New Orleans may be called the Big Easy, but it certainly hasn't been easy lately for Marius Grey.One would imagine 12-year-old Marius' life as a cemetery boy is quiet and solitary, but that's dead wrong. Although he's lived alone since his father's disappearance and his mother's untimely death, he's far from lonely: There are the ghosts of those interred in Greystone Cemetery, where he is caretaker of the souls before they pass on to the next place and has the disembodied voice of his mother for company. He spends a lot of time at the hybrid school for "fringe kids" like him, frequenting local stores like the Habada-Chérie, which sells magical supplies. Armed with a magical book of monsters, his father's enchanted coat, brick dust, salt, his mother's raven skull necklace, and an effective spell, Marius catches monsters and exchanges them for Mystic currency, hoping to save enough to resurrect his mother. The only one who knows his desperate plan is his mermaid best friend, Rhiannon, whom he befriended instead of capturing. The book offers nods to the rich history of storytelling devoted to ancestors, cemeteries, and the veil between the ordinary and the magical, and it provides readers with a determined protagonist, unlikely allies, and a satisfying conclusion that promises a sequel. Marius has black hair, blue eyes, and a grayish complexion; many supporting characters are coded Black.A strong mix of bone-chilling and full of heart. (Fantasy. 9-12)

In Fournet’s macabre debut, an orphan cemetery caretaker leading a double life as a monster hunter stalks paranormal beasts in the Louisiana bayous. White-presenting 12-year-old Marius Grey is responsible for maintaining Greystone Cemetery, which his family owns, and tending to its spectral inhabitants while attending a hybrid school for children with connections to the real world and the spirit realm. To earn enough Mystic coin to bring his mother—whose spirit accompanies him on his caretaker duties—back from the dead for good, he moonlights as a monster hunter, using an enchanted book to trap boogeymen, boo hags, and other mythological threats and trade them at the monster bounty-hunting market. But with the anniversary of his mother’s death approaching, and her spirit becoming increasingly difficult to manifest, time is quickly running out. As Marius’s desperation grows, he seeks out stronger creatures with larger bounties, setting his sights on the fearsome and deadly rougarou, a legendary swamp beast worth 20 boogeymen. Via Marius’s self-assured voice, Fournet deftly balances Marius and his demonic foes’ gruesome and exhilarating battles with meditative ruminations on grief, loss, and moving on. A hint of sweet romance and sensorial depictions of New Orleans landmarks and legends further elevate this lightly gory found-family thriller. Ages 9–12. Agent: Ben Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary. (July)