This Wicked Game

by Michelle Zink

Overview

For fans of Maggie Stiefvater and Holly Black comes a dark mystery set in a secret New Orleans voodoo society.

Claire Kincaid would love to be normal. But as a descendant of Marie Laveau, the most powerful voodoo queen in history, that’s just not possible. Even worse, Claire’s lack of interest in the craft makes her an outsider in her community, putting her secret romance with the voodoo Guild leader’s son at odds. But when mysterious strangers start requesting black market items from local voodoo shops, including the one her family owns, Claire decides to investigate. With the help of some unlikely allies and her gorgeous boyfriend, Claire must uncover the dark truths her family has kept hidden from her and unravel a dangerous plot that threatens to destroy every member of the Guild, including her family and the boy she loves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781101593394
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/14/2013
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	918 KB
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Michelle Zink is a mother of four living in Pine Bush, New York. Before turning to YA books, she was an executive at a marketing firm and then an antiques dealer. She is the author of the Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy and A Temptation of Angels.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

* "Zink skillfully merges the mystique of old-world New Orleans with Claire’s present-day city—where a secretive network of families keeps the art of voodoo alive. This legendary setting provides a heavy tension and romance that is amplified by the secretive relationship between Claire and Alexandre Toussaint, another Guild firstborn." - VOYA, starred review

"Teens looking for mystery with a hint of the paranormal will enjoy this fast-paced story." - School Library Journal

"Students will be caught up in the mystery that surrounds the teens and will learn about the practice of voodoo. Characters are believable; overall this is an excellent choice for those who like the supernatural." - Library Media Connection

Praise for A Temptation of Angels:

"...this well-paced and delicately detailed story is full of recurring imagery, creeping terror, deftly wrought secondary characters, and slowly building sexual tension that has a gothic romance feel." – Booklist

"Plot and characters are well developed and teens are sure to enjoy the action and romance, as well as the supernatural elements of the story." – VOYA

Praise for Prophecy of the Sisters:

"Zink does not shy away from grounding her fantasy in the sisters' characters. This arresting story takes readers to other planes of existence." – Booklist (starred review)

"An intense and captivating story that gives a whole new meaning to sibling rivalry." – VOYA (starred review)

"This is a brooding, haunting tale of an ancient struggle between living and dead, with two sisters at its heart. It's Gothic, Edwardian, and absolutely un-put-down-able!" – Tamora Pierce, author of the New York Times bestselling Beka Cooper series

Prophecy of the Sisters was chosen as one of Booklist’s Top Ten Debut Novels of 2009 and as one of the Chicago Public Library’s Best Books for Young Readers. It was a 2010 Texas Lone Star Reading List selection and a New York Public Library "Stuff for the Teen Age" pick. The Audio Edition received NAPPA Gold Honors.

Editorial Reviews

09/30/2013
Voodoo New Orleans is the real star of Zink’s (A Temptation of Angels) would-be thriller—a somewhat Disneyfied New Orleans without Katrina, crime, or poverty, but lush with gardens, formal balls, and ancient guilds, of which Claire Kincaid is part. She’s a descendant of the infamous Marie Leveau, but Claire thinks voodoo is a scam. She hates working in her family business, purveying voodoo paraphernalia (ordered through wholesale supply for a select clientele), and can’t wait to turn 18 and get to college. It’s hard to connect with Claire—she has no serious enemies, her boyfriend is gorgeous and attentive, and her biggest issue seems to be hiding their relationship, which she thinks is necessary because... well, just because. It’s almost a relief when sinister stalkers show up, with nefarious intent not only toward Claire but her whole generation of Guild inheritors. The plot is slow to gather momentum, and readers may secretly hope Xander dumps his voodoo princess for a more appreciative girl, but at least there’s New Orleans. Ages 12–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

* "Zink skillfully merges the mystique of old-world New Orleans with Claire’s present-day city—where a secretive network of families keeps the art of voodoo alive. This legendary setting provides a heavy tension and romance that is amplified by the secretive relationship between Claire and Alexandre Toussaint, another Guild firstborn." - VOYA, starred review

"Teens looking for mystery with a hint of the paranormal will enjoy this fast-paced story." - School Library Journal

"Students will be caught up in the mystery that surrounds the teens and will learn about the practice of voodoo. Characters are believable; overall this is an excellent choice for those who like the supernatural." - Library Media Connection

Praise for A Temptation of Angels:

"...this well-paced and delicately detailed story is full of recurring imagery, creeping terror, deftly wrought secondary characters, and slowly building sexual tension that has a gothic romance feel." – Booklist

"Plot and characters are well developed and teens are sure to enjoy the action and romance, as well as the supernatural elements of the story." – VOYA

Praise for Prophecy of the Sisters:

"Zink does not shy away from grounding her fantasy in the sisters' characters. This arresting story takes readers to other planes of existence." – Booklist (starred review)

"An intense and captivating story that gives a whole new meaning to sibling rivalry." – VOYA (starred review)

"This is a brooding, haunting tale of an ancient struggle between living and dead, with two sisters at its heart. It's Gothic, Edwardian, and absolutely un-put-down-able!" – Tamora Pierce, author of the New York Times bestselling Beka Cooper series

Prophecy of the Sisters was chosen as one of Booklist’s Top Ten Debut Novels of 2009 and as one of the Chicago Public Library’s Best Books for Young Readers. It was a 2010 Texas Lone Star Reading List selection and a New York Public Library "Stuff for the Teen Age" pick. The Audio Edition received NAPPA Gold Honors.

From the Publisher

12/01/2013
Gr 8 Up—Claire Kincaid, 17, resents working in her family's voodoo supply shop. She has always eschewed her heritage-she's a descendant of Marie Leveau, a famed voodoo priestess in New Orleans. Claire finally turns to magic for answers once a series of break-ins threatens her friends, all firstborn children of prominent voodoo families. The action takes place in the weeks before the Priestesses' Ball, an exclusive promlike gathering. This post-Katrina mystery uncovers family secrets that have been festering for a generation. Fearing their parents' disapproval, Claire wants to keep her relationship with Xander, the son of prominent Guild leaders, secret. They arrange a series of break-ins of their own to discover what the mysterious woman purchasing dangerous magical items from their voodoo shops and exiled Guild member "Crazy Eddie" have been hiding. Using information obtained while in a dream state, and aided by some incredibly lucky coincidences, Claire ends up fighting off a ring of black-magic users who want to use her charmed blood for evil. Teens looking for mystery with a hint of the paranormal will enjoy this fast-paced story.—Madigan McGillicuddy, Atlanta-Fulton Public Library, Atlanta, GA

School Library Journal

2013-10-01
With this foray into secret voodoo societies and forbidden spells, Zink delivers an enjoyable, fast-paced ride perfect for lovers of the paranormal thriller. Seventeen-year-old Claire Kincaid doesn't believe in voodoo. Not that unusual a stance, really, unless you are a direct descendant of Marie Leveau and the only daughter of one of the most powerful couples in an underground New Orleans voodoo guild. But when a mysterious stranger walks into the Kincaid store in search of panther's blood--an ingredient used only to kill--a series of events begins to unfold that will challenge everything Claire thinks she knows about voodoo, the Guild and her own latent abilities. Exhibiting characteristically teenage frustration with their parents, who reign stolidly over Guild affairs, Claire, her boyfriend, Xander, and some other Guild firstborns take the investigation into their own hands. They find an ally in ex-member Crazy Eddie and together delve into the darker side of voodoo in order to defeat those out to destroy the Guild in retribution for past injuries. The plot is suspenseful, the characters are sympathetic if not fully rounded, and the fictional subculture comes alive through detailed descriptions of the New Orleans setting, particularly the Garden District. Fans of the paranormal, sure to be spellbound by this tale of revenge and teen rebellion, will hope Zink conjures up a sequel. (Paranormal thriller. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews