Royal Street

The first Sentinels of New Orleans fantasy is a vivid debut that’s far more than the sum of its parts. Empathetic wizard and deputy sentinel Drusilla “DJ” Jaco faces several challenges in the summer and fall of 2005: Hurricane Katrina breaches the levees as well as crucial magical barriers, and her mentor, Gerry, disappears. DJ is put in charge of protecting New Orleans by the Congress of Elders, who send heavily armed Enforcer Alexander Warin to assist during her probationary period. As DJ and Alex search for Gerry, they also must help the NOPD investigate a series of murders with ritual overtones and defend DJ against the attentions of infamous and deceased pirate Jean Lafitte. Sympathetic, entertaining DJ is the perfect narrator for a lively tale jam-packed with action, magic, and intriguing plot twists. Agent: Marlene Stringer, the Stringer Literary Agency. (Apr.)