Editor’s note: Mild spoilers. Content notes for discussion of grief and trauma, school-related stress, police involvement, ancient magic, and classism.
Barry Nugent’s new novel picks up the story of Ada, Bobby, DJ, Nikki and Tony not long after the first book, Trail of the Cursed Cobras. A supernatural school action adventure, it wore its style, influences and genre lightly, centring character instead of gimmick and bringing emotional nuance (plus some top notch jokes). It’s sequel builds on all of that. This time around, our heroes have saved the world but remain menaced by the twin horrors of adolescence and school work, now with the added problems of magic and the consequences of their last adventure. They’re all a little lost. They all need a map. They get the midnight cartographers.
Mystery of the Midnight Cartographers
Spotlights: Bandcamp Friday recommendations
Playout: ’90s New Jack Swing mix by DJ Afrosia