editor of Symphony for the Devil by Marcus James

© 2019

Candiano Books

editorial reviews.

Symphony for the Devil is a novel of the mysterious, the supernatural, and the wondrous, both magickal and mundane.  It is a tale of lasting legacy and a cursed family.  James does a masterful job of keeping the threads together with complex story-weaving.  …A book descended from the same lineage that gave us such classics as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.”

— Manhattan Book Review

“Set in a culture of wealth and witches, the second book in Marcus James’ Blackmoore Legacy series is a whirlwind of paranormal blended with the finer things in life.  …Symphony for the Devil is a compelling, plot-driven, and structurally sound story.  The characters are interesting and intelligent.  …The settings are lit with cultural, historical, and architectural details, which give the story a rich and engaging sophistication.”

— San Francisco Book Review

It's been eight months since the events of Blackmoore and now Trevor Blackmoore, Braxton Volaverunt, Cheri Hannifin, and Braxton's best friend J.T. Oliver are embarking on a new chapter of their lives in the great northwest metropolis of Seattle. Trevor and Cheri are beginning their freshman year at the University of Washington, and Braxton and J.T.'s band are heading into the studio to complete their first album with Arcadia Records.


Kathryn Blackmoore, Trevor's mother and the seductive stone fox of the family and president of Blackmoore World Corp., is finding uneasy freedom as a woman in her late forties finally free of the curse of the Blackmoores, and rediscovering what it means to be a woman finally without obligation to anyone but herself. Now fully aware of their shared lineage and the growing threat of the Dark God of the Wood — whose name has been lost to time — and the faithful human and supernatural disciples who are poised to attack, the two young men find that their love — which is bound in blood and prophecy — is the only thing they have to rely on to keep them safe.


As Trevor and Braxton exit Bellingham, leaving the ruins of the Volaverunt home in their wake, two other Blackmoores fill their place. Francesca Blackmoore, the beautiful and exotic cousin from Italy, who stayed behind after the chaos and terror of Christmas Eve; and Mary-Margaret Blackmoore from Ireland, an accomplished and world renowned solo violinist who has come to Bellingham to teach Music Theory at Fairhaven University and who reluctantly takes up residence with her cousin and Trevor's great-aunt Mabel Blackmoore — also known as Queen Mab — who resides in her great Victorian mansion with the youthful and mysterious violin playing spirit Michael Donovan.


A tapestry of deceit, family loyalties, tragic love, and lives lost too soon begins to unfold as two newcomers enter Trevor and Mary-Margaret's lives. When the tight-knit clan of witches is struck with a terrible and inexplicable tragedy, Mary-Margaret is pulled deeper and deeper into the hypnotic world of the sullen but loyal ghost Michael Donovan — revealing the key to the very plot that may destroy them all.

Spanning more than a hundred years, Symphony for the Devil goes from present to past and back again, revealing new truths and pulling back the earth to expose the great roots of the Blackmoores and their world, and we learn that it's not just one tree, but a great forest — a forest that has only just begun to reveal all that's hidden within its shadows.

“James has created unforgettable characters, and these characters propel this dark story forward.  The story is more complete than its predecessor and ends on an unbelievably powerful note.  …You will be surprised more than once.  James pulls us into the story on the first page, and it is really difficult to stop reading from that point on.  Plot your day accordingly.”

— Literary Pride

“Four out of five stars!  This is a fun romp of a novel that refreshingly shows gay relationships in the same light as straight.  …Symphony for the Devil is a novel for people who are fans of urban fantasy, the Seattle area, or love to page through catalogues.”

— Seattle Book Review

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Editor: Ghosts of Blood and Bone by Marcus James