This is book four of my eight book binge in 48 hours. I need eight books to meet my 80-book goal. My original goal was one hundred and fifty but Covid-19 gave me moments of wanting to read and weeks where all I did was read. I am making it to eighty though. Okay short rant over let us get on to Ms. Blake.

For fans of the "old" Anita Blake, the one where she solved crimes more than she had sex, this is a great transitional book for Ms. Hamilton to move away from the relationship- and vampire-politics-based writing that's dominated most of her recent novels. Additionally, the writing was first rate. Tight in a way I had not even known I have been missing. Every chapter ends with a punch (no pun intended) something quotable, something memorable. I just can't stress how much I enjoyed the level of writing in this book. Maybe if I mention that towards the end I found a typo and it threw me out of the story in a very jarring way will illustrate how deeply I'd fallen into the story, because typos always throw me out of a story, but this was the only one I noticed.

That said, I found some of the content problematic. Not in the way that prudes would, not in the violence and killing part that most people might object to, but in the way that it so clearly illustrates the myth of "only a few bad apples" in the "rest of the cops are good" barrel. I found most the cops in this one outside of Anita’s circle quiet annoying. I will state for the record I am not a fan of Olaf and never will be. If he disappears from the books all together I won’t miss him. Sorry not sorry.

I think it will come as no surprise at all that Laurell K. Hamilton would "back the blue" to the extent that she does, whether intentionally or not, it comes through that she truly believes we are safer with the police than without them. I give her credit that she also shows that the justice system is flawed and in need of change, also that it seems like every change seems to just make a new problem rather than solving everything.
Newman is the new marshal and I feel as though he needs to work in a much more normal job because he doesn’t have the heart to kill anyone. Bobby, I felt totally sorry for. I know you are not allowed
I will say that the case in this book is very interesting and the way it ends. I felt the ending packed a punch (totally intended that time) The way it ends I cannot wait to see what comes next for all characters. On a total personal side note while I loved the crime fighting, I missed her boys just a little.
( )

I don't care what others think, I still really like this series. I also liked this book because it brought out the mystery side of the series without the relationship drama. I always like it when "The Four Horsemen" get together. Even though it was mostly Anita and Otto (Olaf).

I always love it when the "bodyguards" show up on various hunts that Anita goes to. Nicky and some others made it out to the "crime".

Unlike most other books with the mystery going on, there is no hunting in this book. The supposed killer is already caught and behind bars. The mystery was the fact that Nueman (a character from an older book who was just fresh out of preternatural academy) doesn't think that Bobby (the werejaguar in question) actually committed the crime of murdering his adoptive father. So, he calls in Anita to help him figure out if the warrant that has the execution order should be followed or if there is something else to be done. The questions are first - did Bobby do the deed? If no, then who did the deed?

This was the book. Meanwhile we have Olaf who was already in the area making an appearance when he discovered that Anita was there, and doing his level best to be on his best behavior so that he might actually get that chance to date and bed Anita. Meanwhile Edward is taking his time (so it seems) to get to the scene.

Anita and Edward have both come to the conclusion that the time to put up or shut up regarding dating and bedding Olaf is nearing. Since he is doing the things that Anita said he needed to be doing before she would even consider him, she is finding that it is harder to not say not to him. Oh, she WANTS to say no, Hell NO, but she can't find any more excuses to give him that he would accept. No one wants Olaf to realize that his dreams of him and Anita becoming the happy serial killing couple won't come true because that would change him into the serial killer who just wants Anita to be his best victim.

So, while the murder mystery is being unwound, we have the whole Anita and Olaf dynamic which did get a bit squicky and tedious. However, having the other characters show up made it more palatable.

Out of all the boyfriends, I think I like Nicky best behind Jean Claude and Mica. I am getting tired of Nathanial being a bit too demanding. He needs to tone that down. He isn't in this book but for a single text and even that text has Anita feeling a bit like it's a nag.

I have to add a bit of a complaint here. I noticed that most of the reviewers were stating that they had stopped reading Anita Blake books some time ago, but they are reviewing this one.

If you have stopped reading the series, then you won't be up to date with the character interactions that make the newest book good (or bad). I mean, if you remember one character from when the series started and haven't read about their growth through the series, then how can you understand where they are in this book?

If you plan on reviewing a series, please have read the current books before offering a review. It only makes sense in a long series where the characters are long term and grow and change for the better or worse. I understand how readers got a bit tired of the changes in this series where it went for straight police procedural to whatever the hell it is now, but all of the characters went through some changes over the books and those changes are now being reflected in this book. ( )

This book reminds me of the older Anita Blake stories in that there is little sex and/or angst about sex. The end was a bit of a shock but always like some surprises in my stories. I do feel as though there was some repetition that could have been written tighter. All in all a good read. ( )

I admit that I haven’t been loving this series for a long time now but I still read it hoping I will see what first got me into the series and this book was the payoff after reading so many that left me disappointed. The plot has Anita providing backup to another US Marshall that thinks the were he is supposed to execute is innocent of the murder of his father. To complicate matters, it is in a small town and everyone knows everyone else so the Marshall is loath to kill the were. There was sexual tension but no emergency feedings which was a real plus. The book was padded out bit but it was nice to see the mystery taking front and center for a change. With all the details about the Marshall service, I wouldn’t be surprised if more books have the old vs new Marshalls going head to head or have Anita do some schooling for the new kids. And maybe she will actually get some more crime solving tools in her skill set. Fans of Olaf and Edward will be happy with this book.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
( )

This is probably the best Anita book I've read in a while. No weird sex scenes. Lots of police work, although there was a lot of talking. Oh woe is me, I act like one of the boys but they always marginalize me.

A wereleopard is accused of murder, but did he do it? Lots of angst about the warrant system for supernatural. So this may become a landmark case to change the system.

Edward and Olaf are also involved. Olaf wants to date Anita and there is a lot of time spent on negotiating what that might look like. This is obviously setting things up for more novels with Olaf. Anita says she will have to kill him at some point, but for now, she's trying not to poke the bear.

It was weird that two of her female bodyguards were trying to set themselves up as bait for Olaf. I don't know if they were hoping he'd make a move on them so they could kill him, but it was a pretty obvious ploy. And Olaf has said he'd keep his "hobby" off US soil.

But all-in-all, I enjoyed this one. It gives me hope for when the next book comes out and I may actually buy that one. I had thought to stop reading with this one, but now I'm not sure. ( )