Alliance

Washington Square Secrets #2

by Carrie Dalby

In December of 1912, Josephine Wolf of Washington Square has three things on her mind: the changing dynamic of home life, her approaching spinsterhood, and the legacy of her lingering childhood nickname.

Josephine's telepathic and astral skills create a personal web of empowerment for the woman who lives on the fringe of society as an herbalist, but the threads begin to tangle. Her first love walks back into her life the same day she meets a new man in town. Then Josephine crosses paths with the person responsible for the majority of torment she went through in her youth. Armed with her mystic abilities, sibling ties, and strong friendships, Josephine battles her way through heartache and distress in an attempt to build a life with the man she loves while safeguarding her brother's secrets-and her own.

Genres: Southern Gothic, Gothic

228 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2023

About the author

Carrie Dalby has lived in Mobile, Alabama, since 1996, but called locations in both San Diego and Santa Cruz counties home while growing up in California. Serving two terms as president of Mobile Writers’ Guild, five years as the Mobile area Local Liaison for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and helping coordinate the Mobile Literary Festival are just a few of the writing-related volunteer positions she’s held. When Carrie isn’t reading, writing, researching, or browsing bookstores, libraries, estate sales, thrift stores, museums, or archives, she can often be found volunteering with the Mobile Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association or attending concerts.

Carrie writes for both teens and adults.
As of 2025, The Possession Chronicles, The Malevolent Trilogy, and Washington Square Secrets are her Southern Gothic series for adults. She has also published several shorts that can be found in different anthologies as well as her short story collection MASKED FLAWS AND OTHER STORIES.

FORTITUDE is listed as a “Best Historical Book for Kids” by Grateful American Foundation for its historical accuracy and reader engagement for those in grades fifth through tenth.

For more information, social media links, newsletter sign-up, and more, visit her website: carriedalby dot com

Reviews

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Dalby book of all! Releases in December 2023. Set in downtown Mobile, AL in the early 1900s, this juicy story will whisk you away to another time. Jo Wolf flies every night to the cemetery to spend time with her mother as her cat, Midnight, watches over her. She has the ability to astral project. She meets an old woman in the cemetery on one of her visits and learns all things apothecary. I really enjoyed this part as I have begun using herbs and essential oils a lot more in my life.

Jo has a huge crush on Sean who is 10 years older and her hero! He saved her when she was young from a bunch of boys picking on her and they are the reason for her nickname that she would very much like to get rid of. Witchy Wolf.

As time goes by she meets a very impressive and beautiful man through her brother and has to determine if she wants to continue her flirtations with Sean or give Cyrus a chance. More than a bit steamy I might add! Delicious!

Will Jo give her heart to Cyrus or fall in love with Sean, who now is chasing another woman? You will have to read to find out. Jo has a few other secrets like she can communicate with her brother using telepathy.

This is the second installment in Washington Square Secrets. I have enjoyed both books so far. Oh, and this is especially good because it happens to be dedicated to me and the musicians of Analog Missionary. The best mood music and perfect for this book!

Highly recommended! I hope all of my Goodreads friends will check it out. Already listed on Amazon with the Kindle being $2.99. If you like the paranormal this is for you! Can’t wait for book 3 and read more about Jo, her friends, Cordelia and Francesca, and of course where her life takes her. She is a force to be reckoned with as she comes into herself and settles things with her childhood tormentors.

[L.B. Stimson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dalby surpassed my expectations once again with the second book in the Southern Gothic Paranormal series: Washington Square Secrets. Book 2 is Alliance and features some previous characters from her other Southern Gothic Saga books but in a new and refreshing way. This new series is a break from the dark family dramas that I have previously read.

I love a creative paranormal story that whisks me away and with the main character’s astral projection and telepathy abilities, I couldn’t put the book down. In a rare feat, I finished the book in two sittings.

If you love a historical setting which Dalby skillfully crafts plus a heavy dose of paranormal with interesting characters, I recommend this book.

[C.J. Petterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALLIANCE is a novel about life in 1910 Mobile, Alabama—a coming-of-age story with a paranormal twist.

Protagonist Josephine Wolf is gifted with paranormal abilities. Jo and her brother share a telepathic bond, and she astral projects, transporting her consciousness anywhere she wants. She suffers through years of bullying, awkwardly and boldly explores her teenaged sexuality, and then matures into a self-assured, independent young woman. Josephine Wolf is sure to become one of your favorite characters.

As with the first book in the series, DISCERNMENT, the historical details of customs, buildings, and places of the era are exquisitely researched. Although ALLIANCE is book 2 in author Carrie Dalby’s paranormal Southern Gothic Washington Square Secrets series, Dalby has cleverly written this story so that it can be read as a stand-alone novel.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like your historical fiction with telepathy, astral projection, revenge, complicated sibling relationships, spice, and a cool cat named Midnight, I recommend this second installment of Dalby’s Washington Square Secrets: ALLIANCE.

While it can easily be read on its own, Dalby does a great job intertwining characters from her Malevolent Trilogy and The Possession Chronicles into this new series.

[Carrie Dalby]

Refresher read as I'm closing out the series. The final book will release in 2025.