This is the first in a new series by the ever brilliant author, Anne Bishop.
Meg Corbyn is a cassandra sangue, a woman who can see the future when her skin is cut. This makes her a very valuable commodity without a life of her own. Escaping her 'owners' she ends up in the non-human section of the country, hiding where human law does not apply.
The non-humans in this book are the best I have ever read - they're not the fluffy werewolves and sparkly vampires of popular fiction. They're what they truly are, a completely different species with opposing beliefs and societal mores to humans. They see humans the same way a lion would, as prey. They tolerate them... when they're not hungry.
Every myth or monster is alive and living in the Others courtyards and they do not politely negotiate when they feel threatened. They're the dominant species on the planet, humans are just tasty-tasty-monkeys to them, and when the humans try to assert their dominance cities drown, Winter strikes and scary things get scarier.
I cannot wait for books two and three, this book was just that fantastic. If you really enjoy urban fantasy then 'Written in Blood' shouldn't be missed.