July 25, 2016
In the 10th installment of the October Daye series (after 2015’s A Red-Rose Chain), changeling detective October “Toby” Daye is caught up in a murder mystery involving the most powerful fae in North America. A cure for elf-shot, a poison that puts its victims to sleep for a century, has been discovered, and the high king of the fae has ordered a conclave to discuss its use. When a popular but controversial fae king is assassinated, it’s the start of a tense, bloody affair. As other conclave attendees are struck down with elf-shot, Toby and her allies piece together the clues to discover who’d want to disrupt the event. McGuire continues her intricate blend of worldbuilding and mythology, using myth and lore as the underpinnings for what’s essentially an ambitious, politically charged locked room thriller. The emotional core of the series is stronger than ever, with the action being immediate and visceral. McGuire quite satisfyingly continues the ongoing story while telling an intense and entertaining tale in its own right. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary.
September 15, 2016
October Daye, changeling knight of the courts of Faerie, deserves a little peace and quiet with fiance Tybalt, king of Cats. Alas, she is required to appear at a special convocation to discuss the cure for elf-shot that she and her allies used in A Red-Rose Chain. Considered the only weapon the fae could legitimately use on one another, elf-shot puts its victims to sleep for 100 years. If there's a cure, what happens to the balance of power in Faerie? An already factious gathering called by The High King and Queen (who happen to also be the parents of October's squire, Quentin) turns deadly when one of the royal attendees is murdered. McGuire offers a deeper than usual dive into Faerie politics (including a new map of the western kingdoms), but with a cracking good mystery to keep things moving along. VERDICT Balancing long-arc worldbuilding and short-arc sleuthing better than most in the urban fantasy arena, McGuire crafts another winner in a great series.--MM
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