'Rich and immersive... full of mesmerizing magic!' P. Djèlí Clark, author of A Master of Djinn

'This gorgeous historical fantasy combines a folkloric bent with a truly excellent heist' Holly Black, author of The Cruel Prince

A dazzling historical fantasy that weaves together African American folk magic, history and romance.

Clara Johnson can talk to spirits - a gift that saved her during her darkest moments, now a curse that's left her indebted to the cunning spirit world. So when a powerful spirit offers her an opportunity to gain her freedom, 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 the help of an unlikely team: from a handsome jazz musician able to hypnotize with a melody, to an aging actor who can change his face.
But as conflict in the spirit world begins to leak into the human one - an insidious mystery is unfolding, one that could cost Clara her life.

Praise for The Monsters We Defy:

'Penelope's blend of fantasy and history is pitch perfect... Readers will be wowed' Publishers Weekly

'A high-stakes, delightful read' Buzzfeed

'An enchanting adventure that weaves a spell' Justina Ireland

Reader reviews:

'Omg this book is a MUST READ!' ?????

'Absolutely wonderful' ?????

'One of my favourite books of the year' ?????

'With seamlessly blended fantasy and history, complex characters, and a little touch of romance, this is a practically perfect read!' ?????

'Glorious! Absolutely gorgeous!' ?????

' I loooooooved this book. I love a good heist novel and this one was delightful' ?????

'I loved this book and I know it's one I'll be going back to reread in the future, It was an absolute blast to read, a mystery to solve heart pounding suspense, a little romance, and absolutely incredible characters. I can't recommend this book enough!!' ?????

'I adored this book! It's witty, adventurous, romantic and heartbreaking ' ?????

• We started tracking this book on May 4, 2022.
• This book was £4.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 10 times in the past 1,324 days.
• The current price of this book is £2.99 last checked 12 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was £2.99 last reached on December 13, 2025.
• This book has been £2.99 3 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was £7.49 last reached on August 1, 2022.
• This book has been £7.49 one time since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Literature & FictionWorld LiteratureUnited StatesBlack & African American
• Science Fiction & FantasyFantasyHistorical

• Publication Date: August 9, 2022
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 384 Pages
• File Size: 32 KB