“Interview with the Vampire” is a gothic horror novel by American author Anne Rice, first published in 1976. It’s the first book in Rice’s popular “The Vampire Chronicles” series.

The novel tells the story of Louis de Pointe du Lac, a 200-year-old vampire who recounts his life experiences to a young reporter. The narrative begins in 18th-century New Orleans, where Louis, grief-stricken after the death of his brother, is turned into a vampire by the charismatic and dangerous Lestat de Lioncourt.

The book explores themes of immortality, morality, and the nature of good and evil through Louis’s struggles with his vampire nature. It delves into his complex relationships with Lestat and Claudia, a young girl who becomes a vampire and is trapped in a child’s body for eternity.

Rice’s novel is known for its lush, descriptive prose and its reimagining of vampire lore. It presents vampires as complex, emotional beings rather than mere monsters, which was a departure from many earlier vampire stories. The book’s exploration of philosophical and existential questions, combined with its atmospheric New Orleans setting, helped establish it as a seminal work in vampire fiction.