Devils & Thieves Books in Order

Jennifer Rush's Devils and Thieves is a young adult urban fantasy that puts magic beside motorcycles, neighborhood loyalties, and criminal power struggles. The story takes place in Hawthorne, New York, where ordinary people live alongside the kindled, people who can use magic. The two worlds overlap, but they do not always trust each other.

The main character is eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael. She comes from a kindled family, yet magic does not work for her in the usual way. Rather than giving her an easy advantage, it overwhelms her senses and leaves her struggling to handle even a basic spell. That frustration shapes how she sees herself, especially in a community where power carries status.

Jemmie has other complications. She has history with Crowe, the intense leader of Hawthorne's kindled motorcycle gang, the Devils' League. Their connection brings romance into the story, but it also puts Jemmie near people and conflicts that are far bigger than either of them. In this world, magic can be protection, leverage, a business, or a weapon.

Power always comes with a price.

The plot tightens when kindled from across the region arrive in Hawthorne for an annual festival. Rumors spread that someone is using forbidden magic, and then people begin to disappear. Jemmie and Crowe have to put their difficult past aside to protect the people they care about, even as it becomes clear that nearly everyone has a reason to hide something.

The book balances supernatural danger with the awkward, immediate problems of being young and unsure of your place. Jemmie wants to be useful, but she also has to learn that being different from the people around her does not mean being powerless. Her unusual response to magic becomes important as the threats around Hawthorne grow.

Readers can expect a moody, fast-moving story with romantic tension, gang rivalries, forbidden spells, and a close-knit town that feels less safe the more its secrets come out. The magic system matters because it affects everyday relationships as much as action scenes. Who has power, who is allowed to use it, and who gets hurt by it are questions that keep returning.

Devils and Thieves works well for readers who want a standalone entry point into Rush's fantasy writing. It has the feel of an urban fantasy mystery, but the heart of the story stays with Jemmie as she faces fear, loyalty, and the possibility that the thing she sees as her weakness may be the key to saving others.