Five words. One novel.

Let The Right One In.

Lindqvist wrote both incredibly unique and interesting Vampire Lore; and great, terrible characters.

His Vampirism is both quite traditional, and very unique. Lindqvist vampires burn in sunlight, require permission to enter a dwelling, feed on blood, can engage in light-shapeshifting, etc. They are also implied to have light-hypnotic powers, in that Eli sort of 'compels' one or two characters into doing things simply by speaking to them.

But the nature of it is so unique. Vampirism is described as a "Infection", brain cells begin forming around the heart. Eli and Virginia's PoV chapters suggest that it creates a 'second will' which begins to overpower and replace the original will of the host, driving them to feed on blood, fear the sunlight, etc. The heart needs to be destroyed, or it that second 'will' can simply use the dead body like a drone seeking out blood, with only echoes of the original host remaining.

He also wrote one of the most unique vampires, as a character, in fiction. Eli is not beautiful. Eli is not romantic. Eli is not charismatic. Eli is not pleasant. Eli is a grimy vagabond who recruits ne'er-do-wells and outcasts as familiars. Eli doesn't sleep in some ancient coffin. Eli sleeps in a bathtub. Eli is not some noble from an old and storied line. Eli is the child of a serf. Eli is a moody nihilist.

Be warned - It's a pretty fucked up book and I don't actually recommend reading it. It's well written. Lindqvist is a very good horror author. But. Damned if Let The Right One In wasn't a fucked up book.