Red Glove

Curses and cons. Magic and the mob. In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truthhe’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anythingor anyoneinto something else. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she's human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila's been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion worker mom. And if Lila's love is as phony as Cassel's made-up memories, then he can't believe anything she says or does. When Cassel's oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only cluecrime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel toothey know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can't trust anyoneleast of all, himself? Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose.

Holly Black is the author of The Curse Workers series: White Cat, Red Glove, and Black Heart; The Poison Eaters: And Other Stories; and the Modern Faerie Tales: Tithe, Valiant, and Ironside. She is an editor of Zombies vs. Unicorns, and she collaborated with Tony DiTerlizzi on the bestselling Spiderwick series. Holly lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, and you can visit her at BlackHolly.com.