Pride's Spell

Working for Sin du Jour, a New York catering company serving weird and wondrous entities, has finally given chefs Lena Tarr and Darren Vargas some financial relief, but the gain is matched by danger in Wallace's delectable third Sin du Jour novella (after Lustlocked). Company owner Bronko Luck announces that they're doing the premiere party for an upcoming blockbuster film in Hollywood. It's a last-minute gig, but the Sin du Jour crew is up to the task, and they're excited about a change of scenery. Little do they know that a past mistake is catching up to them and revenge might be on the menu. Meanwhile, the film crew are being attacked by some very odd, very creepy assassins. Wallace throws in subtle and unsubtle pop culture references and skewers the vapid Hollywood scene while dishing out the black humor that makes this series so much fun. Lena and Darren (who have no supernatural ability) are at the center, but each character has a story. A scene with an utterly terrifying Easter Bunny is particularly memorable. Readers also get a tantalizing peek at Bronko's history. Wallace's imagination is a twisted, wickedly inventive place to romp. Fans will devour this installment and eagerly await the next. Agent: DongWon Song, Howard Morhaim Literary. (June)