Dead until dark

The first of Charlaine Harris' 12 Southern Vampire Mysteries, "Dead Until Dark" introduces psychic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, Vampire Bill and a whole cast of interesting characters in and near the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana. The book very much lays out the plot for the first season of the TV series "True Blood" based on these novels. Later seasons of the show veer off from the books, though.
You'll need to read this book first or you'll never understand the numerous, complex plot lines in this novel. Don't expect a nice, neat, complete ending, either. Even her 12th and latest novel in the series does not give us that.

If you like paranormal books and want something a little different, this series is fantastic. It's set in the South, and vampires have "come out of the coffin" since there is now a synthetic blood. This is the first in the series and a great introduction to Sookie and all her friends, dead and alive.