Publisher's Blurb When a vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas, she has to warn Sin City’s local authorities what they’re dealing with. Only it’s worse than she thought. Ten officers and one executioner have been slain—paranormal style. Anita heads to Vegas, where’s she’s joined by three other federal marshals, including the ruthless Edward. It’s a good thing he always has her back, because when she gets close to the bodies, Anita senses “tiger” too strongly to ignore it. The weretigers are very powerful in Las Vegas, which means the odds of her rubbing someone important the wrong way just got a lot higher. Publishers Weekly "Hamilton's 17th Anita Blake novel draws the vampire hunter into a game of cat-and-mouse with a particularly monstrous vampire named Vittorio. Aided by sadistic serial killer Otto Jefferies, convenient sociopath Edward, Kemper and fanged escorts handpicked by her lover Jean-Claude, U.S. marshal Anita offers her services to Las Vegas, now under siege from Vittorio's army of enthralled preternatural beings. Manipulated by the cunning Vittorio and occasionally misled by coincidental events, Anita employs her insight into Vittorio's condition and weaponized libido as the decisive weapons in this struggle. The book is largely concerned with the melodramatic conflict between hunter and hunter and Blake's soap-operatic love life, but Hamilton does manage some genuinely moving passages, particularly those describing the terror of innocent vampires caught up in the arbitrary and draconian U.S. legal system."

Covers and Cover Art The above cover was from the June 2, 2009, first printing of the book. The second of a new series of covers. Design is by Penguin/Putnam art director Judith Lagerman, using photos by Jody Ake. Additional cover designs for North America and the UK
Synopsis When a vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas, she has to warn Sin City's local authorities what they're dealing with. Only it's worse than she thought. Ten officers and one executioner have been slain-paranormal style. Anita heads to Vegas, where's she's joined by three other federal marshals, including the ruthless Edward. It's a good thing he always has her back, because when she gets close to the bodies, Anita senses "tiger" too strongly to ignore it. The weretigers are very powerful in Las Vegas, which means the odds of her rubbing someone important the wrong way just got a lot higher. For a more detailed Summary
Primary Characters Anita Blake Edward Olaf Bernardo
Recurring Characters Jean-Claude Jason Wicked Truth Crispin Maximilian Vittorio Requiem Marmee Noir
New Characters Brian - a newer security hire Undersheriff Shaw - in charge of the investigation in Las Vegas Cannibal - a member of the LVPD SWAT team - empath and memory sucker Spider - a member of the LVPD SWAT team, skill unknown Davey - a member of the LVPD SWAT team, skill of solidifying air Santa - a member of the LVPD SWAT team, skill of knowing naughtiness vs niceness Victor Belleci - Son of Bibiana and Max, a powerful white weretiger Chang-Bibiana - Queen of the White tiger Clan Cynric - a young, rare, blue weretiger Domino - a black and white weretiger Hunter - red weretiger, guest stripper Phoebe Billings - Wiccan high priestess Brianna - human stripper Sebastian (Hong) - a weretiger, the animal to call of Vittorio Gregory Minns - weretiger Martin Bendez - weretiger Paula Chu - weretiger Rick (Roderic) - a white weretiger
Character Deaths Marmee Noir - slight element of doubt- her physical body was "probably" destroyed Vittorio The LV executioner (Wizard) - this happened immediately prior to the start of the book Martin Bendez Todd Bering - strong witch slain by a demon he raised off-stage

Important Revelations

• The Las Vegas SWAT team has members with psychic abilities of various types as regular members.
• Anita is known as the 'little queen' of the tigers.This means that she has potential to lead a clan.
  
• The different types of tigers, i.e. golden, red, white, etc., were all originally infected variety before being born that way.This change is a result of techniques that they learned and practice that allow the males of the clan to take the beast of the females during the full moon while they are pregnant so they can carry the babies to term.
  
• Anita has a 'rainbow' of tigers inside of her, including varieties that are now extinct.
• ow up in my mouth a little just writing that.

Explanation of the title

Information on this Page has been Gathered from the Following Sources

1. The Laurell K. Hamilton section on the Penguin Putnum Publishing website. See Links section for a web link
2. The Book/novel - Skin Trade
   
3. The Official Laurell K. Hamilton Website. See Links section for a web link
   

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