Pirate’s Alley

The magical barriers broken in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina threaten to make the city ground zero in a looming magical war. The city’s guardian, DJ, and her friends struggle against betrayal in the disjointed fourth installment of Johnson’s Sentinels of New Orleans series (after Elysian Fields). The large cast of significant characters soon becomes unwieldy, drowning out the core story of rival factions (including wizards, elves, vampires, and ghosts) jockeying for control. New concepts feel rushed; there’s just not enough time to sort out everything involving DJ’s troubled relationship with werewolf boyfriend Alex, or human Eugenie carrying the child of an elf who happens to be DJ’s husband, or the surprise introduction of the uncle DJ didn’t know she had. There’s some nice dry wit and NOLA quirkiness, but not enough to keep the story moving. Agent: Marlene Stringer, Stringer Literary Agency. (Apr.)