Sanctuary

July 6, 2020
This riveting mystery from James (the Dark Gifts fantasy trilogy as Vic James) shows how a contemporary witch hunt affects the residents of a Connecticut town. When Sanctuary High football star Daniel Whitman falls and breaks his neck while escaping from a house that catches fire during a graduation party, his death appears to be an accident. Det. Maggie Knight, a recent Connecticut Police Academy grad posted to “swanky” Sanctuary (“the sort of place that’s good at making you feel not good enough”), investigates. Among the partygoers was Harper Fenn, daughter of the town’s witch, Sarah. After Harper is accused by Jacob Bolt, the police chief’s son and Daniel’s best friend, of using witchcraft to cause Daniel’s fall, accusations fly, and the Fenns are no longer safe in Sanctuary. Many prominent citizens have enlisted Sarah’s help over the years, and their secrets might now be exposed. Readers will sympathize with Maggie as she tries to protect the people of Sanctuary from succumbing to their fears and find out what really happened to Daniel. Assured prose and a tight plot lift this tale of mass hysteria. James is off to a fine start.

August 1, 2020
Welcome to Sanctuary, Connecticut: an idyllic town, home to prominent scientists, chic parents, and elite students. The town was a refuge for witches in the early days of America, and the magic of Sanctuary has protected its residents for centuries, including Sarah Fenn, the only practicing witch currently in town. But when the town's golden boy, Daniel Whitman, dies in a horrific accident at a high school party, Sanctuary's tranquil peace is shattered. Sarah's coven of friends includes Daniel's mother, Abigail, and Abigail blames Sarah for her son's death. Sarah's daughter, Harper, was at the party, and investigator Maggie Knight believes magic was used at the scene. Yet Harper maintains that she has no magic?and that Daniel was guilty of a terrible crime himself. Moving between Sarah, Abigail, and Maggie's points of view in short chapters, the story ratchets through its many red herrings and misdirections before reaching an explosive conclusion. While the twists get confusing at times, this is a solid, complex, and entertaining novel. Fans of Liane Moriarty and Charlaine Harris will enjoy the otherworldly intrigue.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)