"Delightful and charming urban fantasy"

Keepers are those of the Lineage who maintain the metaphysical balance of the world. Now that Diana Hansen has graduated high school she is no longer kept in reserve but is a full-fledged Keeper. She notices a bracelet a student is wearing is tainted by evil and learns that it was bought at a store in the Kingston, Ontario Mall. Realizing that the forces of darkness have almost taken over the mall, Diane gets her sister Claire, powerful in her own right, to help her in her first Summoning.

They cross over from the mall to the Otherside where an identical mall is segueing into the one on the mortal plane. There they find allies in Arthur and his elves (street children who have found their way into the Otherside and have changed into another life form). There they prepare to do battle with the evil being known as the Shadowlord, a fight they must win if Earth is to survive.

LONG HOT SUMMONING is a delightful and charming urban fantasy that is both funny and exciting. The plot is so fast-paced that readers find a need to see what happens next. The secondary cast is whimsical creatures that include a magic mirror and a cat that used to be an angel. They play a small but pivotal role in the story line, leaving readers feeling as if they were participants in an adult fairy tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted April 10, 2003