Desperate Shadows: The Order of the Emerald Mantis Book 1

A town gripped by fear. A warlock hiding in plain sight. A son returns to reclaim the light.
Darkness came to Silverbrook … and it’s about to be challenged.
In 1840s Massachusetts, the ancient town of Silverbrook hides a deadly secret beneath its cobblestone streets. For centuries, a society of sorcerers known as the Order of the Emerald Mantis has lived in the shadows—until dark magic seeps into their sanctuary, leaving a young woman dead, another barely alive, and a gifted sorcerer mistaken for a corpse.
When France Hofford arrives to claim his son’s body, the townsfolk, incited by something wicked, turn on him—burning his home and nearly killing them all. France escapes with his wounded son, a loyal driver, and the woman he cherishes. In hiding, he begins to prepare.
Ten years later, his son, Rence Hofford returns, stronger, wiser, and ready to face the warlock who destroyed his family. But the enemy has taken root in the heart of the town: Levi Goodman, Silverbrook’s beloved preacher is actually the bloodthirsty warlock Menaute Yebera in disguise.
Now, the battle for Silverbrook begins.
A tale of sorcery, vengeance, and rising hope—Desperate Shadows launches the dark and spellbinding series, The Order of the Emerald Mantis.