A beautiful beach wedding on a secluded Florida island is just the kind of vacation Anita Blake could use, especially since the nuptials are for her best friend Edward (Ted) Forrester. Shortly after they arrive, however, women staying at the hotel begin to disappear. Worse, her lovers, wereleopards Micah and Nathaniel, are considered suspects in the disappearances. In addition, Micah has discovered a new lycanthropy within one family, one that turns people into horrific masses of snakes. Faced with supernatural powers she can't deal with alone, Anita calls in the rest of the U.S. Marshals who make up the Four Horsemen, a choice she may live to regret. Exploring the emotional issues of weddings and relationships (monogamous and polyamorous), along with some explicit sex and lots of otherworldy fighting, this book packs a lot of action. VERDICT This strong entry in Hamilton's long-running "Anita Blake" series (after Crimson Death), is sure to draw in urban fantasy readers, newbies, and longtime fans.—Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Hamilton's middling 26th Anita Blake paranormal (after Crimson Death) brings friends and frenemies together for a destination wedding in New Mexico. After seven years, Anita's fellow U.S. Marshal Edward is headed to the altar with Donna—unless Donna's insecurities or bridesmaid Dixie's vicious gossip derail their big day. Anita and her partner Micah promise to set work aside and focus on each other and their partner Nathaniel, but they fall back into old habits and hurt Nathaniel's feelings. When female guests go missing from the wedding hotel, this getaway turns into a vampire hunter reunion. Anita, Edward, and their colleagues Bernardo and Olaf must stop the monster preying on women before a corrupt cop magically coerces Nathaniel into taking the blame. Hamilton is slowly shifting the focus away from Anita's personal relationships and sexcapades and back toward mystery and action, but that shift won't move fast enough to satisfy many longtime fans of the series, and it leaves this installment feeling disjointed. Agent: Merrilee Heifetz, Writers House. (Aug.)