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The Imposter King #2
The Wretched Spy: The Imposter King: An Ancient Mesopotamian Fantasy Series, Book 2
Within the city walls, a monster hunt rages. Outside, an army marches.
For Ahsan and the beast hiding under his skin, the safest place to hide is behind enemy lines. These days, the trick is knowing where that is. When the Blight Hunt comes to Sippar, it's all he can do to escape scrutiny. Yet when his plans go awry and his deadly secret risks being exposed, he finds he's not the only one harboring dark truths—nor the only one in peril.
Nirah has advanced in her priestess arts, but when disaster arrives on her doorstep, she will stop at nothing to save the city she loves—and the man she loves. Yet as a mysterious force advances and Sippar is thrown into chaos, everything she knows crumbles, and she must decide where her faith truly lies.
It is a wicked evil that coils around Sippar, and an enemy older than anyone realizes. Amongst epic floods and bloodshed, royal cabals and allegations of dark magic, Ahsan and Nirah are again drawn together, each other's best chance for survival.
Book 2 in The Imposter King series, The Wretched Spy is packed with ancient monsters, sizzling romance, bronze-age warfare, and more. Continue the saga today.
For Ahsan and the beast hiding under his skin, the safest place to hide is behind enemy lines. These days, the trick is knowing where that is. When the Blight Hunt comes to Sippar, it's all he can do to escape scrutiny. Yet when his plans go awry and his deadly secret risks being exposed, he finds he's not the only one harboring dark truths—nor the only one in peril.
Nirah has advanced in her priestess arts, but when disaster arrives on her doorstep, she will stop at nothing to save the city she loves—and the man she loves. Yet as a mysterious force advances and Sippar is thrown into chaos, everything she knows crumbles, and she must decide where her faith truly lies.
It is a wicked evil that coils around Sippar, and an enemy older than anyone realizes. Amongst epic floods and bloodshed, royal cabals and allegations of dark magic, Ahsan and Nirah are again drawn together, each other's best chance for survival.
Book 2 in The Imposter King series, The Wretched Spy is packed with ancient monsters, sizzling romance, bronze-age warfare, and more. Continue the saga today.
Audible Audio
Published November 6, 2023
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About the author
Eli Hinze
15 books111 followersEli Hinze is the author of ancient fantasy series with high stakes and slow burn. She writes immersive stories shaped by her love of cultural anthropology, myth, and history, all balanced with the wildly fantastical, the gritty with the romantic.
Get her books at elihinze.com or at your favorite retailer.
When not writing, Eli likes to read, draw, cook, and watch everything from anime to horror movies with her husband.
Get her books at elihinze.com or at your favorite retailer.
When not writing, Eli likes to read, draw, cook, and watch everything from anime to horror movies with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
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June 22, 2023This book was a race to the finish, and I am so happy it's finally out in the world. While I don’t remember a manuscript as challenging as this one, I also don’t remember any as fun to write. (And not only because I used some of my favorite tropes in this book, such as 'Hardcore Old Man Kicks Ass' or certain gut-punching twists I won't spoil here.)
What will become of Ahsan and Nirah? Will the city-wide monster hunt expose Ahsan's deadly secret? Just who is attacking the city? Read The Wretched Spy today and find out!
What will become of Ahsan and Nirah? Will the city-wide monster hunt expose Ahsan's deadly secret? Just who is attacking the city? Read The Wretched Spy today and find out!
June 21, 2023
Review originally published on JamReads
The Wretched Spy is the second book in the Mesopotamian-inspired historical fantasy series The Imposter King, written by Eli Hinze. After escaping his presumable death as an imposter king, Ahsan got a job as a merchant for the king of Sippar; still struggling with the beast behind his skin, the Blight Hunt's arrival to the city will only make him feel even more insecure, trying to go as far as possible while hiding his secret.
The discovery of an army while on one of his travels will push Ahsan to assume a new risk following the orders of the king: spying on his behalf and investigating why they are targeting Sippar. Despite being a dangerous task, the pressure from the king and the fear of being discovered as a beast by the Blight Hunt pushes him into it, finding more than he ever expected.
In the meanwhile, Nirah has advanced in her priestess arts, but with a disaster at the doors of Sippar, she will try to do the best on her hands to save the city or Ahsan. She knows Ahsan is occulting something from her eyes, but the appreciation that she has for him will move her into doing the unthinkable.
In this second book, the relationship between Ahsan and Nirah grows, after what we've seen in the past. Personally, I liked seeing how Nirah risks herself to protect Ahsan, in a different attitude from what we saw previously; our two main characters collaborating in order to prevent the disaster that threatens Sippar makes an excellent subplot.
Stakes are higher in this book, making the story even more compelling, including some twists in the plot that I didn't really expect. While it seemed unrelated to the acts in The Imposter King, all have a sense, a complicated net weaved using details from the previous book.
Worldbuilding gets expanded, including more details of the cities around Sippar, and getting to explore more about the fantastical elements of this series (special mention is deserved by the mythological/monstrous creatures). Hinze shows the research she has done about the historical period, trying to be as true as possible to the historical period.
The Wretched Spy is an excellent second installment in this Mesopotamian-inspired series. If you haven't read yet the first book, I totally ask you to do it as soon as possible, because you will discover your new favourite series. For me, book 3 can't come soon enough, especially after that ending!
The Wretched Spy is the second book in the Mesopotamian-inspired historical fantasy series The Imposter King, written by Eli Hinze. After escaping his presumable death as an imposter king, Ahsan got a job as a merchant for the king of Sippar; still struggling with the beast behind his skin, the Blight Hunt's arrival to the city will only make him feel even more insecure, trying to go as far as possible while hiding his secret.
The discovery of an army while on one of his travels will push Ahsan to assume a new risk following the orders of the king: spying on his behalf and investigating why they are targeting Sippar. Despite being a dangerous task, the pressure from the king and the fear of being discovered as a beast by the Blight Hunt pushes him into it, finding more than he ever expected.
In the meanwhile, Nirah has advanced in her priestess arts, but with a disaster at the doors of Sippar, she will try to do the best on her hands to save the city or Ahsan. She knows Ahsan is occulting something from her eyes, but the appreciation that she has for him will move her into doing the unthinkable.
In this second book, the relationship between Ahsan and Nirah grows, after what we've seen in the past. Personally, I liked seeing how Nirah risks herself to protect Ahsan, in a different attitude from what we saw previously; our two main characters collaborating in order to prevent the disaster that threatens Sippar makes an excellent subplot.
Stakes are higher in this book, making the story even more compelling, including some twists in the plot that I didn't really expect. While it seemed unrelated to the acts in The Imposter King, all have a sense, a complicated net weaved using details from the previous book.
Worldbuilding gets expanded, including more details of the cities around Sippar, and getting to explore more about the fantastical elements of this series (special mention is deserved by the mythological/monstrous creatures). Hinze shows the research she has done about the historical period, trying to be as true as possible to the historical period.
The Wretched Spy is an excellent second installment in this Mesopotamian-inspired series. If you haven't read yet the first book, I totally ask you to do it as soon as possible, because you will discover your new favourite series. For me, book 3 can't come soon enough, especially after that ending!
July 1, 2025
I just finished The Wretched Spy , and I can't wait for the November when next installment releases. (This is why I hate starting series before they're complete - the waiting is torturous!)
The Wretched Spy delivered on several of the things that held me back from giving The Imposter King a full 5, namely more development on the fantasy elements of monsters and magic. In the initial book, the existence of monsters and human/monster hybrids was introduced, but developed very little. Likewise, magic was not really a plot point in the first book. The second book definitely had both of these elements in abundance as well as further development of the slow-burning romance between Ahsan and Nirah. In spite of the advancement in those areas of the plot, I still have plenty of questions in need of answering. I'm hoping we learn more about Ahsan's ama, as well as about the origins of this new magic and the monsters. (I have theories!)
One thing I love about well-researched historical (insert fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, etc) books is that the information in them often leads me down rabbit trails of looking up information. I could normally read a book of this size much more quickly than I did, but I kept having to look up answers to questions about things like historical info about the city of Sippar, the geography of the area, languages of the times and what tribes would have spoken them, etc. While it took far longer, the experience was all the richer and more engaging for it.
Obviously, in reading a fantasy novel, there is a certain suspension of belief that occurs. But I did find there were some actions of the part of the protagonists that I just didn't buy (and made note of in my kindle annotations). In retrospect, I can see how these questionable actions moved the plot, buuuuuut I think what the author was trying to accomplish could have been achieved with a different set of events that was more believable in regards to our characters' thoughts/actions. This is one of the areas where I have questions that I don't think will ever be answered, which is a letdown. But I suppose in real life we don't always get every question answered either. Regardless of that disappointment, I highly enjoyed my reading experience and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Well done, Eli ... now bring on The Wayward Heir!
4.5⭐ rounded up.
The Wretched Spy delivered on several of the things that held me back from giving The Imposter King a full 5, namely more development on the fantasy elements of monsters and magic. In the initial book, the existence of monsters and human/monster hybrids was introduced, but developed very little. Likewise, magic was not really a plot point in the first book. The second book definitely had both of these elements in abundance as well as further development of the slow-burning romance between Ahsan and Nirah. In spite of the advancement in those areas of the plot, I still have plenty of questions in need of answering. I'm hoping we learn more about Ahsan's ama, as well as about the origins of this new magic and the monsters. (I have theories!)
One thing I love about well-researched historical (insert fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, etc) books is that the information in them often leads me down rabbit trails of looking up information. I could normally read a book of this size much more quickly than I did, but I kept having to look up answers to questions about things like historical info about the city of Sippar, the geography of the area, languages of the times and what tribes would have spoken them, etc. While it took far longer, the experience was all the richer and more engaging for it.
Obviously, in reading a fantasy novel, there is a certain suspension of belief that occurs. But I did find there were some actions of the part of the protagonists that I just didn't buy (and made note of in my kindle annotations). In retrospect, I can see how these questionable actions moved the plot, buuuuuut I think what the author was trying to accomplish could have been achieved with a different set of events that was more believable in regards to our characters' thoughts/actions. This is one of the areas where I have questions that I don't think will ever be answered, which is a letdown. But I suppose in real life we don't always get every question answered either. Regardless of that disappointment, I highly enjoyed my reading experience and am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Well done, Eli ... now bring on The Wayward Heir!
4.5⭐ rounded up.
September 9, 2025
I want to say thank you to Regale Press and NetGalley for the ALC!
Eli Hinze has an absolute gift for storytelling - one that draws you in so completely, it feels like you’ve stepped through the pages and into the world they’ve created. Every detail is so vivid, so textured, that it’s almost like you can taste the air and hear the echo of whispered secrets down shadowy corridors.
Since this is the second book I was curious to see how this would compare and it delivered and then some. This book is just as captivating, if not more so. It sinks its hooks into you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the final line.
And I have to give a huge shoutout to the narrator of the audiobook - what a phenomenal performance! The delivery, pacing, and emotional nuance brought an extra layer of immersion to an already gripping story. Every voice felt distinct and authentic. It truly elevated the whole experience.
I’m still emotionally recovering from the rollercoaster that is Ahsan and Nirah’s story. Truly, my heart aches for these two. Eli has a talent for writing characters so lovable and real that you just want to wrap them in a blanket and protect them from all harm and then she mercilessly puts them through it all.
No spoilers here, but there’s a particular twist that left me completely gobsmacked.
In short: this book is a masterpiece. Emotionally devastating in the best way, beautifully written, powerfully narrated, and utterly unforgettable.
Eli Hinze has an absolute gift for storytelling - one that draws you in so completely, it feels like you’ve stepped through the pages and into the world they’ve created. Every detail is so vivid, so textured, that it’s almost like you can taste the air and hear the echo of whispered secrets down shadowy corridors.
Since this is the second book I was curious to see how this would compare and it delivered and then some. This book is just as captivating, if not more so. It sinks its hooks into you from the very first page and doesn’t let go until the final line.
And I have to give a huge shoutout to the narrator of the audiobook - what a phenomenal performance! The delivery, pacing, and emotional nuance brought an extra layer of immersion to an already gripping story. Every voice felt distinct and authentic. It truly elevated the whole experience.
I’m still emotionally recovering from the rollercoaster that is Ahsan and Nirah’s story. Truly, my heart aches for these two. Eli has a talent for writing characters so lovable and real that you just want to wrap them in a blanket and protect them from all harm and then she mercilessly puts them through it all.
No spoilers here, but there’s a particular twist that left me completely gobsmacked.
In short: this book is a masterpiece. Emotionally devastating in the best way, beautifully written, powerfully narrated, and utterly unforgettable.
September 13, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5, rounded up)
The author knows how to deliver twists and turns that leave you dying to know what happens next. That said, the pacing felt uneven at times and slowed down in the middle, which pulled me out of the story a bit. Still, it was a beautiful book overall, and I’m already cooking up my own theories about Ahsan’s mother and that necklace. Fingers crossed, we get answers in book three.
Now, let’s talk about Ahsan. Why does he insist on getting in his own way? Repeat after me: the king is not my friend. He tries so hard to be the “good guy,” when the truth is he already is. I just wish he would slow down, trust himself, and stop second-guessing every move.
Despite the bumps, I’m invested. The world, the intrigue, and the emotional pull all kept me hooked, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next installment.
The author knows how to deliver twists and turns that leave you dying to know what happens next. That said, the pacing felt uneven at times and slowed down in the middle, which pulled me out of the story a bit. Still, it was a beautiful book overall, and I’m already cooking up my own theories about Ahsan’s mother and that necklace. Fingers crossed, we get answers in book three.
Now, let’s talk about Ahsan. Why does he insist on getting in his own way? Repeat after me: the king is not my friend. He tries so hard to be the “good guy,” when the truth is he already is. I just wish he would slow down, trust himself, and stop second-guessing every move.
Despite the bumps, I’m invested. The world, the intrigue, and the emotional pull all kept me hooked, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2025
🎙️ Narration: 4/5
📖 Book: 4/5
▶️ Playback Speed: 2x
A dive back into Hinze’s incredible Mesopotamian inspired fantasy world!
First off- can we just applaud the fact that this book begins with a summary of Book 1! If you don’t need it, skip it, but if you are like me and can remember the vibes, but not always the plot points after you’ve taken a break from a series, this small act felt like a love letter to her readers by someone who themselves is also a reader.
Now onto the story, I really enjoyed that we got an expansion on the monster storyline and the fact that despite all that Ahsan went through in book one, he still finds himself pulled into another adventure. The characters were rich and the imagery Hinze manages to create is nothing short of remarkable. I love getting to explore this world with Hinze and the slow burn of the romance is still going strong. I did find the pacing on this book to be a bit slower than the first, despite there being more action. However, I definitely feel that this book ends with a bang, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one!
The narration was also great. I really enjoy the music choice between the chapters as it gives the listener a great audio cue that we are changing chapters, but it also felt appropriate for the story.
In summary if you:
-Enjoyed Book 1
-Crave more Mesopotamian Fantasy
-Want more monsters and mystery
Then you should absolutely continue with Eli Hinze’s The Wretched Spy!
Thank you to Eli Hinze, Regale Press, and Netgalley for a gifted Advanced Listening Copy of this book.
📖 Book: 4/5
▶️ Playback Speed: 2x
A dive back into Hinze’s incredible Mesopotamian inspired fantasy world!
First off- can we just applaud the fact that this book begins with a summary of Book 1! If you don’t need it, skip it, but if you are like me and can remember the vibes, but not always the plot points after you’ve taken a break from a series, this small act felt like a love letter to her readers by someone who themselves is also a reader.
Now onto the story, I really enjoyed that we got an expansion on the monster storyline and the fact that despite all that Ahsan went through in book one, he still finds himself pulled into another adventure. The characters were rich and the imagery Hinze manages to create is nothing short of remarkable. I love getting to explore this world with Hinze and the slow burn of the romance is still going strong. I did find the pacing on this book to be a bit slower than the first, despite there being more action. However, I definitely feel that this book ends with a bang, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one!
The narration was also great. I really enjoy the music choice between the chapters as it gives the listener a great audio cue that we are changing chapters, but it also felt appropriate for the story.
In summary if you:
-Enjoyed Book 1
-Crave more Mesopotamian Fantasy
-Want more monsters and mystery
Then you should absolutely continue with Eli Hinze’s The Wretched Spy!
Thank you to Eli Hinze, Regale Press, and Netgalley for a gifted Advanced Listening Copy of this book.
December 17, 2025
This was an amazing continuation from The Imposter King. The expansion of this world regarding the magic and monsters was very interesting and leaves me curious to learn more in future books, the mysteries from the last book have been answered and replaced with several more that I can't wait to figure out in the future, and I really enjoyed all the characters and their interactions with stand outs being the badass Zimri (who I hope we see more of in the future), the slow burn between Ahsan and Nirah and that amazingly tense scene between Ahsan and Meshki-Angasher that had me on the edge of my seat. Overall I can't wait to read the next book and I'll definitely have to look up some of the research texts Eli used so I can learn more about this story's Mesopotamian setting.
September 10, 2025
The intrigue, the drama, the misdirection…. This story had so many twists and turns, not just this book but this series is so wonderfully developed so far. The longing between the main characters is perfectly placed to keep you interested but not distract from the story. The development of allies and enemies and wondering who is who keeps you on tenterhooks while reading and the world is written perfectly for the tale. I am totally hooked!
The narrator is perfect for this story. He brings every character to life and his vocal inflection makes you feel the urgency the characters feel or whatever emotion is being felt/conveyed at the time.
The narrator is perfect for this story. He brings every character to life and his vocal inflection makes you feel the urgency the characters feel or whatever emotion is being felt/conveyed at the time.
June 12, 2023
Eli Hinze has an absolute gift for creating a world so tangible you can almost taste it. The Imposter King was brilliant, and The Wretched Spy is no less captivating. My heart aches for poor Ahsan and Nirah, who our lovely author tortures (metaphorically) so exquisitely throughout the book. Every time I thought, "No, you wouldn't do that to our precious cinnamon roll, would you?" trust me, dear reader, the author most certainly *would.* No spoilers, but that twist had me gasping and greedy for book 3! A true masterpiece of a novel! 5/5 stars, no notes!
October 18, 2025
This is book two in a Mesopotamian inspired Fantasy series, and it continues just as book one left off ! Readers will enjoy more details about the city, it's fantastical monsters, and an evolving relationship for Ashan, the main character! Lots of twists and turns will keep the reader engaged, with lots of drama and heart. Martinez's narration was top notch!
October 9, 2025
I was provided with an advanced reader copy of this works audio book release free of charge from Netgalley in return for an honest review.
The audio quality is amazing . I love the music that plays between each chapter and changes to suit the mood of the story as it moves on. The narration itself is beautifully done and really brings the story to life. Each character is given their own accent and mannerisms so that the reader is never in doubt of who is speaking to who.
This is the second book of the series and I adored the 1st and I really loved this read too. The world building and lore of story is super well done and very very beautiful. This one moves slightly faster in pace than the first and takes place not long after the events of the first. ( I really like that it provides a recap for readers so that if its been some time between finishing the 1st and picking up the second, you as the reader, aren't left to puzzle over the details.
Amazing story telling and a fantastic adventure
The audio quality is amazing . I love the music that plays between each chapter and changes to suit the mood of the story as it moves on. The narration itself is beautifully done and really brings the story to life. Each character is given their own accent and mannerisms so that the reader is never in doubt of who is speaking to who.
This is the second book of the series and I adored the 1st and I really loved this read too. The world building and lore of story is super well done and very very beautiful. This one moves slightly faster in pace than the first and takes place not long after the events of the first. ( I really like that it provides a recap for readers so that if its been some time between finishing the 1st and picking up the second, you as the reader, aren't left to puzzle over the details.
Amazing story telling and a fantastic adventure
October 10, 2025
Again, it felt very YA. There is a lot of setup but not a lot of things really happening. Especially with the bite, it would been exciting to have this more developed in the overall story. I think the writing was fine and the audio was good.
January 5, 2026
The second book in this series follows a short while after the first - the main character has been taken into the employ of the king as his main buyer of things. He finds himself unearthing another plot to attack the city and the king and helps to expose it.
The pacing was really slow on this one, as we were once again faced with so much love of the time period and so little plot. Sadly for me I was listening to the audiobook of this so couldn't even skim it and had to struggle through. Very little actually happens, most is clearly held back for book 3, with some inconsistent behaviours from book 1 (he was a successful merchant but will now work for the king that he hates and who was happy to see him killed).
I will not be continuing with the series.
The pacing was really slow on this one, as we were once again faced with so much love of the time period and so little plot. Sadly for me I was listening to the audiobook of this so couldn't even skim it and had to struggle through. Very little actually happens, most is clearly held back for book 3, with some inconsistent behaviours from book 1 (he was a successful merchant but will now work for the king that he hates and who was happy to see him killed).
I will not be continuing with the series.
December 25, 2025
(Audio courtesy of NetGalley and Regale Press.)
4⭐
I had a bit of difficulty getting into this one at first, especially immediately following The Imposter King, which was such a five-star experience! That's not to say that it's bad by ANY stretch of the imagination, but Ahsan’s circumstances have changed significantly in this book, and without giving too much away, he ends up struggling with some pretty heavy cognitive dissonance.
(It really speaks to the author's writing ability, though. Ahsan’s discomfort translated into visceral discomfort for me as well...)
In addition, much of the book feels deeply lonely in tone, and very deliberately written that way. Ahsan is so isolated until meeting up with Nirah again. Now, to be clear, there was never a point where I considered DNF’ing, but I enjoyed the story so much more once he stopped being so isolated. Plus, romance!
I love the confirmation of this romance. It carries on with that strong “will they / won’t they? (spoiler: we all know they will!)” energy that works so well in the background of the main plot.
I will DEFINITELY be continuing this series!
Audio-Specific 🎧: My feelings haven’t changed since the last book—so I'll copy-paste from my previous review. I don’t particularly care for the narration. Martin Martinez’s performance is serviceable, with no outright errors, but I just don’t enjoy his voice for this series. I don't feel like it enhances, or even fits, the narrative.
📌 TL;DR: It's a bumpy ride on an important road! Now... On to book 3!
4⭐
I had a bit of difficulty getting into this one at first, especially immediately following The Imposter King, which was such a five-star experience! That's not to say that it's bad by ANY stretch of the imagination, but Ahsan’s circumstances have changed significantly in this book, and without giving too much away, he ends up struggling with some pretty heavy cognitive dissonance.
(It really speaks to the author's writing ability, though. Ahsan’s discomfort translated into visceral discomfort for me as well...)
In addition, much of the book feels deeply lonely in tone, and very deliberately written that way. Ahsan is so isolated until meeting up with Nirah again. Now, to be clear, there was never a point where I considered DNF’ing, but I enjoyed the story so much more once he stopped being so isolated. Plus, romance!
I love the confirmation of this romance. It carries on with that strong “will they / won’t they? (spoiler: we all know they will!)” energy that works so well in the background of the main plot.
I will DEFINITELY be continuing this series!
Audio-Specific 🎧: My feelings haven’t changed since the last book—so I'll copy-paste from my previous review. I don’t particularly care for the narration. Martin Martinez’s performance is serviceable, with no outright errors, but I just don’t enjoy his voice for this series. I don't feel like it enhances, or even fits, the narrative.
📌 TL;DR: It's a bumpy ride on an important road! Now... On to book 3!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews