A cross between vampire fantasy and detective mystery. Hamilton continues creating a world where vampires are real, but shady, part of human society.

Like the previous 2 books, "Circus of the Damned" refers to a building located in the vampire district where story events unfold in Hamilton's fantasy St. Louis. Anita Blake, zombie animator and vampire executioner, lives here as well. The main cast plus some new faces return to fight new ancient foes.

Jean-Claude attempts to seduce and coerce Anita in to accepting final two vampire marks thereby making her his human servant. Anita first hears she has great untapped powers that Jean-Claude covets. This book might be sub-titled "Jean-Claude Challenged."

Series is at 14 books and counting. Hamilton writes books to stand alone. She at times repeats lines near verbatim. Reading in sequence allows you to see Anita's powers and relationships emerge.

According to Wikipedia. Anita is celibate in first 5 books. After "Obsidian Romance" (Book 9), series is said to veer more heavily toward romance and strong sexual content.

I divide Circus of the Damned into 2 parts: the part that sucked and the part that didn’t. Aside from one or two nasty run-ins monster/undead and a zombie rising gone awry, the first 150 pages were just filler. Do I need a detailed head-to-toe description of Anita’s outfit every time she changes her clothes? No, no I don't. She likes Nike shoes and wears them all the time, I get it! Those are actually funny since the book was written in the 90’s and even then Anita seems a bit behind the times, fashion-wise. Maybe she just spends too much time raising zombies and killing vampires and not enough time on her personal style.

Do I need a description of exactly what workout she did at the gym along with the layout of the place? No, definitely not. I kept hoping something would jump out from behind a weight bench and attack her just to make it all worthwhile. SPOILER ALERT: Nothing jumps out from behind a weight bench.

I was really disappointed and was almost ready to bid Anita an early farewell when things started really happening. By the end Hamilton had me hooked again.

Cover is different then the one pictured. Loved the book!

I enjoy this series. This author manages to wrap romance, horror,and a strong female character into a series that just keeps getting better with each new novel.

The third novel of Hamilton's Anita Blake series has the petite necromancer fighting a giant cobra and a rogue vampire, Alejandro, who wants her for his human servant. Anita is still resisting the advances of Jean-Claude, St. Louis's master vampire, but she does need him on her side, if not in her bed. Anita's reluctant involvement in the odd goings-on at the supernatural Circus of the Damned introduces her to Richard, the werewolf of her dreams, and Larry, her powerful but nervous partner in zombie-raising.
Mystery fans will love the tightly plotted, Paretsky-esque action, and horror fans will love just about everything in this unusual series.

Amazing story!! They just keep getting better!

cover doesn't match this cover but the same isbn...it's the older version

The saga continues. Another great Anita Blake story. This book has the same ISBN #, but the cover is diffrent.

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This book was very very good. I was shocked but pleased at the end. Can't wait for more to come!

good

This is one of the Anita Blake books that is good.

This was a good book. I think this is the point in the series where I became hooked and had to read the rest. Definitely a good read. Book 3 in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series.

Part of the Anita Blake Series
1. Guilty Pleasures
2. The Laughing Corpse
3. Circus Of The Damned
4. Lunatic Cafe
5. Bloody Bones
6. The Killing Dance
7. Burnt Offerings
8. Blue Moon
9. Obsidian Butterfly
10. Narcissus In Chains
11. Cerulean Sins
12. Incubus Dreams
13. Micah
14. Danse Macabre
15. The Harlequin (2007)

Another great read. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.

The first time we meet Richard. Now she has two men to complicate her life... goody!

loved it! great author

enjoyed the story

Book 3 in the Anita Blake series.

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