Synopsis: 'The Harlequin shows Anita and Jean Claude coping with a threat from Vampire Council enforcers. Desperate, Anita calls Edward for assistance. Edward arrives the same day, bringing Olaf and Peter (now 16), who we last saw in Obsidian Butterfly.

The Harlequin exists to police and punish vampire leaders who violate various rules, such as Malcolm's resistance to the blood oath. It was formed by the Mother of All Darkness, modeled in style on the Commedia dell'arte and by action on the wild hunt. It is composed of very old and powerful vampires who are capable of not just manipulating the behaviors and emotions of humans or younger vampires and lycanthropes, but of Jean-Claude, Anita, and Richard. Under this influence, Richard and Jean-Claude nearly kill each other, and Anita must also be repeatedly resuscitated. Anita keeps them alive by feeding on first Rafael (and through him, all the wererats in the city); Belle Morte; and later, all the swanmanes in the United States via the swan king, Donovan Reece. Anita's second triumvirate also comes through, with Nathaniel and Damien "eating for five" so as to provide healing energy to Anita — and the others through her.

However, the Harlequin appears not to be following its own rules, so by vampire law Jean Claude's people can strike back. Edward doesn't actually kill a Harlequin, Anita does through a psychic link that she accidentally creates while trying to remove a sort of vampire spell that one of the Harlequin has put on her in order to keep track of her and Jean Claude's etc. movements. They subsequently end up killing the human servant of that vampire after Anita has fed on Donovan the king of the swan manes. They recover in time to face off with the remaining members in Malcolm's Church of Eternal Life. They not only succeed, but determine that the Harlequin members were planning to take over Jean-Claude's territory and not operating on official Council orders.

Anita almost allows the Mother of Darkness to become a full flesh being by allowing her anger to fester.

Anita also leaves her former allies, the werelions, to potential death. At a point where Anita and many of her other allies are injured, sex is demanded from the werelion Rex Joseph so that Anita could gain the power to heal. The rex refuses because he is married and values being faithful to his wife. In a scene reminiscent of The Godfather series, Anita decides that this is a betrayal of their alliance and decides to abandon Joseph.'
Review: And it's about time they abandon the lion pride. The Harlequin probably are't really gone. ( )

I really loved Laurell K. Hamilton's early Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series books but I did feel like she lost the thread a bit in the middle of the series. I am glad to say that it seems like she is focusing more on the story line and less on the sex of late which makes the books better in my opinion. I think Anita is a great character and Laurell K. Hamilton can write a great plot but her overly complicated sex scenes can somewhat take away from the book. ( )

I probably rated this so high because the last few books in the series were so disappointing.

This had an interesting plot and Edward was back in this one. He's a very interesting character. He's one of the few human characters in the book. He's a vampire executioner and now a federal marshal.

The big bad has come to town, to "observe" Malcolm and the Chirch of Eternal Life, but there is a hidden agenda. The Mother of all Vampires makes an appearance as well. Anita has gained more control of her powers. Richard is his usual whiney self. I really used to like his character but he's turned into someone who causes more problems--almost gets Anita and friends killed. If he was strong in his convictions, it would be one thing, but he has so much doubt. He's a self-loathing werewolf and isn't doing anything to come to terms with that.

There were no long drawn out boring sex scenes--thank goodness. I have the next book in the series, so I'll be moving along to that one. I think this is the last in the series that I own. Most of the rest seem to have mediocre or negative reviews, so I don't think I'll be buying any more. As much as I'd like to see what happens with Anita and the vampire council, and learn more about Edward, and find out if Anita ever kills Olaf, and if there's a giant confrontation between Anita and the Mother of All Vampires--I just don't think I can wade through more repetitive sex and whining characters. ( )

hb

This was probably the best Anita book I've since the...well since the ardeur (sp) started and Anita became a whore. Sorry to say that because I love Anita, but she did turn into quite the whore... it was getting to the point where I thought Ms. Hamilton had crossed wires, between the Anita Blake series and the Meredith Gentry series. Because in Anita's first 8 or 9 book maybe less she was this complete barney bad-ass that kicked anyone's ass the f****ed with her. Then she started turning into this whiny wimpering, sex fiend. Then in the Meredith books, she's supposed to sleep around with as many guys as possible, and that was the whole basis of the books, to stay alive, and screw as many fairies as possible to concieve a child to gain the throne. But somehow they both totally flip-flopped, Anita went into whore mode, and Merry turned into the barney bad ass. Now don't get me wrong I love both series, and I a still hoping the the Meredith Gentry series will continue for a little longer. It just seems odd how the main female character flip flops into what another lead female character in another story is supposed to be.

Anywho, this book I enjoy immensely. One the lack of sex was great, it was a nice change of pace from how the series is going. Two you get to see Edward again, I just love him. Three Anita is having doubts about Nathaniel, well in my opinion... ABOUT DAMNED TIME. I like Nathaniel, but I don't see him as Anita's type, he's too submissive for my taste. Four the best best BEST part of the book, is when Anita went off on Richard, that she had finally had enough of his bullsh*t. Jean-Claude too it was so great, I was whooping for them both while reading that. Richard is a self rightous bastard, who doesn't know his a$$ from his head. I totally loved it though, never liked the guy... there was a book or two where I had thought that maybe he was deemable then he went and screwed things up again. Wish him the best but BUBYE BUCKAROO! ( )