This is the first novel in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series which in my opinion is the very best vampire series currently out there. Hamilton's books are vivid (not for the weak at heart), action packed and often filled with intrigue and the unusual.

The background for her novels is that the United States has declared that Vampires are citizens with rights. Meaning you just can't kill a vampire, you have to get an order of execution. Vampires have many and varied powers such as supernatural strength and speed and the ability to control people's minds. Sunlight can cause them death, holy water and crosses armed by people with faith will cause burning and scaring in a vampire. Also necromancy(raising the dead)is a professional job. People have zombie's raised to settle all kinds of matters like a will in dispute or for therapy reasons. Lycanthropy (shape-shifting into an animal may it be rat, panther or wolf) is considered to be a disease and you must not discriminate against people for having it. The police force has even had to install a department to investigate supernatural crimes like vampire murders or crimes committed by the supernatural.

The character that is the focus of the novels is Anita Blake. She is a 5'3, petite necromancer. She is also a vampire executioner. She actually terrifies some vampires so much so that they have nicknamed her "The Executioner."
She carries silver knives and a gun loaded with silver bullets (silver kills shaper shifters and will slow a vampire down) just about anywhere she goes. She totes some awesome guns, and knives throughout the series. She also works with the supernatural police squad as a consultant--having a degree in the supernatural and all that. Something is always out to get her--but was is amazing about this character is her solid morals, and her humor (as dark as it may be at times.) Her character is not one-dimensional, she is always doing something surprising. She is a very strong female character that leans on no man. Her character is very easy to identify with.

The plot in this novel does a good job of setting up the series. It takes place in St. Louis, MO. You are introduce to characters who are minor in this novel but play big roles in the novels yet to come. Such as Jean-Claude (vampire), Edward (a fellow executioner), Ronnie (friend of Anita's), Dolph (head of the police supernatural task force), and Irving (a lycanthrope and a reporter). Hamilton has a way of making her "side" characters very interesting and captivating. Many of them make major appearances in later novels. I am captivated by Jean-Claude and several of the other characters that are introduce in later novels.

The basic plot is that someone is murdering vampires, not new weak vampires, but old strong ones. The police are having no luck--so the master vampire of St. Louis, Nikolaos, (Shape-shifters and vampires each have a hierarchy within their community, with vampires there is a master vampire of each city which vampires must check in with to live in that city, With Shapeshifters each group--the rats or the panthers or the wolves each have an alpha male and/or female who leads the group) compels Anita to help find the killer by holding the life of her friend hostage. The master vampire is a thousand years old and very powerful. Anita must find the killer, keep out of the masters way,(possible destroy the master) while trying to keep herself and her friends alive. She must also keep working at her job (raising three zombie's a night) and helping the police--tall order for such a little lady.

This novel is very good. Hamilton's style is humorous and witty, but can be very dark. She has a very easy to read style that will suck you in, compelling you to turn each page. I usually read her novels in a night. She is the type that keeps you up. Hamilton does an excellent job explaining supernatural concepts and setting up deep and believable (if a vampire can be believable) characters. She also gives you a self-contained plot per novel so that you get some resolution even though there may be issues that persist throughout the series. If you like vampire novels then read this one.

Recommended: Yes