THE THREADS OF MAGIC

When he acquires a silver box containing a mysterious shriveled heart, an orphan boy suddenly finds his life in peril.

Twelve-year-old Pip and his older sister, El, live on their own in the kingdom of Clarel, where the king has ordered Princess Georgette, his only heir, to marry neighboring King Oswald against her will. In the scuffle of an attempted street robbery he witnesses, Pip pockets a beautiful box containing a Stone Heart, intended for powerful Cardinal Lamir, the prelate involved in eliminating witchcraft in Clarel. Pip keeps the Heart, convinced it’s alive and magical, but after discovering that an assassin is searching for him, Pip and El seek refuge with clever undercover witches. From the witches they learn the Heart was originally removed from a young prince by a witch intent on making a spell to eliminate Specters, parasitic creatures like Oswald who exist beyond death, rule royal houses, and persecute witches. As Pip feels himself increasingly manipulated by the Heart, the witches rally, hoping to prevent Georgette’s marriage to Oswald and stop the Heart from falling into Specter hands. The intriguing, intricate backstory of how the Specters originated and why the Heart was created unfolds gradually, culminating in a fast-paced climax. A fascinating, fantastical cast of characters with competing interests and motivations adds richness to this suspenseful tale of unexpected alliances. Characters are cued as White.

Sinister assassins, ghoulish Specters, and feisty witches make this a rousing read.