Polterheist: An Esther Diamond Novel

In the days leading up to Christmas, and in accordance with the rituals of a religion which is not her own, struggling actress Esther Diamond is working as a singing-and-dancing elf at Fenster & Co, a major Manhattan department store. Meanwhile, Detective Lopez, Esther's former almost-boyfriend, is investigating a series of mob-related truck hijackings of Fenster's costly merchandise. Lucky Battistuzzi, a semi-retired hit man in the Gambello crime family, is also investigating the thefts, since the Gambellos, who didn't commit the robberies, are being inconveniently implicated in these events. Esther becomes aware of mysterious and alarming events at Fenster's, quite apart from lurking wiseguys, squabbling shoppers, and half-naked elves. Alerted to her concerns, her friend Dr. Maximillian Zadok, Manhattan's resident mage, soon suspects that Evil is afoot in the crowded department store.Before long, Max and Esther realize that the famous shopping mecca has become the planned staging ground for the rebirth of a voracious ancient demon that's plotting to take advantage of the winter solstice, when darkness prevails, to escape its amorphous mystical prison and commence a reign of terror in New York City. Can Max and Esther protect their city, save Detective Lopez from a sex-starved ancient entity, and survive Christianity's most exhausting holiday?Review"Fans of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series will appreciate this series' lively heroine and the appealing combination of humor, mystery, and romance."(Library Journal, Starred Review (for Esther Diamond series) )"Esther Diamond is the Stephanie Plum of urban fantasy! ...Unplug the phone and settle down for a fast and funny read!"(Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author (for Esther Diamond series) )"This is one of my all-time favorite urban fantasy series and I highly recommend it to any fan of the genre. Light-hearted, zany, suspenseful, surprising, and romantic."(Sci Fi Chick (for Esther Diamond series) )"Dopplegangster is a joy from start to finish.... It's a wonderful blend of comedy and surprising suspense. If you haven't met Esther Diamond yet, then you're missing out on a lot of fun."(Linda Howard, New York Times bestselling author (for Esther Diamond series) )"Gleeful, clever... [Resnick] spins a witty, fast-paced mystery around her convincingly self-absorbed chorus-girl heroine. Sexy interludes raise the tension between Lopez and Esther as she juggles magical assailants, her perennially distracted agent, her meddling mother, and wiseguys both friendly and threatening in a well-crafted, rollicking mystery."(Publishers Weekly (for Esther Diamond series) )"Esther is a witty and charming heroine to follow. For anyone who enjoys a bit of paranormal with more than a dash of humor and a great mystery."(Parkersburg News & Sentinel (for Esther Diamond series) )"This is an unforgettable book. If you love vampires, humorous situations, and intrigue, go out and read it!"(Night Owl Reviews (for Esther Diamond series) ) About the AuthorLaura Resnick's previous fantasy novels include The White Dragon, which made the "Year's Best" lists of Publishers Weekly  and Voya, and The Destroyer Goddess, which Publishers Weekly describes as "a marvel of storytelling." Under the pseudonym Laura Leone, she is the award-winning author of more than a dozen romance novels, including Fever Dreams, which Romantic Times named as a "Top Pick," and Fallen From Grace, which was a finalist for the Romance Writers of America's Rita Award. She is also the Campbell Award-winning author of more than 60 short stories. The Esther Diamond series is her first venture into modern urban paranormal fantasy.