Publisher's Blurb " 'You can't trust anyone who sleeps with monsters.' That's what Anita Blake had always believed. But now she was sharing a bed with the Master Vampire of the city. So when an arsonist began to target vampire victims, the creatures of the night turned to their former enemy. For now only "The Executioner" could save them from the inferno... " "It's often hard to tell the good from the evil. Just ask Anita Blake. She seems to be developing a soft spot in her heart for vampires-one in particular. So, when an arsonist's fires begin licking at St. Louis's undead, it's up to Anita to save the very monsters she's sworn to destroy."

Publication Date Hardcover - December 4, 2007 Paperback - September 2002(Jove) Paperback - May 1998 (Ace) Audiobook -

ISBN 0-425-21884-8 (Jove HC), 0-515-13447-3 (Jove PB)

Covers and Cover Art The above cover was from the 2002 paperback republication of the book. The artist is Craig White. Additional cover designs for North America and the UK

Synopsis Burnt Offerings continues the adventures of Anita Blake as she attempts to solve a series of arsons and other crimes, and deal with a threat to her lover, Jean-Claude, as he fends off a political challenge from the Vampire Council. Fora more detailed plot summary

Primary Characters Anita Blake Jean-Claude Richard Zeeman
Recurring Characters Larry Kirkland Ronnie Sims Dolph Storr Zerbrowski Tammy Reynolds Detective Clive Perry Irving Griswold Jason Schuyler Jamil Stephen Dietrich Sylvie Barker Gregory Dietrich Elizabeth Rafael Dr. Lillian Louie Fane Raina (munin) Liv Willie McCoy Damian Ernie - a human flunky
New Characters Captain Pete McKinnon - an arson investigator from the St. Louis Fire Dept. Nathaniel Graison - a wereleopard from Gabriel's pard Kevin - a werewolf who helps Anita Lorraine - a werewolf who helps Anita Teddy - a werewolf who helps Anita Zane - a wereleopard from Gabriel's pard Asher - an emissary from Belle Morte Yvette - an emissary from Morte D'Armour Balthasar - Yvette's human servant Warrick - an additional member of the Council party, also from Morte D'Armour Hannah - Willie's girlfriend, aka 'Angel Fangs' Vivian - a wereleopard from Gabriel's pard Cherry - a wereleopard from Gabriel's pard Padma - Council member, Master of Beasts Fernando - Padma's wererat son Traveller - Council member Gwen - a werewolf, Sylvie's mate, a psychologist Harry - a vampire who own a theme bar called Burnt Offerings Gideon - Padma's animal to call, a weretiger Thomas Carstairs - Padma's human servant Padgett - a cop Roy Smith - Caroline - Fulton, Tucker, Wren - firefighters
Character Deaths Yvette - by Warrick Warrick - in destroying Yvette Fernando - off camera, by Sylvie Liv - off camera, by Sylvie Harry - by Council? Tucker - by revenant vampires unnamed vampires of the Church of Eternal life

Important Revelations

• Anita is not a Federal Marshal at this time.
• Jean-Claude can taste food through his human servant. Anita does this as a treat for him when they go out on a dinner date.
  
• Asher and Jean-Claude were made by the same vampire. This is apparently disregarded later.
• Some, but not all master vampires, can feed from their servants without taking blood. This is considered a classier method of feeding.
• The vampire council has seven members, always an odd number to prevent a tie. Current members include Belle Morte, Morte d’Amour, The Traveler, Padma (the weakest). (Queen of Nightmares, and Mother of All Darkness (she who sleeps) round out the members.) Mr. Oliver was a council member, and the vacancy left by his death has not been filled.
• The last witch burned by the mob in the US was Agnes Simpson, in 1953.
• The leopards refer to their group as the pard. Zane has been trying, ineffectively, to lead the pard after Gabriel's death.
  
• A vampire’s knowledge of his mastery can be thwarted. (??? not sure what this means, please elaborate.)
• First mention of Raina as munin, a werewolf spirit.
• We learn that Raina had the power to heal.
• Sylvie hates the wereleopards.
• 
  

Explanation of the Title

The book is named for a vampire bar/theme restaurant location in the story.

"As you walked through the doors there was a poster from the 1970s movie Burnt Offerings. Oliver Reed and Bette Davis staring down at you. There was a life-size waxwork of Christopher Lee as Dracula in the bar. There was one wall with framed caricatures of horror stars of the sixties and seventies, floor to ceiling, no tables allowed to obstruct the view." page 162

(The fictional restaurant is itself named after the real-world 1976 haunted house movie, Burnt Offerings.)

Information on this Page has been Gathered from the Following Sources

1. LKH at Penguin Putnam Publishing
2. Burnt Offerings on Wikipedia
3. Burnt Offerings, the novel.

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