Bøger af Meredith Blevins

Blevins succeeds in weaving humor, zany characters, and the occult into an entertaining mystery with serious undertones." -Publisher's Weekly "... Meredith Blevins is a magician who changes words into music." Margaret Coel, NY Times Bestselling Author "Great plot and insight into Gypsy culture!" Library Journal, starred review.The spicy Szabo women would like to kick back with a lover, a good movie, and a few laughs, but life has something else in mind. One meeting with an extraordinary boy leads them headlong into another wild, and hair-raising, adventure.Annie Szabo has discovered a miracle-Jimmy Qi, a kid from Chinatown with the power to heal using music. He's dazzling, he's a scoundrel, he is sensitive, and he makes a great newspaper article. But now? Everyone wants Jimmy.Feeling responsible for creating San Francisco's latest hot commodity, Annie enlists her mother-in-law, the audacious fortune-teller Madame Mina, to help keep Jimmy safe from his avid pursuers: an evangelist; an ex-hero with a troubled past; the tongs; a CDC doctor; a dolphin fanatic; and an FBI agent who seems too good to be true.A set of aging twins with a vivid past and a dubious future offer Annie protection. The women have powerful alliances, and they like Annie's style. She has reservations, but after an afternoon spent slamming back Bombay Gin with the ladies, Annie accepts their help.And then the bodies start turning up. Annie grabs Jimmy and runs, luring the killer through a tangle of Chinese New Year celebrations and north, up the deserted California coast, where she and Madame Mina force the killer to face justice."A madcap dash through San Francisco's Chinatown and the crumbling Haight-Ashbury district with a cast of bona fide eccentrics!" Kirkus Reviews "The Red Hot Empress is witty, clever, and slyly wise-all at the same time. No doubt about it, Meredith Blevins is a magician who changes words into music." Margaret Coel, New York Times bestselling author of 'Wife of Moon'"A roller-coaster thrill-ride through San Francisco's Chinatown. Sexy, colorful, and just plain fun." Denise Hamilton, bestselling author of 'The Jasmine Trade.'

In this fine sequel to her highly praised debut, The Hummingbird Wizard, Blevins blends a wild story, wonderful wit, and great characters."--Library Journal, which also named it ONE OF THE YEAR'S BEST FIVE MYSTERIES "If you don't fall in love with the Szabos, you don't have hormones. A sublime debut whose sequel can't come fast enough." --Kirkus Reviews on The Hummingbird Wizard THIS IS THAT SEQUEL! MADAME MINA'S BACK AND IT'S MORE FUN THAN THE CIRCUS-IN FACT, THAT'S HERE TOO... Half the fun of this one is the contentious relationship between freelance journalist Annie Szabo and her Gypsy mother-in-law, Madame Mina. When they stop arguing long enough to put their heads together, they make a crack team of amateur psychic sleuths. When they can't, they keep us in stitches. Unfortunately for Annie, Mina's come to stay-just up and parked her trailer in Annie's yard, right next to Annie's pet giraffes. We should explain: Annie's neighbor and good friend, Margo Spanger, is the owner-operator of a New Age circus that helps support a home for abused women. The giraffes, like other human and animal performers, just kind of spill over. Annie is heartbroken when Margo is murdered, but also frightened-her own daughter is an abused wife who's a resident of Margo's project, along with Annie's grandson. The plot thickens as quickly as a roux. Margo's partner, Lili, goes missing the day of Margo's death, causing the shelter to fall into disarray, thus threatening its residents. Okay, then- the detective team of Annie and Madame Mina swings into action! Aided by an ex-cop and Mina's plant medicine, Annie discovers Margo has rattled the power elite, a trapeze flier, one jealous lover, a captain of industry, a long-lost son, and an ice-blond philanthropist. As Annie delves into their surprisingly tangled lives, two things become clear: the killer is a master of disguise, and time is running out. It all makes for a fast, funny, and very original paranormal murder mystery. Who will like it: Fans of psychic mysteries and detectives, cozy mysteries that veer off into SEXY, and lovers of all humorous mysteries-funny cozies, playful paranormals, witty romantic suspense, and clever, quirky writing. Here's what reviewers and fellow authors said about THE HUMMINGBIRD WIZARD: "Meredith Blevins covers new literary ground...pulling it off with flair and grace and humor." ---Jonathan Kellerman "An exciting debut. Blevins has written a thoroughly original first novel with characters you'll never forget." ---Tony Hillerman "Fascinating gypsy lore, unforgettable characters, and a wicked sense of humor distinguish Blevins's highly unusual mystery debut....This stellar first, with its assured prose, will delight any mystery fan." ---Publishers Weekly (starred review) Blevins flavors her lively prose with frequent humor and unexpected twists; readers will also be drawn in by the riveting characters, great plot, and insights into Gypsy culture." "---Library Journal (starred review)

Adventure, drama, emotion, magic, imagination, mysticism, insight into prehistoric peoples-this book is an amazing ride into the unknown!" Tony Hillerman. The Promised One is a magnificent retelling of a Cherokee legend. It brings to life an ancient people and a time of magic in a warm and intimate storyteller's voice. A young Shaman of the Galayi people has had a powerful and frightening vision: it is of the Eagle Feather Cape, the gift of the Thunderbird, which is worn by the Seer of the People to see the future and gain the guidance of the gods. The cape is torn and bloody, and it will no longer bring visions to the Seer of the People. But the Shaman's vision also tells her of the cure: a child will be born to the People, a hero who will restore the cape and return the goodwill of the gods to the People. Dahzi may be that hero, if he can survive the hatred of his grandfather. He was born after his mother's death, as she fled from her father's anger. But Dahzi carries the hope of all of his People, along with the power to become a great Chief. He will be tested--by his family, by his people, and by the Gods. Reviews From Publishers Weekly "In this thoughtful debut, a retelling of an ancient Cherokee myth, Sunoya, born under a sign revealing that her life would be either one of great blessings or darkness, sets out on a path toward becoming her tribe's medicine chief. When she is grown and a vision shows her people facing destruction, the responsibility to save them-at the cost of a great sacrifice-falls first on her and then, years later, on Dahzi, a boy she's rescued and adopted. Dahzi struggles with his heritage and youthful desires as he fights for his people and eventually confronts the Immortals, the beings who created the world. The authors elegantly blend the old tale and contemporary fantasy without being anachronistic or plodding, bringing depth and humor even to elements such as Sunoya's spirit guide. (July) Copyright (c) Reed Business "A truly remarkable job of bringing forth the North American Indian traditions, and I do not think anyone has done it in this way before."--Vincent Wilcox, retired curator of Native American artifacts at the Smithsonian Museum, on The Promised One. "The Blevins's possess a rare skill in masterfully telling a story. True storytellers in the tradition of Native people."--Lee Francis, Associate Prof. of Native American Studies, University of New Mexico. Originally published as 'Zadayi Red.'

A colorful tale of ancient Cherokee legends, magic, and the beings known as the Immortals-the creators of the world. A spell-binding fantasy.Years after the events of 'The Promised One', Shonan is chief of his people and refuses to allow his family to use magic, a magic that he blames for a great loss. But his son, Aku, inherited his mother's shape-shifting ability and longs to use his gift for the tribe. Just as he begins to learn his power, he encounters a violent tribe called the Brown Leaf People and he is forced on a quest to the Darkening Land, the underworld, to save his sister and father with the help of his great-grandmother and unusual companions. Shadows in the Cave is a thrilling and extraordinary quest to save his family and bring healing magic to his tribe. A terrific read for all those who would love the dynamic combination of a spiritual quest and Native American spiritualism. Author Reviews "A magical novel that is deeply rooted in the oldest storytelling traditions of North America. A skillful reworking of mythic themes and archetypes rings true on many levels. For all who love mythic fiction and fantasy." (On Zadayi Red, Volume One of the Cherokee Mists series.) -- Terri Windling, Editor of The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror "Drama, emotion, magic, imagination, mysticism, insight into prehistoric peoples -- this book is an amazing ride into the unknown." -- Tony Hillerman Professional Reviews "The heroic magical quest has a fresh element in SHADOWS IN THE CAVE with its engaging Native American setting. The authors draw effectively on Native American mysticism to create a fine fable." -- Kirkus Reviews "Blevins possesses a rare skill in masterfully telling a story. He is a true storyteller in the tradition of Native people." -- Lee Francis, Native American Studies, University of New Mexico. "A powerful reshaping of a Cherokee legend that blends fantasy traditions with Native American culture and myths to create a unique atmosphere of nature magic and Indian lore. Fans of Native American myths, as well as fantasy, should enjoy this new twist on a young man's rite of passage and his date with destiny." -- Library Journal Reader Reviews "A superb coming of age Cherokee quest fantasy. The Galayi Tribal War Chief Shonan has banned the use of magic especially by his family ever since the events that shook him and his tribe several years ago (see Zadayi Red). Although he honors the Gods and knows his wife Meli has the power of shapeshifting and her grandmother is a seer who lately seems to talk to herself or some spirit no one else sees, he prefers earthly pragmatism over the mystical. Their oldest children are twin twelve years old, Aku and Salya. A male Aku has the maternal paranormal skill of shapeshifting that he yearns to use, but fears disobeying his father while his female twin ironically cannot. "Unable to resist Aku practices shifting by himself. However, as he begins to become proficient, the Brown Leaf People violently attack the Galayi's five villages. Shonan and Salya are dispatched to the underworld Darkening Land while his sibling's body is owned by a monster. There only hope to return to the living is Aku; who must find himself if he is to save his family members. This is a superb coming of age Cherokee quest fantasy that grips the reader the moment the Brown Leaf tribe attacks. The story line focuses on the young hero whose reflective doubts are his biggest impediments to saving his twin and their father. Fans preferring some action intermingled with major moments of meditative pensiveness will enjoy Aku's journey into his mind, heart and soul as he traverses the Shadows in the Cave of the Darkening Land." --Professional Book Reviews, Harriet Klausner