Can Jess fight these powerful forces? And will the group of strange children with mysterious powers she befriends be able to help? As shy, proper Jess transforms into a brave warrior, she uncovers terrifying truths about the hidden battle between good and evil, about her family, and about herself. Soon she is plunged into the dark world of Victorian London's supernatural underbelly and learns that the city is under attack by ghouls, monsters, and spirit summoners. (Feb.Thirteen-year-old Jessamine Grace and her mother make a living as sham spiritualists-until they discover that Jess is a mesmerist and that she really can talk to the dead. Agent: Adriann Ranta, Foundry Literary + Media. This tale, though not for the faint at heart, is certain to please young horror fans. The shape of the story is familiar, but Smith deftly brings Jess and her fellow Ravens to life and ramps up the violence to a fever pitch at the climax. Soon she is plunged into the dark world of Victorian London’s supernatural underbelly and learns that the city is under attack by ghouls, monsters, and spirit summoners.

Now, that evil has returned and Jess, who unknowingly carries the enormous powers of a mesmerist, must lead the fight. Thirteen-year-old Jessamine Grace and her mother make a living as sham spiritualistsuntil they discover that Jess is a mesmerist and that she really can talk to the dead. Clarion, 16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-8-4 Smith’s second novel (after Hoodoo) opens in 1864 England, where 13-year-old Jess and her mother have been. Jess learns that he and her parents were part of a secret organization, the League of Ravens, which has fought evil for centuries. Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down!” The handwritten message, signed only M, terrifies Jess’s mother, who immediately takes them to London, looking for help from the eccentric (and not entirely human) Lord Balthazar. One séance goes badly astray when Jess returns from her supposed trance with a message she hadn’t intended: “Ring around the rosy, pocket full of posies. Smith’s second novel (after Hoodoo) opens in 1864 England, where 13-year-old Jess and her mother have been running supernatural scams ever since her father’s mysterious death some years earlier.

The Mesmerist by Ronald L. Smith