(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Mark Edward Geyer. Moriarty (The Inquisitor's Apprentice) returns to his alternate early-twentieth-century New York, where magic and traditional Judaism are the major forces. In solving the murder of the Klezmer King, Sacha once again faces dark magic and must decide whether to defy his upbringing and use his own magical gifts. Occasional line drawings enhance the novel's evocation of setting, which is its greatest strength.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Magic is common but illegal in this book's alternate-history Lower East Side. When Sacha discovers his rare ability to see it, the police put him to use. Soon Sacha is embroiled in an investigation that pits witchcraft against turn-of-the-twentieth-century technology, with an undercurrent of class and ethnic tensions. Suspense along with cheeky historical revision provide plenty of incentive to keep reading.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax