Anna and Charles have just been tasked with attending a conference where Bran's controversial proposal to finally reveal werewolves to humans is to be presented. However, the most dangerous alpha in Europe is fundamentally against it—and it seems someone else disagrees with Bran's plan too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, a power that should only be controlled by werewolves, Charles and Anna must join forces to uncover who is behind it all—or risk losing everything…
Patricia Briggs' first novel, Masques, was published in 1993. The book was not successful, and the author's career almost ended before it began. Fortunately, her second novel, Steal the Dragon (1995), sold much better, and her writing career slowly took off. The growing popularity of her books, combined with her ability to create vivid, convincing characters, inspired her publisher to ask if she would try writing a modern urban fantasy. Briggs accepted the challenge and signed a contract for a series of novels starring Mercy Thompson. Smoke Bitten (2020) is the latest, twelfth instalment in the successful series and universe.
The first book in the Mercy Thompson series (Moon Called) made it onto the USA Today bestseller list. The second instalment, Blood Bound, in turn, placed on the New York Times bestseller list. Iron Kissed, the third book, even reached the number one spot on this prestigious list. The success was so enormous that further instalments of this still-unfinished series are being created. The author also came up with a spin-off series, Alpha & Omega, which is also published by Fantom Print alongside the main Mercedes Thompson series.