance

"5 Hearts!...For a first novel from a new author, Dancing in the Dark is a wild ride through the underbelly of New Orleans. The book is as dirty and gritty as the city itself; so achingly real that this reviewer could easily picture her vampires trolling the city seeking new prey or new playmates. There’s a surprise on every page—be it the realism of yet another crime scene or the paranormal delights of the vampires. The mystery is as solid as the ground it’s built on. Ms. McKinney takes you into both sides of the investigation, the criminal’s dark mind and the profiler’s determination to hunt him down, with a skill and ease I’ve only seen in well-established authors. While those seeking a hot and heavy romance may be disappointed by the lack of explicit detail, Ms. McKinney’s writing is such that I never missed a beat of what was happening between the characters and never noticed the lack...A multi-genre novel that truly defies convention and leaves the reader wondering what kind of trouble Jack Niemczyk will find next as he falls further and further beneath the spell of Baby Roxton."—MB, The Romance Studio

…Baby leaned over and licked his exposed neck with a single swipe of her tongue. He shivered and she drew back with a chuckle. He was astonished he felt so deeply disappointed at her withdrawal.

"I think we might get along really well after all," she said and brought her lips back to his throat.

This time he realized her tongue was slightly rough, like fine-grained sandpaper against the sensitive skin of his neck. His body responded to that abrasive touch, heat flowing from her cool lips to settle in the pit of his stomach before spreading out in an electric tingle that set every nerve ending alight. The pain in his head and the disorientation it caused were all forgotten as he tangled his fingers in that absurd red hair and pulled her head up. He brought his lips to hers. He had to know what that rough tongue felt like against his own smoother one. He kissed her hungrily, ridiculously pleased when she opened her lips for him, letting him taste her and explore her mouth. He moaned from the intensity of it and she broke away. He looked at her with evident disappointment and need.