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Midnight Curse (Disrupted Magic -1) by Melissa F

Midnight Curse #1

Disrupted Magic series — by Melissa F. Olson. Disrupted Magic series is the sequal series to Boundary Magic series

Genres and Sub-Genres[]

Urban Fantasy / UF-Mystery / Noir UF

Series Description or Overview[]

✥ "It’s a spinoff, similar to Patricia Brigg’s Alpha and Omega series. So Lex is connected to something that happens in Hunter’s Trail, and there will occasionally be appearances from the LA characters we’ve met already. The other big connection is that Boundary Crossed also features a null, a human character who neutralizes all nearby magic. In this case, though, the null isn’t the protagonist; it’s the protagonist’s eighteen-month-old niece. I thought it would be interesting to explore what it’s like having a really young null sort of shoved into this world." ~ Quillery interview

✥ Scarlett Bernard is used to cleaning up messes. As a human who cancels out any magic around her, Scarlett’s job is to keep the supernatural world hidden—at any cost. But on the eve of the Vampire Trials, a two-day tribunal that allows the otherworldly community to air their grievances, Scarlett receives a blood-soaked message from Molly, her estranged former roommate. Molly, a vampire, had been living with twelve human college students…and in one terrible night, she slaughtered them all. Scarlett believes Molly’s been set up, but no one else in the Old World agrees with her. Meanwhile, the true perpetrator is determined to make sure Molly goes on trial for the massacre—and the penalty is death. With less than two days to prove her friend’s innocence, Scarlett calls on former LAPD detective Jesse Cruz to help her dig into Molly’s past. But no one—Molly included—wants Scarlett and Jesse to bring the terrible truth to light. ~ FF

Lead's Species[]

  • Boundary witch

Primary Supe[]

  • Witches, Vampires, Werewolves

What Sets it Apart[]

Narrative Type and Narrators[]

  • First person narrative told by

Books in Series[]

Old World / Disrupted Magic series:

  1. Midnight Curse (2017)
  2. Blood Gamble (2017)

Companion Series, Spinoffs, Sequels or Prequels[]

Other Series by Author onsite[]

World Building[]

Setting[]

Boulder, Colorado

Places:

  • Magic Beans:
  • Flatiron Depot: store Lex works at

Supernatural Elements[]

✥ Witches, vampires, werewolves, , , ,

Glossary:[]

  • Boundary Witch:
  • Foundings: regular humans

Groups & Organizations:[]

  • Boulder Police Department:

World[]

✥ This series is part of the Old World universe being is a sequel series to the Scarlett Bernard series. This world is populated by Vampires, witches, werewolves and the rare Nulls—accept in Colorado where the werewolves are not to be found. The Supes live among humans but humans are largely and blissfully ignorant to them as supernaturals. And the Supes want to keep it that way. ~ Hopestar

Boulder is a Vampire town. It has witches but werewolves have been “purged” from the State of Colorado. Both the lead Witch and the lead Vampire are strong, scary people but neither is monstrous. Lex has an affinity for the Vampire world and quickly becomes entangled in it. Where Scarlett held herself at the edge of the Old World, Lex pushes steadily into its heart.

✥ Lex is a former US Army Sergeant and a boundary witch. She has no idea she is a witch until she is attacked by a couple of vampires that are trying to kidnap her little niece. This attack led her to be in the hospital where she meets another witch and a vampire who start filling her in on what she is, of course blowing her away. She has to go and meet with the head vampire and make a deal to keep her niece safe as there will be more beings trying to kidnap her because she is a null. They explain to her that a null is someone that can drain power. Example: If a vamp is close to her, well carrying her since she's only one, they can actually walk in the sunlight, wolves wouldn't have to change on the full moon, etc. So with the help of some other witches they start training her on how to use her powers. She also has a great vampire friend she meets because of this named Quinn. ~ GR reader | Melissa Martin

Protagonist[]

✥ Allison Luther aka Lex, an Army vet who served in Iraq, is a massive animal lover with a herd of rescue pets. She works nights at a convenience store, babysits her baby niece Charlie, and lives a fairly normal life. — Until she dies. — The protagonist finds herself thrown into the paranormal Old World full of Vampires, witches, and possibly werewolves—and then the fun begins. Lex is funny, resilient, loving, and capable. Her army training (view spoiler) certainly qualifies her for badass status. ~ GR reader | Ellen Gail

✥ Allison “Lex” Luther, a US Army Veteran who has seen her fair share of horror. Lex is just an ordinary girl working nights, taking care of abandoned animals, and grieving over her lost twin sister Samantha. After briefly dying keeping kidnappers from taking her 18-month old niece Charlie, Lex's eyes are opened to an entirely different world that lies just out of sight of human eyes. The most intriguing twist is that Lex herself is anything but purely human. She is what's called a boundary witch, and a very powerful one at that. Lex also learns that Charlie is a null who is able to turn vampires human again. Lex, keeping her promise to Sam, will do absolutely anything to keep her niece safe. That includes working for powerful vampires who call Colorado their home, learning about magical abilities she didn't know she possessed, and working alongside the secretive Quinn who works as a fixer for the vampire leaders. ~ Gizmo's

"...there are a lot of things I love about writing Lex, because she’s just a more mature and maybe even complex character. And tougher. For example, Scarlett’s first response to violence is to make a witty remark and maybe run. Lex’s first response is to kick someone’s f**ing ass." — Melissa F. Olson, interview

✥ US Army Sargeant Allison "Lex" Luther was honorably discharged after almost dying in the field in Iraq. Anger management issues, possible PTSD issues, and family tragedy turned Lex into a hermit living in a cabin in the Colorado wilderness with her horde of rescue animals and working nights at the Flatiron Depot. A boring night at the Depot and a fortuitous incident changes everything in Lex’s life. Everything. Now there are witches and vampires and boundaries that Lex never knew existed and are now forever part of her life. ~ Goodreads | Kathleen

Sidekick[]

  • Name: / What: / Sidekick-to: / About: / Book First Seen:

Characters Chart[]

Characters What About
"Lex", Allison Alexandra Luther boundary witch twin: Samantha Wheaton, aunt of Charlotte; just learns she's a witch; has a very dark power yet unknown to her that can also change her;
Charlie, Charlotte Allison Wheaton Null, Lex's niece daughter of Samantha and John Wheaton;
Samanatha Luther Wheaton Lex's twin, deceased mother of Charlotte, wife of John Wheaton, twin of Lex;
John Wheaton human father of Charlotte, husband of Samantha Wheaton;
Simon Aleister Pellar witch brother of Lily;
Lily Pellar witch youngest sister of Simon;
Sybil Sister of Simon and Lily;
Tracy Simon's girlfriend;
Hazel Pellar witch mother of Simon and Lily;
Ivy witch
Billy Atwood witch
Quinn vampire, cop works as a fixer for the vampire leaders;
Itachi vampire leader leader
Victor vampire; co-kidnapper; kidnapped Charlotte; Lex stopped him in store she works at;
Darcy vampire; co-kidnapper; kidnapped Charlortte
Nolan vampire
Neal Keller detective Boulder PD
Elise patrol officer cousin of Lex; Boulder PD;
Jesse Cruz homicide detective LAPD
Jake cousin of Lex
Anna cousin of Lex
Brie cousin of Lex
Dani cousin, nine-year-old Jake's daughter;
Bettina co-worker work with Lex at the Deport;
Cara Jack's wife
Trask alpha werewolf
Dr. Towne Doctor Lex's Doctor
Big Scott boss Lex's manager at the Deport
Maven head vampire of Colorado; work at Magic Beans;
Kirby vampire
Yoda student pledge, college student
Pongo, Dopey & Cody pet dog's dogs of Lex;
Raja cat Lex's cat
Gus-Gus gray cat hates men for some reason;
Mushu iguana a three legged iguana of Lex

To expand the table, in Edit–Visual mode, right-press on a Row of the table (Control-press on a Mac)—choose add Row or Column. Or, in Source Mode: copy-paste rows.

Melissa Olson

Melissa Olson

Author[]

Melissa F. Olson

Bio: Melissa Olson was born and raised in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and studied film and literature at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. After graduation, and a brief stint bouncing around the Hollywood studio system, Melissa landed in Madison, WI, where she eventually acquired a master's degree from UW-Milwaukee, a husband, a mortgage, a teaching gig, two kids, and two comically oversized dogs, not at all in that order. She loves Madison, but still dreams of the food in LA. Literally. There are dreams. ~ Goodreads | Melissa F. Olson (Author of Dead Spots)

Contributors[]

Cover Artists[]

  • Artist: not listed — Source: ISFdb

Other Contributors:[]

  • Audio Book Narrator: Amy McFadden
  • Editor: — Source:

Publishing Information[]

  • Publisher:
  • Author/Book Page:
  1. Midnight Curse:
  2. Blood Gamble:

Book Cover Blurbs[]

BOOK ONE—Midnight Curse (2017): Scarlett Bernard is used to cleaning up messes. As a human who cancels out any magic around her, Scarlett’s job is to keep the supernatural world hidden—at any cost. But on the eve of the Vampire Trials, a two-day tribunal that allows the otherworldly community to air their grievances, Scarlett receives a blood-soaked message from Molly, her estranged former roommate. Molly, a vampire, had been living with twelve human college students…and in one terrible night, she slaughtered them all. Scarlett believes Molly’s been set up, but no one else in the Old World agrees with her. Meanwhile, the true perpetrator is determined to make sure Molly goes on trial for the massacre—and the penalty is death. With less than two days to prove her friend’s innocence, Scarlett calls on former LAPD detective Jesse Cruz to help her dig into Molly’s past. But no one—Molly included—wants Scarlett and Jesse to bring the terrible truth to light. ~ Goodreads | Midnight Curse (Disrupted Magic, #1) by Melissa F. Olson

BOOK TWO—Blood Gamble (2017): If there is one city that Scarlett Bernard hates, it’s Las Vegas. But when the cardinal vampire of Los Angeles convinces her to go investigate a new vampire-themed stage show, Scarlett quickly finds herself shoulder-deep in sequins, slot machines, and Old World intrigue. The show’s creators are vampire celebrities Arthur and Lucy Holmwood, who once inspired characters from the original Dracula. Now, however, they have no qualms about announcing their true status to the human world, endangering the secrecy of the Old World and Scarlett’s mission to keep it hidden. But before she can begin untangling the Holmwoods’ motives, Scarlett also discovers that their new production has attracted more than just fans: Las Vegas’s many vampires are suddenly disappearing, and rumors are flying that actual vampire hunters may have followed Arthur and Lucy to town. Now, without her allies, her bargest, or her frequent partner Jesse Cruz, Scarlett must navigate a new underworld of secrets and murders in a city where nothing is ever as it seems. And the stakes have never been higher. ~ Goodreads | Blood Gamble (Disrupted Magic, #2) by Melissa F. Olson

Reading Order[]

  • 0.1. Bloodsick
  • 0.5. “Sell-By Date”
  1. Dead Spots
  2. Trail of Dead
  3. Hunter’s Trail
    1. Boundary Crossed
    2. Boundary Lines
    3. Boundary Born
      1. Midnight Curse
      2. Blood Gamble

Suggested Reading Order - Melissa F Olson.com

First Sentences[]

  1. Midnight Curse (2017) — Bring it on, but I've last from oblivious.
  2. Blood Gamble (2017) — Chose the over darkness captured, night in you knocked it loose rights.

Quotes[]

Trivia[]

Awards[]

Read Alikes (similar elements)[]

See Category links at bottom of page

See Also[]

See Category links at bottom of page

External References[]

Books:

Freebies & Excerpts:

Summaries:

World, Characters, etc:

Author:

Community, Fan Sites:

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Gallery of Book Covers[]

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