Venice and vampires. The Shadow Queen has retreated to her lair to gather her strength and recruit a new army of the Undead for a final confrontation.

A dark and gothic novel of vampires and 18th Century Venice, filled with mystery and intrigue. A captivating story of love and loss, THE KISS OF DEATH is a stunning companion volume to the bestselling MY SWORDHAND IS SINGING.

Peter's ongoing search for the Shadow Queen leads him to Venice - the fabled city with lapping waterways, crumbling magnificence, dark, twisting alleyways and surprising piazzas. A city whose beauty disguises many ugly secrets. The Shadow Queen is there, gathering strength, recruiting a new army of the Undead for a final confrontation.

Marko and Sorrel meet in Venice for the first time. They must uncover the mystery of what has happened both to Sorrel's father, who is plagued by a strange madness that prevents him from sleeping, and to Marko's father, a doctor, who has mysteriously gone missing after travelling to Venice to help his old friend . . .

"With his formidable skill, Marcus Sedgwick renders Venice the most perfect backdrop for this intensely gripping vampire action" - THE BOOKSELLER

"Vampires never go out of fashion ... a class act." - Mary Hoffman, THE GUARDIAN

"A tremendously atmospheric novel of great sophistication ... Vampires are hot property in children's books at the moment, but you're unlikely to find classier treatment." - Jill Murphy, THE BOOK BAG