初めてAnita Blakeの作品を読む方が本作から読み始めることはないと思いますが、これは単独で読んで楽しめる作品ではありません。登場人物が多く、また大変複雑な事情がある方ばかりですから、ストーリーについていけません。途中で一応それぞれ説明はされているのですが、初めて読む方にとっては十分なものではありませんし、また全作読んでいる読者にとっては時にわずらわしく感じられます。
主人公のAnitaならこの作品を（お下品ですが）SOSと呼ぶのではないでしょうか。救難信号ではありません、念のため。
物語は2つの出来事をメインに進みます。前作の"Narcissus in Chain"のラストで触れられていたように、Big Bag Vampierが街にやってきて、いつもどおりのごたごたがおこります。その途中で一度犯罪現場に呼び出されますが、現場を見ただけで終わりです。バンパイア問題がとりあえず片付いたところで、さっきの殺人事件が進展を見せます。とても都合の良いタイミングです。途中時間の経過に矛盾があるように感じましたが、おそらく全部で3日間の出来事です。

その他の特記すべき出来事はAsherとJasonがAnitaのベッドに加わった事でしょうか。また、途中でAnitaの恋愛に関する問題点についてJasonとの会話がありますが、大変ごもっともと思いました。また今後の作品に続く新たな脅威も盛り込まれています。

私は（特に最近の作品については）あまり高い評価をしていないのですが、一度シリーズを読み始めると病みつきになります。次作の"Incubus Dream"は2004年9月発売です。

今回が11作目になるアニタブレークヴァンパイアハンターシリーズ。
今回もアクション有りのドキドキものです。このシリーズを読み始めようと思っているあなた。是非最初から読み始めましょう。残念ながら日本語訳になった物は出ていないんですがチョットでも英語が読める、読みたいと思っているならこらはおすすめです。

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First please see the Editorial Reviews and Author Background on both amazon.com and amazon.co.uk, for a gist of this book--this is, after all, the 11th in the series of Anita Blake the Vampire Hunter.

Blake still has her potent powers, both as an observer and a survivor. This time approached by Leo Harlan who wants her to raise the dead, but whose very void-of-vibes ordinariness arouses her suspicions. Even with the barely-fitting twist of her being less human than she used to be, she boldly searches on for a supernatural serial killer. Thus the adventure goes on.

Hamilton has lost none of her style either--the wry touch, the macabre humour, including with Blake's inner dialogues and the
frequent habits of these supposed mythological characters conducting mutual-psychoanalysis sessions.

Which is where the weakness of the series has always been--an ill-fitting "depth" injected into what, on its own, has enough
gripping adventures, plot twists and even the requisite naughty bits, to have people still reading (what is this, a fear of being even remotely associated with pop-ish Buffy the Vampire Slayer?). And when too many characters are introduced, just to provide something new, then one wonders if it is not time to retire from the business of raising novels from the dead. And considering these, it is not worth getting a hardcover copy of.

Best to read the series in chronological order, although this, even if read first, will not be totally incomprehensible.
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First please see the Editorial Reviews and Author Background on both amazon.com and amazon.co.uk, for a gist of this book--this is, after all, the 11th in the series of Anita Blake the Vampire Hunter.

Blake still has her potent powers, both as an observer and a survivor. This time approached by Leo Harlan who wants her to raise the dead, but whose very void-of-vibes ordinariness arouses her suspicions. Even with the barely-fitting twist of her being less human than she used to be, she boldly searches on for a supernatural serial killer. Thus the adventure goes on.

Hamilton has lost none of her style either--the wry touch, the macabre humour, including with Blake's inner dialogues and the frequent habits of these supposed mythological characters conducting mutual-psychoanalysis sessions.

Which is where the weakness of the series has always been--an ill-fitting "depth" injected into what, on its own, has enough gripping adventures, plot twists and even the requisite naughty bits, to have people still reading (what is this, a fear of being even remotely associated with pop-ish Buffy the Vampire Slayer?). And when too many characters are introduced, just to provide something new, then one wonders if it is not time to retire from the business of raising novels from the dead.

Best to read the series in chronological order, although this, even if read first, will not be totally incomprehensible.
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