There’s plenty of tension and gore in this supernatural thriller, which is lightened up by an on-again/off-again pursual of romance between the lead characters.

The story features a family of monster exterminators (headed by co-lead Liam, age 18) and a family in need of monster exterminators (featuring Olivia, age 18). The monster-chasers eliminate vampires, ghosts, witches, ghouls, indigos, wendigos and more, and come supplied with enough spook-demobilizing equipment and know-how to impress James Bond.

The writing pulls you right along; it’s good enough to override some of the less believable aspects of the plot. For example, Olivia’s willingness to have her first sexual experience propped up on a sink basin – interrupted in the nick of time, of course. And a suicidal, talking vampire.

For most of the novel, every other chapter is in Liam’s point of view, and every other chapter is in Olivia’s. Then, to ratchet up the tension and intrigue, the last quarter of the book adds in a third point of view: that of Olivia’s psychic little sister, who has “power to speak to the undead.”

This is definitely not for younger teens. Liam’s initial goal to de-flower Olivia leads to some steamy scenes. Nor is it for anyone who shies away from graphic scenes — including plunging wooden stakes through vampire hearts, be-heading monsters and getting blood-spattered in a variety of other ways. But the slaughter and gore scenes are secondary to the well-flowing storyline, which features two stressed-out families closeup, and strings along the romance as a prominent subplot.

The teen characters feel authentic, and their banter is well crafted. Olivia’s best friend is queer, not that it has to do with anything.

You’ll learn more than you ever need to know about hunting and vanquishing evil spirits, from using rock-salt bullets to ingesting a serum that makes you super strong. You’ll learn that there is a vampire class system, and that well-meaning ghosts lose their humanity over time.

Unfortunately, the ending (if one can call it that) flops. It reads less like the wind-up of a novel than the lame finish of a chapter. It leaves a lot of strings hanging, a lot of active plot abandoned. Even novels with a sequel to anticipate tend to wrap things up better than this one.

Still, those who love a well-written thriller laced with romance will enjoy Hunterland.

– Pam Withers