J. M. Linkhart’s debut urban fantasy set in an alternate 1920s Chicago.

“In this first title in the Degrees of Magic series, Linkhart ably balances character development with intricate plotting, which will make readers look forward to the next installment.

A fantasy tale that hums with magic and originality, featuring extensive worldbuilding and a compelling cast of ne'er-do-wells.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

ONE SENTENCE SYNOPSIS: A flapper with a sword investigates a series of tarot-themed murders in this alternate 1920s urban fantasy set in Chicago.

SHORT SYNOPSIS: A flapper with a sword, a bootlegging demi-demon, and an occult detective are thrown together to investigate a series of tarot-themed murders in this alternate 1920s urban fantasy. But each of them are hiding devastating secrets, and as they are drawn deeper into the mystery, they must fight to protect their own sordid histories from discovery even as they race to prevent a cataclysm that could burn Chicago in hellfire.

LONG SYNOPSIS: Bernice Chandler is a woman with a sword and a lot of problems it won’t fix. She’s got a ritual murder case on her hands and an angel appearing in her dreams again, a sure sign of disaster just around the corner. To make matters worse, a ghost from her past has returned to haunt her, threatening the peace and stability she’s carefully built for herself in Chicago. To banish it, she strikes a devil’s bargain with a bootlegging gangster, who is only too happy to oblige her—for a price.

Valentino Morandi is a demi-demon with a curse he can’t wait to slip. For eight years he’s been bound to the city by the Order of Joan, but that’s about to end. He only needs one more item to free himself, and when a knight of the Order comes around needing a favor, he can’t wait to make her an offer. But Bernie isn’t the only one whose ghosts have come back calling.

Jack Donovan is a detective with a history he wants to keep buried in the trenches of Europe. One slip and secrets like his have a tendency of getting out, and a secret freed is a secret hard to control. He’s hoping that his new partner Chandler can keep one, and maybe even help him with designs of his own beyond their immediate case. But they must catch a killer first—and survive.

Secrets, lies, and magic bind the three together as they race to solve a series of tarot-style murders. If they fail, the killer could summon forth an evil of the highest degree, upsetting the balance between the infernal and divine and leaving Chicago burning in hellfire.