The Monsters We Defy

A woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance.

Washington D. C., 1925

Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.

Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need help from an unlikely team, from a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody to an aging vaudeville actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible. But as they encounter increasingly difficult obstacles, a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn.

Conflict in the spirit world is leaking into the human one and along D.C’.s legendary Black Broadway, a mystery unfolds — one that not only has repercussions for Clara but all of the city’s residents

'Rich and immersive. . . full of mesmerizing magic!' — P. Djeli Clark, author of A Master of Djinn

'Masterfully crafted. This smart and entertaining magical heist novel hits all the right notes' — T. L. Huchu

'Clara is a heroine for the ages' — Alaya Dawn Johnson

ISBN: 9780356518107 | Published: 9 August 2022 | Paperback | 384 pages