The Harlequin by Laurell K. Hamilton (2007, Hardcover)

Anita Blake is about to face the challenge of her life. Into her world-a world already overflowing with power-have come creatures so feared that powerful, centuries-old vampires refuse to mention their names. It is forbidden to speak of The Harlequin unless you've been contacted. And to be contacted by The Harlequin is to be under sentence of death.

Long-time rivals for Anita's affections, Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City, and Richard, alpha-werewolf, will need to become allies. Shapeshifters Nathaniel and Micah will have to step up their support. And then there's Edward. In this situation, Anita knows that she needs to call the one man who has always been there for her...

Anita faces a threat like never before. The Harlequin, a group of vampires that musr never be mentioned unless contacted have given anita the first mask. Even to think of he Harlequin is grounds for execution. Why they have contacted Anita and not the master of the city is a mystery and there sre some pretty powerful vamps running around their city. A ball, a masters ball, is held for all of Jean Claude's "friends" so Anita can pick her new pamme de snage and mermaids are introduced into the picture. Anita once again ascends new levels of power no one has seen before and old friends become enemies because they turn their back on her. A great thrilling, romantic horror. Great Book, Great Read!!!

I love Laurell K. Hamilton's work, but have been a little disappointed with the last two Anita Blake books. There seemed to be more sex than anything else. (they were becoming more like the Merry Gentry series) The sex is toned down a bit in "The Harlequin", and the story line was great. In this installment of the series, many of the main characters are forced to face truths about themselves, some that are painful and will change the course of some relationships. I found myself unable to put the book down. Anita Blake fans, she is back on track.

From my understanding this isn't a series with a beginning, middle and end... it's just going to keep going until Ms. Hamilton gets bored with it or her publishers do.

In the Anita Blake series, the main character "Anita Blake" is a Vampire Slayer and a necromancer (raises the dead). Each book has it's own plot, but the characters that are introduced reapear over and over in subsiquent books.

This is a highly erotic series (as is her other Fey series "Merry Gentery")... she starts with just two love interests, but in a turn of fate ends up with a "condition" that requires frequent sex - which introduces many, many partners into her life... all of which she grows to love.

The series in order is: (1) Guilty Pleasures (2) Laughing Corpse (3) Circus of the Dammed (4) Lunitic Cafe (5) Bloody Bones (6) Killing Dance (7) Burnt Offering (8) Blue Moon (9) Obsidian Butterfly (10) Narcissus in Chains (11) Cerulean Sins (12) Incubus Dream (13) Micha (14) Danse Macabre (15) The Harlequin (16) Blood Noir coming this June 2008.

I've read all 15 of the Anita Blake series from Laurell K Hamilton. The series started out very edgy and suspenseful. Anita was a hard-nose vampire executioner and zombie raiser. Then the series got interesting when Anita formed a relationship with a vampire and a werewolf. Then it all started being about sex when she got the Ardeur. Now the plot lines of the books are thin and the sex is heavy. The suspense really never builds to the point where I can't put the book down (like it used to). I really wish Anita would go back to kicking butt and solving cases a little more often and having sex a little less. I'll keep reading the series, but sometimes I don't know why.

I love Laurell K Hamilton. She's a masterful writer. I just want this series to come back around.