This story is told from the point of view of a human who is engaged by a group of vampires to find out who has been destroying them one by one, as they sleep. Set in Sherlock Holmes' England - the story is well-told and very enjoyable. Hambly's combination of historical novel/detective story with a vampire twist gives the novel depth and holds the readers interest. Hambly's vampires are in some ways similar to Rice's, but are also very different. Both have very social vampires with connections that range across a broad area, and both have superhuman speed and strength. However, there are many differences; for example, Hambly's are vulnerable to silver, and their origin seems to be natural rather than the supernatural origin of Rice's. The book offers the most interesting medical explaination of the vampiric nature. The characters are engaging and believable - the "lead" vampire reminding me somewhat of St. Germain. This book should be on all vampire fan's reading list.