A Magical Trinket Mystery Series

There’s no rest for the gifted in the latest novel in this spellbinding series starring Dovey Van Dalen, former 1840s belle of Copenhagen turned present-day Washington, DC, magic-wielding mystic—and sleuth, charged with recovering magical property from the unbound.

If murder can have a silver lining, it’s 200-year-old Dovey’s blossoming romance with handsome FBI agent Grant “Gib” Barlow. The two have become smitten since solving their first case together. But when a fellow agent at Gib’s Bureau office who is suspected of being a mystic disappears, Dovey can’t help but wonder . . . is Elric, her boss, jealous former lover, and world’s most powerful mystic, responsible?

Then three murders occur with seemingly no common MO—until the medical examiner discovers that hidden on each body is a small piece of paper with the victim’s full name written in elaborate script. To Dovey’s eye, the script sparkles with a magical luminescence. She connects more dots when she hears about a binding gone terribly wrong within Elric’s territory.

Respected mystic Veda Akkineni recently cast a binding spell on an unbound named Fitch, then enslaved him, forcing him to churn out magical trinkets at a brutal pace. Desperate to escape, yet bound from murdering Veda directly, Fitch has imbued a limited-edition Montblanc pen with the power to compel others to do the deed—whenever it’s used to spell out a person’s full name. But testing it has created a small army of indiscriminately murderous serial killers . . .
To stop the madness, Dovey and Gib must find Fitch and confiscate the pen. But when Fitch decides to end Dovey’s meddling by writing out her name, it’s her own eternal life Dovey will be fighting for . . .

The latest mesmerizing novel in a new mystery series featuring the captivating Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now a spellbound, magic-wielding mystic in present-day Washington, D.C., charged with recovering magical property from the unbound—by any means necessary.

Dovey didn’t expect to fall in love after the age of 200, yet she can’t stop thinking about Grant “Gib” Barlow, the gorgeous FBI agent who helped her crack her last case. A romance with an unbound is obviously a terrible idea, but for Gib, it could be fatal—because Dovey’s employer, Elric Ostergaard, arguably the most powerful mystic in the world, also happens to be her longtime lover.

Alas, Dovey’s efforts to steer clear of Gib become impossible when her best friend, fellow mystic, and unapologetic romantic, Ursula Göransdotter, tricks them into a lunch date—during which Gib is alerted that a fellow agent has been murdered in his own home. The state of the crime scene, and of the body, seem to defy logic—but Dovey immediately recognizes the Crushing Curse, which could only be cast by a supremely powerful mystic—like her boss. When another agent is killed in the same manner, Dovey races to find Elric for answers.

Meanwhile, the FBI body count rises, and it becomes clear that a rogue mystic is targeting the unbound agents, but why? What ensues is another missing magical trinket, a tense confrontation with Elric, a shocking discovery about Gib, and grave danger to all involved—forcing Dovey to navigate realm-crossing love triangles, supernatural power struggles—and ultimately, her own surprisingly vulnerable heart . . .

This mesmerizing mystery series debut from New York Times bestselling author Victoria Laurie introduces the captivating, 200-year-old Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now charged with recovering magic property from mortals in modern day Washington DC—whatever it takes.

Dovey Van Dalen has a gorgeous day planned for her 200th birthday: driving her new Porsche, admiring the cherry blossoms abloom in her adopted city of Washington, D.C., and a little pampering. But her boss has other ideas. A powerful artifact has been stolen, and he fears it’s causing chaos in the unmagical world . . .

The rich and connected Ariti family has suffered a string of suspicious deaths, with no signs of foul play. Yet each member has died in the way they feared most. As the enchanting agent most skilled at blending in with mere mortals, Dovey must find answers and retrieve the dangerous trinket.

There’s just one unexpected wrinkle: By the time Dovey arrives at the art gallery where the Ariti patriarch died, FBI agent Grant “Gib” Barlow has taken control of the scene. Dovey needs his cooperation to investigate—but she’ll have to hide her abilities, and her true objective, from a man who uncovers deceptions every day. And as they inch nearer a deadly truth, both will face danger even the spellbound would be lucky to survive . . .