While I was out of town, I read a few more of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter books. As my library didn’t own copies of either The Lunatic Café or Bloody Bones, I purchased them both in paperback (and will donate them to the library). I had planned to read them during the Denver trip. Thankfully I packed the next two books (checked out from the library)! I finished The Lunatic Café before I even arrived at the Detroit airport, and completed Bloody Bones a few days later. While in Denver I also completed The Killing Dance, and started reading Burnt Offerings.

The Lunatic Café
It’s December in St. Louis, and Anita’s “night job” has slowed. Seems that people are a bit superstitious about raising the dead so close to Christmas. A few off the wall cases have been thrown Anita’s way – like one dealing with eight missing lycanthropes. Anita’s relationship with her boyfriend Richard – who just happens to also be a werewolf – is tested, as both of them have a hard time accepting his “inner beast”.

Anita is challenged by Gretchen, a vampire who is obsessively in love with Jean-Claude (who is quite jealous of Anita’s furry boyfriend).

Marcus – the alpha of the werewolf pack – requests Anita’s aid in the disappearances of eight lycanthropes. It is this case that puts Anita in grave danger yet again, as she is pushed deeper than before into the world of shapeshifters.

Bloody Bones

Bert – owner of Animators, Inc., and Anita’s boss, will do nearly anything to make more money…include promise that Anita can raise many 300-year-old zombies from a field of bones. As usual, Anita is irked with Bert promising this without talking to her first. But, she and Larry – her apprentice – pack up and head to Branson, Missouri to check out the destroyed family graveyard and hopefully end the land dispute.

As usual, life cannot be easy for Anita. While in Branson, kids are being murdered by what appears to be a sword wielding vampire…something that is very unusual. Anita tries her best to work the case, but is up against local law enforcement officers who are displeased by the headliner’s help.

This one has some new elements added in with the usual vampires and lycanthropes.


The Killing Dance

Who is trying to kill Anita? And why? Whoever it is has put a hefty price on her head. They want her dead – and want it done now.

Anita lucks out that the hit was offered to Edward – a friend (of sorts) – who, despite his lack of morals, decides to not take the money and instead to be a bodyguard. As Anita and company try to figure out who wants her dead and can afford that type of payment, she is delving deeper into the wild world of werewolves (while remaining human). Will Anita survive for another date with Richard (and with Jean-Claude, as she is now dating both)?



I also read a couple of picture books today that I want to mention, but will leave it for another post – one more suited to children’s materials!