The Hanged Man

In this solid genre-mixing mystery from Elrod (the Vampire Files series), Alex Pendlebury serves Queen Victoria as a member of the Psychic Service, using her talent for reading emotional traces to aid in solving crimes. A chance placement on a suspicious suicide case with personal connections for Alex places her squarely in the center of a conspiracy to remake England forever. The alternate Victorian era is full of suffragists and seers, and Alex’s independence drives the action almost as much as her magical powers do. The struggle between traditional class and gender roles comes out in scene after scene. Meanwhile, demon summoning coexists comfortably with typewriting in this original and believable setting. Alex and her bodyguard (and love interest), Brook, are enjoyably headstrong protagonists surrounded by supporting characters who entertain while complicating the plot. This well-constructed novel will please fans of alternate history, fantasy, and mystery. [em]Agent: Lucienne Diver, Knight Agency. (May) [/em]