In Review: The Lunatic Café by Laurell K. Hamilton

Released: 1996                 

Publisher: Ace Books

Format: Paperback

ISBN:  0-441-00293-5

For those who have ever wanted a reset button, Anita kind of has one as the fourth book starts. She no longer bears a single mark to Jean Claude or any vampire for that matter, but that does not mean that she is free.

As she explores her relationship with Richard outside forces keep threatening to tear them apart. Richard being a werewolf is a little off putting as he watches people like prey, there’s also pack turmoil threatening to kill him, Jean Claude will not take no for an answer, and there is also vampire obsessed with jean Claude who wants to kill her.

And if her love life wasn’t messy enough, there’s also Dolph who needs help identifying what did the slaying of a victim. And after some trouble at the crime scene she comes back to find Irving, in need of protection. He’s torn between his alpha Marcus, and Richard, so Anita agrees to protect him.

At the Lunatic Café, the Were’s world of dominance and submission come into play, and the more Anita learns, the less she wants to know. We are introduced to a bevy of characters, including Swan king Kaspar, and new wolf Jason, the rat King Raphael makes an appearance as well.

Edward is back with a snuff film, he’s been hired to kill all those involved, and Anita is happy to help, though that forces her to dive even deeper than she ever expected in the were culture. Some scars will never heal.

The story keeps a wonderfully quick pace, and the twists are fantastic. Imagery is very real, and horrifying. A wonderful read, keeping with the momentum, and quality expected in the series.