Travis Baldree’s LEGENDS & LATTES gets a Thai Edition!


This month, Words Wonder are due to publish the Thai edition of Travis Baldree‘s best-selling and critically-acclaimed LEGENDS & LATTES! To be published as ตำนาน และลาเต้, here’s the synopsis…

เรื่องราวของวีฟ ออร์กหญิงผู้หนึ่งซึ่งเบื่อหน่ายการสู้รบและการเป็นนักล่าค่าหัว จึงเกษียณตัวเองมาเปิดร้านกาแฟอยู่ในเมืองใหญ่ที่ยังไม่มีใครรู้จักเลยว่ากาแฟคืออะไร

วีฟทำร้านกาแฟแห่งนี้โดยมีแทนดรี้ ปีศาจแฝงฝันเป็นผู้ช่วย ทั้งสองต้องช่วยกันโฆษณาร้านและกาแฟให้คนรู้จัก

ซึ่งในขณะเดียวกันนั้นเธอก็มีเพื่อนร่วมอุดมการณ์มากขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ รวมทั้งความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างเธอและแทนดรี้ก็ดีขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ เช่นกัน

วีฟรู้สึกว่าตัวเองโชคดี หรือจะเพราะว่าเธอมี “หินนำโชค” อยู่ในมือกันนะ?

This edition was translated by ณัฐชยา หิรัญญสมบัติ (Natchaya Hiranyasombat). The novel is available in the UK and North America, published by Tor Books. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

A cosy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts, Legends & Lattes is perfect for fans of TJ Klune, Katherine Addison and T. Kingfisher. From the Hugo Award-winning author, Travis Baldree.

High fantasy, low stakes – with a double-shot of coffee.

After decades of adventuring, Viv the orc barbarian is finally hanging up her sword for good. Now she sets her sights on a new dream – for she plans to open the first coffee shop in the city of Thune. Even though no one there knows what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the past behind her, she can’t go it alone. And help might arrive from unexpected quarters. Yet old rivals and new stand in the way of success. And Thune’s shady underbelly could make it all too easy for Viv to take up the blade once more.

But the true reward of the uncharted path is the travellers you meet along the way. Whether bound by ancient magic, delicious pastries or a freshly brewed cup, they may become something deeper than Viv ever could have imagined…

Travis has also written an internationally-best-selling prequel novel, BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST, which is also published by Tor Books in the UK and North America.

ALL THE DEVILS by Catelyn Wilson is Out Now!


Catelyn Wilson‘s ALL THE DEVILS is out now in the UK! Published by Michael Joseph, it is a new “Dark academia meets horror” novel, that is “perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House“. Here’s the synopsis…

HELL IS EMPTY AND ALL THE DEVILS ARE AT RAVENSWOOD ACADEMY…

Mourning the sudden death of her sister, Andy Emmerson knows she must come to terms with a life without Violet. But on the day of the funeral Andy is shocked to discover one thing: the person in that casket is not her sister.

Violet is alive.

Convinced her sister’s elite boarding school is covering up the truth, Andy enrols at Ravenswood Academy to discover what really happened and find Violet.

The school is as beautiful and haunting as the students within it and Andy learns that it’s not just good grades that drives these pupils. Something much darker is at play.

After discovering a cryptic note from her sister, Andy must follow a set of clues to unlock the truth. This will bring her into contact with secret societies, ancient magic, demons and monsters. And a charming senior named Jae Han who has his own reasons for finding out what happened to Violet…

Soon Andy realizes the price she must pay to bring her sister home is darker and more dangerous than she ever could have imagined.

ALL THE DEVILS is available now in hardcover, eBook, audiobook (read by Marie Smith), and also a Waterstones signed special edition (with very nice, appropriate, black-sprayed edges).

ALL THE DEVILS is eerie, intense, and mysterious with immersive world building and mythology. The fast pace kept me turning pages, and I’d follow Jae pretty much anywhere.’Stacia Stark, bestselling author of the Kingdom of Lies series

‘A deliciously dark and atmospheric read. I tore through this gothic tale of a sister’s love and the monsters she will face to unearth the shocking truth.’ — Frances White

Zeno represents Catelyn Wilson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Paperback edition of MY BROTHER’S KEEPER by Tim Powers out in Three Weeks!


MY BROTHER’S KEEPER, the latest acclaimed novel by Tim Powers, and 2024 Locus Award finalist, will be available in a new paperback edition in three weeks! To be published by AdAstra/Head of Zeus on October 10th, here’s the synopsis…

Howarth, 1846.

In a parsonage at the edge of the moors, a widowed rector lives with his family: three daughters and their dissolute brother, Bramwell.

Though the future will celebrate Charlotte, Emily and Anne, right now they are unknown, their genius concealed. In just a few short years they will all be dead, and it will be middle sister Emily’s chance encounter with a grievously wounded man on the moor that sets them on the path to their doom.

For there is an ancient pagan secret haunting the moors, a dark inheritance in the family bloodline and something terrible buried under an ogham-inscribed slab in the church. Not only are their lives at stake, but their very souls.

My Brother’s Keeper is an atmospheric gothic novel that mixes diabolical hatred and vengeance with the supreme power of love to conjure dark magic from the tragic fate of the Brontë sisters.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the novel has received so far…

‘[A]n impressive mash-up of literary biography and werewolf lore… Through all the supernatural drama, the shifting family dynamic remains the heart of the story and their domestic travails prove just as harrowing as any paranormal showdown. The result is a treat for Powers’s fans and Brontë lovers alike.’ — Publishers Weekly

MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is at its strongest when deftly mixing real-world biography with the stuff of horror… an eerie period piece perfectly well-suited to darkening October nights.’ — Wall Street Journal

‘… a joltingly good read… It’s all here: the wuthering wind, the vicarage, the three genius daughters and their useless brother… Powers brilliantly weaves through the hallowed family history a tale of ancient Irish curses, consumptive ghosts, fairylands and a werewolf cult that is blighting the North Country. It’s gruesome, gripping stuff as the fearless Emily, aided by her dog Pilot, forces her family to confront uncomfortable truths and lay a curse to rest.’ — Daily Mail (UK)

‘Combines the Brontës, a mysterious cult and werewolves… run, don’t walk, to your bookstore for this decadent Gothic bonbon.’Silvia Moreno-Garcia

‘A masterly, compelling, and moving tale that places Tim Powers among the greatest fantasy writers of his or any generation. Countless novels have involved the Brontë family, but none would so surely please and enchant them as this one. MY BROTHER’S KEEPER is a pure delight.’ — Dean Koontz

‘The world of the Brontes and the supernatural feel like natural bedfellows the way that Powers writes them… has the feel of a good Sherlock Holmes tale.’SF Book Review

Tim Powers is the author of a great many acclaimed science fiction and fantasy novels. The author’s Fault Lines trilogy is published by Gollancz, as part of their Fantasy Masterworks series; other novels of his have been published in the UK by Corvus.

Ben Aaronovitch’s MOON OVER SOHO Out Now in Croatia!


MOON OVER SOHO, the second novel in Ben Aaronovitch‘s Rivers of London/Peter Grant series is available in a new Croatian edition! Published by Fokus as MJESEC NAD SOHOM, it was translated by Igor Rendić. Here’s the synopsis…

Pjesma.

To je prvo što londonski policajac i čarobnjački šegrt Peter Grant začuje kad pregleda truplo Cyrusa Wilkinsona, saksofonista koji se srušio mrtav poslije gaže u Sohu. Iz tijela se uzdiže melodija starog jazz-klasika – sigurni znak da okolnosti smrti nisu bile baš prirodne.

Dok glazbenici ginu jedan za drugim, Peter će uz pomoć svog šefa, Thomasa Nightingalea, posljednjeg registriranog čarobnjaka u Engleskoj te prekrasne ljubiteljice jazza Simone Fitzwilliam, otkriti kobnu magičnu prijetnju ― onu koja će ga odvesti na vlastiti prag do potraćene nade jazza ― talentiranoga glazbenika Richarda Granta, odnosno Peterova dragog oca.

Taman kad je pomislio da je nekako pohvatao konce, Peter shvati da u Londonu ama baš nikad ništa nije kako se čini.

MOON OVER SOHO is published in the UK by Gollancz, and in North America by JABberwocky. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

Body and Soul. The song. That’s what London constable and sorcerer’s apprentice Peter Grant first notices when he examines the corpse of Cyrus Wilkins, part-time jazz drummer and full-time accountant, who dropped dead of a heart attack while playing a gig at Soho’s 606 Club. The notes of the old jazz standard are rising from the body – a sure sign that something about the man’s death was not at all natural but instead supernatural.

Body and soul – they’re also what Peter will risk as he investigates a pattern of similar deaths in and around Soho. With the help of his superior officer, Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, the last registered wizard in England, and the assistance of beautiful jazz aficionado Simone Fitzwilliam, Peter will uncover a deadly magical menace – one that leads right to his own doorstep and to the squandered promise of a young jazz musician: a talented trumpet player named Richard “Lord” Grant – otherwise known as Peter’s dear old dad.

The internationally-bestselling, critically acclaimed Rivers of London series of novels, novellas, and comics is published all over the world, in a multitude of languages (with more editions on the way). The latest novel is AMONGST OUR WEAPONS, and the latest novella is THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING.

ICYMI: Some September eBook Deals…


We’re half-way through September, and we just wanted to highlight some of our clients’ books that are on sale! Four books in particular, which are discounted all month…

THE CITADEL OF WEEPING PEARLS by Aliette de Bodard, published by JABberwocky, is only $1.99 in the US and Canada. Set in the author’s award-winning Xuya universe, here’s the synopsis…

The Citadel of Weeping Pearls was a great wonder; a perfect meld between cutting edge technology and esoteric sciences. Thirty years ago, threatened by an invading fleet from the Dai Viet Empire, the Citadel disappeared and was never seen again.But now the Dai Viet Empire itself is under siege, on the verge of a war against an enemy that turns their own mindships against them; and the Empress, who once gave the order to raze the Citadel, is in desperate needs of its weapons. Meanwhile, on a small isolated space station, an engineer obsessed with the past works on a machine that will send her thirty years back, to the height of the Citadel’s power.But the Citadel’s disappearance still extends chains of grief and regrets all the way into the fraught atmosphere of the Imperial Court; and this casual summoning of the past might have world-shattering consequences…

THE ELFIN SHIP, the first novel in James P. Blaylock‘s Balumnia series, is also on sale in the US and Canada, only $1.99. Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

A trilogy sets sail with a novel that’s charming, light-hearted and funny… Feels a little like The Hobbit or The Wind in the Willows” (Fantasy Literature).

James P. Blaylock’s debut novel The Elfin Ship has become a classic of whimsical fantasy. With echoes of Kenneth Graham and Mark Twain, it’s a gentle, eccentric, and hilarious novel that will delight readers of all ages.

Trading with the elves used to be so simple. Every year Master Cheeser Jonathan Bing would send his very best cheeses downriver to traders who would eventually return with Elfin wonders for the people of Twombly Town.

But no more…

First, the trading post at Willowood Station was mysteriously destroyed. Then, a magical elfin airship began making forays overhead. Something was definitely amiss.

So Jonathan set off downriver to deliver the cheeses himself, accompanied by the amazing Professor Wurzle, the irrepressible Dooly, and his faithful dog Ahab. It would have been such a pleasant trip, if not for the weeping skeleton, mad goblins, magic coins, an evil dwarf, a cloak of invisibility — and a watch that stopped time.

If only the return trip were so simple.

TALES FROM THE FOLLY, a collection of Ben Aaronovitch‘s short fiction set in the Rivers of London world, is also only 99p throughout September (Kindle deal). Published by JABberwocky, here’s the synopsis…

Return to the world of Rivers of London in this first short story collection from #1 Sunday Times bestselling author, Ben Aaronovitch. Tales from the Folly is a carefully curated collection that gathers together previously published stories and brand new tales in the same place for the first time.

Each tale features a new introduction from the author, filled with insight and anecdote offering the reader a deeper exploration into this absorbing fictional world. This is a must read for any Rivers of London fan.

Join Peter, Nightingale, Abigail, Agent Reynolds and Tobias Winter for a series of perfectly portioned tales. Discover what’s haunting a lonely motorway service station, who still wanders the shelves of a popular London bookshop, and what exactly happened to the River Lugg…

With an introduction from internationally bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, Charlaine Harris.

This collection includes:
The Home Crowd Advantage
The Domestic
The Cockpit
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Granny
King of The Rats
A Rare Book of Cunning Device
A Dedicated Follower of Fashion
Favourite Uncle
Vanessa Sommer’s Other Christmas List
Three Rivers, Two Husbands and a Baby
Moments One-Three

In the UK, PUCKING WILD is only 99p this month — via Kobo and Amazon — it’s the second Jacksonville Rays novels by Emily Rath. Published by Penguin, here’s the synopsis…

The hockey star she never expected may be the one person to finally set her free…

My name is Tess Owens and my soon to be ex-husband is trying to set fire to my entire life. Unwilling to face the heat, I do what I do best: run.

I run to a new life in a new city and straight into the arms of Rachel and her team of NHL hockey players. They’re all charming, but one player stands apart from the rest, the star forward of the Jacksonville Rays, Ryan Langley.

Now I have six weeks to launch a new business. Six weeks to fight for my freedom… all while fighting my growing attraction to this All-American sweetheart with a winning smile and a career on the rise. Did I mention he’s ten years younger than me?

Ryan doesn’t need my drama. And we have nothing in common. But it’s getting harder to deny the way he makes me feel.

Fun. Free. Wild.

Estonian Edition of Zelazny’s LORD DEMON Out now!


There’s a new, Estonian edition of LORD DEMON by Roger Zelazny and Jane Lindskold! Published by Kirjastus Fantaasia, as LORD DEEMON, it was translated by Henrik Habicht. The cover is by Liis Roden. Here’s the synopsis…

Kai Wren, kunagisest jumalatega peetud sõjast tuntud ka kui Lord Deemon, meisterdab pudeleid. Need on erilised pudelid, mille sisse mahub terve maailm, ja paljud deemonid elavadki sellistes pudelites. Ta on üsna rahumeelne tegelane päevani, kui sajandeid tema teenistuses olnud abiline tapetakse ja ta hakkab uurima, kes seda tegi ja miks. Avastused viivad uue suure jumalatevastase sõja ettevalmistusteni ja ka kõige lähemad sõbrad võivad reeturiteks osutuda.

First published in 1999, here’s the English-language synopsis…

The great wars between gods and demons began five millennia ago–and ended with the demons’ crushing defeat and banishment from their homeland. The demon race would have surely perished in the empty dimension of their exile had they not found a secret conduit to a safe and hidden plane…called Earth.

Greatest among the demons was Kai Wren–the Godslayer and Lord Demon–a master swordsman, dreamer, and glassblower who can contain entire universes in bottles of his creation; a legendary warrior who once, long ago, singlehandedly destroyed a god. But now, Kai Wren must seek vengeance for the murder of his devoted human servant, and he fears that this one death heralds the crumbling of a peace that has reigned for a thousand years.

Forced into a series of uncomfortable alliances, Kai Wren strives to preserve the Demon Realms. But his heart has become his fatal weakness, growing soft during years of peace. He has given trust where trust should not be given, only to discover that among his closest companions are those who will betray him–even destroy him–unless he can regain that which once made him LORD DEMON.

Kirjastus Fantaasia has also published three other books by Roger Zelazny: IGIKELTS JA TULI (24 VIEWS OF MT. FUJI), UKSED LÍÍVAS (DOORWAYS IN THE SAND), and TEMA SILMNÄO VÄRAVAD, TEMA SUU PÕLEVAD TÕRVIKUD (THE DOORS OF HIS FACE, THE LAMPS OF HIS MOUTH AND OTHER STORIES).

New Stormlight Archive Boxset Available in the UK!


Today, Gollancz publishes a new boxset collecting OATHBRINGER and RHYTHM OF WAR, the third and fourth novels in Brandon Sanderson‘s internationally-bestselling Stormlight Archive series. Here’s the synopsis…

A two-book boxed set containing volumes three and four of the acclaimed Stormlight Archive series from the master of the fantasy, Brandon Sanderson.

In OATHBRINGER, humanity faces a new Desolation with the return of the Voidbringers, a foe whose numbers are as great as their thirst for vengeance.

The story continues in RHYTHM OF WAR, as the human resistance feels the threat of betrayal and is thrust into the middle of an arms race which will challenge the very core of the Radiant ideals, and potentially reveal the secrets of the ancient tower that was once the heart of their strength.

Zeno represents Brandon Sanderson in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Ben Aaronovitch’s EINE NACHTIGALL IN NEW YORK is out tomorrow!


EINE NACHTIGALL IN NEW YORK, the German edition of Ben Aaronovitch‘s highly-anticipated new Rivers of London novella, THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING, is out tomorrow (September 12th)! Published by DTV, it was translated by Christine Blum. Here’s the synopsis…

New York, 1920er-Jahre: Augustus Berrycloth-Young, Absolvent der Zauberschule Casterbrook, ist unangenehm überrascht: Denn unangekündigt steht sein alter Schulkamerad Thomas Nightingale vor der Tür und reißt ihn aus seinem behaglichen Leben.

Nightingale ist auf geheimer Mission nach New York geschickt worden, um ein verzaubertes Saxophon ausfindig zu machen, das seltsame Kräfte entfaltet, wenn es gespielt wird. Und ausgerechnet Augustus soll ihm helfen, dabei will er eigentlich nur das Dolce Vita genießen.

Auf der Suche machen die beiden Männer die Jazzclubs der Metropole unsicher und machen unfreiwillig mit der nicht-magischen und korrupten Polizei Bekanntschaft…

The book will also be available as an audiobook, narrated by Dietmar Wunder (published by GoyaLiT) — this edition is published today.

THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING is due to be published in the UK by Gollancz/Orion and in North America by Subterranean Press. Here’s the English-language synopsis…

York City, New York.

Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young – fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad – as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.

That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone – which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows…

Ben will be going on a short UK book tour to celebrate the release of the novella. Check out the graphic below for details…

Elizabeth Helen’s BROKEN BY DAYLIGHT is Out Today in the UK!


BROKEN BY DAYLIGHT, the highly-anticipated fourth novel in Elizabeth Helen‘s best-selling Beasts of the Briar, is out today in the UK! Published by Magpie/HarperVoyager, here’s the synopsis…

A deadly war.

A stolen princess.

A separation of mates.

A secret unearthed.

War has come to the Enchanted Vale.

The forces of the Below have enacted their evil plan and both the Spring and Summer Realm are now under their influence. Will Autumn and Winter be next?

Rosie and Dayton, High Prince of the Summer Realm, enter a deadly tournament to reclaim the Bow of Radiance and save Summer together. But can they keep fighting their growing feelings for each other?

As the Realms fall prey to the Below’s schemes, Rosie must take her place as the Princess of the Enchanted Vale and fated mate to three of the High Princes.

The fight has only just begun…

The fourth book in the Beasts of the Briar series, a spicy Beauty and the Beast retelling filled with morally grey characters, a sinfully hot villain and a princess who has found her Prince Charming. All four of them.

The first three novels in the series are, of course, also still available in the UK (hardcover, eBook, and audiobook), and published by Magpie: BONDED BY THORNS, WOVEN BY GOLD, and FORGED BY MALICE.

To celebrate the release of the series in the UK, Elizabeth Helen are on tour at the moment. Check out the graphic, below, for the details…

Zeno represents Elizabeth Helen in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Ian McDonald’s THE WILDING Out in Two Weeks!


Ian McDonald‘s highly-anticipated new novel, THE WILDING is due out in two weeks! Gollancz is set to publish the hardcover and eBook editions of the new novel on September 26th in the UK. (Audiobook edition is in the works, so watch this space.) Here’s the synopsis…

Five kids are on a sleepover in a restored wilderness project in Ireland. With them, three teachers and one Ranger: Lisa. She is 26, longing to leave her job, out of her depth and soon to find herself mired in a nightmare.

Strange things have been happening at Lough Carrow, a vast rewilding project on the site of a former commercial peat-bog. Livestock mutilations. Rumours, myths from the neighbouring villages. Strange, unidentifiable tracks. On the trek in to the sleepover site they sight animals that have not yet been introduced to the park – wolves, wolverines, things older. Things thought long extinct.

As they near the centre of the wilding a boy realises he’s forgotten his meds. A teacher volunteers to take him back to the visitor centre. Sure, what could go wrong?

That night the camp is attacked. A teacher is dragged away. Lisa’s group is marooned in the wild. It is night, the four remaining kids are terrified, they need to get back to the ARK, but the wilderness seems to be playing with time and distance and something is out there. Something hungry and hunting…

Ian McDonald is the author of a great many acclaimed and award-winning novels and series. His most recent works are the stand-alone novel HOPELAND, and the Luna series — both published by Gollancz in the UK, and Tor Books in North America.

Ben Aaronovitch’s THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING is out now!


THE MASQUERADES OF SPRING, Ben Aaronovitch‘s highly-anticipated, latest novella set in the world of Rivers of London is out now! Published by Gollancz/Orion, the action returns to North America! Here’s the synopsis…

New York City, New York.

Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young – fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad – as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.

That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone – which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows…

The novella is also available as an audiobook, narrated by the ever-excellent Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.

To celebrate the release of the book, Ben has been on a UK book tour! Check out the graphic, below, for the remaining dates/stops…

The novella is due to be published in North America by Subterranean Press, towards the end of September.

Two New Editions of BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST out now – and it’s a Book of the Month!


Travis Baldree‘s internationally-bestselling and widely-acclaimed BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is out today in a new UK paperback edition! Published by Tor Books, it is a prequel to the author’s best-selling and word-of-mouth sensation, LEGENDS & LATTES. Here’s the synopsis…

When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn’t always what we seek.

Viv’s career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam’s Ravens isn’t going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she’s packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk — so far from the action that she worries she’ll never be able to return to it.

What’s a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn’t all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.

Set in the world of New York Times bestselling Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree’s Bookshops & Bonedust takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

The novel is also published today in Australia and New Zealand, also by Tor Books — for this edition, they’ve used the North American artwork.

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST received an incredible amount of early praise, and we’re sure even more great reviews are going to start pouring in as more people are able to read the novel. Here are just a few of the great reviews…

‘What I love about Travis Baldree is that set against an epic world of adventure, he writes about the small victories that make life worthwhile. BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST does this and it is glorious’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘… a lovely coming-of-age story about a character trained for war who learns that there’s more to life than endless battles. What makes the story special is the way that so many stock fantasy archetypes are cast against type and find new modes of prospering that don’t involve big weapons and bigger wars… This prequel is the perfect place for readers to start Baldree’s cozy fantasy series where folks band together for good, and evil is conquered through cleverness and friendship.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review), SFF Pick of the Month

‘Baldree’s prequel to Legends and Lattes (2022) cements his talent for cozy fantasy, engaging characters, and anachronistic references that would be at home in a Discworld novel… Knowing where a character ends up often drains tension from a prequel, but Baldree avoids that pitfall because the joy of reading here isn’t a simple uncertainty over who lives or dies but rather watching friendships blossom and characters grow. Folks who enjoyed the camaraderie and settings of this year’s Dungeons & Dragons movie — as well as anyone who likes the idea of an orc warrior becoming a devotee of the power of reading and its ability to broaden your horizons — should check out Viv’s adventures.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

‘This prequel gives readers a glimpse of Viv as a young orc, still committed to the fighter’s life, just taking an enforced break in a charming town populated by compelling, richly drawn characters, and the slightest hint of danger in the wind. Despite the lurking necromancer, the vibes are decidedly warm and cozy, and the plot is just as much about saving the bookstore and building relationships as it is about protecting the town from the man in gray. As a prequel, it can stand alone, but will certainly satisfy fans as well. Warm and wonderful.’ — Literary Hub

‘Travis Baldree has worked his magic again to create a story full of heart, and some of the loveliest characters that I’ve read. There’s a wholesome ensemble, some glimpses of Viv’s mercenary skills, as well as enough growth to help her grow into her coffee-shop persona, all tightly written. Highly recommended, and definitely one of my top reads this year.’ — Fantasy Book Critic

BOOKSHOPS & BONEDUST is also the Blackwell’s Book of the Month in September!

In case you haven’t read it, yet, LEGENDS & LATTES is of course available now, in paperback, also published by Tor Books in North America, the UK, and Australia/New Zealand.

Alice Bell’s DISPLEASURE ISLAND out now in North America!


The highly-anticipated North American edition of Alice Bell‘s DISPLEASURE ISLAND is out today! Published by Vintage Books, here’s the synopsis…

In the hilarious follow-up to Grave Expectations, Claire and the gang are back, getting their timbers shivered by a mystery involving feuding ghost pirates, buried treasure, and murder…

Claire Hendricks can see ghosts, but she can’t see herself having a fun vacation. Yet when her new friends/found family, Basher and Alex, insist, Claire and her dead BFF, Sophie, pack themselves off to a remote Irish island. This tempest-tossed isle is indeed full of noises: not only is the hotel where the gang is staying double booked with a posh private party, the island’s crumbling old fort is being fought over by rival ghost pirates. In death, as in life, they’re vying over a legendary stash of loot, supposedly hidden somewhere on the island or in the surrounding rough seas…

… which, inevitably, are whipped up into a terrific storm, stranding everyone — living and dead — on the island. Claire is already fighting off anxious And Then There Were None vibes before one of the other guests turns up murdered. With Basher distracted by a handsome Irish seaman and Sophie stretching the limits of her tether to flirt with a dead pirate with dubious intentions, it’s up to Claire to solve the mystery of three-hundred-year-old buried treasure and figure out who’s picking off party guests — before the whole gang meets a grim, Agatha Christie-like fate.

As mentioned in the synopsis, this is the follow-up to Bell’s widely-acclaimed debut novel, GRAVE EXPECTATIONS — which is also published in North America by Vintage Books. Both novels are also available in the UK, published by Corvus.

Here are just a few of the great reviews the series has received so far…

‘What a cracking romp of a read! A bunch of self entitled millennials, a troop of pirate ghosts, a treasure hoard, a whole slew of secrets and at its heart an engaging and satisfying murder mystery – Agatha Christie meets Ghosts came to mind! I loved the way Alice Bell effortlessly dealt with the problems that beset mystery writers today. i.e. blanket technology- the results was a sort of ‘locked island’ mystery. As before I love the main protagonist chaotic Claire, and her sardonic sidekick (who just happens to have been dead for some fifteen years) It was great to see them both back in action again.’ — J. M. Hall on DISPLEASURE ISLAND

‘Contrary to its title, Alice Bell’s second novel is a complete pleasure to read, full of witty writing, loveable characters and page-turning twists.’ — Culturefly (“Spring Reads: 14 of the best new books to read this month”) on DISPLEASURE ISLAND

‘Read this fabulous book — you will not regret it!’ — Ben Aaronovitch

‘Fast, funny and furious, this book has bags of humour, bags of heart and a proper murder mystery at its core’ — Janice Hallett

‘Bell shines in her sharp, funny debut, a supernatural whodunit centered on medium-for-hire Claire Hendricks… The adroit plotting, which cannily plays with mystery tropes, is amply leavened with humor.’ — Publishers Weekly

‘A delicious mashup of grisly murder, country house and semi-helpful ghosts – imagine a really cockeyed game of Cluedo heavily seasoned with whimsy … it’s a lot of fun’ — Stuart MacBride

‘Knives Out vibes with added ghosts. Fresh, funny and hugely enjoyable.’ — Catherine Ryan Howard

‘[T]he lightly acerbic style is a delight and the interaction between inept-but-dogged millennial Claire and eternal teenager Sophie – whose death remains a mystery – offers plenty of spooky fun. More, please.’ — Guardian

‘A great read, with great characters, lots of humour, some misty-eyed moments and lots of swearing. Utterly delightful – like the BBC show Ghosts mixed with Cluedo’ — Simon Toyne

Emily Rath’s PUCKING SWEET out in three weeks!


In three weeks — September 26th — Penguin are due to publish PUCKING SWEET by Emily Rath, in the UK! It’s the third novel in the author’s acclaimed, internationally-bestselling Jacksonville Rays series. Here’s the synopsis…

The lines between work and play get blurred in this super sexy, inclusive ‘why choose’ hockey romance from the TikTok sensation

My name is Poppy St. James and I’ve just landed my dream job as the Director of Public Relations for the NHL’s hottest new team, the Jacksonville Rays.

But if I want to stay beyond my one-year contract, I’ll have to prove myself.

Easy. PR is in my blood. What’s not so easy are the hockey players.

They’re a real handful – especially party boy defenseman Lukas Novikov.

I don’t care how well Lucas plays hockey. Off the ice, he’s a PR nightmare. The players can all call me PR Barbie all they want, but I’m getting the job done.

I am poised, powerful, and always professional… until the fateful night my phone rings.

One little phone call from home that leads to one drunken mistake, and my carefully balanced life is knocked off-kilter. Now I’m staring down at a little blue plus sign and I have no strategy, no idea what’s next.

All I know is that nothing will ever be the same.

Tropes/Themes:
– Sports romance
– Reverse Harem
– LGBT
– Spicy

The first two novels in the series, PUCKING AROUND and PUCKING WILD, are also available in the UK, published by Penguin.

Here are some advance reviews of PUCKING SWEET

‘I DEVOURED it in less than 24 hours!’ 5* Reader Review

‘This was everything I’d hoped for and more. These characters have my heart! Their love story is beautiful and I fell for each of them’ 5* Reader Review

‘This will be the easiest 5 star read I give for the whole year’ 5* Reader Review

‘I love the way each spicy scene flowed organically with the story. It’s never spice just for spice. Each encounter shows you more of their relationship, dynamic, and emotional development. It was beautifully done’ 5* Reader Review

‘I absolutely loved it, I bawled my eyes out, laughed out loud, and at one point screamed at the pages’ 5* Reader Review

Zeno represents Emily Rath in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.

Huge Peter V. Brett UK Kindle Deal – Today Only!


Just a quick note to draw your attention to a great Kindle Deal running today only in the UK: all of Peter V. Brett‘s novels and novellas are on sale today, only 99p each! That’s all five Demon Cycle novels, the first two Nightfall Saga novels, and three Demon Cycle novellas (well, one’s a pair of shorter stories)! All are published in the UK by Harper Voyager.

  • THE PAINTED MAN
  • THE DESERT SPEAR
  • THE DAYLIGHT WAR
  • THE SKULL THRONE
  • THE CORE
  • THE DESERT PRINCE
  • THE HIDDEN QUEEN
  • MESSENGER’S LEGACY (novella)
  • THE GREAT BAZAAR & BRAYAN’S GOLD (two novellas)
  • BARREN (novella)

Zeno represents Peter V. Brett in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.