Laurell Kaye Hamilton (born February 19, 1963) is an American multi-genre writer. She is best known as the author of two series of stories, Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter and Merry Gentry.
Her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series centers on Anita Blake, a professional zombie raiser, vampire executioner and supernatural consultant for the police, which includes novels, short story collections, and comic books. Six million copies of Anita Blake novels are in print. Her New York Times-bestselling Merry Gentry series centers on Meredith Gentry, Princess of the Unseelie court of Faerie, a private detective facing repeated assassination attempts.
Both fantasy series follow their protagonists as they gain in power and deal with the dangerous “realities” of worlds in which creatures of legend live.
Laurell was born in rural Arkansas but grew up in northern Indiana with her grandmother. Her education includes degrees in English and biology from Marion College (now called Indiana Wesleyan University).
SERPENTINE
Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, #26
Release date 8/7/18
Vampire hunter Anita Blake has managed to overcome anything that faces her. But this time, there’s a monster that even she doesn’t know how to fight . . .
A remote Florida Island is a perfect wedding destination for fellow US marshal and best friend Edward’s upcoming nuptials. For Anita, the vacation is a much welcomed break as it’s the first trip she gets to take with just wereleopards Micah and Nathaniel. But it’s not all fun and games and bachelor parties…
In that tropical paradise, Micah has discovered a horrific new form of lycanthropy, one that has afflicted a single family for generations. Believed to be the result of an ancient Greek curse, it turns human bodies into a mass of snakes.
When long-simmering resentment leads to a big blow-out within the wedding party, the last thing Anita needs is more drama. But it finds her anyway when women start disappearing from the hotel and worse–her own friends and lovers are considered the prime suspects. There’s a strange power afoot that Anita has never confronted before, a force that’s rendering those around her helpless in its thrall. Unable to face it on her own, Anita is willing to accept help from even the deadliest places—help that she will most certainly regret—if she survives at all, that is…
Our Review (eBook) by LITERAL ADDICTION's Scholastic Siren - Sara:
I think Ms. Hamilton is trying to bring the series back to its roots. This installment, and the last couple of books, have certainly seemed to head that way. SERPENTINE is reminiscent of Obsidian Butterfly, possibly my favorite book in the series.
First, it has a very similar cast: Edward/Ted, Bernardo Spotted-Horse, a few shifters including Nathaniel and Micah, but no Jean-Claude. There’s a (not-so-well-kept) secret cast member, too that made me very happy. You can Google, but we don’t do spoilers here.
Secondly, there is a real mystery--a missing woman from the hotel. Anita and crew really want to help because one of Anita's people is accused of the kidnapping. Soon, one missing women becomes missing people. And the police are stuck on the wrong suspect.
Thirdly, there is new magic, something none of the characters are familiar with.
The storylines come together really well. In fact, the second half of the book reads so quickly, it’s nearly impossible to put down.
Full disclosure: I have been a fan since GUILTY PLEASURES. I stuck it out through some not-so-story-driven books so I would have read this anyway, but it was great fun! And definitely recommended.
SERPENTINE
