Jo Burkholder

Red Phoenix Jo Burkholder

What would you do to protect someone you cared about? Would you be willing to lie? Spy? Manipulate? Would you keep secrets? Join a dangerous cult? Deny and disguise what you are? Dr. Olivia Crane specializes in helping people achieve the latter, having invented the only successful treatment for lycanism, the disease that turns people into werewolves. When the High Council hall is attacked, witnesses blame a rogue werewolf and put the magical world on high alert for anyone who is not what they appear to be. As an expert, Crane is certain the monster that attacked couldn't have been a werewolf, but if not, what was it? To defend her patients, her clinic staff, her reputation, and her own secrets Crane goes looking for answers with the help of her brother (a former magical duelist), and a favorite patient (with connections to magical law enforcement). Her search draws her to the International Academy of Magical Arts and Sciences, with its enormous library and a staff of illustrious minds. Among them is her former tutor Admonius Scoffe, harsh spoken, socially awkward, and wickedly smart. He once said if she ever needed help she should come to him first, but that was more than a decade ago, before he had her dismissed. Now, to solve the mystery Crane almost certainly needs Scoffe's help, but he might not be willing or able to do so unless she figures out how to help him first.