Search Results for: there will come a darkness

‘THE HARD-BITTEN CHAMPION OF BRITISH HEROIC FANTASY’ – Joe Abercrombie

‘HEROISM AND HEARTBREAK . . . GEMMELL IS ADRENALINE WITH SOUL’ – Brent Weeks

After the bloody battle of Colden Moor the warlike highlanders had lost their independence. They lived in surly subservience to the Outlanders, and only a teenage girl survived to represent the line of kings: Sigarni.

Sigarni the silver-haired. Huntress, princess. All of these she was called. But those who pierce the veil of the future knew that a leader was coming to the North – a leader descended from Ironhand, mightiest of the highland kings.

Novels by David Gemmell

The Drenai series
Legend
The King Beyond the Gate
Waylander
Quest For Lost Heroes
Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf
The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend

Jon Shannow series
Wolf in Shadow
The Last Guardian
Bloodstone

Stones of Power
Ghost King
Last Sword of Power

Hawk Queen series
Ironhand’s Daughter
The Hawk Eternal

Ancient Greece novels
Lion of Macedon
Dark Prince

Other novels
Knights of Dark Renown
Morningstar

In ten years of working for the Damask Circle, shapeshifter Katherine Tanner has never come across anything like this child-murdering monster. Although she doesn’t want to confront it, the Circle gives her little choice. The last thing she needs is interference from a cop who doesn’t know what he’s up against.

Ethan Morgan’s niece is missing and he’s determined to bring her back alive and catch the monster behind these kidnappings. He will use anyone to achieve his aims – even a woman who claims to be a witch.

Forced to join forces, Ethan and Kat struggle to uncover clues that will lead them to the monster’s lair. Yet time is ticking away and the monster rarely keeps victims alive for more than seven days. Four of those days have already passed. But it soon becomes clear that the greatest threat to Kat might not come from the forces of darkness, but from the man she is beginning to love.

Alix, arrogant, middle-aged and angry comes home to the derelict port of Liverpool as her mother lies dying. Irritably resigned to living alone for the rest of her life she suddenly finds herself erotically attracted to a stranger. Joseph is an American architect who has come to the city to build a hotel. Refusing to accept that his wife has left him or the trauma of a war he once fought in, the question is whether these survivors of the battles of the Seventies are meant for each other or not. And what happened to a factory in Dresden which long ago made the perfect face cream . . .

‘Perhaps her most accessible novel to date … Grant’s prose is blunt, honest, yet often beautiful and bitingly funny. Equally comfortable discussing concepts of justice and grooming routinme, the voices Grant creates are striking and authentic. Her characters are irascible, witty, fierce, and full of the contradictions and blind spots that make them wholly human. This is a compelling and satisfying novel’ Rachel Seiffert, author of The Dark Room

Valerius isn’t a popular Dark-Hunter – he’s a Roman, which means that the largely Greek Hunters have a major grudge against him and his civilization for superceding them. To make things worse, he’s very conscious of his aristocratic background and breeding. So it serves him right when he runs into Tabitha Devereaux. She’s sassy, sexy, and completely unwilling to take him seriously. (Not to mention Tabitha is also the sister-in-law of Kyrian, a former Dark-Hunter and Val’s mortal enemy.)

What Tabitha does take seriously is hunting and killing vampires-and soon she and Val have to grapple with the deadliest of all Daimons – one who’s managed to come back from the dead, and one who holds a serious grudge against both of them. To win against evil, Val will have to loosen up, learn to trust, and put everything on the line to protect a man he hates and a woman who drives him nuts.

‘THE HARD-BITTEN CHAMPION OF BRITISH HEROIC FANTASY’ – Joe Abercrombie

‘HEROISM AND HEARTBREAK . . . GEMMELL IS ADRENALINE WITH SOUL’ – Brent Weeks

After the bloody battle of Colden Moor the warlike highlanders had lost their independence. They lived in surly subservience to the Outlanders, and only a teenage girl survived to represent the line of kings: Sigarni.

Sigarni the silver-haired. Huntress. Princess. All of these she was called. But those who pierce the veil of the future knew that a leader was coming to the North – a leader descended from Ironhand, mightiest of the highland kings.

Novels by David Gemmell

The Drenai series
Legend
The King Beyond the Gate
Waylander
Quest For Lost Heroes
Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf
The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend

Jon Shannow series
Wolf in Shadow
The Last Guardian
Bloodstone

Stones of Power
Ghost King
Last Sword of Power

Hawk Queen series
Ironhand’s Daughter
The Hawk Eternal

Ancient Greece novels
Lion of Macedon
Dark Prince

Other novels
Knights of Dark Renown
Morningstar

There is nothing more fascinating than a darkly handsome rake, especially one as controlled and elusive as Dillon Caxton, protg of Demon Cynster. Despite his dangerous air, Dillon is now a man of sterling reputation, but it wasn’t always so. Years ago, an illicit scheme turned into a nefarious swindle, and only the help of his cousin, Felicity, and her husband, Demon, saved Dillon from ruin. Now impeccably honest, his hard-won reputation zealously guarded, he’s the Keeper of the Register of all racing horses in England, the very register Lady Priscilla Dalloway is desperate to see. She has come to Newmarket, determined to come to the rescue of her horse-mad brother who has fallen into bad company. Together, Dillon and Pris uncover a massive betting swindle. Assisted by Demon, Felicity, and Barnaby Adair, they embark on a journey riddled with danger and undeniable passion as they seek to expose the deadly perpetrators. And along the way they discover the answer to that age old question: What price love?

Evelina’s problems are part of a much larger war. The Baskerville affair is finally coming to light, and the rebels are making their move to wrest power from the barons and restore it to Queen Victoria. Missing heirs and nightmare hounds are the order of the day – or at least that’s what Dr. Watson is telling the press.

But their plans are doomed unless Evelina escapes to unite her magic with the rebels’ machines – and even then her powers aren’t what they used to be. A sorcerer has awakened a dark hunger in Evelina’s soul, and only he can keep her from endangering them all. The only problem is . . . he’s dead.

Set in a lush, steamy world of ceaseless rain, swamps, alligators, overgrown cemeteries, and home-grown magic, these are dark and scary, yet pleasurably thrilling stories that unfold sinister secrets at every turn. These paranormal, suspenseful Southern Gothic romances are by both bestselling authors and bright up-and-coming talents, including Jill Archer, Sonya Bateman, Amanda Bonilla, Angie Fox, J. D. Horn, Elle Jasper, Erin Kellison, Laurie London, Shawntelle Madison, Bec McMaster, Hadley Monroe, Dianne Sylvan, Jessa Slade, Shelli Stevens, Tiffany Trent and Shiloh Walker.

Strange things are happening: people going crazy in the streets, old friends disappearing, angels (or devils) clambering on the fire escapes of New York City. But for Pearl, Moz and Zahler, all that matters is their new band. As the city reels under a mysterious epidemic, the three combine their talents with a vampire lead signer and a drummer whose fractured mind can glimpse the coming darkness. Will their music stave off the end of the world? Or summon it?

Set against the gritty apocalypse that began in Parasite Positive, THE LAST DAYS is about five teenagers who find themselves creating the soundtrack for the end of the world.

Who knows that Kate Baeier is back in London?

Who wants her gone so badly?

What is everyone- even her former sleuthing partner- hiding from her?

Still raw with grief over the death of Sam, her lover, Kate finds herself the target of inexplicable threats and then violence. Has her last abandoned case- its tendrils of corruption reaching from Hackney to Chelsea- come back to haunt her? Witty, dark and classy, this fast-moving thriller doesn’t finish until the devastating truth is hounded down by the unstoppable Kate.

‘We loved the dark fantasy and smoldering romance in this story of identical twins with very different personalities. A tale of heroes, filled with mythological creatures, valor and self-sacrifice–fans of high fantasies will happily slip into this action-packed and exciting tale.’ – Justine Magazine

‘Armstrong smoothly switches from her customary modern paranormal setting to a high-fantasy adventure. Strong female protagonists make this trilogy opener a standout.’ – Kirkus Reviews

In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned.

Only this year, the souls will not be quieted.

Ambushed by an ancient evil, Moria and Ashyn must race to warn the empire of a terrifying threat. Accompanied by a dashing thief and a warrior with a dark history, the sisters battle their way across a wasteland filled with reawakened monsters of legend. But there are more sinister enemies waiting for them at court – and a secret that will alter the balance of their world forever.

The first volume in the Age of Legends trilogy, Sea of Shadows is a thrilling dark fantasy where evil hides in every shadow and the deadliest monsters of all come in human form . . .

Books by Kelley Armstrong:

Women of the Otherworld series
Bitten
Stolen
Dime Store Magic
Industrial Magic
Haunted
Broken
No Humans Involved
Personal Demon
Living with the Dead
Frost Bitten
Walking the Witch
Spellbound
Thirteen

Nadia Stafford
Exit Strategy
Made to be Broken
Wild Justice

Rockton
City of the Lost
A Darkness Absolute
This Fallen Prey
Watcher in the Woods
Alone in the Wild

Darkest Powers
The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning

Otherworld Tales
Men of the Otherworld
Tales of the Otherworld
Otherworld Nights
Otherworld Secrets
Otherworld Chills

Darkness Rising
The Gathering
The Calling
The Rising

Cainsville
Omens
Visions
Deceptions
Betrayals
Rituals

From the author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy – a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat.

‘Brynne is a master weaver of words in this dark, decadent and delicious story of serial killers, sexy spice, and sensational fun!‘ RuNyx, USA Today bestselling author of the Dark Verse series

—-

Every killer claims a soul.
Every phantom wants revenge.

All contract killer Lachlan Kane wants is a quiet life. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom.

The catch? He has to marry her first. And they can’t stand each other.

Indie singer-songwriter Lark may seem like sunshine and glitter personified but she has her own secrets hiding in the shadows. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.

As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them. There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep . . . And this one has come for blood.

***

Reader praise for Butcher & Blackbird

‘The chemistry is explosive. The romance will make your heart squeeze painfully. The banter will have you giggling and kicking your feet. The one-liners and screwball scenarios are laugh-out-loud hysterical’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘Butcher and Blackbird is indulgent and decadent; reading it feels like eating chocolate cake’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘If I could rate this book infinity stars, trust me, I would in a heartbeat’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘One of the most creative dark romances I’ve EVER read . . . perfection from start to finish’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘I was so engaged I couldn’t put it down’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘The banter was chef kiss’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘There is nothing more I can say except . . . I think I am in love with a serial killer‘ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

‘Writing a romantic comedy about vigilante serial killers who kill other serial killers for fun, and somehow making it cute is no small feat’ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

WINNER OF THE 2021 McILVANNEY AWARD

IAN RANKIN’S CHOICE FOR BOTH BEST MYSTERY BOOK OF 2021 (PBS), AND BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR (NEW STATESMAN)

‘Russell writes a pacy, ever-twisting mystery that will keep you turning the pages.’ – Ian Rankin

‘When it comes to Gothic crime, Craig Russell is peerless. Absolutely stunning.’ – M W Craven

From international bestselling author Craig Russell comes a modern Gothic masterpiece.

Edward Hyde has a strange gift – or a curse – he keeps secret from all but his physician. He experiences two realities, one real, the other a dreamworld state brought on by a neurological condition.

When murders in Victorian Edinburgh echo the ancient Celtic threefold death ritual, Captain Edward Hyde hunts for those responsible. In the process he becomes entangled in a web of Celticist occultism and dark scheming by powerful figures. The answers are there to be found, not just in the real world but in the sinister symbolism of Edward Hyde’s otherworld.

He must find the killer, or lose his mind.

A dark tale. One that inspires Hyde’s friend . . . Robert Louis Stevenson.

Praise for Hyde:

‘Intricate…evocative prose enhances a suspenseful and sophisticated plot. This is the rare riff on an influential novel that sticks the landing’ Starred Review, Publishers Weekly

‘Stephen King meets Robert Louis Stevenson… an imaginative gothic tale guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine the next time you walk a dark Edinburgh night.’ – David Hewson, author of The Garden Of Angels

‘Russell delivers a brooding, stunningly atmospheric tale set in Stevenson’s Edinburgh – multi-layered and intricately plotted, this is a Gothic thriller from the hands of a master.’ – Margaret Kirk, author of Shadow Man

‘A deliciously dark reimagining of a timeless character and a wonderful recreation of a gothic Edinburgh . . . Another winner for a consummate storyteller.’ – Douglas Skelton

‘Gloriously diabolical. A terrifying thrill ride through the hidden chasms of the human soul.’ – Chris Brookmyre, author of Black Widow

I absolutely adored it. Intense, harrowing and hugely entertaining. Craig Russell conjures the kind of spine-tingling tale that kept me reading through the night. Spectacular. – Chris Whittaker

‘The story is a thrilling ride through the murky depths of madness and horror, written with all Craig’s trademark skill and style. Definitely five stars from me’ James Oswald

‘A Gothic masterpiece which will lead you so far into the darkness that you won’t know who to trust. Another splendid offering from a writer who is top of his game. ‘ – Theresa Talbot

‘An engaging Gothic thriller full of atmosphere and surprises.’ – Irish Independent

Praise for Craig Russell

‘A masterclass in suspenseful, character-driven prose fiction. Simply exceptional’
Frank Darabont, writer and director of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile

‘James and I stayed on at home and everything was quiet and sunny and we got to thinking the war would never come after all . . . Just when we were so sure nothing would happen, the German plane came over. It came over one night at one o’clock in the morning and the sound was quite different from an English plane and we all woke up. You could hear it drumming and drumming like a big bee in a flower, buroom, buroom, buroom, round and round in the air above the house. Then suddenly there were five loud explosions. After that there was a terrible silence and I knew that Father and Mother were looking at each other in the darkness and I felt myself getting small and tight inside. Then Father said quietly, “Meg, they must go!”‘

Now I am going to write a Diary because we are going to America because of the War. It has just been decided. I will write down everything about it because we shall be so much older when we come back that I will never remember it if I do not. So this is the beginning. Oh, please let us come back soon, please.’

This is the fictional diary of Sabrina Lind, an eleven-year-old English girl who, with her little brother James, is sent on the long voyage across the sea to her aunt in America.

On the eve of her wedding anniversary, Mary Gooch is waiting for her husband to come home, listening for his car along the dark, icy roads. As the night draws on, and he fails to appear, Mary reflects on the true nature of their marriage: the secrets, the silences, and the unmentionable yet inescapable fact that for each loss and disappointment, there has been a corresponding physical gain: the woman she once was is now imprisoned in mountainous flesh. The Wife’s Tale is the inspirational story of the journey Mary is finally forced to make across a continent, ostensibly in search of her husband, but eventually towards the self she has buried for too long.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong comes two Otherworld short stories that take readers on an exhilarating honeymoon chase with werewolves Elena and Clay, and a mysterious mission through the afterlife with dark witch-turned-angel, Eve Levine.

‘Like Stephen King…Armstrong not only writes interesting page-turners, she has also achieved that unlikely goal, what all writers strive for: a genre of her own.’ – The Walrus

Stalked

It was supposed to be a quiet honeymoon. But when the happy couple just happen to be werewolves, ‘quiet’ is not an option.

Clay and Elena are trying their best to enjoy a traditional romantic getaway. But secretly, they’re both bored with drifting round St Louis, pretending to be a normal couple. So when Clay realises a non-pack werewolf is stalking Elena, he leaps at the chance to pursue his rival and teach him a very hard lesson. The trouble is, Clay’s plan involves deceiving Elena, which is not a good idea . . .
Originally part of an anthology of supernatural romance stories, Stalked is the perfect introduction to Kelley Armstrong’s Otherworld series and an exhilarating, action-packed interlude for fans.

Off-Duty Angel

Dark witch and part-time angel Eve Levine is desperate for a little entertainment. With her lover Kristof away on business, things are so quiet in the afterlife Eve’s even ready to volunteer for an extra week’s worth of angel corps duty, just to pass the time. Luckily something even better comes up: a real celestial bounty-hunter mission. But when the trail leads her to the British Museum and a mysterious, secret dimension, a pleasant diversion turns into something much more intriguing – and dangerous . . . Packed with suspense and surprising twists, Off-Duty Angel reveals fascinating new insights into a beloved series character.

Two stories from the Otherworld – one never-before published – and an exclusive early look at 13, the final novel in Kelley Armstrong’s bestselling Women of the Otherworld series.

Books by Kelley Armstrong:

Women of the Otherworld series
Bitten
Stolen
Dime Store Magic
Industrial Magic
Haunted
Broken
No Humans Involved
Personal Demon
Living with the Dead
Frost Bitten
Walking the Witch
Spellbound
Thirteen

Nadia Stafford
Exit Strategy
Made to be Broken
Wild Justice

Rockton
City of the Lost
A Darkness Absolute
This Fallen Prey
Watcher in the Woods
Alone in the Wild

Darkest Powers
The Summoning
The Awakening
The Reckoning

Otherworld Tales
Men of the Otherworld
Tales of the Otherworld
Otherworld Nights
Otherworld Secrets
Otherworld Chills

Darkness Rising
The Gathering
The Calling
The Rising

Cainsville
Omens
Visions
Deceptions
Betrayals
Rituals

‘A heroine as capable and complex as P. D. James’s Cordelia Gray’ (Publishers Weekly)

Though Roe has proven she can handle just about anything, even this part-time librarian may not be ready for the full-time crisis that comes her way in the sixth Aurora Teagarden mystery . . .

Roe’s life finally seems to have settled into a comfortable pattern. Her marriage to Martin is going well, she’s back at work at the Lawrenceton library – and best if all, she hasn’t found a dead body in quite a while. But then one afternoon her handyman goes crazy in her front yard. Roe suspects this is a sign of more bad things to come. And she is right.

Soon Martin’s niece, Regina, shows up with a baby that no one knew she had. Then she disappears, leaving behind the child-and a murdered husband. To find her, Roe and Martin retrace her steps from sunny Georgia back to snowy Ohio, where they will uncover dark family secrets – at their own peril . . .

When the Blitz starts in London, Dominic Lancaster, injured out of service at the battle of Narvik, accompanies his 10 year old sister Octavia to the family house on the shores of Ullswater in the Lake District.

Octavia is profoundly deaf but at night she can hear disturbing noises in the house. When questioned by Dominic as to what she can hear, she replies: ‘voices’. Two nights later she comes into his bedroom to tell him that the dead children in the house want them to leave.

And then Octavia falls mysteriously ill… during her sickness she tells Dominic he must go to the attic. There, he releases an older, darker evil that threatens the lives of Olivia and himself.

Praise for Naomi’s Roomt:

‘A chilling story which gives the lie to any notion that supernatural horror is remotely theraputic. Aycliffe has a fine touch.’ The Independent.

‘Naomi’s Room must rank among the finest of English ghost stories… They certainly don’t come any more dark and fearsome.’ Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

‘Outstanding’ Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Warfare, myth and magic collide in Legacy of Steel, the spectacular sequel to Matthew Ward’s acclaimed fantasy debut, Legacy of Ash.

A year has passed since an unlikely alliance saved the Tressian Republic from fire and darkness – at great cost. Thousands perished, and Viktor Akadra – the Republic’s champion – has disappeared.

While the ruling council struggles to mend old wounds, other factions sense opportunity. The insidious Parliament of Crows schemes in the shadows, while to the east the Hadari Emperor gathers his armies. As turmoil spreads across the Republic, its ripples are felt in the realms of the divine.

War is coming . . . and this time the gods themselves will take sides.

Praise for the series:

‘A hugely entertaining debut’ John Gwynne

‘Epic fantasy as it should be; big, bold and very addictive’ Starburst

‘Incredible action scenes’ Fantasy Hive

‘Magnificent and epic’ Grimdark Magazine

The Legacy Trilogy
Legacy of Ash
Legacy of Steel
Legacy of Light

The Soulfire Saga
The Darkness Before Them
The Fire Within Them

Stranger Things meets Alfred Hitchcock in this haunting coming-of-age novel about a plague that brings the world to a halt, and one boy’s belief that his town’s missing sparrows can save his family.In the small town of Griever’s Mill, eleven-year-old Ben Cameron is expecting to finish off his summer of relaxing and bird-watching without a hitch. But everything goes wrong when dark clouds roll in. Old Man Crandall is the first to change — human one minute and a glass statue the next. Soon it’s happening across the world. Dark clouds fill the sky and, at random, people are turned into frozen versions of themselves. There’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no one knows how to stop it.With his mom on the verge of a breakdown, and his brother intent on following the dubious plans put forth by a nameless voice on the radio, Ben must hold out hope that his town’s missing sparrows will return with everyone’s souls before the glass plague takes them away forever.

The No. 1 New York Times bestselling ‘queen of paranormal romance’* is back with a sexy new series starring a Chicago crime family that hides a dark, mystical secret . . .

Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses – both legitimate and illegitimate.

While their criminal activity is simply a rumour yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone – until now . . .

With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her . . .

Find out why readers are OBSESSED with the Shadow Series

‘Dark, gritty, edgy, magical . . . will hold you spellbound’ Fresh Fiction

‘Exciting, nerve-wracking, suspenseful . . . a true page-turner‘ Long and Short

‘Dark and sensual . . . tore my heart apart and pieced it back together again’ Harlequin Book Junkie

‘The family that Feehan introduces to us is freakin’ AWESOME! I loved each and every sibling’ Addicted to Romance

‘An exciting, action-packed romantic ride‘ Goodreads reviewer

*J. R. Ward

Endless summer days and vast wilderness: Norway is an outdoor paradise almost too good to be true. Andrew Stevenson’s affectionate luminous account reveals the magical appeal of this Scandinavian wonderland as he walks and cycles (and gets stuck in the odd snowdrift) across the country from Oslo to Bergen Staying at clifftop farms, climbing the country’s highest mountains or taking a side trip far to the north of the Arctic circle, Andrew gets under Scandinavia’s skin as only someone who has lived there and speaks the language can. As he introduces a land he loves to the new love of his life, he comes to peace with a country of light-and darkness.

‘Absorbing . . . You won’t stop until you hit the last pages!’ Wall Street Journal

When Colombian drug lords assassinate both the U.S. ambassador and the visiting head of the FBI, their actions trigger a covert response from the American government – a response that goes horribly wrong . . .

As the newly named Deputy Director of Intelligence for the CIA, Jack Ryan should be privy to operations like the one in Colombia, but he’s been left completely in the dark. With the help of field officer John Clark, Ryan intends to find out what’s really going on. But while they expect danger from without, the greatest threat of all may come from within.

‘Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world.’ S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

Darkly magical and beautifully imagined, The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a rich and dazzling fantasy adventure in which a con artist, a vigilante, and a crime lord must unite to save their city.

Nightmares are creeping through the city of dreams . . .

Renata Virdaux is a con artist who has come to the sparkling city of Nadezra — the city of dreams — with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house and secure her fortune and her sister’s future.

But as she’s drawn into the aristocratic world of House Traementis, she realises her masquerade is just one of many surrounding her. And as corrupted magic begins to weave its way through Nadezra, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled — with Ren at their heart.

‘I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!’ Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

‘The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you’re craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose’
Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

‘The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping’
Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

‘The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive–I was unable to put it down’
Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

‘An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!’
Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

‘For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay’
Booklist (starred review)