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Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic #3
In Victrix: Urban Fantasy in Ancient Rome
The Fast and the Furies: Races, Curses, and Forbidden Places!
What starts as a curse on the people’s sacred institution of chariot races, soon spirals out of control. From women’s mysteries and place in public affairs, to the whole fabric of politics and society itself.
Felix, dressed in a toga and armed with a dagger, is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician - but something in between. Whenever there is a foul business of bad magic, Felix is hired to sniff out the truth. What starts as curses by rabid fans soon involves everyone from politicians to organized crime, and Felix must explore the mysteries of secret cults and of the place of women in society. Now he must separate fact from superstition – a hard task in a world where the old gods still roam the earth.
In Victrix is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world.
This is the third Story of Togas, daggers, and Magic, a tale of Chariot Races, Politics, and Mysteries – both Womanly and Occult – for lovers of Ancient Rome, Hardboiled detectives, and Urban Fantasy.
Praise for the Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic “Assaph Mehr’s Egretia is Rome as the Romans themselves imagined it to be. Magic really works. Curses curse, love philtres create love, oracles do predict the future.”
-- Harry Turtledove, SF&F’s Grandmaster of Alternate History
“Mehr creates a vivid cast and an equally vivid setting in which magic just seems to fit in perfectly.”
-- Richard Knaak, NYT best-selling fantasy author of Legends of Huma
"Mehr's imagined world based on ancient Rome feels at once familiar and dreamlike."
-- Ruth Downie, NYT best-selling author of the acclaimed Medicus series of Roman mysteries
What starts as a curse on the people’s sacred institution of chariot races, soon spirals out of control. From women’s mysteries and place in public affairs, to the whole fabric of politics and society itself.
Felix, dressed in a toga and armed with a dagger, is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician - but something in between. Whenever there is a foul business of bad magic, Felix is hired to sniff out the truth. What starts as curses by rabid fans soon involves everyone from politicians to organized crime, and Felix must explore the mysteries of secret cults and of the place of women in society. Now he must separate fact from superstition – a hard task in a world where the old gods still roam the earth.
In Victrix is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world.
This is the third Story of Togas, daggers, and Magic, a tale of Chariot Races, Politics, and Mysteries – both Womanly and Occult – for lovers of Ancient Rome, Hardboiled detectives, and Urban Fantasy.
Praise for the Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic “Assaph Mehr’s Egretia is Rome as the Romans themselves imagined it to be. Magic really works. Curses curse, love philtres create love, oracles do predict the future.”
-- Harry Turtledove, SF&F’s Grandmaster of Alternate History
“Mehr creates a vivid cast and an equally vivid setting in which magic just seems to fit in perfectly.”
-- Richard Knaak, NYT best-selling fantasy author of Legends of Huma
"Mehr's imagined world based on ancient Rome feels at once familiar and dreamlike."
-- Ruth Downie, NYT best-selling author of the acclaimed Medicus series of Roman mysteries
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2024
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Assaph Mehr
9 books396 followersA free novella in the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series is waiting for you at Aquae et Ignis.
I have always been fascinated by ancient Rome, from the time I was in primary school and first got my hands on Asterix. This exacerbated when my parents took me on a trip to Rome and Italy – I whinged horribly when they dragged me to “yet another church with baby angels on the ceiling”, yet was happy to skip all day around ancient ruins and museums for Etruscan art.
A few years ago I randomly picked a copy of a Lindsay Davis’ Marcus Didius Falco novel in a used book fair. I fell in love with Rome all over again, this time from the view-point of a cynical adult. When I decided to sit down and write a novel, the setting was clear in my mind.
Assaph now lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife, kids, two cats, and one dog. By day he is a software product manager, bridging the gap between developers and users, and by night (or whenever he can close the door) he’s writing.
I have always been fascinated by ancient Rome, from the time I was in primary school and first got my hands on Asterix. This exacerbated when my parents took me on a trip to Rome and Italy – I whinged horribly when they dragged me to “yet another church with baby angels on the ceiling”, yet was happy to skip all day around ancient ruins and museums for Etruscan art.
A few years ago I randomly picked a copy of a Lindsay Davis’ Marcus Didius Falco novel in a used book fair. I fell in love with Rome all over again, this time from the view-point of a cynical adult. When I decided to sit down and write a novel, the setting was clear in my mind.
Assaph now lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife, kids, two cats, and one dog. By day he is a software product manager, bridging the gap between developers and users, and by night (or whenever he can close the door) he’s writing.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 5, 2024
I had the privilege of beta reading this book, and it’s terrific! Mystery, magic, and mayhem in Eretia, Assaph Mehr's fantasy version of the Roman Republic (not far removed from the real thing). I’ve enjoyed the whole Felix the Fox series, and this is the best one yet!
Centering on the infamous Milo/Clodius feud and the sacred institution of chariot racing, Mehr plunges the reader into a mystery involving curses, occult rituals, and forbidden ceremonies. The streetwise Felix finds himself in places he doesn't belong, and in the one place he inevitably winds up (yes, he's back in the sewers again in a chase sequence that is both terrifying and hilarious). The stakes are high--a child is kidnapped, and Felix must risk his life, his reputation, and his very soul to save her! He also risks escalating events that could bring the Republic to ruin. One thing's for sure--not even the clever and lucky Felix is going to escape this one unscathed!
The ancient Romans accepted divine spirits and ritual magic as an everyday part of life, and the beauty of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series is that it also accepts these beliefs as real. The result is a portrayal of a fantasy Rome that would likely have been more recognizable to the people who lived at the time than the Rome we see in history books. In Victrix combines this fabulous setting with a thrilling mystery, terrific characters, spinetingling suspense, and gripping action sequences that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat.
It's been a long wait between In Numina and In Victrix, but I'm happy to say that it was well worth the wait. And I'm ready for more!
Centering on the infamous Milo/Clodius feud and the sacred institution of chariot racing, Mehr plunges the reader into a mystery involving curses, occult rituals, and forbidden ceremonies. The streetwise Felix finds himself in places he doesn't belong, and in the one place he inevitably winds up (yes, he's back in the sewers again in a chase sequence that is both terrifying and hilarious). The stakes are high--a child is kidnapped, and Felix must risk his life, his reputation, and his very soul to save her! He also risks escalating events that could bring the Republic to ruin. One thing's for sure--not even the clever and lucky Felix is going to escape this one unscathed!
The ancient Romans accepted divine spirits and ritual magic as an everyday part of life, and the beauty of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series is that it also accepts these beliefs as real. The result is a portrayal of a fantasy Rome that would likely have been more recognizable to the people who lived at the time than the Rome we see in history books. In Victrix combines this fabulous setting with a thrilling mystery, terrific characters, spinetingling suspense, and gripping action sequences that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat.
It's been a long wait between In Numina and In Victrix, but I'm happy to say that it was well worth the wait. And I'm ready for more!
September 12, 2024
What can i say…. In one word excellent.
I fear my words will never do this latest novel set in the Egretia justice. I’ve been a reader from the very first book, and I fell in love with Felix immediately, his personality, and the way he’s written is just perfect for my style of reading. I adore Roman history and fantasy, and when you mix the two together such as Assaph has done , it’s a perfect combination. Magic, swords, murder and squid on a stick, what more could you need it a book!
From the very start, I was captivated by this new story. Every moment I was willing the characters on, I laughed, and I did in fact cry with them on occasion. (Trying not to spoiler here) The twist and turns in this latest novel surpasses those of the first two and I was out on the edge of my seat, not knowing which way the story would go.
Have recurring cast members was such a lovely boon to the story, as they have all worked well together previously even though there are only three books it feels like you have been reading about these characters forever. They are so well rounded and well written that they feel absolutely real.
If I had anything negative to say about this book, it would be that I wanted more and I hope upon Hope that we see Felix again in the future.
I fear my words will never do this latest novel set in the Egretia justice. I’ve been a reader from the very first book, and I fell in love with Felix immediately, his personality, and the way he’s written is just perfect for my style of reading. I adore Roman history and fantasy, and when you mix the two together such as Assaph has done , it’s a perfect combination. Magic, swords, murder and squid on a stick, what more could you need it a book!
From the very start, I was captivated by this new story. Every moment I was willing the characters on, I laughed, and I did in fact cry with them on occasion. (Trying not to spoiler here) The twist and turns in this latest novel surpasses those of the first two and I was out on the edge of my seat, not knowing which way the story would go.
Have recurring cast members was such a lovely boon to the story, as they have all worked well together previously even though there are only three books it feels like you have been reading about these characters forever. They are so well rounded and well written that they feel absolutely real.
If I had anything negative to say about this book, it would be that I wanted more and I hope upon Hope that we see Felix again in the future.
September 15, 2024
Really liked this book and the two books that preceded it. The characters are well developed and interesting. Complicated relationships and interactions amongst them help to make them more relatable. It is interesting to see the social similarities between ancient Egretia (Rome) and our world today. It makes me want to learn more about the Roman Republic/Empire. Definitely recommend this.
October 14, 2024
A superb mix of investigation, intrigue, incantation and action. Conjures a brilliant portal into the past and immerses you in an authentic, living, breathing Roman world. Don your finest toga and dive on in!
September 6, 2025
I had enough enemies right now without antagonising the gods.
So let's get in the right frame of mind, shall we? "When in Egretia, do as the Egretians do!" or if you prefer "Friends, Egretians, countrymen, lend me your ears…" Or just maybe a few coins, you know, with this economy anything will help some...
Warn me before you do anything stupid or dangerous.
Now many of you may be wondering if ol' Ziggy has been hitting the kykeon that's been laced with special psychotropic drugs, um, again. And though that does sound like a fun way to spend a Saturday what with the rugby on the telly, my answer is sadly no. Instead, I've been strongly influenced over the past days by Assaph Mehr's "In Victrix", a re-imagining if you will of a Rome in the late BCE's where everything works as the Romans themselves imagined it to be (borrowing heavily here on Harry Turtledove's invaluable introduction). In fact, the subtitle of the book itself - "A tale of togas, daggers, and magic" - should give you some indication of what this world holds, what with sacrifices to the gods not only working but existing as an absolute necessity (especially if you wanted to live to see the next Saturnalia) and the role of incantatores being very respected for sure! Curses! Get your curses here!
We reached a point under the temple of Cloacina, patron goddess of the sewers and marital sexual relations.
This story is at its heart a detective novel full of daring-do, more than a good dash of humor, and if not hard-boiled shenanigans, then certainly something akin to soft-boiled ones. Our sweep through this slightly skewed historical treatise has us following Spurius Vulpius Felix, known as the Fox to some … and the Weasel to others. Felix is our innately clever detective in this tale, whose slight of hand, particularly as an unlicensed but more-than-mildly skilled enchanter himself, proves to be invaluable. As does his silver tongue and nose for finding any and all manner of troubles. In many ways then, this story reminds me of another "re-imagined reality", namely that of Douglas Lumsden and his divine "Alexander Southerland, P.I." books. Both take place in human realms that have been "re-arranged" in many ways and that also rely quite heavily on both belief in higher (or lower) powers as well as naturally an excess of magic floating about, just waiting to be mishandled. Which is quite the coincidence in many ways, as Lumsden is the one who pointed out Mehr's book to me in the first place! Again, I suspect herbs and hallucinogenic mushrooms have been at play, but I refuse to have any more blood sucked out of me this month to test that theory (those damnable triglycerides!).
Your heart’s in the right place, even though your methods run from corrupt to criminal.
What both authors have in common, despite what is apparently well over 2000 years separation in their respective realities, is that they know how to weave an interesting tale of mystery, murder, and even magical intrique that often is being kept from the public eye for nefarious reasons. Mehr has definitely put together here what I'd even call a noir-ish detective story, complete with cross-dressing (not at random, no), bloody melees galore, and even the requisite mad dash through the sewers to escape a good thrashing. It all makes for a breathless and sometimes even emotionally charged time, where as usual, I couldn't work out the machinations of the guilty ahead of time even if I had tried for weeks and with a brand new stylus and wax tablet upon which to inscribe my thoughts. I'm just not built that way apparently. Oh if that was too confusing, just know I couldn't work out who the guilty party was in all this ahead of time if you held a big neon flashing sign over them saying "LOOK! The Bad Guy IS Here"…
He meant prostitutes and exotic wines. Or regular wines and exotic prostitutes.
One part I particularly enjoyed was Mehr's deep look at how the business of gladiator fighting - and also chariot racing, lest we forget how this entire scenario began - really worked… or works depending on the proper tense for reimagined situations. I had myself learned a good deal about all of this in the past and found it fascinating to see "in action", noting that this was not at University as I was strictly in the AG/Tech pipeline of educational endeavors. In fact, I don't even remember seeing history courses offered for our curriculum. Instead, I had quite an interesting visit to two separate Roman strongholds - albeit not Rome itself (yes, I've been there but even the Colosseum was almost completely covered in scaffolding as an indication of the value of that entire trip). No, my most instructional visits were in fact in the French cities of Nîmes and also Arles, both with well-preserved Roman colisseums (note different spellings!), as well as the information gleaned from the magnificent museum that "accompanies" the astonishingly well-preserved Pont du Gard in the lovely Provence region.
I'll have them exiled to a land where the local idea of a dinner party is shagging the sheep and eating the guests.
So I was thrilled to have this re-visit in this exciting tale to similar settings where I could kind of "play along" if you will with the political, geographical, and even entertainment aspects of the world around us. I will say though that no matter how fun it was to take these journeys again in my mind, these are also in part responsible for those moments when Mehr's tale kind of slowed somewhat. No, I won't say anything as crass as suggesting the story "bogged down" or "got stuck in the mire" (though that does kind of literally happen at one stage) but there are some sections where the sheer amount of details do tap the brakes a bit in terms of the reading pace. I realize that it's all valid and even necessary information, please don't misunderstand (especially noting that the final comment in the book is "Felix will return!" so all this will I assume be put to good use). I guess it's easier to just say I felt like Borax after a particularly violent street brawl and was left feeling somewhat dizzy with all the information I had to shove into my brainpan.
What a staunch republican we have, who is prepared to intimidate and eliminate those who dare to disagree with him.
(reviewer's note: that sounds oddly relevant to today's news…)
In conclusion, for me then, this was an effective and extremely entertaining IV-star read (ha! See what I did there? X out of X for that one, eh ?). I will emphasize again that you will need your wits about you when reading, as there are some rather taxing sections to get through, not to mention the fact that this mystery has a number of twists and turns to follow. And you may even find yourself doing as I did, that is, instead of referring to someone as Gaius Marcius Gaetanicus or Biggus Floppius Phallus throughout, you just switch to names like Mark and Dick (ahem) instead. It will perhaps then spare some of the wear and tear on your noggin along the way! In conclusion: May all the gods continue to protect and watch over you in the meantime! We thank you for your sufficient and abundantly generous tithing in advance…
So let's get in the right frame of mind, shall we? "When in Egretia, do as the Egretians do!" or if you prefer "Friends, Egretians, countrymen, lend me your ears…" Or just maybe a few coins, you know, with this economy anything will help some...
Warn me before you do anything stupid or dangerous.
Now many of you may be wondering if ol' Ziggy has been hitting the kykeon that's been laced with special psychotropic drugs, um, again. And though that does sound like a fun way to spend a Saturday what with the rugby on the telly, my answer is sadly no. Instead, I've been strongly influenced over the past days by Assaph Mehr's "In Victrix", a re-imagining if you will of a Rome in the late BCE's where everything works as the Romans themselves imagined it to be (borrowing heavily here on Harry Turtledove's invaluable introduction). In fact, the subtitle of the book itself - "A tale of togas, daggers, and magic" - should give you some indication of what this world holds, what with sacrifices to the gods not only working but existing as an absolute necessity (especially if you wanted to live to see the next Saturnalia) and the role of incantatores being very respected for sure! Curses! Get your curses here!
We reached a point under the temple of Cloacina, patron goddess of the sewers and marital sexual relations.
This story is at its heart a detective novel full of daring-do, more than a good dash of humor, and if not hard-boiled shenanigans, then certainly something akin to soft-boiled ones. Our sweep through this slightly skewed historical treatise has us following Spurius Vulpius Felix, known as the Fox to some … and the Weasel to others. Felix is our innately clever detective in this tale, whose slight of hand, particularly as an unlicensed but more-than-mildly skilled enchanter himself, proves to be invaluable. As does his silver tongue and nose for finding any and all manner of troubles. In many ways then, this story reminds me of another "re-imagined reality", namely that of Douglas Lumsden and his divine "Alexander Southerland, P.I." books. Both take place in human realms that have been "re-arranged" in many ways and that also rely quite heavily on both belief in higher (or lower) powers as well as naturally an excess of magic floating about, just waiting to be mishandled. Which is quite the coincidence in many ways, as Lumsden is the one who pointed out Mehr's book to me in the first place! Again, I suspect herbs and hallucinogenic mushrooms have been at play, but I refuse to have any more blood sucked out of me this month to test that theory (those damnable triglycerides!).
Your heart’s in the right place, even though your methods run from corrupt to criminal.
What both authors have in common, despite what is apparently well over 2000 years separation in their respective realities, is that they know how to weave an interesting tale of mystery, murder, and even magical intrique that often is being kept from the public eye for nefarious reasons. Mehr has definitely put together here what I'd even call a noir-ish detective story, complete with cross-dressing (not at random, no), bloody melees galore, and even the requisite mad dash through the sewers to escape a good thrashing. It all makes for a breathless and sometimes even emotionally charged time, where as usual, I couldn't work out the machinations of the guilty ahead of time even if I had tried for weeks and with a brand new stylus and wax tablet upon which to inscribe my thoughts. I'm just not built that way apparently. Oh if that was too confusing, just know I couldn't work out who the guilty party was in all this ahead of time if you held a big neon flashing sign over them saying "LOOK! The Bad Guy IS Here"…
He meant prostitutes and exotic wines. Or regular wines and exotic prostitutes.
One part I particularly enjoyed was Mehr's deep look at how the business of gladiator fighting - and also chariot racing, lest we forget how this entire scenario began - really worked… or works depending on the proper tense for reimagined situations. I had myself learned a good deal about all of this in the past and found it fascinating to see "in action", noting that this was not at University as I was strictly in the AG/Tech pipeline of educational endeavors. In fact, I don't even remember seeing history courses offered for our curriculum. Instead, I had quite an interesting visit to two separate Roman strongholds - albeit not Rome itself (yes, I've been there but even the Colosseum was almost completely covered in scaffolding as an indication of the value of that entire trip). No, my most instructional visits were in fact in the French cities of Nîmes and also Arles, both with well-preserved Roman colisseums (note different spellings!), as well as the information gleaned from the magnificent museum that "accompanies" the astonishingly well-preserved Pont du Gard in the lovely Provence region.
I'll have them exiled to a land where the local idea of a dinner party is shagging the sheep and eating the guests.
So I was thrilled to have this re-visit in this exciting tale to similar settings where I could kind of "play along" if you will with the political, geographical, and even entertainment aspects of the world around us. I will say though that no matter how fun it was to take these journeys again in my mind, these are also in part responsible for those moments when Mehr's tale kind of slowed somewhat. No, I won't say anything as crass as suggesting the story "bogged down" or "got stuck in the mire" (though that does kind of literally happen at one stage) but there are some sections where the sheer amount of details do tap the brakes a bit in terms of the reading pace. I realize that it's all valid and even necessary information, please don't misunderstand (especially noting that the final comment in the book is "Felix will return!" so all this will I assume be put to good use). I guess it's easier to just say I felt like Borax after a particularly violent street brawl and was left feeling somewhat dizzy with all the information I had to shove into my brainpan.
What a staunch republican we have, who is prepared to intimidate and eliminate those who dare to disagree with him.
(reviewer's note: that sounds oddly relevant to today's news…)
In conclusion, for me then, this was an effective and extremely entertaining IV-star read (ha! See what I did there? X out of X for that one, eh ?). I will emphasize again that you will need your wits about you when reading, as there are some rather taxing sections to get through, not to mention the fact that this mystery has a number of twists and turns to follow. And you may even find yourself doing as I did, that is, instead of referring to someone as Gaius Marcius Gaetanicus or Biggus Floppius Phallus throughout, you just switch to names like Mark and Dick (ahem) instead. It will perhaps then spare some of the wear and tear on your noggin along the way! In conclusion: May all the gods continue to protect and watch over you in the meantime! We thank you for your sufficient and abundantly generous tithing in advance…
November 7, 2024
https://www.amazon.com/Victrix-Fantas...
In Egretia as in Ancient Rome, chariot racing is sacred. Of four teams, an unlikely one wins, but later a cursed charm is found on one of the chariots. Accidents have happened and horses have become ill. Am old acquaintance of Felix is a wealthy patron who rightly suspects dark magic and sets Felix on the case.
He quickly discovers dark rituals and forbidden ceremonies. Then the child who found the cursed item and who is the daughter of a famous female gladiator is kidnapped.
The action never stops. This is a fantasy Rome with a touch of real history because the crime of kidnapping leads to involvement of real characters in historical Rome: a politician Clodius and Milo who uses street violence and gangs to intimidate his enemies. There is drama and great characterization - walk the ancient streets reality and a bittersweet ending that make me among many readers of historical fantasy wonder when book 4 will arrive and what new adventures will await the Fox.
In Egretia as in Ancient Rome, chariot racing is sacred. Of four teams, an unlikely one wins, but later a cursed charm is found on one of the chariots. Accidents have happened and horses have become ill. Am old acquaintance of Felix is a wealthy patron who rightly suspects dark magic and sets Felix on the case.
He quickly discovers dark rituals and forbidden ceremonies. Then the child who found the cursed item and who is the daughter of a famous female gladiator is kidnapped.
The action never stops. This is a fantasy Rome with a touch of real history because the crime of kidnapping leads to involvement of real characters in historical Rome: a politician Clodius and Milo who uses street violence and gangs to intimidate his enemies. There is drama and great characterization - walk the ancient streets reality and a bittersweet ending that make me among many readers of historical fantasy wonder when book 4 will arrive and what new adventures will await the Fox.
August 4, 2024
In the spirit of the way Bridge of Birds created an alternative China where magic works, Assaph Mehr has created an alternative Rome in his stories based in Egretia.
Like Master Li and Number Ten Ox, Felix and his trusty bodyguard Borax find themselves investigating unusual and magical cases. Now in his third adventure Felix finds himself in another case that challenges and threatens his life.
* Murder In Absentia - A young man is found dead in his bed, with a look of extreme agony on his face and strange tattoos all over his body.
* In Numina- A rich landlord finds tenants are abandoning his apartment buildings, spouting tales of horrific events and whispering that the old gods - the numina - came alive and cursed the buildings.
* In Victrix: Urban Fantasy in Ancient Rome- What starts as a curse on the people’s sacred institution of chariot races, soon spirals out of control.
In each adventure we learn more about Felix and Egretia, each building upon the previous story.
With In Victrix we learn more about the culture and mysticism of Egretian society, with Felix starting with what seems a straightforward case turning into a much bigger situation. This story takes us to the underbelly of society and out to the country as Felix chases clues as the mystery goes deeper.
The twists and turns of this adventure would make Sherlock Holms or even Columbo run in terror, but not Felix.
Like Master Li and Number Ten Ox, Felix and his trusty bodyguard Borax find themselves investigating unusual and magical cases. Now in his third adventure Felix finds himself in another case that challenges and threatens his life.
* Murder In Absentia - A young man is found dead in his bed, with a look of extreme agony on his face and strange tattoos all over his body.
* In Numina- A rich landlord finds tenants are abandoning his apartment buildings, spouting tales of horrific events and whispering that the old gods - the numina - came alive and cursed the buildings.
* In Victrix: Urban Fantasy in Ancient Rome- What starts as a curse on the people’s sacred institution of chariot races, soon spirals out of control.
In each adventure we learn more about Felix and Egretia, each building upon the previous story.
With In Victrix we learn more about the culture and mysticism of Egretian society, with Felix starting with what seems a straightforward case turning into a much bigger situation. This story takes us to the underbelly of society and out to the country as Felix chases clues as the mystery goes deeper.
The twists and turns of this adventure would make Sherlock Holms or even Columbo run in terror, but not Felix.
August 4, 2024
This book has been a while in the making. I had the first draft written and out to the first alpha readers by end of 2019, was chugging along nicely writing another novel, and then... And then 2020 hit, life went crazy, and free time evaporated.
By the time lockdowns ended I had changed jobs, and started to tentatively write again. Only for 2021 to see the second wave of crazy. By the time that ended, we were busy with kids’ schools, demanding workplaces, and planning an interstate move. It took until the middle of 2023 till I gave up on things ever settling down and just resumed editing whenever I could.
On the bright side, having some distance from the work gave me more space to craft a better story. I could more easily murder my literary darlings — both linguistic and narrative — for a story that my early readers have claimed is my best yet.
Speaking of whom, I — and you, my gentle reader — should thank my wife, kids, cats, dog, Tasmanian sunsets, a metric tonne of birds by volume (of noise), and the occasional echidna for helping me build character through adversity and power on writing through the distractions. A special shout-out goes out to the lock on my study door.
Special thanks go to Harry Turtledove, for the wonderful introduction. The support of endorsement of Sci-Fi and Fantasy’s Grandmaster of Alternate History (and a notable historian for the period) mean the world to me! Seems like I got much right in this novel :-)
By the time lockdowns ended I had changed jobs, and started to tentatively write again. Only for 2021 to see the second wave of crazy. By the time that ended, we were busy with kids’ schools, demanding workplaces, and planning an interstate move. It took until the middle of 2023 till I gave up on things ever settling down and just resumed editing whenever I could.
On the bright side, having some distance from the work gave me more space to craft a better story. I could more easily murder my literary darlings — both linguistic and narrative — for a story that my early readers have claimed is my best yet.
Speaking of whom, I — and you, my gentle reader — should thank my wife, kids, cats, dog, Tasmanian sunsets, a metric tonne of birds by volume (of noise), and the occasional echidna for helping me build character through adversity and power on writing through the distractions. A special shout-out goes out to the lock on my study door.
Special thanks go to Harry Turtledove, for the wonderful introduction. The support of endorsement of Sci-Fi and Fantasy’s Grandmaster of Alternate History (and a notable historian for the period) mean the world to me! Seems like I got much right in this novel :-)
June 7, 2025
Felix is at it again, getting into a mystery that is way over his pay grade. He is hired by the owner of the whites racing team to discover whether they have been hexed and if they have who is responsible. Felix seeing a decent pay day is only too pleased to take the job.......the twist being that his employer,the whites owner is a female and one.from a noble family at that. Felix cannot know it yt? Taking this job woll.send.him down the rabbit hole again, conspiracy everywhere but no clear motive for anyone to want to harm his client...........then things take a disturbing turn and everyone, Felix his client, her loved ones and Amelia........yes, she's back.........they may not make.it.out.of.this.one.alive......
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews