Hit List
Book 20, Anita Blake Series
Laurell K. Hamilton

A serial killer is hunting the Pacific Northwest, murdering victims in a gruesome and spectacular way. The local police suspect "monsters" are involved, and have called in Anita Blake and Edward, U.S. Marshals who really know their monsters, to catch the killer.
But some monsters are very real. The Harlequin have been the boogeymen of the vampire world for more than a thousand years; they are a secret so dark that even to speak their name can earn you a death sentence. Now they are here in America, hunting weretigers... and human police.
The Harlequin serve the Mother of All Darkness, the first vampire. She was supposed to be dead, but only her body was destroyed. Now she needs a new one, and she's decided that Anita Blake's is the body she wants. Edward thinks the serial killings are a trap to lure Anita closer to the most dangerous vampire they've ever hunted. The vampires call Edward "Death" and Anita the "Executioner", but Mommy Darkest is coming to kill one and possess the other, and she doesn't care how many others have to die along the way.

Finally! The series gets back to being what it was that made me interested in it at the beginning - a supernatural/mystery/crime drama. It seems to be slowly dragging its way out of the supernatural orgy novels and back to its roots and this makes me very happy.

Yes, there is a sex scene in there, but it's only one. It's only Anita with a weretiger, and it's fairly quick. The rest of the book has a real plot that doesn't involve Anita's sexual habits.

The Harlequin have split - some are now with Jean-Claude, but the others have remained loyal to the Mother of All Darkness and are trying to capture Anita in order for her body to be possessed. However, the Mother has tried to possess Anita before - and failed. Anita hopes that she is strong enough to avoid losing her body. The Mother hopes that possessing another vampire and using skin to skin contact will override all of Anita's shields. And if not, she'll just kill off all of Anita's friends and lovers until Anita allows her inside.

The character of Olaf/Otto is back as well and the dynamics between him and Anita change yet again - and at the end of the book he becomes even more dangerous than he has ever been.

This is definitely one of the best books of the series. Because we're at book 20 I think it goes without saying that the characters are down pat.

Looks like it has been worth it to stick with this series.

My rating: Four out of five snails.