Thief of Lives

January 1, 2004
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Former con-artists-turned-vampire-slayers Magiere (a half-vampire, half-human called a \plain\f3\fs24" dhampir\plain\f3\fs24 ) and her half-elf partner, Leesil, return in this sequel to \plain\f3\fs24" Dhampir\plain\f3\fs24 [BKL Ja 1 & 15 03]. After she had taken care of the vampire problem in Miiska, her and Leesil's adopted village, Magiere assumed her vampire-hunting days were over. Now a successful tavern owner, she wants nothing more than to forget about vampires. But when a vampire kills a councilman's daughter in the city of Bela, Miiska officials pressure her to go hunt down and kill the vampire. At Leesil's urging, she reluctantly agrees. The trip gets off to a bad start when three hired thugs try to kill Magiere aboard the ship to Bela, and when she and Leesil begin investigating, Magiere is puzzled by the deliberate nature of the crime. Clearly, someone was trying to send a message. But was the sender a vampire or some other sinister, dark force? Readers will turn the pages of this satisfying medieval thriller with gusto. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)