Leisure Books, September 2009 ISBN9780843962963

Leanna Renee Hieber’s debut novel combines elements of history, magic, mythology and spiritualism, making a richly vibrant tale to be enjoyed by fans of both urban fantasy and paranormal romance. The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is well-named as the heroine is beautiful, and her story is a strange one. In 1860s London, six 13 and 14-year-olds are selected to form the next Guard, a group that patrols the streets, protecting the living from the mischief and malice of the dead. They are also told of a prophecy: They will meet another woman who will make their group seven, but they will face pitfalls and betrayals and must pick the right individual in order to save the world. Each Guard member has a gift: heart, healing, memory, etc., and Alexi Rychman, their leader, has the power.

Two decades later, a new student arrives at the Athens Academy where Alexi teaches mathematics, and Rebecca, another Guard member, serves as headmistress. The prophecy said the woman would be a colleague, so Rebecca doesn’t take much notice of Percy Parker. Percy is used to people thinking her different and strange. She is as pale as a ghost and wars scarves and sunglasses to both protect and hide her pale coloring. She also sees and communicates with spirits, speaks numerous languages fluently and sees peculiar visions although she thinks of them as dreams. She takes a liking to Alexi, but for all her knowledge of languages, mathematics is beyond her. She struggles with the subject even when Alexi tutors her privately. And, he feels drawn to her in other ways, too.

But then another beautiful woman, Miss Linden, walks into their lives. She also sees visions, and might have magical abilities. Which one does the prophecy mean? Choosing wrongly could destroy the world as the Guard knows it.

Hieber weaves a wonderful tale filled with visions and spirits, pulling the reader into the magical world she has created in late nineteenth-century London. Her characters have depth and strength of purpose, and she clearly has done her research of the time period. She paints vivid descriptions of galloping through London streets to aid friends or sitting in a room lit only by gas lamps or candles, not to mention battles with evil spirits. She writes in fluid, lyrical prose interspersed with realistic dialogue that resonates with the time period.

In many novels of late, we have seen a lot of blurred lines between good and evil, but in Hieber’s tale, good and evil are quite white and black. She changes viewpoints in her storytelling to give different perspectives, and always at critical moments to maintain reader interest. This is one of those books one might have to read in one sitting, so be prepared and have the time before you start as the story is likely to tug you in from early on

 The second book in this series, the Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker, comes out this spring, and I’m looking forward to it. If you’d like more information on Hieber, please visit www.leannareneehieber.com.