by Martin Scott
First published 2005
Private detective Thraxas receives a case that seems straightforward enough: locate a missing magical jewel somewhere in the sprawling, corrupt city of Turai. The portly investigator expects the usual complications that come with his line of work in a place where magic and crime intersect at every corner. But as Thraxas begins his search through the city's shadowy underworld, he discovers that a far more sinister problem has taken hold of Turai. A mysterious plague of death stalks the streets, claiming victims in ways that defy explanation. The missing jewel case becomes secondary as Thraxas finds himself confronting this deadly force that threatens not just his investigation, but the entire city. What started as a simple recovery job transforms into a race against time as the detective must uncover the connection between the stolen magical artifact and the spreading menace. Thraxas must navigate the treacherous politics and magical dangers of Turai while the death toll mounts around him.
Genres: adventure, mystery, fantasy, thriller, detective, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: detective-story, race-against-time, urban-fantasy
Setting: Turai
256 pages · Hardcover · Baen