Alex Southerland is back, along with Smokey and Badass. Our hardboiled private dick and elementalist is searching the mean streets of the city for the secret behind a deadly curse. It all starts during a rare Yerba City heat wave when a witch with strange snake tats winding up her gams walks into his office to report that she has committed a murder. Thing is, the murdered man isn't dead, and, well, it's complicated. Crawford the were-rat is back, chewing his way through the walls of a secret elite gentleman's club to help Southerland expose a sex-trafficking ring. Meanwhile, Southerland has to deal with a were-crow, a shadowy dog spirit with no eyes, a couple of rock-addled were-snakes, a witch who knits tea cozies, and another witch who wants to feed Southerland's heart to a hummingbird. And that's before he's cursed and cast off to spend eternity in the Azteca realm of the dead! And he'll still have to survive the aftermath of a deadly battle between two very old and very powerful naked ladies if he wants to bring some Huaxian takeout to the Lubanks. Like I said--it's complicated!Praise for A Witch Steps into My Office! Review by Susan Sewell for Readers' FavoriteFive Stars!After a prospective client announces that she has killed someone who isn't dead yet, a private eye strives to stop the killer before more people die horrifying deaths in A Witch Steps Into My Office: A Noir Urban Fantasy Novel (Alexander Southerland P.I. Book 2) by Douglas Lumsden. Alexander Southerland is a private investigator who attracts unusual clients with peculiar problems they want him to fix, and this day is no different. When a powerful witch confesses to the murder of a man who will die soon, she hires Alex to find the person who compelled her to kill him, and things get sticky. Uncertain about accepting the case, Alex attempts to rescue the doomed man and is on the scene when the victim meets his end. Now the police consider Alex a person of interest, and the actual killer has Alex in his sights. With more people dying and powerful magic behind their murders, Alex combines his investigative talent with a savvy police detective and a cunning were-rat to identify and immobilize the killer. Can Alex succeed in exposing the culprit? Or will he be the next sacrifice?A Witch Steps Into My Office by Douglas Lumsden is a brilliantly written, thrilling novel based on the pre-Colombian culture of Mexico and Central America. It is an enjoyable story with an engaging plot, exciting action-filled scenes, and a witty protagonist. With striking imagery and captivating and unique characters, the story captures the imagination from the first sentence and evolves to an astounding conclusion. I fell hard for Yerba City and its outlandish inhabitants, and I am anxiously waiting for Alex to return in future exploits. I recommend this sensational novel to everyone who loves an action-packed whodunit with a fantastical twist. I genuinely appreciated the pronunciation guide at the beginning and the Appendix at the end of the book; their addition enhanced the experience. Because of the strong language interspersed within the dialogue, the story is more suited for readers over the age of thirteen.