Part of The Space Between Worlds, book 2
First published 2024
Scales keeps order in Ashtown, a brutal desert settlement where survival depends on fragile peace. That peace shatters when she watches a woman die horribly before her eyes. No killer stands over the mangled body. No murderer flees the scene. The victim simply dies, torn apart by nothing visible. More mutilated corpses appear across Ashtown and inside wealthy Wiley City's protective walls. Scales must find what's killing people and stop it. She works with a rigid partner who follows every rule and a sharp scientist who speaks in blunt truths. Their investigation leads them through both worlds, tracking something that kills without being seen. The truth they uncover reaches far beyond random murders. A vast corruption threatens more than just their divided communities. The invisible force that tears people apart connects to something larger, something that could destroy everything. Scales must confront her own history to prevent total catastrophe. The apocalypse approaches, and only she can stand between her world and complete annihilation.
Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, fast-paced, gritty, suspenseful
Tropes: found-family, high-stakes-conspiracy, mystery-investigation, reluctant-hero
Setting: Ashtown, Wiley City
384 pages · Paperback · Del Rey
Content warnings: death, gore, graphic-violence