Search - Skin Trade (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Bk 17)

This series finally returned to the beginning where Anita Blake is more a marshal than a sex addict. I enjoy the series either way but it has more meat to it without sex on every page. (sorry about the pun). It should have been a five star read but the whole attitude of the police and swat team in Vegas just got on my freaking nerves. I was reminded of how much I missed Wicked Truth in previous books. Those two are great characters.

I live Anita's friend Edward but the other marshals (Olaf and Bernardo) were a pain. Olaf is one scary person and it'll be cool when Anita gets to kill him. He totally creeped Anita out and me out. I liked the way it worked out with Max and Bibiana, that situation could really have gone to hell.

I've had this series on hold for too long and since I own Flirt and Bullet, I will get up to date next month. I didn't realize how much I missed the guys from this series. They really are well done: sexy, gorgeous, humble (sort of) and devoted to Anita. Now if only men came like that in real life!

Finally, Ms. Hamilton has gone back to her original premise in this series of books; paranormal mystery stories with a "naughty" scene here or there. For a while it seemed she was writing soft core porn with a paranormal theme.

The Anita Blake novels had plenty to keep a reader interested without turning into a "sex book". Interesting, flawed characters, vampires, werewolves, and of course, Anita herself, a necromancer and vampire hunter who just so happens to be dating the Master Vampire of her city. Plenty of room for twists and turns there, so no real need to be so explicit.

This novel, despite its double entendre title is just that, a mystery novel. The story is strong and gripping. That's not to say there's no sex in this story, but at least Ms. Hamilton didn't have Anita jumping into the sack on page 3 like her last book.

All in all, I'm glad for the return to form. For those of us who loved the Anita Blake series as it was originally, I highly recommend this book.