Lifeblood (novel)

Infobox Book
name = Lifeblood
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption= First edition cover
author = Tom Becker
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series = Darkside
subject =
genre = Children's
publisher = Scholastic
pub_date = October 1, 2007
media_type = Print (Paperback)
pages = 240 pp
isbn = ISBN 978-1407102856
oclc =
preceded_by = Darkside
followed_by = Nighttrap

"Lifeblood" is a children's novel by Tom Becker, first published in 2007. It is the sequel to "Darkside", and the second in a planned series of five. Jonathan Starling has remained in Darkside with Elias Carnegie. As with the first story in the series, the pair gets drawn into a mystery that soon turns to them trying to solve a murder. They are approached to discover who an unknown victim is. The problem is that the victim was murdered the same way as another infamous member of Darkside society twelve years ago. The first known murder victim had been an heir to the Ripper throne.

Jonathan has learned more history of Darkside in his days of living in the evil society. Darkside is ruled by the ancestors of Jack the Ripper. When the current ruler dies, the offspring of the ruler must fight the Blood Succession to the death to determine who will reign next. When the murder victim of twelve years ago was revealed to be ahidden Ripper heir, the city was put into a whirlwind. Can the new murder be connected to the old crime?

Jonathan and Carnegie are aided by members of the Darkside's newspaper. There, Jonathan learns that his missing mother was a reporter for them, and disappeared around the same time as the infamous murder occurred. Jonathan is certain that the two events must be connected. If they can solve the latest crime, maybe he can discover what has happened to his mother.

As with the first story in the series, Mr. Becker creates a dark, evil world that grips the reader. Even in the chilling setting, the story moves fast, keeping the reader glued to the pages. Like rubberneckers driving by a car accident, the reader is so enthralled with the story; they can't help but be drawn into the action. The pages seemed to turn on their own accord. I sat and read the story in one sitting, waiting to find out if Jonathan's quest would bring him the answers he searched for. Mr. Becker will leave you wanting more from Darkside, long after the final page has been read.