Part of Pendergast, book 12.5
First published 2012
In the shadowy streets of New Orleans' French Quarter, children whisper about the Tooth Fairy. This creature bears no resemblance to the gentle sprite of bedtime stories. Instead, he lurks as a mysterious old recluse who demands teeth as tribute. Those who fail to appease him face his terrible retribution. When young Diogenes Pendergast loses a tooth, his older brother Aloysius refuses to believe the local superstition. The skeptical Aloysius decides to test whether the legend holds any truth. He sets out to prove that no supernatural force governs the fate of lost teeth in their neighborhood. The brothers' investigation leads them deeper into the Quarter's dark folklore. What begins as Aloysius's rational attempt to debunk a children's tale transforms into something far more dangerous. The Pendergast brothers discover that some legends exist for good reason. Their confrontation with the truth behind the Tooth Fairy myth will leave lasting consequences for both boys.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, horror
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, investigation
Setting: French Quarter, New Orleans
Period: 20th-century
22 pages · Kindle Edition · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: violence