"Guilty Pleasures" by Laurell K. Hamilton as compared to
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Anita Blake in an animator. She raises the dead, and occasionally puts them back. Vampire slaying is something she does on the side. In the world of Guilty Pleasures, vampires are no big secret. Their existence is well-known, and the United States is one of few countries in which vampirism is legal. A recent attraction in St. Louis is a place called the District, a vampire hotspot which attracts tourists from all over. The District is home to Guilty Pleasures, the world's only vampire strip club. In a world in which vampires do not have to hide, a wide array of mixed feelings exist.
The book opens in Anita's office where she is having a meeting with a representative for a potential client. This representative is a vampire. Anita isn't a big fan of vampires, and they're not exactly big fans of her.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)
1993 cover
Guilty Pleasures (Barbra Streisand album)They call her the Executioner. The vampire community, despite her ominous profession, holds enough respect for her to ask for her help with the further investigation of a string of vampire murders, fearing the police, due to prejudice, would not do a thorough job investigating. Anita turns him away and reams out her money-hungry boss for sending her a vampire without consulting her first.
The story really begins when Anita attends a bachelorette party for her friend Catherine which, unknown to Anita ahead of time, is being held at Guilty Pleasures. She goes in despite her misgivings, mostly to keep an eye on her friend. The woman throwing the party, Monica, is obviously a regular at Guilty Pleasures. Upon entering the club, Anita meets Jean-Claude, a master vampire she met while investigating the vampire murders for the police.