BAD IN THE BLOOD

A pair of estranged stepsiblings become unwillingly entangled in a mystery that could destroy their family’s reputation and future.

Three hundred people died in the Summer Fayre tragedy, when Hàzell Stregoni succumbed to the overwhelming madness of Faerie Disorder. The victims included Hàzell’s mortal husband, Senan Maxim. Hàzell and Senan left behind two children, both just 11 cycles old, who miraculously survived the blast. One septennial later, dark-haired Hawthorne Stregoni, who has “tanned skin,” and brown-skinned, green-eyed Gristle Senan Maxim Junior can’t escape their late parents’ shadows. Except for when she’s sneaking out with her girlfriend, Hawthorne devotes herself to suppressing her fey powers so she can have a normal life. Gristle stands beside his aunt by supporting her political campaign and taking over Maxim & Maxim Private Detectives. When Hawthorne loses control at a fey-owned nightclub, the owner threatens to expose the incident unless Gristle agrees to help them uncover the truth about some suspicious activity. Gristle and Hawthorne have no choice but to investigate. This noir-inspired mystery unfolds in vivid and atmospheric prose from the perspectives of the two complex and dynamic leads. News articles, diary entries, and other evidence interspersed between chapters adds another lens for understanding the setting, history, and intricately intertwined political conflict. Cerilli’s use of Faerie Disorder as an extended metaphor for neurodivergence is rich with nuance, and the world is infused with queerness and racial diversity.

A cinematic and enthralling flare of fey magic.