Synopsis:

An eccentric detective and her long-suffering assistant untangle a web of magic, deceit, and murder in this sparkling fantasy reimagining of the classic crime novel – from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In an opulent mansion at the borders of the Empire, an Imperial officer lies dead – killed when a tree spontaneously erupted from his body. Even here, where contagions abound and the blood of the Leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death at once terrifying and impossible.

Called in to solve the crime is Ana Dolabra, an investigator whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricity. At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, an engraver, magically altered to possess a perfect memory.

Soon, the mystery leads to a scheme that threatens the safety of the Empire itself. For Ana, all this makes for a deliciously thorny puzzle – at last, something to truly hold her attention. And Din? He’ll just have to hold on for the ride.

Genre: Fantasy Murder Mystery
Publisher: Hodderscape
Pub Date: 27 February 2024

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Review:

What a fun book. Fantasy + murder mystery? Heck yes!
We follow Dinios Kol, assistant to the eccentric investigator named Ana Dolabra. The pair are trying to solve an unusual murder – that of an Imperial officer who died when a tree suddenly erupted from his chest. As an engraver – someone magically altered to have perfect memory – Dinios is Ana’s eyes and ears, and the puzzles he uncovers keep expanding and getting more intricate as he goes, and the stakes rise alongside his discoveries.

Ana is a fabulous character, hilariously eccentric and very much working to the beat of her own drum. We don’t know much about her history, but what we do know we have learned through the eyes and thoughts of Din. The pair together are very entertaining, their banter offering a touch of lightness in between the work of the investigation. Din is also a great character, seemingly just a regular assistant, but we know he has secrets of his own. I particularly enjoyed seeing his magical enhancement at work, and by extension, learning about the other types of enhancement. Such a cool and subtle magic system.

The world was fantastic too. Beyond the investigation, there are a lot of other things going on, and RJB seamlessly wove it all together in a way that gave so much grounding and context without being overwhelming and detracting from the main plot. We discover the Empire and its many walls that reflect societal hierarchy, and we learn about the political families and their power struggles alongside the military. We also have Leviathans, too huge in scale to comprehend, that repeatedly try to breach these walls, and of course, the contagions that can and do wipe out entire regions of the land. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but like I said, it was never confusing. RJB has such a knack for writing stories that just flow.

I have never been good at solving murder mysteries, but I think even if I were, this one would have flummoxed me. As we neared the last 20%, revelation after revelation just kept coming, and it all fitted together in a way I don’t think I would have ever predicted. I definitely think that I will need to do a reread and see if I can see anything that Ana discovered way before we are ever told!

All in all, a fantastic book and an exciting start to a series! I’ll definitely be picking up book 2 as soon as I can.