Book review: Kiss The Dead

MEET Anita Blake, vampire hunter.

MEET Anita Blake, vampire hunter.

She's the star of Laurell Hamilton's popular 21-book Vampire Hunter series; a US Marshall charged with bringing murderous bloodsuckers to justice.

Her world is one filled with zombies, shapeshifters, werewolves and other supernatural creatures of the night.
Not to mention magical abilities and multiple long-term partners.

She leads a complicated life.

Her latest adventure leads her on the search for a 15-year-old girl abducted by vampires.

What she finds is far more unnerving than she expects - a group of ordinary men, women and children, freshly inducted into their new supernatural lives, each willing to face the stake rather than do what their vampire master commands. It's something new for Blake, who is more used to being the person monsters fear.

The tale is told through Blake's eyes, which is a fun ride for the most part, but her insecurities and scars, and collection of lovers are written in a style more at home in a straight-down-the-line romance novel.

Over the course of the series, Hamilton has developed her heroine into a tough, unapologetic and resourceful character.

While vampire chick-lit is a dime a dozen these days, Hamilton's latest offering hits all the right notes to make this the perfect, low-effort read for a cold winter's night on the couch.

VERDICT The literary version of comfort food