Book Review: Hit List

By Sandy Amazeen May 23, 2011, 2:08 GMT

The #1 New York Times bestselling Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series continues! Word has leaked to Anita Blake that hit men are headed for St. Louis- and that she, Jean-Claude, and Richard are the targets. ...more

Longstanding fans of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series will rejoice to see that she has returned to what she does best, hunt vampires. Following a series of disturbing murders in Washington, Anita teams up with Edward in their official capacity as U.S. Marshals to hunt the killer or killers responsible for slaughtered weretigers. Edward quickly concludes the murders are simply a ruse meant to draw Anita away from her home base in St. Louis and following a botched kidnapping attempt, it seems he is correct. The first vampire known as the Mother of All Darkness has set her sights on becoming flesh again and she has picked Anita to be the vessel. Naturally, Anita has plans to remain in her own skin and if that means fighting the bogie men of vampires known as the Harlequin as well as the Mother of All Darkness, then so be it. As an immovable object meets unstoppable force, only Anita’s connection to the many loves of her life can save her.

It is a treat watching Edward and Anita working together, dealing with an assortment of other Marshals, many who know Anita by reputation and don’t think much of her. Psychopathic killer/hunter Olaf makes an appearance, becoming even more dangerous and is sure to play a role in future installments. The sex scenes have been scaled back dramatically while the storyline demonstrates the value of Anita’s ties to her many lovers developed in previous books. After a few lackluster titles, it is nice to see a return of the old Anita although she is understandably beginning to question how much longer she wants to deal with so much death.