For diehard vampire fans, though, I will tease you with the fact the Elisabeth Bathory makes an appearance. And that's all I will say about that. It may be partly the setting of the contemporary story that makes it so fresh. Vampires, wolves, bats, and Guardians running around the deep South is an interesting twist, especially as Smith chooses a metropolitan area to be the stage. Then again, it could be the fascinating and complicated characters in The Guardian .
Economic comfort is no protection from the danger and the temptation that has come to town.
Or, it might be the complex weaving of subplots and the artful way they come together at unexpected times that make the book race across the pages. Then again, it could be the chance to see the ancient evil carving out a carefully planned and lucrative niche in the modern world. He is perfectly and lethally in-sync with our time. It could be the romance that never becomes too cloying. It could be the slimy, sociopathic creatures who are human, and because of that, even more frightening.