First Assignment: Prequel to The GUARDIAN Files Series

by Elizabeth Whitmore

FIRST ASSIGNMENT - An Occult Suspense Thriller
She was meant to follow orders. But when the land calls her name, obedience becomes a death sentence.

Morgan Monroe doesn’t belong—not to GUARDIAN, the covert magical agency that sidelines her, and not to the bloodline that made her both powerful and expendable. Assigned to cover dry wells and small-town city council stories, Morgan expects another dead-end case ... until a withered horse carcass, a farmer’s desiccated body, and an unnatural hum beneath the West Texas soil hint at something older, and far more dangerous, waking beneath her boots.
The leylines are splintering. Ghosts are appearing where they shouldn't. Ancient spirits are rising. And the land remembers her.

When Morgan’s investigative magic accidentally fractures a sealed spiritual tomb, she partners with a reclusive leyline witch. Together, they uncover a conspiracy buried by Morgan’s own ancestors, one that could unravel the very fabric of magic. As the earth’s fury builds, Morgan must obey the agency that ignores her ... or answer a call older than GUARDIAN, older than her bloodline, and far more terrifying.

If she fails, it won’t just cost her freedom—it will cost the WORLD.

Fans of Licensed to Curse and The Raven Cycle will be spellbound by this slow-burn paranormal fantasy filled with witches and magic, secret rituals, mystery romance, and a heroine who refuses to break.

First Assignment is the gripping prequel to The GUARDIAN Files, the upcoming occult suspense series from Best Selling Amazon Author Elizabeth Whitmore. If you loved Echoes of the Crescent City, don’t miss what comes before Book One, Unproven—where it all begins.

Start reading now—before the land goes silent forever.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2026

About the author

Elizabeth Whitmore is a bestselling Amazon author of paranormal suspense and supernatural romance set against the lush, haunted backdrop of New Orleans. Her stories blend magic, mystery, and emotional depth, exploring the thin veil between power and consequence, love and loyalty, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried.
Her newest contemporary paranormal suspense series, The GUARDIAN Files, dives deep into a hidden world of witches, shifters, ancient magic, and the shadowy organization sworn to contain them. Set in the heart of Carnival season, the series expands the supernatural universe first introduced in Echoes of the Crescent City, where voodoo, legacy, and the dangerous echoes of the past began to intertwine. The GUARDIAN Files continues that lineage, revealing how bloodlines, betrayals, and buried history shape the present.
Elizabeth’s Echoes of the Crescent City and The GUARDIAN Files share a connected world born from the early mythology of Le Gardien and Les Ombres, where Guardians stand watch and the Shadows wait patiently in the dark. Her Time Sharer series, a reader favorite, offers a separate but equally spellbinding journey through time, second chances, and the enduring power of love.
Originally from South Louisiana, Elizabeth moved to Texas in the late ’80s with her husband. After his retirement, they returned to New Orleans and made it their forever home, settling into a historic condo in the heart of the city. Surrounded by jazz-filled streets, Mardi Gras magic, and centuries-old legends, she draws daily inspiration from the Crescent City’s beauty and mystery.
When she isn’t writing, you’ll likely find her wandering the French Quarter, savoring local cuisine, or relaxing on her balcony with a glass of wine—already dreaming up her next story.

Reviews

[Chere Gruver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting prequel to a new series!

In this prequel, we are introduced to our main character, Morgan Monroe, a voodoo witch. With a Baptiste bloodline—not a good thing—the Guardian Organization has pretty much sidelined her and sent her from one dead end assignment to the next. Now she finds herself in west Texas, when something strange starts happening—wells are drying up, which should not be happening. This prequel gives us a really good look into Morgan’s character and the way she works. The plot was well thought out and kept me interested. I thoroughly enjoy reading this and can’t wait to see what she gets into next!

I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Novelcrush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually gravitate toward occult fiction, but something about First Assignment completely hooked me. Elizabeth has crafted a protagonist in Morgan Monroe who feels refreshingly real, overlooked, underestimated, and quietly powerful in a way that sneaks up on you. The West Texas setting does a lot of heavy lifting here; the landscape feels alive, almost threatening, and that unease never lets up.
The leyline magic system is inventive without being overwhelming, and the ancestral conspiracy at the heart of the story adds genuine emotional weight. This isn't just supernatural thrills, there's real depth here.
If you love atmospheric suspense with a magical edge, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your shelf.

[De Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got me hooked on this new series. Morgan is one bad witch and how could she not be with the lineage she has. But it’s also heartbreaking to see her constantly get the short end of the stick because of that same lineage. Watching her come in to her own was so endearing. I cannot wait for the rest of the series I have to know what this character gets up to next.

[Mary Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is definitely going to become one of my favorite urban fantasies. Clever, compelling, well-rounded characters, original supernatural entities, beautifully written. I can't wait for more.
I received an advanced reader’s copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Elle and the Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book. Absolutely adored everything about it. The details of this book was perfect.

[Sharon Wingo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monroe Morgan is a news reporter as well as a member of the Guardians, a magical/supernatural investigative team. The Guardians investigate and remediate paranormal events as they occur.
This is the prequel and I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series. The author has done a great job writing about supernatural events that are not out of the question.
I was lucky enough to have been selected to receive an advance copy of this book by Ms. Whitmore. I would like to graciously thank her for that privilege.