The Raven Spell: A Novel (A Conspiracy of Magic Book 1)

In Victorian England a witch and a detective are on the hunt for a serial killer in an enthralling novel of magic and murder by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Vine Witch.After a nearly fatal blow to the skull, traumatized private detective Ian Cameron is found dazed and confused on a muddy riverbank in Victorian London. Among his effects: a bloodstained business card bearing the name of a master wizard and a curious pocket watch that doesn’t seem to tell time. To retrieve his lost memories, Ian demands answers from Edwina and Mary Blackwood, sister witches with a murky past. But as their secret is slowly unveiled, a dangerous mystery emerges on the darkened streets of London.To help piece together Ian’s lost time, he and Edwina embark on a journey that will take them from the river foreshore to an East End music hall, and on to a safe house for witches in need of sanctuary from angry mortals. The clues they find suggest a link between a series of gruesome murders, a missing person’s case, and a dreadful suspicion that threatens to tear apart the bonds of sisterhood. As the investigation deepens, could Ian and Edwina be the next to die?

Publishers Weekly

“This fun, atmospheric outing is ideal for fans of C. L. Polk’s Kingston Cycle.”

Booklist

“Smith wraps up the plot neatly while leaving a clear hook to entice delighted readers back for the next book.”

From the Publisher

Bestselling author Luanne G. Smith has become known for her atmospheric historical fantasy, and her latest novel, The Raven Spell, transports us yet again. Set in murky Victorian London, the book begins with a nursery rhyme on the banks of the Thames, where a man’s stolen memories become part of a woman’s magical collection. Witch sisters Edwina and Mary Blackwood run a curio shop full of items they pick up mudlarking along the river. But Mary isn’t just out for the semiprecious baubles they find—she is fascinated by the dead, gathering their memories into glowing orbs that resemble nothing more than children’s marbles. When Mary steals the memory of a man that ends up living, however, she sets into motion a murder mystery that threatens the bond she and her sister have always shared—and points to a serial killer at work. If you’re like me, not always dreaming of sunny summer beaches but instead sometimes longing for a chilly English winter full of rain, fireplaces, and witches’ magic, put some fuzzy socks on, because The Raven Spell is for you. —Adrienne Procaccini, Editor

About the Author

Luanne G. Smith is the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Vine Witch, The Glamourist, and The Conjurer. She lives in Colorado at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains, where she enjoys hiking, gardening, and a glass of wine at the end of the day. For more information, visit www.luannegsmith.com.

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