Mercury Retrograde: A Dark Alchemy Novel

by Laura Bickle

Overview

Something venomous has come to Temperance …

It's been two months since Petra Dee and her coyote sidekick Sig faced off against Temperance's resident alchemist, but things are far from quiet. When an Internet video of a massive snake in the backcountry of Yellowstone goes viral, a chase for the mythical basilisk is on. Monster hunters swarm into the area, and never one to pass up the promise of discovery, Petra joins in the search.

Among the newcomers is a snake cult on wheels―the biker gang Sisters of Serpens. Unlike some, the Sisters don't want to kill the basilisk―they want to worship it. But things get complicated when the basilisk develops a taste for human flesh that rivals the Sisters' own murderous skills.

Meanwhile, the alchemical tree of life is dying, and the undead Hanged Men of Temperance who depend on it know the basilisk may be their last chance for survival.

With time running out for everyone around her, Petra will be forced to decide who survives and who she must leave behind in this action-packed sequel to Dark Alchemy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062437617
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	10/27/2015
Series:	Dark Alchemy Series , #2
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	654 KB

About the Author

Laura Bickle grew up in rural Ohio, reading entirely too many comic books out loud to her favorite Wonder Woman doll. After graduating with an MA in Sociology–Criminology from Ohio State University and an MLIS in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she patrolled the stacks at the public library and worked with data systems in criminal justice. She now dreams up stories about the monsters under the stairs. Her work has been included in the ALA’s Amelia Bloomer Project 2013 reading list and the State Library of Ohio’s Choose to Read Ohio reading list for 2015-2016. More information about Laura’s work can be found at www.laurabickle.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 09/07/2015
Bickle’s fantastic follow-up to Dark Alchemy finds geologist Petra Dee on the trail of a giant mystical snake after the corpses of three campers are discovered in Yellowstone National Park. Also seeking the snake, or basilisk, is a murderous cult of female bikers called the Sisters of Serpens. Petra is keen to find the snake and put an end to the violence, and when she discovers that the Alchemical Tree of Life is dying—as is someone she cares deeply about—her mission becomes even more urgent. This wonderfully unusual Weird West novel combines the best of contemporary fantasy with metaphysical magic and mayhem, and even a bit of romance. Bickle has a knack for creating atmosphere, and she fills the fast-paced narrative with vivid scenes of wonder and a poignant story of death and rebirth. Fans of the first book will be enthralled, and new readers will easily fall into the quirky, dusty land that Petra and her unusual friends inhabit. Agent: Becca Stumpf, Prospect Agency. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Bickle has a knack for creating atmosphere, and she fills the fast-paced narrative with vivid scenes of wonder and a poignant story of death and rebirth. [N]ew readers will easily fall into the quirky, dusty land that Petra and her unusual friends inhabit.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) on MERCURY RETROGRADE

“Petra’s adventures in a magic-choked version of Yellowstone continue to balance nicely with a sense of fun, well-done and subtle worldbuilding and characterization, plus some serious stakes. Our protagonist is competent, resourceful and tough without becoming unrealistically formidable. The series feels like it’s building splendidly.” — RT Book Reviews on MERCURY RETROGRADE

From the Publisher

Petra’s adventures in a magic-choked version of Yellowstone continue to balance nicely with a sense of fun, well-done and subtle worldbuilding and characterization, plus some serious stakes. Our protagonist is competent, resourceful and tough without becoming unrealistically formidable. The series feels like it’s building splendidly.

RT Book Reviews on MERCURY RETROGRADE