The Hunger Susan Squires St. Martin's, Oct 2005, $6.99, 384 pp. ISBN: 0312998546 In 1811 Earl John Staunton and Countess Beatrix Lisse are lovers who each keep a dark secret from their companion. John, known as the most depraved rogue in England, is actually a spy working for the British Empire trying to identify who is the force working behind the scenes shaking up the French government. On the other hand, Beatrix is a six century plus old vampire, but the rarest form of this species having been born that way. John and Beatrix are beginning to fall in love, feelings neither desire as he knows that she will hurt his espionage work and she realizes the disparate life spans make a permanent relationship impossible. As their worlds further collide with his mission near resolution, complicating the situation is that her "sister" Asharti, a bitten vampire, has returned into Beatrix's life. She wants her bloodsucking sister to join her as they once were in a world of sensual male eating debauchery while being the real power in France and soon England. Beatrix refuses knowing that she and John will fight in "mortal" combat the raging amoral Asharti. This is a strong paranormal historical romance that grips the audience from the moment that Asharti returns to upset the happiness of the lead couple and never slows down until the final confrontation between the trio. In an intriguing way, she forms a dangerous relational triangle with Beatrix and John. Susan Squires provides a fresh romantic vampiric thriller that sub-genre fans will appreciate. Harriet Klausner