
In "Painted Devil," a sequel to "A Darker Magic," teen Alice faces family pressures and takes a summer job staging a puppet show at the library. However, strange and frightening occurrences begin, leading her and her Aunt Emily to suspect a connection to a sinister magic show from twenty-eight years prior. This young adult novel blends elements of mystery, fantasy, and horror, exploring themes of good versus evil, bravery, and the power of uncovering hidden truths. Parents should be aware of the suspenseful and eerie tone, as the book deals with dark magic and peril, making it suitable for mature middle-grade readers and young adults who enjoy a thrilling, supernatural mystery.
A visit from strange Aunt Emily invokes in Alice a foreboding sense of evil, as they find connections between the local library's collection of old puppets and a sinister magic show that took place twenty-eight years earlier.