A Murder in the Making

Hardcover
$27.00 US
| $37.00 CAN
On sale Nov 25, 2025 | 304 Pages | 9781496742520

The latest mesmerizing novel in a new mystery series featuring the captivating Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now a spellbound, magic-wielding mystic in present-day Washington, D.C., charged with recovering magical property from the unbound—by any means necessary.

Dovey didn’t expect to fall in love after the age of 200, yet she can’t stop thinking about Grant “Gib” Barlow, the gorgeous FBI agent who helped her crack her last case. A romance with an unbound is obviously a terrible idea, but for Gib, it could be fatal—because Dovey’s employer, Elric Ostergaard, arguably the most powerful mystic in the world, also happens to be her longtime lover.

Alas, Dovey’s efforts to steer clear of Gib become impossible when her best friend, fellow mystic, and unapologetic romantic, Ursula Göransdotter, tricks them into a lunch date—during which Gib is alerted that a fellow agent has been murdered in his own home. The state of the crime scene, and of the body, seem to defy logic—but Dovey immediately recognizes the Crushing Curse, which could only be cast by a supremely powerful mystic—like her boss. When another agent is killed in the same manner, Dovey races to find Elric for answers.

Meanwhile, the FBI body count rises, and it becomes clear that a rogue mystic is targeting the unbound agents, but why? What ensues is another missing magical trinket, a tense confrontation with Elric, a shocking discovery about Gib, and grave danger to all involved—forcing Dovey to navigate realm-crossing love triangles, supernatural power struggles—and ultimately, her own surprisingly vulnerable heart . . .
Praise for A Trinket for the Taking

“Laurie’s series debut packs quite a punch. In addition to murders, there’s a juicy romance between Dovey and the handsome special agent, a bunch of gory fight scenes, and heaps of mystic-on-mystic malevolence—enough to satisfy readers who like their puzzles with more than a hint of the supernatural. A magical mystery tour coming to take you away.” Kirkus

"Fans of Carolyn Hart’s Bailey Ruth Ghost mysteries will enjoy meeting Dovey in this first in a new series describing a mystic world parallel to our mortal one." Booklist

“Laurie blends fantasy, mystery and romance.” Publishers Weekly


Victoria Laurie is a real-life psychic and the New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mysteries, the Ghost Hunter Mysteries, the Life Coach Mysteries, and the Trinket Mysteries. She lives outside Minneapolis, MN and can be found online at VictoriaLaurie.com.

About

The latest mesmerizing novel in a new mystery series featuring the captivating Dovey Van Dalen, once the belle of 1840s Copenhagen, now a spellbound, magic-wielding mystic in present-day Washington, D.C., charged with recovering magical property from the unbound—by any means necessary.

Dovey didn’t expect to fall in love after the age of 200, yet she can’t stop thinking about Grant “Gib” Barlow, the gorgeous FBI agent who helped her crack her last case. A romance with an unbound is obviously a terrible idea, but for Gib, it could be fatal—because Dovey’s employer, Elric Ostergaard, arguably the most powerful mystic in the world, also happens to be her longtime lover.

Alas, Dovey’s efforts to steer clear of Gib become impossible when her best friend, fellow mystic, and unapologetic romantic, Ursula Göransdotter, tricks them into a lunch date—during which Gib is alerted that a fellow agent has been murdered in his own home. The state of the crime scene, and of the body, seem to defy logic—but Dovey immediately recognizes the Crushing Curse, which could only be cast by a supremely powerful mystic—like her boss. When another agent is killed in the same manner, Dovey races to find Elric for answers.

Meanwhile, the FBI body count rises, and it becomes clear that a rogue mystic is targeting the unbound agents, but why? What ensues is another missing magical trinket, a tense confrontation with Elric, a shocking discovery about Gib, and grave danger to all involved—forcing Dovey to navigate realm-crossing love triangles, supernatural power struggles—and ultimately, her own surprisingly vulnerable heart . . .

Reviews

Praise for A Trinket for the Taking

“Laurie’s series debut packs quite a punch. In addition to murders, there’s a juicy romance between Dovey and the handsome special agent, a bunch of gory fight scenes, and heaps of mystic-on-mystic malevolence—enough to satisfy readers who like their puzzles with more than a hint of the supernatural. A magical mystery tour coming to take you away.” Kirkus

"Fans of Carolyn Hart’s Bailey Ruth Ghost mysteries will enjoy meeting Dovey in this first in a new series describing a mystic world parallel to our mortal one." Booklist

“Laurie blends fantasy, mystery and romance.” Publishers Weekly


Author

Victoria Laurie is a real-life psychic and the New York Times bestselling author of the Psychic Eye Mysteries, the Ghost Hunter Mysteries, the Life Coach Mysteries, and the Trinket Mysteries. She lives outside Minneapolis, MN and can be found online at VictoriaLaurie.com.
  • More Websites from
    Penguin Random House
  • Common Reads
  • Library Marketing