Part of October Daye
First published 2013
October "Toby" Daye has found her rhythm. She trains her squire, handles her duties, and draws closer to the local King of Cats. Her life feels stable for once. Then dead changelings turn up in San Francisco's alleys, all killed by goblin fruit overdoses. When Toby brings this crisis to the Queen of the Mists, she faces brutal punishment instead of support. The Queen sentences her to exile, cutting her off from her home and loved ones. Now Toby must overturn this decree while getting the deadly goblin fruit off the streets and protecting her own life from the enemies tracking her. Worse, she begins to suspect the Queen's claim to the throne might be illegitimate. To uncover the truth, October and her allies must journey from the fabled Library of Stars into the Kingdom of the Mists' secret depths. Time works against them as they race to solve multiple crises. In the world of faerie, some punishments make death look merciful.
Genres: adventure, mystery, fantasy, urban-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, fast-paced, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: exile-and-return, found-family, political-conspiracy, quest-narrative
Setting: San Francisco, Library of Stars, Kingdom of the Mists
357 pages · Mass Market Paperback · DAW
Content warnings: death, drug-use, violence