Human Rites

Girl power goes toe-to-toe against demonic forces in Dawson’s explosive finale to the HMRC trilogy (after The Shadow Cabinet), which finds its expansive cast of magical women at crossroads as they struggle to accept the extent to which Satanis, in his attempts to return to the physical plane, has shaped the course of their lives. Young witch Theo brings her adopted guardian, HMRC High Priestess Niamh, back to life in a forbidden necromantic ritual, inadvertently also summoning an unwanted stowaway from the afterlife. Lesbian activist Leonie carries an impossible secret after her visit to the island sanctuary of Aeaea, and Niamh’s pariah twin, Ciara, is haunted by the (literal) demons of her past. Meanwhile, healer Elle, still reeling from the revelation that her teenage son was a satanic illusion, reckons with newfound power. As the stakes rise to world-shattering levels, Dawson leans more heavily into cinematic action scenes than soap opera intrigue, but still finds space for her trademark interpersonal drama, delivering satisfying bombshells and heartbreaking twists while bringing complex plot and character arcs in for a smooth landing. This binge-worthy and well-executed series closer cements HMRC’s place in the pantheon of queer feminist urban fantasy. Agent: Katelyn Dougherty, Paradigm Agency. (July)