TIME-MARKED WARLOCK

A warlock, a tween girl, and a trickster spirit come together to help solve a murder in Stovall’s paranormal mystery.

Adair Finch is a notoriously powerful warlock, but these days he’s mostly a shut-in. Previously, he and his brother Carter ran a private investigation agency, using magic to help others, but Finch retired after Carter was killed during a case. Then, one Friday at 4:34 a.m., 12-year-old Bree Blackstone shows up at Finch’s door. Her witch mother, Vera, told her to find the warlock brothers if she ever needed help, and she just saw her mom get killed by an unknown intruder at home. Whoever did it also abducted Bree’s warlock father, Liam—and they might be coming for Bree, too. Finch, who was once Vera’s friend, agrees to help. He has a good idea of who the killer might be, and he’s pretty sure he can solve the case quickly and hand Bree of to the police’s care. His assumptions are shattered, however, when someone tries to kill them; to save Bree and himself, Adair rewinds time to where he previously “marked” it: 4:34 a.m. Using this power—which has a 24-hour boundary—he starts to uncover mysteries surrounding Vera’s murder and finds that the situation isn’t so simple. Along with Bree and Kull, a trickster spirit, Finch decides to do whatever he can to solve this case—no matter how long it takes. Stovall populates this tale with a cast of complex characters, and Bree’s raw emotions surrounding traumatic events further heighten a compelling plot: “‘I just want my old life back,’ Bree whispered.” Even though the same day is repeated over and over, the story never feels bogged down or overly slow. The brisk scenes make for an engaging read, and the author’s effective handling of themes of grief and compassion ensures that the characters’ stories don’t get overwhelmed by all the time-tripping magic.

A captivating and sometimes sentimental tale that puts a magical twist on a familiar time-loop framework.