The Immortal City

June 24, 2019
Kuivalainen (the Firebird Fairy Tales series) centers this passionate urban fantasy on the Atlantis legend. Dr. Penelope Byrne’s theory of Atlantis’s existence got her shunned in academic circles, but she has found part of a tablet from Atlantis and is certain it’s real. When she receives an email from Venitian police inspector Marco Dandolo containing photographs of a murder victim and Atlantean glyphs written in blood, she flies to Italy to investigate. After another body appears, Penelope experiences magical incidents that lead her to Alexis Donato, an immortal Atlantean magician dedicating his life to protecting Atlantis and its people. While Alexis delves into his magic and explains how the murders may be sacrifices to the Atlantean god, Thevetat, his relationship with Penelope buds into romance. But as Carneval approaches, the final steps of Thevetat’s plans take shape involving Penelope as the final sacrifice. Most of the story focuses on worldbuilding and setting the stage for future installments, but there’s enough plot to keep pages turning. Fans of fantasy, murder mysteries, and romance will admire Kuivalainen’s skill at combining the three.

September 1, 2019
The first in the Magicians of Venice series is a fast-paced, genre-bending story centered on the lost city of Atlantis. Academic Penelope Byrne is the laughing stock of her community because her studies don't focus on Atlantis as a myth or legend, but as a true lost civilization. Her discovery of a tablet, which she claims provides examples of Atlantean script, results in her being pulled into a modern-day murder investigation. The cult-like elements of the crime have police convinced it is the work of a madman, but Penelope believes there may be something deeper at play. Then, to her surprise, she meets Atlantean magician Alexis, and the two discover the symbols found at the murder scene point to a demon sacrifice. They must work quickly, because Penelope has caught the attention of the demon's priests. With the lush backdrop of Venice during Carnevale, Kuivalainen offers richly detailed descriptions, even of the murders, but the quick-witted prose never weights the reader down. With elements of urban fantasy, historical fiction, and thriller, The Immortal City should find many fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)