What do you think?
Rate this book
Pixie for Hire #2
Trickster Noir
Book Two in the Pixie for Hire series, Trickster Noir picks up where Pixie Noir ended. Lom, the little pixie with the tough-guy mentality, has proposed to Bella. All should be well, but their happily-ever-after is in grave danger. Threats from both Underhill and the human realms are closing in on them, and the fairy princess raised Alaskan redneck has to learn on the job, and fast!
- GenresFantasy
314 pages, ebook
First published April 29, 2014
About the author
Cedar Sanderson
130 books62 followersAuthor, illustrator, perennially inquisitive. Urban fantasy with pixies, cozy supernatural sleuthing, & sci-fi twists. Books & art at http://cedarwrites.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 26, 2015
I enjoyed the first book. Pixie Noir, so much, I had to go pick up the second as soon as I was able. I started reading late in the evening and got so engrossed in the story that the next thing I knew, it was the end of the book and it was morning. The continuing adventures of Lom and Bella are charming, engaging and fun. The blending of different cultures mythologies is done well and doesn't twist them out of tradition to fit the writer's agenda for the story. They are folded in seamlessly. I loved the interplay of the characters and the warming of Lom's heart. I can't wait for the third book to come out.
August 13, 2014
An enjoyable continuation of the adventures of Bella and Lom! In this one, the initial portion is all about nursing Lom back from the brink of death (from the events of the previous story). Things look dicey for a while, and Bella has to take over part of his job in the interim, but eventually everyone is back up and taking new magical repo-man assignments.
A brief interlude for wedding arrangements, and then the second half of the story takes us to the Eastern Court and we get to explore the Asian / Russian portion of the Underhill world, which is much wilder than the Western counterpart that we visited in the last book.
To some extent, the separate halves of the book seemed almost unrelated to one another, and the pace in the middle got rather slow while the wedding arrangements were discussed (with all the concomitant politics), but it was a nice payoff to see it happen, after the omnipresent danger of the first book.
I'll definitely be reading further installments of their adventures!
A brief interlude for wedding arrangements, and then the second half of the story takes us to the Eastern Court and we get to explore the Asian / Russian portion of the Underhill world, which is much wilder than the Western counterpart that we visited in the last book.
To some extent, the separate halves of the book seemed almost unrelated to one another, and the pace in the middle got rather slow while the wedding arrangements were discussed (with all the concomitant politics), but it was a nice payoff to see it happen, after the omnipresent danger of the first book.
I'll definitely be reading further installments of their adventures!
October 11, 2014
If you liked Pixie Noir, You'll like trickster Noir. I don't do spoilers but the love affair of Bella and Lom continue with danger around every corner.
August 11, 2024
This is the twentieth volume by Sanderson that I have read. I first encountered the works of Cedar in Cracked: An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories, and after reading her piece there knew I had to track down and read more from her pen. I had picked up, book 1, Pixie Noir, a while ago but had not got around to reading it, recently when Sanderson rebranded these books with new covers, I finally read book 1, a while ago, but had not got around to reading it. It was my loss for not reading these books sooner. When Sanderson rebranded the series with new covers in 2024, I was far more intrigued and started reading book 1 right away. I loved the new cover so much, I even returned my original eBook and bought it again to have the new cover, and I picked up the trilogy with the new covers, before even reading this one. It was well worth the read, and my loss that I had not read it when I first picked it up.
The description of this volume states:
“After the battle of Tower Baelfire ended, Lom lay dying. Bella was tasked with not only the job she never wanted, but the one she did. Could she keep Lom alive long enough for him to come to the rescue when their kingdom needed them?
And what did Raven, mysterious trickster spirit and honorary uncle to Bella, want with them? If the threat was big enough to have the trickster worried, Bella knew she needed to have Lom at her side. Underhill might look like a soap-bubble kingdom, but Bella and Lom knew there was a gritty underside. Why else would fairyland need a dark man like Lom willing to carry a big gun and be the Pixie for Hire?”
This was another incredible read from Sanderson’s masterful pen. It is an wonderful story of triumph after a tragedy and almost all is believed to be lost. Lom has even more to be worked through and overcome in this second volume in the series. I have clear ideas where the story goes from here and I look forward to finding out if I am correct!
The characters are incredibly well written. Lom and Bella, again, just wow. Watching them find their place in this new adventure, engaged, Bella the consort to the king. Lom without any magic. It is written in such a way that you become completely enthralled in the story. You will find it near impossible to put the book down. The pace is a mix of hurry up and wait, but once the action begins oh my what action! This time they must battle trolls, a dragon, even a legend come to life. And let’s not forget Baba Yaga’s house. This story is an excellent second instalment in the trilogy and leaves you wanting more!
I have been greatly impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read to date, and have very much enjoyed her recently works published under the name of Lilania Begley. The quick way I would describe this volume and series is Epic fantasy meets Mike Hammer or Spenser! A hard working gal trying to get a job done, a job no one else could likely do, and what a beautiful dame she is. She is a dame with great power, strength of character and brilliant mind. And Lom side-lined from the last battle, feeble of body, and after an overheard conversation doubting of mind, but some time with Raven’s uncle might just do the trick.. It was so very hard to put down. Sanderson spin on folk tales, fairy tales, and native legends, woven into the noir mystery and she creates a masterfully written story. It is an epic adventure where myths and legends come to life both above and Underhill. I can easily recommend this novel and series they are great reads.
The description of this volume states:
“After the battle of Tower Baelfire ended, Lom lay dying. Bella was tasked with not only the job she never wanted, but the one she did. Could she keep Lom alive long enough for him to come to the rescue when their kingdom needed them?
And what did Raven, mysterious trickster spirit and honorary uncle to Bella, want with them? If the threat was big enough to have the trickster worried, Bella knew she needed to have Lom at her side. Underhill might look like a soap-bubble kingdom, but Bella and Lom knew there was a gritty underside. Why else would fairyland need a dark man like Lom willing to carry a big gun and be the Pixie for Hire?”
This was another incredible read from Sanderson’s masterful pen. It is an wonderful story of triumph after a tragedy and almost all is believed to be lost. Lom has even more to be worked through and overcome in this second volume in the series. I have clear ideas where the story goes from here and I look forward to finding out if I am correct!
The characters are incredibly well written. Lom and Bella, again, just wow. Watching them find their place in this new adventure, engaged, Bella the consort to the king. Lom without any magic. It is written in such a way that you become completely enthralled in the story. You will find it near impossible to put the book down. The pace is a mix of hurry up and wait, but once the action begins oh my what action! This time they must battle trolls, a dragon, even a legend come to life. And let’s not forget Baba Yaga’s house. This story is an excellent second instalment in the trilogy and leaves you wanting more!
I have been greatly impressed with all of Sanderson’s writing that I have read to date, and have very much enjoyed her recently works published under the name of Lilania Begley. The quick way I would describe this volume and series is Epic fantasy meets Mike Hammer or Spenser! A hard working gal trying to get a job done, a job no one else could likely do, and what a beautiful dame she is. She is a dame with great power, strength of character and brilliant mind. And Lom side-lined from the last battle, feeble of body, and after an overheard conversation doubting of mind, but some time with Raven’s uncle might just do the trick.. It was so very hard to put down. Sanderson spin on folk tales, fairy tales, and native legends, woven into the noir mystery and she creates a masterfully written story. It is an epic adventure where myths and legends come to life both above and Underhill. I can easily recommend this novel and series they are great reads.
December 11, 2018
Great fantasy, the H is recovering and is stripped of his magic, but the h has more than enough to protect them. I liked this but didn't love it as I am the evil was a common trope, but the adventure was anything but common. So 4 stars for a fun, clean romp. Shame about that, more action and less innuendo would have been better. The H seemed a little too smooth, verging on James Bond leering, except it was with his wife. Would have loved some scenes with more to them than cheesy lines. Gosh I'm hard to please.
August 31, 2025
another great read from Cedar Sanderson
I bought book 4 in this series. I decided to reread the first 3. I never left a review. That is unlike me.
This is a well written book about a number of different tales. Ms. Sanderson has included fairies, indigenous people’s tales, Japanese, Russian, and Greek fables in this book. She writes a tight and interesting story. You want to keep reading to find out what happens next.
You do have to read book 1 to understand the storyline. I highly recommend this series!
I bought book 4 in this series. I decided to reread the first 3. I never left a review. That is unlike me.
This is a well written book about a number of different tales. Ms. Sanderson has included fairies, indigenous people’s tales, Japanese, Russian, and Greek fables in this book. She writes a tight and interesting story. You want to keep reading to find out what happens next.
You do have to read book 1 to understand the storyline. I highly recommend this series!
April 17, 2018
A fun read. Caught my imagination and kept it alive the whole book........B
June 28, 2021
Good action
Good story, good characters, good plot. It kept me awake and interested in what would happen next. It's all good words in a row.
Good story, good characters, good plot. It kept me awake and interested in what would happen next. It's all good words in a row.
October 17, 2022
Fun sequel
A story set in a fairy/modern world world well done. This story makes a suitable sequel, advancing the details of the world and characters.
A story set in a fairy/modern world world well done. This story makes a suitable sequel, advancing the details of the world and characters.
March 16, 2024
Fun
I enjoyed the story what with all the action but there was not enough off it. Every action in the story was good just not enough.
I enjoyed the story what with all the action but there was not enough off it. Every action in the story was good just not enough.
November 17, 2025
Another fun installment
Well worth the read. Like the last one it's a fun romp. A bit on the nose and rushed in places but fantastic overall. Definitely recommend!
Well worth the read. Like the last one it's a fun romp. A bit on the nose and rushed in places but fantastic overall. Definitely recommend!
May 1, 2014
(I got ahold of a pre-release copy of Trickster Noir that I used to create this review.)
There was a TV show called Mannix that I used to watch long ago. The hero was a private eye. It seemed like every week he'd get in a scrape, there'd be a lot of tough-guy action, and as often as not someone would put lead in him.Cedar SandersonTrickster Noir
But he would tough it out and solve the crime or whatever. Then he would retire to his sickbed to recover in time for next week's adventure.
If you haven't read Pixie Noir, I will try not to spoil it more than to say the hero doesn't die at the end, but he does get hurt.
Unlike Joe Mannix, Lom, the pixie bounty hunter, doesn't get all better before the next episode starts. That episode is Trickster Noir.
There's some cleaning up to do of messes left over from Pixie Noir. First, there's a nest of ogres who need to get hunted down. Happily, there's a friendly bigfoot who doesn't want the attention the ogres are attracting. And then there's Bella's friends and family who are pretty good with guns and bomb-making. The ogres don't stand a chance.
That gives Lom time to heal before getting on with the main business of the novel. If you know anything about American Indian lore, you may have heard of the Raven spirit. Seems he's got a problem and can't or won't go to Siberia to solve it himself.
And the Fairy court has a similar mission in Japan. Lom and Bella figure they can kill two birds with one stone if they combine both missions.
Of course, they need a decent cover story to explain to all the gossips why they're heading to the other side of the world. And they oblige by providing not one, but two weddings.
Ms. Sanderson may be a bit too anxious to depict the chastity of her protagonists. And a bit too elaborate in the wedding planning. Maybe this is because I'm male and leave wedding planning to the fairer sex. I appreciate the fact that Bella and Lom wait until their union has been solemnized in a manner appropriate to their respective cultures before they consummate their relationship.
One of the things I intimated, but did not state overtly here is that I think sexual congress belongs within the context of monogamous marriage. Stories that show 007 jumping from bed to bed should also show his inability to make a permanent connection with anyone. I believe it is untrue to depict sexual promiscuity seamlessly settling into happily ever after without significant negative consequences.
But that's just my opinion and I've no desire to make you feel bad if you do not share it.
Ms. Sanderson does not preach at this point, but she does belabor the good example of Lom and Bella enough to notice. And when folks notice they get the idea you might be preaching.
There's been a recent flap wherein Social Justice Warriors have insisted that story be sacrificed on the altar of The Message. They insist that you have just the right number of transgendered third-world bohemian have-nots depicted in a caring and sympathetic fashion. Frankly, this is a demand that writing become preaching.
Preaching is just as annoying when it is anti-Christian as when it is pro-Christian. If you absolutely must put a Message into your writing. Then encode it in the first letters of each sentence where it won't club the reader over the head with the subtlety of an Eskimo dispatching a baby seal.
Happily, you'll find no such clubbing in Trickster Noir. It is as much fun as Pixie Noir. A lot of questions about Ms. Sanderson's world-building are nicely answered. And as many backstory questions are left unanswered. What exactly did Lom do to get on the wrong side of the law? And what unhappy fate befell his first wife? I guess we'll just have to wait until Ms. Sanderson's next "Noir" novel.
Five stars.
There was a TV show called Mannix that I used to watch long ago. The hero was a private eye. It seemed like every week he'd get in a scrape, there'd be a lot of tough-guy action, and as often as not someone would put lead in him.Cedar SandersonTrickster Noir
But he would tough it out and solve the crime or whatever. Then he would retire to his sickbed to recover in time for next week's adventure.
If you haven't read Pixie Noir, I will try not to spoil it more than to say the hero doesn't die at the end, but he does get hurt.
Unlike Joe Mannix, Lom, the pixie bounty hunter, doesn't get all better before the next episode starts. That episode is Trickster Noir.
There's some cleaning up to do of messes left over from Pixie Noir. First, there's a nest of ogres who need to get hunted down. Happily, there's a friendly bigfoot who doesn't want the attention the ogres are attracting. And then there's Bella's friends and family who are pretty good with guns and bomb-making. The ogres don't stand a chance.
That gives Lom time to heal before getting on with the main business of the novel. If you know anything about American Indian lore, you may have heard of the Raven spirit. Seems he's got a problem and can't or won't go to Siberia to solve it himself.
And the Fairy court has a similar mission in Japan. Lom and Bella figure they can kill two birds with one stone if they combine both missions.
Of course, they need a decent cover story to explain to all the gossips why they're heading to the other side of the world. And they oblige by providing not one, but two weddings.
Ms. Sanderson may be a bit too anxious to depict the chastity of her protagonists. And a bit too elaborate in the wedding planning. Maybe this is because I'm male and leave wedding planning to the fairer sex. I appreciate the fact that Bella and Lom wait until their union has been solemnized in a manner appropriate to their respective cultures before they consummate their relationship.
One of the things I intimated, but did not state overtly here is that I think sexual congress belongs within the context of monogamous marriage. Stories that show 007 jumping from bed to bed should also show his inability to make a permanent connection with anyone. I believe it is untrue to depict sexual promiscuity seamlessly settling into happily ever after without significant negative consequences.
But that's just my opinion and I've no desire to make you feel bad if you do not share it.
Ms. Sanderson does not preach at this point, but she does belabor the good example of Lom and Bella enough to notice. And when folks notice they get the idea you might be preaching.
There's been a recent flap wherein Social Justice Warriors have insisted that story be sacrificed on the altar of The Message. They insist that you have just the right number of transgendered third-world bohemian have-nots depicted in a caring and sympathetic fashion. Frankly, this is a demand that writing become preaching.
Preaching is just as annoying when it is anti-Christian as when it is pro-Christian. If you absolutely must put a Message into your writing. Then encode it in the first letters of each sentence where it won't club the reader over the head with the subtlety of an Eskimo dispatching a baby seal.
Happily, you'll find no such clubbing in Trickster Noir. It is as much fun as Pixie Noir. A lot of questions about Ms. Sanderson's world-building are nicely answered. And as many backstory questions are left unanswered. What exactly did Lom do to get on the wrong side of the law? And what unhappy fate befell his first wife? I guess we'll just have to wait until Ms. Sanderson's next "Noir" novel.
Five stars.
September 5, 2015
Good fun, I raced through it. I'm looking forward to the next one in the series. It's not so much the plot and the pacing and the world (I'm lukewarm about books involving the fey in general) but the fact that I'm attached to the characters now and I want to see what happens with them.
April 15, 2015
Enjoyable quick read.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews