The Monsters We Defy

By: Leslye Penelope

Narrated by: Shayna Small

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A woman able to communicate with spirits must assemble a ragtag crew to pull off a daring heist to save her community in this timely and dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history, and romance.

Washington D. C., 1925

Clara Johnson talks to spirits, a gift that saved her during her darkest moments in a Washington D. C. jail. Now a curse that’s left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So, when the Empress, the powerful spirit who holds her debt, offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, a desperate Clara seizes the chance. The task: steal a magical ring from the wealthiest woman in the District.

Clara can’t pull off this daring heist alone. She’ll need help from an unlikely team, from a jazz musician capable of hypnotizing with a melody to an aging vaudeville actor who can change his face, to pull off the impossible. But as they encounter increasingly difficult obstacles, a dangerous spirit interferes at every turn. Conflict in the spirit world is leaking into the human one and along D.C’.s legendary Black Broadway, a mystery unfolds—one that not only has repercussions for Clara but all of the city’s residents.

©2022 Leslye Penelope (P)2022 Redhook

Critic reviews

"Leslye Penelope has created a rich and immersive world, set in an enchanting 1920s Washington DC full of jazz musicians, elite Black social organizations, fairy balls, bootleggers, lady gangster bosses, and mesmerizing magic! It's a story that weaves together threads of real history with bits of the utterly fantastic. The Monsters We Defy will keep you turning the pages and wanting more!”—P. Djèli Clark, author of A Master of Djinn

"A gritty heroine and crew that commune with trickster spirits. A heist that pits them against a powerful member of the city's elite. In The Monsters We Defy, Leslie Penelope blends magic, mystery, and mayhem in this deliciously complex historical fantasy."—Veronica Henry, author of Bacchanal

"Masterfully crafted, with gorgeous prose, colourful characters, and a compelling plot. This smart and entertaining, magical heist novel hits all the right notes and leaves the reader wanting more."—T. L. Huchu, author of The Library of the Dead

Amazing!

I have been looking for a book like this and it was definitely worth the read! The writing and the performance was superb! I look forward to this becoming a series.

Job well done!

Fantastic book with incredible audio performance

This was audiobook was so hard to put down. Interesting story, rich characters, and the story performance was incredible. Will stay with me a long time.

Great story and performance

Loved the creativity and how the author brought it all together. I wasn't a fan of the genre but this story changed that.

My new favorite author!

OMG, just finished the book. Wow, it was EXCELLENT! Fast paced, well written, deep and compelling. Love that it was set locally. I learned things about DC that I didn't know. I loved the fantastical theme.

An Invigorating and Insightful listen

This is a truly new and unique heist novel that gradually builds to an epic showdown. Leslie Penelope amazingly weaved the characters an story seamlessly into a fictionalized Black Washington DC during the 1920s filled with nuggets of history, only enriching the book. And the narrator truly embodied the characters, creating an overall great listen.

Excellent!

The story captured me from the start. The reader voiced the different characters distinctly. I always knew who was speaking. Looking forward to more books by this author and this voice artist.

So quirky, cheeky, brilliant

I loved this book, its characters, its plot, and the fun way it engaged with American History. Loved the fantasy / spiritual elements. The audiobook performer was INCREDIBLE!

Excellent performance of a great story!

Curses, entities, Jazz Age Washington DC, brushes with historical figures, a heist that relies on special gifts, jewelry, AND a romance? This book had everything great and was so much fun. The reader knocks it out of the park, keeping this large cast of characters all distinct and well performed.

Yes.

If you love African American history, magic, and heists this is the book for you. I love all of this author’s works but this one is my favorite mainly due to my own personal interests and fondness for all things black and beautiful. I will patiently await the second book and I hope the same narrator gets to tell the story! This book inspires me and gave me a new book boyfriend lol thank L. Penelope!

Loved it!

This was really a fun listen! The mythos was intriguing, and it allowed for some interesting interactions between the human and spirit worlds.