Oracle, Tailor, Curator Trilogy

Queer New York City circa 1899, where a magical book brings three men together

"Set in a vividly rendered New York City so rich you could slip into the pages and live there, Starling introduces a cast of characters tangled together by a compelling mystery—as well as deliciously sharp desire. With a cast to die for and an enviable intricate magic system, COUP DE COEUR has captured my heart.

 

Intrigue, passion, and heart-stopping betrayals will propel readers through the story as Calix, Ethaniel, and Aubrey work together to unravel the secrets of a book that can speak to them. Racing against the amorphous yet threatening Golden Order, the three of them must fight the book’s manipulations as well as society’s strictures in order to find safety in a dangerous world. I couldn’t put this book down, and now I’m ravenous for book two. I highly recommend it for any lovers of magic, mayhem, and slow-burn romance."

-Laura R. Samotin, author of THE SINS ON THEIR BONES (out May 7, 2024)

Book One:

Coup de Coeur

Historical Fantasy/Romance Novel

Pub date: May 28, 2024

"Let me adore you."

"Let me venerate you."

"Let me overtake you."

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT meets FOUNDRYSIDE in this queer historical fantasy/romance set in a version of 1899 New York City where magic is common and convenient. Coup de Coeur follows the journey of three men whose fates are tied to the seemingly sudden appearance of a strange, possibly sentient, grimoire.

Calix Addington, Earl of Batherton, has a complicated relationship with his friend and former classmate, Lawton Adler. Lawton’s tendency to attract, and often cause, trouble leaves Calix sometimes holding the bag (which definitely happens). Calix is also harboring a secret – he’s an Oracle, like his mother, and in a world where small magic is meant for aesthetics and convenience, larger displays of magic are frowned upon, sometimes illegal, and very much what the church and several important organizations fear.

When Calix is stuck with a strange book after Lawton’s shady dealings go wrong one spring morning, he takes shelter in Ethaniel Harkness’s magical tailoring shop. Calix and Ethaniel know each other as customer and tailor, but Ethaniel’s kind heart won’t let Calix stay in danger. As Calix hears the strange book speak in his mind, Ethaniel contacts his old flame Aubrey Lavigne. Aubrey’s expertise with magical objects as the curator for the Magnificus Collectio, an archive hidden behind a tourist trap museum, will be key to understanding what this book truly is.

Magic, love, lust, fear, and danger run rampant as this strange book becomes the catalyst for a much larger plot conducted by a secret sect known as The Golden Order. With The Golden Order giving chase to retrieve the book, Calix, Ethaniel, and Aubrey’s lives tangle and they must flee the city to separate Calix from the book, shake off their pursuers, and find time for their burgeoning attractions.

COUP DE COEUR has deep roots in the real-life queer history of New York City, but also in art and culture.

Queer Representation

  • Calix (he/him) is gay and cisgender

  • Lawton (he/him) is queer and genderfluid

  • Ethaniel (he/they) is pansexual and cisgender

  • Aubrey (he/they) is demisexual and genderqueer