The Diviners

The chaotic city throbs with the glitz and glamour of jazz clubs and luxurious department stores. But there's something far more sinister stalking the streets at night than pickpockets and gangsters spilling out from speakeasies and music theatres. The plot pivots around Evie, a mischievous teenager from Ohio who gets shipped off to New York after an embarrassing scandal. She secretly relishes the opportunity to evade her parents' watchful eye and looks upon her stay with uncle Will, at the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition and the Occult, as an opportunity for adventure rather than a punishment.

 

The story quickly turns sinister when cryptic murders begin to crop up over the city and Will is called upon to assist with the police investigation. Meanwhile, Evie has a secret gift which could help catch the killer, and she's not willing to sit back while her uncle steals the limelight. Will, Evie and her friends are soon plunged into an old-fashioned battle of good vs evil. Evie's boldness and bravery saves the day on a number of occasions, sidelining the male companions. She's everything you'd expect from a feminist heroine.

 

But there are other stars, too, in this show, such as wonderfully life-like Theta and Memphis. During the course of the novel the duo reveal their life stories with a touching sincerity that leaps right off the page. This fast-paced novel is littered with fascinating, well-researched historical detail that embellishes the story without overburdening the plot. The unnerving sense that at some point in the future the young 'Diviners', each armed with their unique ability, will join forces to fight a colossal enemy make this into a tantalising page-turner.