These Deadly Prophecies

Chinese American teen Tabatha Zeng disappoints her parents—a lawyer and an engineer, respectively—by pursuing a career in prophecy. The sorcerer-in-training tries to compensate by apprenticing under Sorcerer Julian Solomon, the most notorious fortune teller on the East Coast, but her plan backfires after somebody dismembers him. Months prior, Julian predicted that he’d die at the hands of his “best beloved” and made Tabatha promise that upon his demise, she’d seek out his youngest son, “pretty, clean-cut white boy” Callum. Regrettably, Tabatha and Callum are the last two people to see Julian alive, resulting in them being implicated as the prime suspects in his murder. With the magic-hating head of the occult crimes unit, Det. Elena Chang, in pursuit, the duo—who don’t fully trust each other—join forces to clear their names. Tabatha narrates in reflection (“Toying with fate makes it hard to keep track of those hairline fractures between past, present, and future”), and her editorializations add wry humor and subtle foreshadowing throughout. The convenient conclusion is overshadowed by zippy pacing and witty banter, and moments of keen character insight lend heft to this lively and madcap mystery from Tang (Kingdom of Without). Ages 14–up. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (Feb.)