Smolder

Smolder drops us into Anita Blake’s life at full heat. She’s planning a high-profile wedding to Jean-Claude, headlining at Guilty Pleasures, and still wearing a U.S. Marshal’s badge. Between fittings and rehearsals, a ‘Sunshine Murder’ arrives in St. Louis—an attack that turns vampires to ash by daylight and leaves a trail of fear. A government charm backfires, the crowd at the club surges, and Anita’s trio must cleanse a room full of tainted minds using the ardeur. Then the real threat reveals itself: Deimos, a dragon-blooded ancient who feeds on dread and carries Greek fire in his veins. To stand a chance, Anita, Jean-Claude, and Richard complete the fourth mark and lock their triumvirate at last. It’s a story about love you choose, power you fear, and the moments you can’t run from—in tights, under lights, and with real flames heading your way.

• Urban fantasy readers who love strong character arcs wrapped in high-stakes action
• Fans of paranormal romance interested in ethical, consensual power dynamics and poly relationships
• Listeners who enjoy crime-scene logic, tactical planning, and supernatural world-building

Laurell K. Hamilton is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series and the Merry Gentry series. With over forty novels, she blends mythology, folklore, biology, and the macabre into character-driven, genre-defining urban fantasy. She lives in St. Louis and trains in Filipino martial arts when she isn’t writing or traveling to scuba dive and bird-watch.