“Stephen King meets Ibsen. Trust me.”—Neal Stephenson

“Witty, wicked, and wise. Wonderful!”—Karen Joy Fowler, The Jane Austen Book Club

“A wonderfully vivid and unexpected blend of magic realism and finely-observed contemporary experience.”—William Gibson

Elena Beauchamp used magic the way other people used credit cards, and now that she's dead, her daughters Toni and Candy have a debt to pay. Set in modern-day Houston, Texas, this is a funny and moving novel of voodoo, pregnancy, and family ties. While Toni sorts out the mess that Elena left behind, she must also come to terms with her childhood and with the supernatural and dangerous gift that she has inherited from her mother.

—With a new Afterword by the author.— A New York Times Notable Book.— World Fantasy and Nebula Award Finalist Reviews“Hands down the best novel I have read in 2005, and one of the best I've ever had the privilege to read.”—Park Road Books, Charlotte, NC

“The story of a young woman who grudgingly inherits her mother's psychic powers. This book reads like a shot of whiskey—sweet, fiery swirls in the throat that linger on.”—Mary-Jo, Powells.com

“One of the most enjoyable books of the year.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Earthily charming and hilarious.”—Booklist

“Humor and a Southern sauciness. . . . [Stewart's] poignant take on voodoo among middle-class women makes for delicious fun.”—Publishers Weekly

“A gentle, funny, affirming novel. … Stewart writes beautifully and affectionately about this family and their acquaintances, friends, and business partners. Like a poet with a cattle prod, he crafts his phrasing carefully, then rocks the reader back on his heels with an insight or an insult.”—San Diego Union-Tribune

“Stewart's best, most perfectly balanced novel yet. . . . a small masterpiece. Stewart's control of tone is nothing short of brilliant; Toni's no-nonsense Texas narrative voice immediately disarms us with its tall-tale overtones and its authentic (and genuinely funny) humor. … A work of genuine brilliance.”—Locus

Sean Stewart is the author of the “I Love Bees” and “Beast” search operas, two short stories and seven novels: Perfect Circle, The Night Watch, Nobody's Son, Clouds End, Passion Play, Resurrection Man, and Galveston. With Jordan Weisman, he is the author of Cathy's Book and Cathy's Key. His novels have received the Aurora, Arthur Ellis, Sunburst, Canadian Library, and World Fantasy awards. He lives in Davis, CA, with his wife and two daughters.