THE DARKNESS DWELLERS

Kiki Strike and the Irregulars are finally back, in their third (and seemingly final) adventure.

This time, the adventure involves an evil twin, a World War II mystery, Upper East Side zombies (of the well-mannered sort), the catacombs of Paris and a possible resolution to Kiki’s lifetime fight to prove that her evil aunt killed her parents. Plus some romance, both successful and hopeless. Whew! It’s a good thing Ananka Fishbein is there to lead the Irregulars in New York while Kiki and Betty take Paris by storm, even if Betty’s perfect boyfriend proves distracting for Ananka. Like the previous entries in the series, this girl-power mystery/adventure is tongue-in-cheek but full of heart. Miller’s motley crew of heroines can take on anything, and by the tale’s end, it looks like their breed of awesome is poised to take over all of New York City. Thematically, this volume is all about being true to oneself and recognizing that genius comes in many forms. Happily, this “lesson” comes wrapped in sheer delight.

Here’s hoping that this latest volume attracts droves of new devotees for some of the coolest girls in fiction.