Laura Anne Gilman

When Wren Valerie, A Retriever who has a gift for finding things, is hired by a rich client to reclaim a spell-infested cornerstone, she must call upon her frieends--ademon, a mage, and her business partner--when her mission goes terribly wrong, resulting in the release of a deadly ghost.

The Cosa Nostradamus is in disarray; the Truce that has kept the city peaceful for decades has been broken, and magical Manhattan is at war.In the midst of all this, Wren Valere is left without her partner Sergei, whose past loyalties - and betrayals - keep him from her side just when she needs him the most. Wren wants nothing more to do with violence. But for her community - human and otherwise - to survive, it's time for the Cosa to take the battle...

Jerzy--a young slave who has just begun an apprenticeship to become a Vineart, a mage who can create spell-making wines--must work with his master to stop a plot to complete the work of the dreaded Sin-Washer and rid the world of the last few Vinearts, in the first book of a new trilogy.

"In my time with PUPI, formally known as Private, Unaffiliated Paranormal Investigations, I've seen a lot. Learned a lot. And not all of it's been good. But what we do--make people accountable for crimes committed with magic--is important work. Still. Even I need to take a break every now and again. Or so I've just been told (ordered). So hey, vacation. Maybe I'll finally figure out what's going on with the 'special bond' between me and the boss man,...