Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton
Paperback, 368 Pages
2004, Berkley Trade
ISBN: 0425197549
Series: Book 1 of Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter
Synopsis
Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law--as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees--with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting--to help figure out who and why.
Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along--yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters--both dead and alive.
Review
The debut of Anita Blake in Guilty Pleasures announced the arrive of one of the original strong, hardcore heroines that could hold her own against the monsters. In Guilty Pleasures, Anita raises zombies, investigates murders of the preternatural variety, attends a bachelorette party and searches down a unsanctioned vampire killer.
Guilty Pleasures is an amazing series debut. Anita proves both her toughness and her loyalty by working for the monsters she fears. Anita feels real, in that for all her bravado, she's willing to admit her softer, weaker side - if only to herself. This book is firmly in the mystery/fantasy realm, without the series later romance. The writing is fun and snarky, without taking away from the dark tone of gruesome death.
Guilty Pleasures is full of sexiness, without ever taking it to a physical level. Anita spends time at a vampire strip club as well as a "freak" party, where the monsters and humans "play." Guilty Pleasures also introduces Jean-Claude, a master vampire whose interest in Anita goes beyond her "Executioner" title. Most vampires hate and fear tiny Anita, but Jean-Claude seems to have quite different feelings for her, even if she appears oblivious to them.
Guilty Pleasures was released in 1993, but even after 18 years, still remains one of the very best urban fantasy books written. Horrific, thrilling, mysterious, sexy, and a lot of fun, Guilty Pleasures has everything you could hope to find in a dark paranormal mystery.
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