''Kiss the Dead'' is a 2012
erotic
Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, scul ...
thriller by American writer
Laurell K. Hamilton
Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is best known as the author of two series of stories.
Her The New York Times Best Seller list, ''New York Times''-bestselling ''Anita Blake: Vampire H ...
. The book was published on June 5, 2012 by Berkley Hardcover and is the twenty first book in the
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series.
Plot
''Kiss the Dead'' centers on
U.S. Marshal Anita Blake
Anita Blake is the title and viewpoint character of the '' Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter'' series by Laurell K. Hamilton. The series takes place in a parallel world in which supernatural characters like vampires and werewolves exist alongside reg ...
as she attempts to sort through her ever increasingly complicated personal life while dealing with a vampire that is breaking both vampire and human laws by turning underage teens and children into the undead. Meanwhile Anita also has to deal with the fragile ego of the ancient vampire
Asher, whose jealous behavior threatens the physical and emotional well-being of all around him.
Reception
Critical reception to ''Kiss the Dead'' has been mixed to positive, with ''
Publishers Weekly ''writing that there's "nothing here that Hamilton hasn’t done already, but there’s enough to sustain readers until Anita’s next escapade." The''
St. Louis Post-Dispatch ''praised the book, citing the "heart-stopping climax" as a highlight.
News.com.au called ''Kiss the Dead'' the "literary version of comfort food" and "a fun ride for the most part". ScienceFiction.com stated that the novel was "the best offering in the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series I’ve seen in a while" but that the repetition of phrases and character descriptions "could have been better".
Romantic Times gave ''Kiss the Dead'' two stars, writing that the book felt "unbalanced and unfocused".
References
External links
*
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter wiki
{{Anita Blake
2012 American novels
American erotic novels
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels
Low fantasy novels
Urban fantasy novels
Novels by Laurell K. Hamilton
Berkley Books books