Mennik Thorn Series

Fans of Jim Butcher and Scott Lynch will love this snarky fantasy mystery. It was only supposed to be one little job - a simple curse-breaking for Mennik Thorn to pay back a favour to his oldest friend. But then it all blew up in his face. Now he's been framed for a murder he didn't commit. So how is a second-rate mage, broke, traumatized, and with a habit of annoying the wrong people, supposed to prove his innocence when everyone believes he's guilty?   Mennik has no choice if he wants to get out of this: he is going to have to throw himself into the corrupt world of the city's high mages, a world he fled years ago. Faced by supernatural beasts, the mage-killing Ash Guard, and a ruthless, unknown adversary, it's going to take every trick Mennik can summon just to keep him and his friend alive.   But a new, dark power is rising in Agatos, and all that stands in its way is one damaged mage...   Third place in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off 2020 (SPFBO6) Finalist in the Book Bloggers' Book of the Year Award (BBNYA) 2021 Shortlisted for the Booknest Fantasy Award Best Self-published Novel 2020 Reviews   "The start of something great." - Novel Notions   "I loved every moment of this book. In terms of sheer entertainment value, its certainly one of the best I've read this year and it's been a while since I've had such fun with a book." - Rowena Andrews, Beneath a Thousand Skies "Fast-paced, quick-witted, deftly plotted and as well-thought-out as it is well-written. Highly recommended, and I'm already looking forward to the next one." – Juliet E. McKenna, Author of The Tales of Einarinn, The Aldabreshin Compass, and The Green Man's Heir "Shadow of a Dead God contains the snarky, disillusioned, diamond-in-the-rough, down-at-heels, determined and fiercely loyal mage-detective your TBR desperately needs! "Recommended for readers of The Lies of Locke Lamora and anyone who loves fantasy mystery starring a delightfully reluctant, unlikely, foul-mouthed and golden-hearted hero." – Katrina Middelburg, Read. Ruminate. Write. "If you need a fun, entertaining read in these trying time, Shadow of a Dead God is highly recommended." - Jamie Lee Moyer, Author of Brightfall "Mennik Thorn is a wry, dry, washed-up mage whose talents, other than friendship, are modest to say the least. A dogged determination to live life on his own terms puts him at odds with almost everyone and everything. But he's funny, and he's good-hearted, and Samphire can plot a mystery that turns every page. Reading his story of detective derring-don't is as satisfying as it is entertaining. A great start! I look forward to more." - Justina Robson, Author of Natural History and the Quantum Gravity series.

In the city of Agatos, nothing stays buried forever. Only an idiot would ignore his debt to a high mage, and Mennik Thorn is not an idiot, no matter what anyone might say. He's just been … distracted. But now he's left it too late, and if he doesn't obey the high mage's commands within the day, his best friends' lives will be forfeit. So it's hardly the time to take on an impossible case: proving a woman who murdered a stranger in full view is innocent. Unfortunately, Mennik can't resist doing the right thing – and now he's caught in a deadly rivalry between warring high mages, his witnesses are dying, and something ancient has turned its eyes upon him. The fate of the city is once again in the hands of a second-rate mage. Mennik Thorn should have stayed in hiding.

What do a smuggling gang, a curse that won't go away, and a frequently lost dog have to do with each other? Answer: they're all here to disrupt Mennik Thorn's hard-earned peace and quiet. As the sole freelance mage in the city of Agatos, Mennik is used to some odd clients and awful jobs. But this time, one of his clients isn't giving him a choice. Mennik might have forgotten about the smugglers whose operations he disrupted, but they haven't forgotten about him. Now he is faced with a simple ultimatum: help them smuggle in an unknown, dangerous cargo or flee the city he loves forever. Time is running out for Mennik to find an answer, and things are about to get completely out of control. Note: this is a short novel, not a full-length novel.

Nik Thorn should know better than to get involved with gods. But when a priest of a hated god asks Nik to save his life, Nik can hardly refuse, particularly when the priest knows exactly how, where, when, and why he is going to be killed. How hard can it be? Of course, that's not Nik's only problem. When is it ever? A god has been murdered, the city's high mages are about to go to war, and fury is rising in the streets. Agatos will burn. The final book in the Mennik Thorn series.