Part of Meg Langslow, book 34
First published 2023
Meg Langslow finds herself stepping into a televised weaponsmithing competition when someone attacks her blacksmithing mentor Faulk the night before filming begins. The assault breaks his arm and forces him out of the contest. Meg agrees to take his place to save the project, even though the December timing disrupts her Christmas plans. The competition takes place at Ragnarshjem, the picturesque estate where her friend Ragnar, a retired heavy metal drummer, is building his Gothic castle. At least Meg can bring her husband Michael and twin sons along for the holidays. The other contestants welcome her with hostility, as several old school blacksmiths believe women don't belong in their profession. The blacksmithing world runs small and tight, so many competitors arrive carrying existing grudges and feuds. The producers wanted drama for their show, and they get it. The contest pits skilled craftspeople against each other in high stakes competition. Each contestant wields heavy hammers, forges swords, and works with blazing fires. The combination of bitter rivalries and dangerous tools creates a volatile situation that threatens to explode.
Genres: adventure, mystery, action, cozy-mystery
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Ragnarshjem
Period: December
304 pages · Hardcover · Minotaur Books