The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

The book club members’ husbands step into Patricia’s house. They are there to stop their wives from “embarrassing [themselves] in front of the police and doing serious damage to both [themselves] and to [their] families” (209). Plus, accusing James Harris of heinous crimes could interfere with their investments in Gracious Cay. 

Patricia grows frustrated, insisting that she and her friends should at least get to voice their concerns. The husbands patronizingly listen to Patricia, only to condescendingly explain that James Harris pays $85 a month to store his van so he can fit into the neighborhood better. Patricia still wants to go to the police, but Carter sternly threatens to accuse her of being mentally unbalanced if she does so. The husbands want their wives to apologize to James: He is one of their own now, and they refuse to let the women make him feel unwelcome. James arrives at the scene, Grace leads the apology train, and one by one the women submit. In response, James announces that he wants to join the book club. 

Patricia reads a newspaper article about Destiny Taylor’s death by suicide. After being placed in a foster home, she hanged herself. The story breaks Patricia’s heart; she and Carter failed to save Destiny. The couple fights about whether they should have been more involved. Carter accuses Patricia of not paying attention to her own family, citing Blue’s growing fascination with Nazi media as a concern that Patricia is ignoring. As usual, Carter implies that Patricia’s emotions are a symptom of her not being mentally sound, prescribing Prozac to help her “regain her equilibrium” (220).

Patricia asks her friends to help before there is another Destiny Taylor, but they refuse. Slick insists she has to put her family first. Maryellen reveals the reason she and Ed moved to the South: Ed hit a shoplifter up North and they fled in disgrace. Patricia visits Grace, who has a busted lip and a room full of shattered wedding china—clear signs of domestic abuse. They get into a heated argument that alters the nature of their relationship for good.

Patricia apologizes to Mrs. Greene for not doing more for Destiny, but Mrs. Greene angrily refuses the apology. Feeling hopeless and rebellious, Patricia downs the entire bottle of pills that Carter prescribed.

Patricia wakes up in the hospital. Blue found her seizing on the floor and called 911. Carter begs her to tell doctors the suicide attempt was an accident. When he demands to know why she is so fixated on James Harris, Patricia can only tell him James is a dangerous person who isn’t to be trusted. Suddenly, she remembers reading that vampires can control animals like rats and realizes that James is responsible for Miss Mary’s death. Carter angrily tells Patricia that her attempted suicide has thwarted his potential promotion and caused permanent harm to her family, especially to Blue. Patricia is overwhelmed with guilt.

Korey and Blue enter the hospital room, Blue holding a book about the Holocaust. The two silently sit far away from their mother. Patricia tries to reach for them but is unable to do so: She is in restraints. Blue grows increasingly angry, yelling and ripping his book apart in frustration. He accuses Patricia of trying to kill herself because she’s “crazy” and “doesn’t love any of [them]”, and she “only cares about [her] stupid books!” (234). Blue throws his book across the room at Patricia, who wants nothing more than to run to Blue and comfort him. Carter gives Patricia an ultimatum: James Harris or her family, but not both.