Bessie Knox is an investigator of magical mysteries. In an alternate Harlem Renaissance where new forms of magic created by Black joy strain against the white establishment, Knox's old colleagues at the Bronx Academy of Magic have started turning up dead, pushing her weakened abilities to their limits.
And now if she can't solve the case, she might be next.

A noir take on urban fantasy for enjoyers of alternate histories.

Part of the Neon Hemlock Novella Series.

A.Z. Louise is a writer from Syracuse, New York, whose conure keeps them company during the writing process. Their background in civil engineering has been invaluable in their works of speculative fiction and poetry, and absolutely useless for writing romance. When not writing, they can be found knitting, playing folk harp, or weaving.

"Magic? Detectives? Impossible romantic longing? A.Z. Louise writes a joy of a book, transporting you to an alternate Harlem Renaissance, where the unlikely and the extraordinary rub shoulders. A great mystery, but an even greater exploration of memorable characters sure to capture your heart." - E. Catherine Tobler, author of The Necessity of Stars

"A beautiful story of found family in the Harlem Renaissance, A.Z. Louise understands that magic is both mysterious and something worth fighting for. Off-Time Jive's nuanced characters and twisting plot have as many layers as New York itself." - Jordan Kurella, Nebula Finalist for I Never Liked You Anyway

"A sweaty, fervent detective story with ample heart and a honeyed tongue. Unapologetically Black and unafraid to tug at the biases of both academia and policing in 1920s New York, Off-Time Jive is both an emphatic love letter to Black Harlem and a fresh take on the jaded noir hero." - Bendi Barrett, author of Empire of the Feast