by Martin Scott
First published 2007
Thraxas wants nothing more than to drink ale and avoid trouble. The overweight private investigator once fought bravely in the last Orc War, but those days are behind him. Now Orcs march on Turai again, and the city prepares for siege. When a senior War Council member turns up dead, apparently killed with a cake, the authorities need answers fast. They turn to Thraxas. He must solve this bizarre murder while enemy forces gather at the gates. The investigation pulls him into military politics and wartime conspiracies. Thraxas discovers that even during a crisis, people scheme for power and profit. The detective who once wielded a sword for his city must now use his wits to save it. This case will test whether an aging hero can rise to the occasion when his home faces its darkest hour.
Genres: adventure, mystery, fantasy, thriller, detective, action
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: aging-hero, found-family
Setting: Turai
304 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Baen