The Dark Fable

A teen with the ability to turn invisible finds honor among magical thieves in this daring fantasy by Harbour (the Night and Nothing series). In modern-day Los Angeles, Evie Wilder, an orphaned 18-year-old who lives alone following a family tragedy, can inexplicably turn invisible at will. When a band of burglars robs a museum gala at which Evie is employed as catering staff, she’s forced to put her unpracticed ability to the test. But these aren’t ordinary thieves; they’re La Fable Sombre, the Dark Fable, an ancient society of magical bandits out to steal priceless occult artifacts. After Evie demonstrates her magical prowess, the Dark Fable recruits her, and she relishes in the easy acceptance of this found family. As Evie bonds with the group’s enigmatic members, she falls deeper into the danger that follows them—and the havoc they wreak—and learns that her past may be connected to the Dark Fable’s own fraught history. Overcrowded plotting and a reliance on expository description hampers a suspenseful and emotive plot. Nevertheless, witty dialogue, immersive world building, original magic systems, and emotionally rich characters culminate in a tale that celebrates the intimacy of being seen and accepted. Characters are ethnically diverse. Ages 13–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Jan.)