Merit is adjusting to her role as Sentinel for Cadogan House but it isn't easy with angry humans picketing the front gates and her Master Ethan Sullivan trying to regain her trust after breaking her heart. Add in her father being suspiciously genial, attempts from a secret vampire watch organization to recruit her, and a visit from a big wig on the European vampire council and life has gotten pretty darn complicated.

Then the mayor of Chicago decides to throw his weight around, threatening Ethan with jail time if he cannot put a stop to some pretty nasty raves. Not that the mayor is wrong to be concerned, rumor has it three humans were killed at a recent vamp party, although the bodies have not yet been found.

Yet another human-run hate group has formed, this time with weaponry and mercenaries to back up their twisted beliefs, and getting in the way of the search for the rogue vampires. With so much ugliness coming from the humans Merit is beginning to wonder if she isn't glad to be a vampire after all.

Neill's fourth in the Chicagoland Vampire series, HARD BITTEN takes the story of Merit further along the series arc, adding in a number of surprises and interesting relationship elements. Like the other books, it is solidly written, keeping a good balance between the romance and the action without giving a firm 'happily ever after' ending yet resolving the big questions in a very satisfying, if abrupt manner. Plenty of intrigue and unanswered questions remain for the upcoming book Drink Deep due out November, 2011.