391:: Jean-Claude's admission that the Vampire Council has divided his territory, together with his conflict with Serephina and Janos, further underscores the difficulty he is having as the newly installed Master of the City, a conflict that appear in several of the early novels. In addition, the appearance of vampires from Jean-Claude's past allows Anita to learn more about the circumstances that have made him into the vampire she knows.
25:
340:
Bradley
Bradford, a private investigator with his own secrets, is hired to protect one of Zeeman's targets, a young woman named Sarah, who holds the key to the Order's plans. But Sarah, haunted by a dark past and a growing sense of unease, finds herself drawn to Jason, who promises her a life beyond
316:
The peace in St. Louis is shattered by a series of gruesome murders. The victims are all wealthy and influential, their bodies drained of blood, their bones meticulously arranged in macabre displays. The city's elite, terrified and consumed by fear, turn to Anita Blake, the only one who can stop the
352:
The story concludes with a bittersweet victory. Anita manages to stop the Order and prevent the resurrection, but the price is high. She loses someone she cares deeply about, a reminder of the sacrifices that must be made to defend humanity. The city of St. Louis, scarred by the events, begins the
320:
Anita, juggling her duties as an executioner with her own personal struggles, finds herself drawn into a complex investigation. She is joined by the enigmatic Dolph Storr, a vampire with a dark past and a mysterious connection to the killings. Together, they delve into the underbelly of St. Louis,
332:
The Order's leader, Richard Zeeman, a calculating and ruthless businessman, manipulates the city's elite, using their greed and ambition to further his own twisted goals. He has recruited Jason
Schuyler, a charismatic but unstable young man, to act as his puppet, unaware of the true extent of the
348:
A grand cathedral, the chosen site for the Order's final ritual. Anita, along with her allies, must infiltrate the ceremony and prevent the resurrection of the ancient entity. A fierce battle erupts, pitting the forces of good against the forces of evil, as Anita faces off against Zeeman and his
344:
As Anita races against time to stop the Order and their sinister plans, she must confront her own vulnerabilities and navigate the treacherous alliances that threaten to engulf her. She must choose her side, knowing that failure will bring about a world ruled by darkness and fueled by blood.
328:
As Anita and Dolph dig deeper, they uncover a conspiracy that runs far deeper than they could have imagined. At the heart of this plot lies a hidden order, the Order of the Bloody Bones, a secret society dedicated to the resurrection of a powerful ancient entity. This entity, fueled by blood
324:
Their search for the killer leads them to Jean-Claude, the powerful vampire master of the city, who suspects the involvement of a rogue faction within his own kind. Jean-Claude, wary of the growing chaos, offers his resources and expertise, but his motives remain shrouded in suspicion.
137:
336:
Meanwhile, Larry
Kirkland, a struggling artist obsessed with the macabre, becomes entangled in the conspiracy. He believes he is assisting the Order in their noble cause, oblivious to the true nature of their intentions.
384:
notes in the afterword, writing the novel was also traumatic for
Hamilton herself, because it required Hamilton to reexperience her own mother's death, the event that served as a model for Anita's childhood
380:, Anita further develops her role as Larry's mentor, and is forced to ask Jean-Claude for substantial help for the first time. She also relives the trauma of her mother's death. According to
961:
971:
553:
547:
536:
497:
463:
436:
426:
419:
415:
1018:
397:: Richard appears only in the beginning of the novel, when Anita visits to tell him that she's going out of town, and is mentioned in the epilogue.
353:
long process of healing and rebuilding, but the threat of darkness remains, a constant reminder that the struggle for good is never truly over.
609:
582:
46:
305:
176:
956:
559:
Seraphina, Xavier, Janos, Pallas, Bettina, (presumably) Kissa, and Jeff
Quinlan, burned when authorities set fire to the Bloody Bones.
966:
543:
246:
116:
1033:
688:
484:
Federal agents Elwood and
Bradford (Although Bradford does appear in Obsidian Butterfly and at least one other subsequent novel.)
97:
69:
50:
1028:
1013:
992:
76:
1023:
620:
35:
83:
696:
54:
39:
602:
285:
587:
1038:
640:
530:
Ms
Harrison, was severely injured after Anita ordered a zombie to attack her, later drained by Ellie and Xavier
272:
65:
891:
946:
883:
832:
899:
848:
987:
840:
752:
744:
915:
824:
923:
907:
864:
656:
595:
856:
712:
648:
625:
381:
301:
150:
816:
808:
768:
704:
90:
680:
254:
241:
556:, burned to death when Anita forced Ellie to hold onto his waist as he ran out into sunlight;
792:
664:
951:
784:
728:
394:
1007:
800:
776:
736:
720:
186:
503:
A teenaged boyfriend and girlfriend, killed before the novel begins by Bloody Bones;
475:
Lisa and her unnamed friend, two college girls who agree to visit
Seraphina's lair;
190:
518:
The brown haired female vampire herself, killed by Beth's husband, David St. John;
941:
388:
373:
24:
576:
136:
760:
481:
Officer
Wallace, a police officer that accompanies Anita on her vampire hunt;
200:
509:
Deputy Zack
Coltrain nearly decapitated by a vampire in an early firefight;
261:
329:
sacrifice, promises to usher in a new era of darkness and domination.
512:
Officer Granger, killed by Anita to prevent him from shooting Larry.
515:
Beth St. John, killed by an unnamed brown haired female vampire.
591:
18:
255:
506:
Andy, presumably killed by Anita in an early firefight;
460:
Mr and Mrs Quinlan, and their children Ellie and Jeff;
321:
navigating a labyrinth of secrets and conspiracies.
980:
934:
875:
632:
280:
267:
253:
240:
232:
224:
216:
206:
196:
182:
172:
164:
156:
146:
496:Three unnamed murdered teenaged boys, killed by
533:Raymond Stirling, drained by Pallas and Bettina
603:
300:is a horror/mystery novel by American writer
8:
129:
53:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
610:
596:
588:
135:
128:
521:Bruce, shot by Larry at Seraphina's house
369:features the following major characters.
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
583:Internet Speculative Fiction Database
527:Ivy, killed by Anita in self-defense;
7:
51:adding citations to reliable sources
1019:Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels
14:
16:1996 novel by Laurell K. Hamilton
542:Ellie, turned into a vampire by
23:
524:Lionel Bayard, shot by Stirling
1:
539:, killed by Anita and Xavier;
444:Non-recurring characters in
621:Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
306:Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
177:Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter
1055:
550:dragged her into sunlight;
134:
66:"Bloody Bones" novel
537:Rawhead and Bloody Bones
407:Recurring characters in
304:, the fifth book in the
160:Lee McLeod (Ace edition)
1034:Novels set in St. Louis
967:Branson-based vampires
581:title listing at the
1029:Urban fantasy novels
1014:1996 American novels
657:Circus of the Damned
341:her wildest dreams.
47:improve this article
962:The Vampire Council
713:Narcissus in Chains
649:The Laughing Corpse
626:Laurell K. Hamilton
414:Anita's co-workers
302:Laurell K. Hamilton
151:Laurell K. Hamilton
141:First edition (Ace)
131:
1024:Low fantasy novels
705:Obsidian Butterfly
489:The death toll in
469:Sergeant Freemont;
236:370 (Ace edition)
212:1996 (Ace edition)
1001:
1000:
681:The Killing Dance
451:Raymond Stirling;
293:
292:
286:The Killing Dance
228:Print (Paperback)
217:Publication place
157:Cover artist
127:
126:
119:
101:
1046:
972:Other characters
665:The Lunatic Cafe
641:Guilty Pleasures
612:
605:
598:
589:
546:and killed when
402:Other characters
362:Major characters
333:Order's agenda.
281:Followed by
273:The Lunatic Cafe
268:Preceded by
257:
208:Publication date
139:
132:
122:
115:
111:
108:
102:
100:
59:
27:
19:
1054:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1044:
1043:
1039:Ace Books books
1004:
1003:
1002:
997:
976:
930:
892:The First Death
871:
689:Burnt Offerings
628:
616:
573:
568:
425:police officer
404:
364:
359:
314:
225:Media type
209:
142:
123:
112:
106:
103:
60:
58:
44:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1052:
1050:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1006:
1005:
999:
998:
996:
995:
990:
984:
982:
978:
977:
975:
974:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
938:
936:
932:
931:
929:
928:
920:
912:
904:
896:
888:
879:
877:
873:
872:
870:
869:
861:
853:
845:
837:
829:
821:
813:
805:
797:
789:
781:
773:
765:
757:
749:
741:
733:
729:Incubus Dreams
725:
717:
709:
701:
693:
685:
677:
669:
661:
653:
645:
636:
634:
630:
629:
617:
615:
614:
607:
600:
592:
586:
585:
572:
571:External links
569:
567:
564:
563:
562:
561:
560:
557:
554:Magnus Bouvier
551:
540:
534:
531:
528:
525:
522:
519:
516:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
487:
486:
485:
482:
479:
478:David St. John
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:Dorcas Bouvier
461:
458:
455:
454:Lionel Bayard;
452:
442:
441:
440:
437:Jason Schuyler
432:Jean-Claude's
430:
423:
420:Larry Kirkland
403:
400:
399:
398:
395:Richard Zeeman
392:
386:
363:
360:
358:
355:
313:
310:
291:
290:
282:
278:
277:
269:
265:
264:
259:
251:
250:
244:
238:
237:
234:
230:
229:
226:
222:
221:
218:
214:
213:
210:
207:
204:
203:
198:
194:
193:
184:
180:
179:
174:
170:
169:
166:
162:
161:
158:
154:
153:
148:
144:
143:
140:
125:
124:
31:
29:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1051:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
994:
991:
989:
986:
985:
983:
979:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
939:
937:
933:
926:
925:
921:
918:
917:
913:
910:
909:
905:
902:
901:
897:
894:
893:
889:
886:
885:
884:Strange Candy
881:
880:
878:
874:
867:
866:
862:
859:
858:
854:
851:
850:
846:
843:
842:
838:
835:
834:
833:Crimson Death
830:
827:
826:
822:
819:
818:
814:
811:
810:
806:
803:
802:
801:Kiss the Dead
798:
795:
794:
790:
787:
786:
782:
779:
778:
774:
771:
770:
766:
763:
762:
758:
755:
754:
753:The Harlequin
750:
747:
746:
745:Danse Macabre
742:
739:
738:
734:
731:
730:
726:
723:
722:
721:Cerulean Sins
718:
715:
714:
710:
707:
706:
702:
699:
698:
694:
691:
690:
686:
683:
682:
678:
675:
674:
670:
667:
666:
662:
659:
658:
654:
651:
650:
646:
643:
642:
638:
637:
635:
631:
627:
623:
622:
613:
608:
606:
601:
599:
594:
593:
590:
584:
580:
579:
575:
574:
570:
565:
558:
555:
552:
549:
545:
541:
538:
535:
532:
529:
526:
523:
520:
517:
514:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
495:
494:
492:
488:
483:
480:
477:
474:
471:
468:
465:
462:
459:
456:
453:
450:
449:
447:
443:
438:
435:
434:pomme de sang
431:
428:
424:
421:
417:
413:
412:
410:
406:
405:
401:
396:
393:
390:
387:
383:
379:
375:
372:
371:
370:
368:
361:
356:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
318:
311:
309:
307:
303:
299:
298:
289:
287:
283:
279:
276:
274:
270:
266:
263:
260:
258:
252:
249:(Ace edition)
248:
247:0-441-00374-5
245:
243:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
220:United States
219:
215:
211:
205:
202:
199:
195:
192:
188:
185:
181:
178:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
152:
149:
145:
138:
133:
130:Bloody Bones
121:
118:
110:
99:
96:
92:
89:
85:
82:
78:
75:
71:
68: –
67:
63:
62:Find sources:
56:
52:
48:
42:
41:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
993:Shapeshifter
922:
914:
906:
898:
890:
882:
863:
855:
849:Sucker Punch
847:
839:
831:
823:
815:
807:
799:
791:
783:
775:
767:
759:
751:
743:
735:
727:
719:
711:
703:
695:
687:
679:
673:Bloody Bones
672:
671:
663:
655:
647:
639:
619:
578:Bloody Bones
577:
498:Bloody Bones
491:Bloody Bones
490:
457:Ms Harrison;
446:Bloody Bones
445:
433:
409:Bloody Bones
408:
385:experience).
378:Bloody Bones
377:
367:Bloody Bones
366:
365:
351:
347:
343:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
315:
297:Bloody Bones
296:
295:
294:
284:
271:
113:
104:
94:
87:
80:
73:
61:
45:Please help
33:
947:Jean-Claude
942:Anita Blake
427:Dolph Storr
416:Bert Vaughn
389:Jean-Claude
374:Anita Blake
349:followers.
1008:Categories
935:Characters
841:Serpentine
809:Affliction
769:Skin Trade
761:Blood Noir
624:series by
566:References
493:includes:
382:Hamilton's
357:Characters
77:newspapers
981:Mythology
697:Blue Moon
448:include:
411:include:
317:carnage.
201:Ace Books
197:Publisher
107:June 2020
34:does not
916:Shutdown
825:Dead Ice
793:Hit List
308:series.
262:35453173
165:Language
952:Richard
924:Wounded
908:Dancing
876:Tie-ins
865:Smolder
187:Mystery
168:English
91:scholar
55:removed
40:sources
988:Mythos
927:(2016)
919:(2013)
911:(2013)
903:(2012)
900:Beauty
895:(2008)
887:(2006)
868:(2023)
860:(2021)
857:Rafael
852:(2020)
844:(2018)
836:(2016)
828:(2015)
820:(2014)
812:(2013)
804:(2012)
796:(2011)
788:(2010)
785:Bullet
780:(2010)
772:(2009)
764:(2008)
756:(2007)
748:(2006)
740:(2006)
732:(2004)
724:(2003)
716:(2001)
708:(2000)
700:(1998)
692:(1998)
684:(1997)
676:(1996)
668:(1996)
660:(1995)
652:(1994)
644:(1993)
633:Novels
548:Magnus
288:
275:
191:horror
173:Series
147:Author
93:
86:
79:
72:
64:
957:Asher
817:Jason
777:Flirt
737:Micah
472:Beau;
429:; and
376:: In
233:Pages
183:Genre
98:JSTOR
84:books
618:The
544:Andy
418:and
312:Plot
256:OCLC
242:ISBN
70:news
38:any
36:cite
49:by
1010::
189:,
611:e
604:t
597:v
500:;
466:;
439:.
422:;
120:)
114:(
109:)
105:(
95:·
88:·
81:·
74:·
57:.
43:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
