New Shoes

Though extraneous details sometimes slow the plot of Palmer’s debut, which stars the cynical and scintillating sorcerer Adam Saint, there are enough surprises and gripping characters to keep reader interest high. As a child, Adam Saint was possessed by a demon. Raised by Pete Saint, the exorcist who discovered and saved him, Adam learned to become a midrate sorcerer before being sanctioned and blacklisted from his magical community. When his guardian disappears while on the hunt for a missing girl, Adam is pulled off his bar stool and assigned to track both parties down. The case is tied up with a mysterious murder being investigated by hardworking Det. Vanessa Moreno, a talented cop with no inkling about magic until Adam and his newfound friend Cole, a shifter security guard, cross her path. When these crime fighters uncover an otherworldly conspiracy centered on releasing Adam’s inner demon, they decide to stick together. The alternative is Armageddon. A well-drawn cast, terrific worldbuilding, and snarky humor make this series opener perfect for fans of Stephen Blackmore and Simon R. Green. (BookLife)