Shadow of a Dead God, by Patrick Samphire.

A Mennik Thorn Novel (Book 1)

A dead god. A brutal murder. A second-rate mage.

It was only supposed to be one little job – a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he’s been framed for a murder he didn’t commit.

So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he’s guilty?

Mennik has no choice if he wants get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city’s high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it’s going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive.

But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage…

Shadow of a Dead God is out now.

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Reviews

“Fast-paced, quick-witted, deftly plotted and as well-thought-out as it is well-written. Highly recommended, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.”
– Juliet E. McKenna, Author of The Tales of Einarinn, The Aldabreshin Compass, and The Green Man’s Heir

“Shadow of a Dead God contains the snarky, disillusioned, diamond-in-the-rough, down-at-heels, determined and fiercely loyal mage-detective your TBR desperately needs!”
– Katrina Middelburg, Read. Ruminate. Write.