MAGIC DARK AND STRANGE

Catherine Daly is able to raise the dead, but her magic comes at a cost.

By day, 17-year-old Miss Daly works at a print shop in the city of Invercarn. By night, her employer, Mr. Ainsworth, tasks her and her roommate, Bridget, with providing a farewell service for people in the town. Catherine uses small amounts of blood magic to raise the recently deceased just long enough for mourners to say a brief, final goodbye. When Mr. Ainsworth asks her to dig up the contents of a mysterious unmarked grave in search of a magical timepiece, Catherine enlists the help of 18-year-old Guy Nolan, son of a local watchmaker. Together, they manage to not only dig up the grave in question, they also inadvertently raise the boy who was entombed there. The three of them work together to solve the mysteries surrounding the boy’s death—Owen, as the boy chooses to call himself, has little memory of his previous existence. As their investigations proceed, Catherine and Guy develop a romantic relationship. Simple language and light character development make this book, set in a world that evokes Victorian Britain, a quick and somewhat flat read. The plot, while straightforward, is enjoyable and will appeal to teen readers. All characters are White.

A lukewarm gothic fantasy with a slight touch of romance.