The Magistrates of Hell (Barbara Hambly)

This is the fourth (and, so far, the last) in Hambly's James Asher series of vampire novels. I confess that I really like her vampires (and Don Ysidro in particular) - they are powerful, scary, dangerous, and definitely do not sparkle. This version, set in China where strange things even scarier than vampires have been found, is better than the last one, but of course can't meet the standard of the first (Those Who Hunt the Night), which was awesome. James is as resourceful and competent as ever; his lovely intelligent wife as resourceful and gutsy as ever; Don Simon as morally ambiguous and seductive as ever. I love Hambly's writing, which is lush and evocative of exotic locations peopled with exotic but clearly-drawn characters. I will keep reading them if she keeps writing them, but more out of loyalty than real love for the newest ones.