In August, Titan Books are due to publish Ari Marmell‘s DEAD TO RITES. The third novel in the author’s Mick Oberon urban fantasy series, here’s what the author says about it…

Even Mick Oberon — private investigator and exiled noble of the Seelie Court — is having some difficulty telling what’s real and what isn’t on the streets of Chicago these days. The rash of misfortune that’s been plaguing him lately, for instance. Random chance? The whims of luck? Or something else, something malevolent, something REAL?

The people seeking out his friends, asking questions about him? Real. But how much danger do they pose?

The woman who wants him to track down Ramona, his friend/enemy/whatever they were to each other? Real. The story she fed him, though? Almost certainly not.

The uptown gang whose path he keeps crossing? Oh, quite real. The oracle he’s randomly bumped into at the carnival of all places? Maybe.

And then there’s the mummy. In the carnival’s cheap and gaudy Egyptian-themed funhouse, SOMETHING about the mummy is all too real. Because far too many of Chicago’s occultists — including Ramona and her mysterious employer — are trying to steal the damn thing.

All Mick knows for sure is that, until he can figure out precisely what everyone wants and who’s involved, until he can determine the source of his on-going bad luck, he’s vulnerable. And the threat, whatever it is and from whatever direction it may be coming, is very, very real.

DEAD TO RITES is due to be published on August 9th. In the meantime, the first two novels in the series — HOT LEAD, COLD IRON and HALLOW POINT — are also available, published by Titan Books.

Here is just a small selection from the many reviews the series has received so far…

‘In this gripping fantastical investigation, Marmell (The Goblin Corps) creates an engaging world and an unlikely hero… The potent mix of gangsters, magic, Fae politics, and a strega on the warpath makes for a ride that never touches the brakes. Marmell expertly maximizes the thrills, leaving the reader with a lingering desire for a magic wand and a glass of warm milk.’ — Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on HOT LEAD, COLD IRON

‘An urban fantasy well-suited to lovers of historical fantasy, especially of Gangster-era Chicago… it’s an extremely entertaining historical / urban fantasy that I read quickly and eagerly.’ — SF Signal on HOT LEAD, COLD IRON

‘Fantasy meets period detective-gangster drama… Marmell provides a rollicking take… [The voice] quickly becomes likable, full of grumpy asides and funny turns of phrase.’ — SFX

‘It’s a fascinating concept, and a solid foundation for yet another gripping story… a highly enjoyable ride; the writing takes its reader into the heart of every scene… It’s a great read, reinvigorating the tropes of two genres to enable them to rise above cliché status. With final revelations that imply a larger conspiracy, it seems Marmell has plenty more up his sleeve for his hero, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for Mick Oberon in the future.’ — Starburst on HALLOW POINT

‘The once again breakneck pacing story and the marvelous character that is Mick Oberon, and the whole setting of the book, make HALLOW POINT a more than great follow-up. Ari Marmell doesn’t let you as a reader took look away once from the story.’ — Book Plank

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