Laurell K. Hamilton – författare

''They will play with us, then destroy us... They are what we fear in the dark.''The first warning is unexpected, calculated. The second warning is a gift: a plain white mask, carefully wrapped. But white is good - white means we are only being watched. It seems the power that connects me, Anita Blake, with Jean-Claude Vampire Master of the City and Richard, leader of the werewolves, is attracting very unwelcome attention - from creatures so feared no vampire will willingly speak their name. They are known as the Harlequin, and they have the authority to pass judgement upon me. It is forbidden to speak of the Harlequin unless you''ve been contacted. And to be contacted is to face a sentence of death.

MICAH''Raising the dead is easy. Love is hard.''There are lots of reasons to raise the dead - some private, some public. In this case, the feds have a witness who died before he could speak on the record. They want him raised so his testimony can be taken.

So here I am, Anita Blake, necromancer, on a plane to Philadelphia, flying off to do my job. But I''m not alone: Micah, head of the St Louis wereleopards, is with me. I''m happy to have him at my side. Until he mentions that this will be our first time alone together. Just me and Micah.

And all my fears and doubts...

STRANGE CANDY Fantastical fairy tales that will leave you craving more: from the woman who marries into a family of wizards to a couple fleeing a gang of love-hungry cupids, readers will revel in these unique visions.

''It was the middle of November, I was supposed to be out jogging, but instead I was sitting at my breakfast table talking about men, sex, werewolves and vampires. I should be concentrating on my dangerous situation - the ardeur between me and Jean-Claude, Master Vampire of the City, and Richard, my werewolf lover, is reaching new levels, evolving into something altogether new, acting with a will of its own.''But instead Anita Blake, preternatural expert and feared executioner, is less interested in vampire politics than in the ancient, ordinary dread that women down the ages have experienced: am I pregnant? And, if so, is the father a vampire, a werewolf or someone else entirely. And being a Federal Marshall, known for raising the dead and hunting vampires, is no way to bring up a baby.