A Voodoo witch must navigate a magically and racially divided nineteenth-century New Orleans to save her motherΓÇöand the soul of the city itselfΓÇöin this lush debut novel inspired by the life of Marie Laveau. ΓÇ£A riveting read that does not shy away from both the light and the dark aspects of the supernatural.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöEssence (Most Anticipated Books of 2026) ΓÇ£An edgy,intoxicating novel pulsing with the dark heartbeat of 1840s New Orleans and a fiery mother-daughter dynamic I wonΓÇÖt soon forget.ΓÇ¥ΓÇöSarah PennerNew York Times bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary In 1843 New Orleansthe reigning Voodoo queen is Marie Laveaufeared by her enemies and followers alike. Her daughterMarie \