“Bloody Bones,” by Laurell K. Hamilton

FM's ratings:

1.      Premise 9

2.      Prose 10

3.      Plot 9

4.      Characters 9

5.      Overall 9

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Book 5 in this series and no sign of fading!  The tight plotting in these novels is superb, though there is a hint of formula showing.  One technique that is showing up with just a little too much regularity is, for lack of a better phrase, “the long, hopeless situation.”  While scenes that take up 30 pages or more work beautifully in a cinematic situation – Quentin Tarantino is a master at this – it can be too much if overused, especially in a novel.  Our protagonist, Anita Blake (one of my all-time favorite protagonists!) gets into hopeless situations not just at the end of the story as many a mystery-writer loves to depict, but several times throughout the narrative.  And these scenes attempt to keep the tension up for page after page.  It almost works, the prose is so effective, but it is just a tad overdone.  But this is nit-picking.  Everything else about the writing is just short of perfect, with a wryly humorous first person narrative by Anita that never goes stale.  The comedic effect never gets in the way and adds immeasurably to almost every scene.  Love the writer; love the series - next stop: “The Killing Dance.”